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Health & Fitness

The Etiquette of Away Games: The Unwritten Rules of the Road

How to act when you are the away team.

At every sporting event since the beginning of time, there were always those fans who were supporting the bad guys; the away team.  Nothing is worse than seeing these fans cheering on the enemy in “your house” and getting in your face. But before you say something to these fans that will make mothers cover their childrens’ ears, you need to think: What would you be like if your team was the away team?

In June of 1998, my family took a vacation to visit my extended family in Chicago. When we were out there, we saw an Indians game against the Cubs at the historic
ballpark, Wrigley Field. I fell in love with the thrill of being the enemy and
cheering on my Tribe, so much that my wish was to one day see the Indians play
in all 30 Major League stadiums. In the 21 years I have been on this earth, I
have been to 8 MLB stadiums (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Both
Chicago stadiums, Baltimore and the New York Yankee) and I quickly learned that I must behave differently at an away game than a game played at home.  Here is my personal advice on etiquette for an away game: 

Respect:  The number one is rule is to respect the home team. Respect their fans, respect their stadium, and respect their city. You would go nuts if an away fan was disrespecting you at your home stadium. The least you can do is represent your home town in a positive light. The fans will joke with you because you are supporting the away team, but remember, they are only joking. If their comments are too much and they are more disrespectful than funny, don’t react back because other fans will tell them to keep their mouths shut because they are embarrassing the team and the city. A ball game, home or away, is supposed to be fun and nobody likes when a good time is ruined. 

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Team Colors: As civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. once said, judge people by their character, not by their physical appearance. In the sports world, when you wear the away team’s clothing, the home fans won’t get in your face unless you give them a reason to. Just because you are not the same like, 90% (or more) of the people at the game, doesn’t mean your life is in danger!

Cheering: Cheer and cheer loud! As long as you are respectful, have fun! In June of 2011, I went to see the Indians play the Yankees in New York City. When Indians right fielder, Shin Soo Choo, was up to bat, I had to scream “Chooooooo” because I
had to represent my team! Since I wasn’t too loud and out of control, the Yankee
fans didn’t say a word to me. It is all out of good fun.

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Other Away Fans: There is a huge chance that you and the people that you went to the game with will not be the only away fans there. I’ll be honest, on the road; Clevelanders have each other’s backs. An unfamiliar city is hard to get around and everyone is in the same boat. So, if you get lost, find another Cleveland fan and help each other find your way. A Clevelander will never leave another Clevelander out it the wild!

If you have the money and the time off work, take a vacation and see your team on the road. You will have a great time and have no problem as long as you use the correct etiquette!  

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