T-shirts deemed offensive not allowed at the Safe

espn.com ^ | April 29, 2002

[Huck]

SEATTLE -- There was a no-no at Safeco Field this weekend and it had nothing to do with New York pitcher Ted Lilly's near feat.

This one was a scolding.

Seattle Mariners fans who tried to wear "Yankees Suck" T-shirts during a three-game weekend series against New York were told to turn their shirts inside out, take them off or leave.

"We may lead the league in ejections from the ballpark, but not because fans are misbehaving more here but because we don't tolerate much," said team spokeswoman Rebecca Hale. "This is about appropriate behavior. We have a code of conduct, a policy for language on clothing and banners and signs. Our feeling was this was not promoting what we want."

The shirts were being sold across the street from the stadium by at least one vendor, Hale said. No one was ejected for having the clothing.

The Mariners say they will maintain a longstanding policy of providing a family atmosphere at all times -- unlike Yankee Stadium.

Hale said she heard of T-shirts at Yankee Stadium last year featuring a New York firefighter urinating on Seattle star Ichiro Suzuki.

"There are different standards," Hale said. "That was apparently appropriate at Yankee Stadium. It wouldn't be at Safeco Field."

The Yankees said Monday they had no comment.

Hale said if the Mariners were to allow messages in the ballpark that could be offensive, other problems could arise, such as fist fights.

The Mariners had to ask fans to cover up inappropriate signs and clothing when Alex Rodriguez returned last year after leaving for Texas and a $252 million, 10-year contract, Hale said, and also when the Mariners played the Yankees in 2001.

"This is not new," she said. "This is a more hospitable setting than some other ballparks."

She insists little details do matter.

"If you don't pay attention to the small things, you lose control of the neighborhood and it becomes run down and crime infested," she said.

There is a "Yanks Suck" Web site, providing a community for anti-Yankees fans and a place to buy such shirts. It was started by Boston Red Sox faithful.

New York left-hander Lilly carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning of Seattle's 1-0 victory Saturday.

[Huck]

I'm wondering if Ice T and MTV are going to defend these tee shirt merchants from the corporate censorship at Safeco Field. Who will defend their first amendment rights? Isn't this just awful? They're coming for us all! Get out while you still can!

[weikel]

I think its stupid but its private property and they have a right to make all kinds of crazy rules.

[metesky]

"KILL THE UMPIRE!"

Oops, another hate crime. Ejection, arrest, incarceration.

;O)

[4CJ]

Let them wear what they want. They can cuss each other out in person.

[What Is Ain't]

"This is not new," she said. "This is a more hospitable setting than some other ballparks."

Hello! A ballpark is not supposed to be a hospitable setting. It's a place where the home team does battle with the enemy. And the Yankees, being the best team in the American league is the premier enemy of all.

I'm surprised she didn't handcuff the miscreants and force them to attend a baseball sensitivity training class before booting them - and their t-shirts - from the oh so Safeco stadium.

[HarleyWoodrowMantz]

Different towns, different attitudes. I'm a Yankee fan. 2 wks ago my family and I were in Boston and we went to a Yankee/Red Sox game at Fenway Park. The 'Yankees Suck' T-shirts were everywhere; they were the only shirts venders were selling around the ballpark,"T-shirts!!, Get your Yankees Suck T-shirts here!" We sat in the bleachers (1 row in front of spectator,David Cone!)and had a great time. In spite of the 'Yankees Suck' bluster, we never felt intimidated when we cheered the Yanks (who lost, but don't suck.)

[Puppage]

Your papers please!

[dpa5923]

Hello! A ballpark is not supposed to be a hospitable setting. It's a place where the home team does battle with the enemy. And the Yankees, being the best team in the American league is the premier enemy of all.

I understand your setiment, but I think you may need to switch to decaf. This is not a war, but a baseball game and if the owners of a park want to try and make their park a hospitable setting, they can. If it was my property, I would prohibit the wearing of the shirt as well, if it was my property. You want to wear the shirt, fine, just not on my property.

[Huck]

I saw the Yanks at Fenway in '98. I had a great time. Personally, I think Safeco is doing a good thing. I like to think there is still a place in America where you can take your little kids and not have to subject them to unsavory conduct. IMO, a baseball game ought to be one such place. But then, I don't think adults should smoke in front of children either.

[dpa5923]

setiment = sentiment (stupid keyboard)

[E Rocc]

I think its stupid but its private property and they have a right to make all kinds of crazy rules.

Is it, though? It's taxpayer funded.

Besides, anything that claims the Yankees suck or are scum should be exempt on the grounds of being truthful. >:)

-Eric

[weikel]

Okay well if its taxpayer funded then they gots to observe the constitution IMHO( I must be tired I forgot most stadiums were taxpayer funded).

[weikel]

LOL sorry I forgot most of these were taxpayer funded( but on non subsidized private property the owner can make his own rules IMHO).

[Tacis]

It is a lot cheaper for management to discourage offensive tee-shirts than it is for them to limit sale of those $4.50 beers. They want to keep things cool and still sell as many beers as last night.

[GuillermoX]

Why are you against private property rights? Do people have the RIGHT to come into your home wearing something you don't want them to be wearing?

[Alberta's Child]

This is an internal "dispute" that is going to be carried out in almost every sports venue in the U.S. All of these sports teams have to decide whether to cater to the serious fan or the casual observer.

Since serious fans are increasingly unable to afford the cost of attending major sporting events, my bet is that the "casual observer" (either a corporate type entertaining clients or a wealthy family in search of an alternative to an amusement park) is going to win out.

[HairOfTheDog]

I heard the M's-Safeco Field spokesman on (local conservative talk radio) John Carlson's show last night. Their goal is to present the ballgame as a family friendly atmosphere. Period. No obscene shirts, banners, language, fighting, drunkeness is allowed.

They don't allow anything that fathers/mothers would have to shield their young children from. She proudly theorized that The M's probably lead the league in people prevented from entering or being ejected from games for unruly behavior, though she said 9 times out of 10 a warning works just fine. She said the standard is very high.

I for one applaud the effort, and BTW so did John Carlson. His own sound guy had been ejected from a game for wearing the T-Shirt, and worse, for getting mouthy when told he couldn't enter with it on. Carlson had hoped to turn the issue into a first ammendment discussion, but articulate support for rude behavior just never materialized.

[Mike Darancette]

"We may lead the league in ejections from the ballpark, but not because fans are misbehaving more here but because we don't tolerate much,"...

The Mariners can afford this attitude since they are the most profitable franchise in Baseball today.

[Alberta's Child]

During the dark days of the 1980s in New York, a Yankee fan wrote a lengthy letter to one of the newspapers explaining why he would never take his family to Yankee Stadium again. His descriptions of the fans' behavior and incidents in the stands were colorful, and what sealed the deal for him was when the drunk guy sitting behind them collapsed, fell forward, and threw up all over the head of the author's 8 year-old son.