Believe it or not, attending a college sporting event comes with great responsibility. As a fan, your duties are to support your team through the fouls called, the shots missed, and obviously, the points earned. However, there comes a time when the fandom line gets crossed, and the decisions you make can land you in jail, like this UCSB student:
If you’re not aware, this ballsy UCSB student made a run at the men’s basketball coach, Gib Arnold, during a Thursday night game. The Santa Barbara student made his entrance after Brandon Spearman was called for an intentional foul and Arnold began to argue with the referees.
Arnold stated in an interview with ESPNU that it was unlike anything he had ever experienced as a coach. Don’t be a coach’s first, awkward fan encounter. Follow these game etiquette tips instead, especially if you’ve never been to a college game before.
1) Dress for the occasion. This includes shirts, hats, jewelry, and even body paint. Showing your support through your wardrobe won’t land you in jail, unless you come naked (don’t).
2) Bring catchy signs in support of your favorite player. Make sure the sign isn’t too distracting, though. The players ARE paying attention.
3) Limit your alcohol intake. Liquid courage is always a problem, not a solution. If you’re at the point where you’re screaming at the opposing team’s fans, or, you know, running onto the court to fight the opposing team’s coach, then you’ve gone too far. Save the partying for after.
4) Cheer. There’s nothing worse than the buzzkill student that sits throughout an entire game quietly. While in the stands, you become a personal cheerleader, and if you don’t get when to clap/scream, just follow everyone else – it’s pretty evident. The louder the fan, the better the team!
5) Congratulate your team off the court. If you run into an athlete on campus, let them know you were at the game and that they did a great job. This means a lot, especially if the game was a loss.
Fan etiquette is real and serious – remember to keep these tips in mind the next time you’re supporting your Warriors. Don’t pull a UCSB.