It was the sheer ugliness in the stands that Monday night, some of it televised by ABC, that prompted this crackdown, which Mayor Rendell and Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie announced at a City Hall news conference.
``Veterans Stadium is one of the great public spaces in Philadelphia,'' Lurie said. ``The last three years, there has been well over a 30 percent decrease in the number of complaints. But that's not enough. After a setback like this, you've got to take action.''
Rendell said he knew something had to be done when he heard a number of horror stories from fans on sports radio station WIP-AM (610).
``I heard comments from fans who said, `Look, anyone who goes to an Eagles game should know that they can't bring their kids with them to the game,' '' Rendell said.
``That is unacceptable to us as a city, and it's certainly unacceptable to the Philadelphia Eagles football organization. Taking your kids to a sporting event is one of the best experiences you can have.''
That experience can become an ordeal when you're surrounded by drunken, rowdy and even violent fans. During the San Francisco game, there were numerous fights, many of which began when Eagles fans intimidated fans wearing 49ers gear. At the end of the game, a man from Toms River, N.J., was arrested after he was accused of shooting a flare across the stadium. The man, Robert Sellers, faces eight criminal charges, including arson and drug possession.
``There is a very disturbing element in the minority of our fans who believe that Eagles game day means getting drunk, going into the stadium, intimidating the neighbors, using foul language, throwing things at people, and ultimately fisticuffs in the aisle,'' City Councilman James F. Kenney said.
