An act like this by a fan will be of great concern to security teams around the leagues which will now further heighten security making it more difficult to smoothly enter buildings. The fans will now be more inconvenienced than in the past. It will take longer to get to your seats all because one fan in Philly decided to be a bad actor. Thank goodness this was only a prank and not something more sinister.
Ted's Take
That smoke bomb might have been something worse…in a crowded public place, all it takes is something noxious to start a stampede and you will have mass chaos and casualties. Unfortunately, the mad and sad brigade take great pleasure in causing problems out there, so the rest of us pay the price.
Regardless of what security measures are taken, if someone wants to do something like this, they’re going to do it. The “security” at Verizon is a joke. It’s security theater, nothing more. All I’ve ever seen detected by the crack security folks at the doors are some nail clippers and a couple pocket knives just after September 11th and the odd bottle of water and cookie since then (oh no! that bottle of water might be a threat to everyone’s lives!!! That cookie might really be a bomb!) As to more strict security measures as Stephan recommends, if that was the case, and I had to deal with a pat down 44+ games a year, I don’t think I’d bother keeping my tickets.
Maybe strict security measure like the NFL uses need to be looked at. You can’t walk into FedEx field without being patted down and your bags inspected. I do Event Staff security at FedEx field…you would be amazed at the things people try to bring in.
Not surprised this happened during a flyers game.
No surprise that it happened in Philly. Once that happened, the league should have forfeited the game to the Devils and given the Flyers 0 points despite the fact it was in OT.
wow! What is even more shocking is the fact they were Flyers fans!
I realize as an owner, you have little choice in these matters. But honestly, what has changed? Why do we need an example of some security issue before it gets reacted to? Why would I, as a fan, have to subject myself to additional searches because someone did something that has always been possible and will always be possible? This doesn’t make me, the players, or anyone else safer.
I’m just supposed to believe I was safer. I stopped going to baseball games due to these moronic measures after 9/11. I hope I don’t have to stop going to hockey games because the NHL adopts some “show” of security