(KWTX) – As high school football fans across Central Texas return to the stands, officials are reminding them there is a line between cheering for a team and taking it too far. A Texas law gives game officials the power to remove spectators without giving them a warning first.
What the law allows
Under Senate Bill 2929, a referee or other game official can eject a spectator for inappropriate behavior without first giving a warning.
Jimmy Clark, with the Central Texas Football Chapter, said officials expect fans to get loud, but there is a difference between disagreeing with a call and making it personal.
“It’s when they start taking it personal, calling us names, cussing at us and stuff like that. That’s when officials will stop it,” Clark said.
The law has been in effect since last school year, but districts are putting out reminders as another football season gets underway.
Officials say behavior sometimes goes beyond the game
Clark said officials are used to hearing from the stands, but the problem is when it goes beyond the game.
“I’ve had officials or parents approach me in the parking lot after a baseball game, threatening me and my partner,” Clark said.
Clark said that kind of behavior is also contributing to a shortage of officials.
Consequences for spectators and schools
Clifton ISD has its own three-tier system for ejections. A first ejection results in a 30-day ban from district athletic events. A second ejection results in a 120-day ban. A third ejection results in a full year ban.
Clark said the goal is not to eject people from games.
“I hope I don’t have to use this tool that we have. I’d rather deal with it by talking to the players and the coaches and let them handle it,” Clark said.
Clark said booing a bad call will not automatically get a fan ejected, and officials are trained to tune out much of that reaction. But if behavior becomes disruptive enough that an official decides a fan needs to leave, the official no longer has to give a warning first.
Under the Texas Association of Sports Officials’ abuse-of-officials policy, repeated spectator incidents can require a school to submit a corrective action plan. A third incident can result in officials not being assigned to that school’s home schedule until the plan is implemented.
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