Case Study # 85 Th... Q CASE #85 The Case of Inadequate Crowd Control ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION: Sound Decision Making Effective Problem Solving and Appropriate Risk Taking 2 Edition, Stier. William F. Jr: 2013 American Press ISBN 978-0- 89641-509-8, Page 371-73 The hockey coaches always prided themselves on having an exciting team on the ice They also felt a deep sense of self-satisfaction from the atmosphere that always seems to surround the games. It was the crowds that made the games so exciting. The players could feel it. The coaches could feel it. And, the fans could feel it. The head ice hockey coach, Willy Hemptser, was especially effective in getting the fans in the stands to become a real part of the competitive spirit. He could work the crowd into a frenzy during an important contest. He was known to address the crowd during the subdued Once, between the first and second period of a very important game, he even stayed on the ice took the microphone, and attempted to rile up the crowd into a frenzy, to which he did. During the last game of the season, one in which the conference championship was at stake, Willy was especially hyper. Maybe it was because the athletic director stayed at home that night to watch the season ending show of his favorite television series. He also was remarkably effective that evening in getting the crowd into the game. In fact, the crowd became so enthusiastic, so excitable, that the sound was almost deafening The game was a hard fought contest and the score was tied during the late minutes of the game when it happened. A call went against coach Willy's team. As a result, a winning goal for his team was nullified. The two opposing teams on the ice got into a pushing match and Willy went absolutely ballistic. He did nothing to stop the rest of his team from leaving the bench and going onto the ice to join the fray. Coach Willy even turned to the crowd, exciting them to attempt to intimidate the officials and the opposing team The end result was almost catastrophic. Some of the more rowdy fans and boosters began to really get out of control. Objects were thrown onto the ice. Some of the spectators even threw objects into the penalty box hitting one of the opposing players in the face, cutting his nose severely One thing led to another (as things usually happens) and the violence escalated rapidly. The ice became a battlefield with officials being helpless to stop to the fighting among the teams. The hometown fans, seeing some of their players getting beaten, actually went onto the ice and started to mob the opposing players, who quickly became greatly outnumbered It took almost 15 minutes for the disturbance to quiet down. As a result, the officials canceled the contest, and this fact only excited the crowd to greater frenzy. After the game the opponents' bus was trashed with windows broken and baseball bats taken to dent the sides of the vehicle. All in all, it was a very ugly scene. 371 QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. Who shares responsibility for this fasco? Be specific and provide a rationale for your position 2. Could this unfortunate situation have been anticipated? Why or why not? 3. What role should the athletic director had played in this scenario? What should the athletic director have done earlier in the season, before the game, during the game? Be specific. 4. Should an athletic director be at every contest? Should the athletic director been at this contest? Why or why not? 5. If the AD is not at a contest, what are some options? What should be the expectations for the AD with planning and execution?