4um: Fan sues over NFL conduct policy, says he has a right to swear

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Last year we passed along word of a legal challenge to the NFL’s conduct policy for fans. Now the fan challenging that policy is coming forward to press his case and say he shouldn’t have been kicked out of a stadium for dropping an F-bomb is filing a lawsuit over it.

Eric Holguin, an off-duty Los Angeles police officer who attended the Cardinals-Chargers game in October of 2010 and wore Cardinals colors at Qualcomm Stadium, said that he was kicked out of the stadium after saying “F— you” to two Chargers fans who challenged him to a fight. Security personnel removed him from the stadium for the obscenity, and now he’s filing a lawsuit.

“A fan has a right to say ‘[expletive] you’ in public. It’s a public place,” Holguin’s attorney, Mary Frances Prevost, told 10 News in San Diego.

Holguin’s lawsuit seeks an injunction asking the city of San Diego to stop enforcing rules for fan behavior at Petco Park and Qualcomm stadium, including the NFL’s Fan Code of Conduct, which ban obscene and offensive language.

The San Diego City Attorney’s Office, however, has said that it’s concerned that profane arguments can escalate into violence, and that families will be less likely to go to games if they believe they’re going to be subjected to profanity. The Chargers also issued a statement supporting the NFL Code of Conduct.

“The NFL’s Code of Conduct has helped make fans further aware that their behavior has an impact on others, and ultimately has helped curtail the number of incidents league-wide,” the Chargers’ statement said. “The NFL Code of Conduct has been and will continue to be a strong asset to our efforts.”

That is, it will continue if Holguin’s lawsuit is unsuccessful.

Oh, Fuck the NFL. I would just as soon go see the "IBM Blues" as the local generic Professional Sports Enterprise. At one time the NFL existed to make enough money for athletes to continue playing the games they love and the money was secondary. Now it is ALL about the money and any affection I ever had for the sport long ago left town.

I would object more to the Gestapo Screeners than I would to some crud who cannot act and behave in a civilized manner in public.

Typical pig. Thinks he is entitled to do whatever he wants and has little understanding of the law he is charged to enforce.

The Stadium is not a public place. One pays to enter. It is a privately owned facility that can make rules of conduct as it sees fit. You wouldn't drop the F bomb at a skating rink. No reason to expect to be dropping f bombs at the stadium.

Although I admit if it was a baseball game nobody would of batted an eyelash.... I have not been to that many games... but my sister has taken me to two. I would never take my son to one. The banners have profanity , the people think their 401ks were meant to get drunk on 10 dollar miller light, and the people.... it was bad. I would never take my son to a game if those are the kinds of folks that go.