Seattle Mariner Fans example essay topic

In early May 2002, a ban that the management of Major League Baseballs's seattle Mariners imposed requiring non-admittance of any fan wearing a tee shirt saying, "Yankees Suck" was finally lifted. Telling the Seattle Mariner fans that the word "suck" was offensive and had no place in a family atmosphere, was out of line to many. The backlash from the fans was overwhelming to the point that Mariners management had no choice but to lift the ban. The ban caused three major backlashes: It angered season ticket holders, it told the fans that the first amendment could be twisted at the ballpark, and it tried to strip fans of team spirit and pride. Mariner management ignored the minor uprising as long as possible until the ban reached near boiling point levels. Things have since settled down in Seattle, but hopefully Mariner management will not try a stunt like the ban anytime soon.

Being a season ticket holder means a great deal to fans who love going out to the ballpark. When a security guard at the front gate doesn't allow entry because of a tee shirt the ticket holder is wearing, to say it would cause the ticket holder to be angry is an understatement. If purchasing season tickets doesn't guarantee entry into the stadium merely on the fact that some people find the word "suck" to be offensive was a travesty to season ticket holders. As a matter of fact, the word "suck" is being used by children today than in most the Mariner management's lifetimes. Telling grown up fans to act as management wants to is fascism in a corporate disguise. When someone buys a ticket it is expected that the buyer is to act like a civilized human being, but don't make up new standards for the fan to abide by.

The first amendment is what makes America work, so when Mariner management tried to tell fans they couldn't wear a belief on a tee shirt, it sent mixed messages to the fan base. It is well known what words are truly obscene in today's world, but the word "suck" has not been truly offensive since "Ozzie and Harriet" was still on prime time. To say that the fan base would be offended without taking a census of some sort or another was censorship in a way. A fan wearing a shirt with the f-word not being let in is different than a fan wearing a "Jesus Rules" shirt in. Both shirts show individuality, but the latter of the two is more appropriate.

But if Mariners management deemed that showing religious beliefs on a shirt was inappropriate, would there be a bigger act of censorship? Censorship is censorship, no matter how it is done. Going out to the ballpark and cheering the home team on while booing the opposition is one of the most fun things to do while being at a game. A favorite amongst fans is to yell, "You guys suck", to the visiting team. Families yell it in unison at times. People of all races, sex, and creeds scream such phrases many times in a single game.

If anybody is truly offended, it isn't meant in context of anything. To say things like that is just a way of rooting for the home team. To want to print a phrase like it on a tee shirt to show team pride shouldn't be taken to heart. Having team pride is special to any fan, so why try and take it away? Having the ban lifted was a big step for Mariners management. Knowing full well management could have kept the ban active and say screw the fans, was definitely a route management could have took.

By taking the road less traveled by corporations today, the Mariners organization accommodated to the modern fans way of expression. The ban fiasco in retrospect can now be seen as a stepping stone for people stop putting up with what is perceived as acceptability by corporate America. Trying to deflate fans enjoyment is not good for business now is it?