Will Raiders-49ers Games Continue After Spate of Shootings?
As you may have heard, the annual Raiders-49ers game has been canceled. Dubbed the "Battle of the Bay," the pre-season "friendly" is supposed to pit the Oakland Raiders against the San Francisco 49ers in a cross-bay showdown.
Unfortunately, the games are almost always marred by violence.
The most recent "Battle of the Bay" game at the start of the 2011 season was no different. The game took place at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Violence erupted when two men, aged 20 and 24, were shot in the parking lot at separate times. And, another 26-year-old man was beaten in a stadium bathroom, reports the San Jose Mercury News.
All three wounded men were hospitalized.
In response to the violence, the 49ers have announced that they will no longer be participating in these rivalry-fueled games.
The 49ers are also vowing to implement more regulations to curb violence and alcohol-related problems at games. Security will be increased, and the 49ers are also planning DUI checkpoints. Alcohol will also no longer be sold in the fourth quarter of the game. Tailgating parties will also be limited and must be shut down after the game begins, the San Jose Mercury News reports.
Remember football fans, "team loyalty" and "defending a team's honor" are not legal defenses to criminal charges like battery, assault, or assault with a deadly weapon.
Related Resources:
- Report: NFL may end 49ers-Raiders game (Fox Sports)
- Terrelle Pryor Drafted by Raiders with 5-Game Suspension (FindLaw's Tarnished Twenty)
- Former Raider Accused of Attacking County Supervisor (FindLaw's Tarnished Twenty)