NCAA claims alcohol the root of wild fan celebrations

In the still-young Myles Brand era of the NCAA, the ex-IU president has focused on cleaning up the multi-million dollar industry that is collegiate sports, with efforts to return the "student to student-athlete."\nBut according to a recently released NCAA report from the Sportsmanship and Fan Behavioral Summit, the problem of behavioral misconduct does not lie solely with those in the athletic department. The summit was created to discuss the growing problem of fans' behavior at sporting events when linked with alcohol. Included were conference and college officials, outside experts and representatives of news-media organizations, as they worked to resolve a problem which has plagued campuses nationwide.\nIn the wake of numerous fan-related incidents, the NCAA held the summit to discuss the school's role in encouraging better sportsmanship from the sidelines. \nIn the report, the NCAA suggests it is the responsibility of colleges and their surrounding communities to regulate alcohol consumption during college sporting events to improve the behavior of its fans.\nAccording to the report, "Inappropriate fan behavior disrupts contests and tarnishes the spectator experience. In the worst cases, it leaves students and fans severely injured and costs institutions and communities thousands in cleanup and restoration dollars. The well-played contests are often overshadowed by reports of spectator aggression."\nOne of the incidents the NCAA cited as problematic was the student rioting on Kirkwood Avenue following the Hoosiers' run to the NCAA Final Four in 2002. The riot grabbed the attention of NCAA officials when an estimated crowd of 6,000 fans was dispersed with tear gas. Thirty people were arrested on charges of public intoxication, while four others were charged with battery of a police officer.\nThe student unrest of spring 2002 was only one of 12 instances cited by the NCAA that occurred over the past three years. Other notable alcohol-related episodes include riots at Michigan State and Minnesota.\nOutlined in the 16-page report are suggestions to universities and their surrounding communities on how to end these drunken celebrations. Institutional game management, campus/community relations and control of alcohol are focus areas the NCAA outlined as those that are in need of reform.\nBut by far the most attention-getting and unpopular suggestions surround use of alcohol among fans.\nWhereas alcohol at professional sporting events seems to go hand-in-hand with the game itself, the NCAA is making a stand to distance itself as far from alcohol as possible.\nThe report suggests specific policies to curb alcohol abuse, such as the policy of bars restricting hours of operation in hopes that students' behavior will not get out of control. \nIn East Lansing, a group of bars and pubs united to form the Responsible Hospitality Council, whereas promotions that encourage high-risk drinking, as well as the sale of alcohol altogether, stops after the first half of postseason basketball games.\nBut Jim Karl, owner of Yogi's Bar & Grill, said the establishment is not responsible for the behavior of students.\n"If I give you a hammer and some nails, and you miss the hammer and hit your hand, is it my fault?" Karl asked. "The responsibility of curbing students' alcohol abuse is not only our problem, not the University's problem, but everyone's problem. The responsibility should fall on everyone.\n"(Yogi's makes) sure no one under the age of 21 is served alcohol. But we can't be responsible for people's behavior after they leave."\nThe report acknowledges that the NCAA has no way to set national policy, but thinks it can help kick-start reform by encouraging conference officials to share tactics that have helped in the past.\nAccording to the report, "Positive relations between a campus and community can ensure there is a consistent level of enforcement in the campus community."\nThe report specifically mentioned the enforcement of open container laws, in efforts to drain the appeal of tailgating.\nBut IU Police Department Lt. Jerry Minger suggests the University and the community are doing all they can.\n"If you look at the statistics, as far as number of arrests and citations, we are doing everything we can with the limited resources we work with," Minger said. "Ultimately, the responsibility lies with the offender. There is only so much the police department, University, and community can do. The NCAA's suggestions are not always feasible."\nAccording to the NCAA, "Institutions can choose to strictly enforce open container laws or attempt to better manage alcohol consumption in tailgating areas. To do so, institutions can encourage alumni associations to discourage fellow fans from irresponsible tailgating."\nAlthough carefully outlined solutions were described in the article, the NCAA has not officially set sanctions on fan behavior, nor has it acted on any of the solutions from the report.\n-- Contact staff writer Jeff Fuldauer at jfuldaue@indiana.edu