The Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins Week 15 game was halted after supporters at the Highmark Stadium kept throwing snowballs on the pitch.
Officials warned them that if the Bills fans don’t stop, the team will be penalised.
Can the officials penalise the home team over fans’ unruly behaviour?
The league states that teams are committed to ‘creating a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable experience for all fans, both in the stadium and in the parking lot. We want all fans attending our games to enjoy the experience in a responsible fashion’.
However, unruly behaviour by fans constitutes:
» Behavior that is unruly, disruptive, or illegal in nature.
» Intoxication or other signs of alcohol impairment that results in irresponsible behavior.
» Foul or abusive language or obscene gestures.
» Interference with the progress of the game (including throwing objects onto the field).
» Failing to follow instructions of stadium personnel.
» Verbal or physical harassment of opposing team fans.
Also read: Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins Week 15: What is the temperature at Highmark stadium on Saturday?
” Stadium staff will promptly intervene to support an environment where event patrons, their guests, and other fans can enjoy the event free from the above behavior. Event patrons and guests who violate these provisions will be subject to ejection without refund and loss of ticket privileges for future games,” NFL states.
The league’s noise control rule said that if the crowd made it difficult for the visiting team to play, the referee would stop the clock.
It adds that the crowd will be warned and the home team will be asked to encourage them to come in order. The referee can also warn them about charging the home team.
On a third violation, the home team will be charged with a timeout. If they are out of timeouts, the team will be penalised.
While the rule clearly talks about noise control protocol. It notes that the home team can be penalised due to unruly behaviour of the crowd.
