Fan Conduct Class Blog

Every year for the last 3 years,  sales generated from the Fan Conduct Class offer a portion of proceeds to both local and national charities.  For the 2013 NFL season, we are please to announce that $15,270.00 was donated as a result of the success of the Fan Conduct Class.  Some of these charities included:

Ari Novick, the psychotherapist behind the NFL's fan conduct class program was recently interviewed by Esquire Magazine writer, Keith O'Brien regarding fan behavior.  The article is interesting because the writer spent some time doing a social experient wearing opposing team jerseys in cities where the two superbowl teams reside.

The article, "You're Not Welcome in this Community" begins as follows: "What happens when you wallpaper yourself in Seahawks gear and head to Denver? What happens when you roll into Seattle in a car festooned with Broncos flags? In the wake of rising concern over bad fan behavior at NFL games, one man goes to find out... and winds up face to face with Richard Sherman’s mother."  Read more here

Today I was interviewed on ExtraTime Radio regarding some of the recent incidents that have occured at MLS events recently as well as explaining how the Fan Conduct Class program works for both the NFL and MLS leagues.  The podcast can be found here

The interview talks about the history of the fan conduct class and why fans get ejected from games.

The segment is located around minute 34:32.

Currently the Fan Conduct Class is being utilized by 6 MLS teams and is a leaguewide program for all NFL stadiums. 

Last week I attended the NFL national security conference, where I was a presentor discussing the Fan Conduct Class program for a second year in a row.  Last year was the first year the league embrassed the program as part of their best practice policy.  We had 18 teams support the program the first season and after the conference, I suspect most of the other teams will come on board.  The class is really an extension of how the league is addressing the issue of improving fan behavior and making the game day experience the best it can possibly be.  Teams that currently utilize the program state it has been very effective and useful in educating fans about their stadiums code of conduct policy as well as teaching them some better ways to conduct their behavior when they attend games.  The goal of our program is to reduce fan violence, create the safest game day experience for all fans and reduce the number of ejections through education.

As we approach our 4th season refining the Fan Conduct Class program, the NFL has asked Dr. Ari Novick to come and present as a panel speaker at this years Train the Trainer confernce in June. The primary goal is the educate the teams on the new udpates that have been made for the 2013/14 season and best practices for contining implementation of this very successful program.

Teams will also get a preview of some new tracking and reporting features that they will have access to for this next season.  This will help better equipe the teams with more data and help the league better track fans who have taken the class.

Fan safety is paramount for the NFL and the Fan Conduct has is just one of the many ways they are addressing this very important issue.  

Some changes to the class for next year  for the fan include a slighly shorter program, improved page timers, better branding and imagery of the teams, more NFL specific examples and a improved user experience.