Brawl Puts Sports Security in Public Limelight

Dec 1, 2004 12:00 PM

The brawl that spilled into the stands during the Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons NBA game at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich., in mid-November has drawn attention around the country.

It has also prompted the National Basketball Association and its commissioner, David Stern, to re-assess security practices.

“Participants in and around the court must be assured complete protection from unacceptable fan behavior,” Stern said in a statement. “We must re-examine the adequacy of our current security procedures in Detroit and our other 28 arenas. The actions at Friday's game, though unprecedented, must now be factored into all efforts to guarantee the well-being of our fans.”

Fans at the next Pistons game got a firsthand look at what might be in store for the rest of NBA security. The Pistons doubled the number of armed police to about 20 in the arena and increased other arena security personnel by about 25 percent.

“If you were sitting at home or you were here watching what happened the other night, you might have thought, ‘Can I take my wife there? Can I take my kids there? Is that a safe environment?’” Pistons CEO Tom Wilson said before the game. “That's why we ratcheted up our security.”

By late January, Stern says he expects to implement a league-wide code of prohibited fan conduct along with new security measures to prevent further violence.

The Pistons plan to add a protective covering over the tunnels leading to the locker rooms, but do not want to line the court with police and security personnel or put up a physical barrier.

“I think you've got to be careful and not overreact to undo an excellent relationship between fans and players by putting up walls,” Wilson said.

Oakland County (Mich.) prosecutor David Gorcyca has indicated that four Pacers — Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, Jermaine O'Neal and David Harrison — are likely to be charged with assault and battery, along with any fan captured throwing punches on videotape of the Nov. 19 incident. Stern adds he expects about 30 fans to face legal charges, as well as sanctions imposed by the NBA.

Artest was suspended by the NBA for the rest of the season, while Jackson and O'Neal also received harsh suspensions of more than 20 games.

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