University of Virginia Library

Football Etiquette

Several problems concerning student fans
have arisen this fall at football games in
Scott Stadium. The Student Stadium
Committee, which was created twelve years
ago by the Student Council, is trying to
alleviate these difficulties by clarifying
stadium behavior policy to students who want
to attend the games. All that the committee is
asking is that the students who go to Scott
Stadium act more like human beings than
uncultured beasts and that they show more
respect for the rights of each other.

Seating: In the student section no
particular group, such as a fraternity, is
allocated the right to reserve a block area of
seats. Each student should have the equal
opportunity to sit where he pleases on a first
come, first served basis. The solution to the
fraternity seating dilemma is simply that
students who want to guarantee that they will
be able to sit together at the game should
come to the stadium a little earlier. Students
who are approached by members of the
committee at Scott Stadium for saving seats
should not react in an indignant and
obnoxious manner lest they risk immediate
expulsion from the Stadium area.

Identification: Students are required to
show their ID cards or student guest tickets
upon entering the stands so that non-students,
especially impersonators from the local high
schools, will be kept out of the reserved
student area

Beverage Containers: Of course, alcoholic
beverages have never been permitted in Scott
Stadium which is, after all, state property.
The Committee recognizes the near
impossibility of enforcing such a policy, the
extent of drinking in the Stadium, and the
popular feeling held by students on the
subject. However, no ice or beverage
containers will be allowed in the confines of
the athletic facility — i.e. do not brandish
them on entering the Stadium. Under no
circumstances should glass containers be
brought into the Stadium. In other words, if
you are trying to sneak liquor into Scott
Stadium, please bring it in an unbreakable
container since a number of students and
guests have received lacerations from broken
glass while attending the games this fall.

Disturbances: Any student who causes a
disturbance in the form of obnoxious
behavior or exhibitionist drinking will, after
fair warning, be asked to leave the Stadium. If
the student fails to cooperate, the matter will
be turned over to the Judiciary Committee.
Obnoxious behavior includes excessive
profanity, whistle blowing (causes confusion
on the field), and ice throwing which can be
exceedingly dangerous.

There are only two home football games
left this season, against Colgate this weekend,
and the Maryland game the following week.
But these same rules also apply to the
basketball games in University Hall, where
there is an additional prohibition against
smoking. We want students to have a good
time at the athletic contests on the Grounds.
But not at other students' expense.