thrashard340

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/
15482665/blood-spilled-at-games-bec
ause-of-alcohol-sales-must-stop

Banning alcohol is not the solution. It is the typical trap that rule makers fall into time after time...punish the guilty by punishing the innocent. Well, it's the wrong message. This topic came up on the 49ers forum (not surprisingly), and here are my comments transferred from my forum post.

So here is a recap of the supposed changes.

-No more tailgating after kickoff. This means no tailgating after the game either.

-There will be DUI checkpoints set up between the stadium exits and the freeways.

-49ers/Raiders exhibition games will now be postponed until further notice.

-Season ticket holders could have their rights revoked if their tickets makes it into the hands of a troublemaker.

If anyone has ever been to Candlestick, it was already a pain getting out of the stadium after games. Most of the time, we would tailgate after the game and let traffic die down. So without this option, I think I would rather stay home and watch it on 55" of Samsung Hi-Def. I didn't make it to any games last year, but I did go to 3 in 2009 and probably a total of 10 games in the last 10 years. So these rules are disappointing to say the least.

Checkpoints outside of the stadium will make a bad situation worse. So you can imagine if traffic sucked prior to this change, then how bad will traffic exiting the stadium be now? I do understand that DUI's need to be kept in check, but this move doesn't necessarily target the "bad" element. It will include your white and blue collared professionals as well.

49ers/Raiders exhibition games will be back.

I don't know if punishing season ticket holders sends the right message either. This is especially the case for underperforming teams like the 49ers who need this revenue. If the season ticket holders themselves are constant troublemakers, then boot them. However, you can't expect season ticket holders to police the tickets they sell.

I believe the solution lies in technology.

-Teams should make is standard to require a valid drivers license or state ID when entering the stadium.

-Teams should be able to scan these ID's and sync up with police computers. If the subject has warrants out for their arrest, then they should be turned away and/or arrested on the spot. To take it one step further, police officials on the spot would further screen individuals with violent backgrounds on record and kick them out. Stragglers would be kicked out after kickoff and once the 4th quarter ends, allow tailgating for those who wish to wait out traffic.

-Teams would need to pay for police officials to manage the program. Scanning ID's would not do much to significantly slow the pace of entering the stadium. Minors would be exempt as long as they are accompanied by an adult.

This would ensure that "bad" elements stay out of the stadium and forced back into the parking lot or arrested. If they are not arrested, then they would be forced to leave after kickoff. I guarantee that once word gets out that police are arresting people with open warrants at the gates, then a lot of the bad element will stop showing up.

if you do these things, then you're sending the right message. We don't want people in our stadium who are criminals and/or are prone to violence.