I can understand people putting up a fuss, because if you have a peanut allergy, reactions can be pretty violent. Of course, if that's the case, shouldn't someone have said something by now if it was really that serious? Peanuts in ballparks are about as old as the sport itself, so I can't imagine this being that big an issue if no one has spoken up in the past. Out of curiosity, does anyone here have a peanut allergy to add some insight?
When I first saw this story, I thought the purpose was to provide a part of the ballpark where you could be free from walking on peanut shells. I hate walking on peanut shells.
What's next, altering the lyrics to "Take me out to the ballgame" b/c it taunts and dramatizes the kiddies? Don't get me wrong, I feel bad for those who have to suffer with peanut allergies, but really if they are going to the ballpark, they should know what they're getting into and do their due dillingance(sp.?) in watching out what they're eating and what's nearby. As a nut lover myself (man, that's a open door for plenty of bad jokes), I'd hate to have to go to the ballpark after saving my money and getting time just for this just to be told that I can't sit at the section I want to b/c little Timmy would heave at the sight of me eating planter's. Before you know it, they may do this to restaurants, movie theaters, and other venues.
Originally posted by supersalvadoranWhat's next, altering the lyrics to "Take me out to the ballgame" b/c it taunts and dramatizes the kiddies? Don't get me wrong, I feel bad for those who have to suffer with peanut allergies, but really if they are going to the ballpark, they should know what they're getting into and do their due dillingance(sp.?) in watching out what they're eating and what's nearby. As a nut lover myself (man, that's a open door for plenty of bad jokes), I'd hate to have to go to the ballpark after saving my money and getting time just for this just to be told that I can't sit at the section I want to b/c little Timmy would heave at the sight of me eating planter's. Before you know it, they may do this to restaurants, movie theaters, and other venues.
The average ballpark has 40,000 seats. Perhaps 500 of them would likely comprise this section. I doubt any of those seats are going to be highly in demand seats. Is it seriously that big a burden upon you that a business decide looking out for the needs of some of their paying customers justifies limiting your peanut eating seat selection to 39,500?
Originally posted by supersalvadoranWhat's next, altering the lyrics to "Take me out to the ballgame" b/c it taunts and dramatizes the kiddies? Don't get me wrong, I feel bad for those who have to suffer with peanut allergies, but really if they are going to the ballpark, they should know what they're getting into and do their due dillingance(sp.?) in watching out what they're eating and what's nearby. As a nut lover myself (man, that's a open door for plenty of bad jokes), I'd hate to have to go to the ballpark after saving my money and getting time just for this just to be told that I can't sit at the section I want to b/c little Timmy would heave at the sight of me eating planter's. Before you know it, they may do this to restaurants, movie theaters, and other venues.
The average ballpark has 40,000 seats. Perhaps 500 of them would likely comprise this section. I doubt any of those seats are going to be highly in demand seats. Is it seriously that big a burden upon you that a business decide looking out for the needs of some of their paying customers justifies limiting your peanut eating seat selection to 39,500?
Yeah, maybe I'm overdoing it with the critizism. But I do think that it is an actual burden based on my situation, which I believe is similar to many other baseball goers. I can't afford to buy season tickets and I won't pay for them on-line b/c of the extra fees. Most of the time when I go to Shea Stadium, I buy upper deck tickets, which can at times be only at a couple of hundred left for the game when I buy them. It wouldn't please me if I went after at least hour-long drive through traffic to go up to the counter of a important game I have wanted to go to for a long time and was told that either I wasn't allowed to watch the game b/c I'm not afflicted with the allergy that allows me to sit at those segregated seats or that I would be forced to watch my eating habits and maybe other actions to be able to get in the game.
I guess what riles me up about this is that going to the baseball games is one of my few 'luxuries' I get to have, what with my limited cash flow and busy schedule. That and I think one of the great things about the ballpark IS the food. I always was shown that you're supposed to enjoy the peanuts and crackerjack and hot dogs and etc. It just seems to me that the fun and enjoyment would be diminished greatly if I had to give up part of what made the trip so special in the first place.
And as far as the 'well they're just going to seperate a couple of low demand seats' argument, I understand what spf is saying and won't disagree with him on that. But I doubt IMO that it just going to end at that. In today's lawsuit-happy world, I can just see where some parent sues the club b/c the seats 'discriminate' against them since they want to sit in a different section (maybe at field level) and the club won't make the same accomdinations in that other section. Or I can see where people with other allergies and/or conditions would go to court to get segregated sections for themselves. Before you know it, much of the ballpark is off-limits and you're not going to be to get a seat by how much you can afford or what view you want but by what you're affected by.
Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying those with peanut allergies shouldn't be allowed to see the game. But being paranoid as I am, I just see this being a slippery slope towards severly affecting this and other forms of entertainment. I just think they can come to the game if they do their part and watch what they're eating, what they 're nearby, and what others are doing by notifing the park of their conditions instead of forcing the park to cut off an area to everyone else but them.
My local minor league baseball team has a Peanut-Free night once a summer. Somehow this game always ends up in my ticket plan, but I don't really notice a difference besides the requests not to bring in outside nuts and the peanut vendor guy selling something else for the night. There's plenty of other good food to eat.
These peanut allergies are just as much (if not more) of a handicap as those who are physically unable to sit in normal seats. All stadiums set aside seats for people with those handicaps and I don't see why it should be any different for other handicaps. It's logistically different because of the needs of this handicap, but it's not taking away seating from anyone else - you know what the deal is when you buy the ticket, I assume, and there are plenty of other comparable seats.
I think your sliding slope argument is beyond paranoid. No wheelchair fan has sued a team to force front row seats, as far as I know, and anyone willing to initiate a lawsuit based on the location of available seats will have the same ability to do it regardless if there are already seats for them.
Originally posted by thecubsfanI think your sliding slope argument is beyond paranoid. No wheelchair fan has sued a team to force front row seats, as far as I know, and anyone willing to initiate a lawsuit based on the location of available seats will have the same ability to do it regardless if there are already seats for them.
(edited by thecubsfan on 28.5.08 2352)
I don't feel strongly enough about this issue to research this, but I do recall something of this sort in a lawsuit for the Qualcomm Stadium expansion that was done for the Superbowl a few years back. I don't remember if it was due to the number of seats, or the quality of the seats.
If there's one thing that I've learned, is that peanut allergies are extremely violent, even in small doses. Remember the episode of CSI, where the one juror received an allergy after having a peanut shell flicked at him? I know someone who had that happen to him.
Kudos to the people at Busch Stadium for putting this together.
I'm more impressed by Izzy becoming like the 30th guy (give or take a couple) since 1900 to strike out the side on 9 pitches. When he's on, he's filthy and impossible to hit. Unfortunately for the Cards, the easly inferred corollary is also true...