Semi-streaker at Lions game is banned from BC Place for a year
Posted June 17, 2018 2:28 pm.
Last Updated June 17, 2018 6:12 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – There’s certainly a lot of video footage making the rounds on social media, with even the BC Lions having tweeted and then deleted a post about it.
In case you missed it, during Saturday night’s game at BC Place between the Lions and Montreal Alouettes, a man without any pants on, ran onto the field during the first quarter. His fun didn’t last long after he was hit hard by defensive back Marcell Young at the 45-yard line.
The man was wearing a jersey and blue underwear and Laura Ballance who speaks for BC Place says he has also been banned from the stadium for a year.
She feels this sort of behaviour may have been funny a couple of decades ago, but not now and if anything it disrupts the game and fan experience.
“There was in the area of 20,000 people there that came for an evening of great Canadian football and to disrupt the field of play in any way is an unfortunate thing. It does not the family friendly atmosphere that we try to uphold at the venue.”
It’s unclear what gave the man the courage to do what he did. “I imagine alcohol was involved,” adds Ballance.
She stresses even if it doesn’t seem like it to fans, any venue where a sporting event is being played, is a professional workplace for the athletes.
“I personally don’t think it’s a respectful thing to do for them and I know it’s not a respectful thing to do for all the families and people who came to enjoy a great football game and had that disruption. I don’t think it’s acceptable behaviour in this day and age and I personally don’t think it’s funny and I think a lot of people would agree with me on that.”
You may be wondering how someone can get on the field that easily.
“You either have what they have in Europe which is chain-linked fencing with razor wire and security guards standing either two to four feet apart or shoulder to shoulder and a para-military look and feel to that venue. Or you have what we have here in North America largely, and certainly in this part of Canada which is a security presence that isn’t meant to feel para-military. So, what we have is we do bag searches and pat downs at entrances of the venue to prevent somebody bringing in something that’s meant to disrupt the play of field or worse.”
She adds security at BC Place did “everything right” in this case and are told to walk anyone, who causes a similar disturbance, off the field and not to chase them down for two reasons: so no one gets hurt and to help reduce any further drama.
The man was eventually escorted out of the venue.
The Lions, by the way, beat the Alouettes 22-10 in the home opener.