EASTON, Pa. – After a brawl and a slew of arrests at a previous home game, Easton is tightening the rules for Friday night football.
The district has made changes to how fans enter the stadium, where they can sit, and how they can move once they’re inside.
“Past games we didn’t have to scan IDs, we didn’t have to bring anything in,” Easton student Noah says.
“The stamps are new, too. Can’t get in the student section unless you have stamps, that type of stuff, and you can’t walk around, really,” he explained.
Spectators must also stay in the designated seating areas unless getting concessions or using the bathroom.
“I get it, how there would be fights, but I think it’s just overkill how nobody’s allowed to walk around,” Easton student Carter says.
“Like, if you came back here, what, two weeks ago, everybody would be walking around. There would be people everywhere, and the student section would be filled,” he remarked.
The changes come after what the Superintendent calls an extraordinary number of arrests following a brawl at a game last month.
But many say the energy feels different.
“I think it’s, like, smart to make new rules,” Carter says. “I just don’t think they should emphasize them this much.”
“I don’t know, it’s helping behavior, but it’s making it really boring,” Easton student Alec says.
“It’s just like, there’s no energy,” he said.
One Easton parent says she already noticed a difference.
“I think you can tell the difference from, like, the last games I’ve been at,” Marilis Ramos says.
“Less rowdy, more calm, you know, there’s more room, no more fighting. It’s an improvement,” she remarked.
District leaders say the goal is to keep the game safe while still allowing fans to continue enjoying the games and the fun.