Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating?

Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - Printable Version

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Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - Row80Critic - 09-04-2022

We have a big group/family with 16 season tickets that include 6 seats in the accessible seating, row Y. For reasons we still don't understand, a guest services worker asked to see our tickets twice before the game even started. This person got agitated for reasons we could not understand and continued to ask to see tickets (in my case 3 times) and making unintelligible but agitated comments at us (mask, stadium noise, speaking volume, hearing loss, language issues all played a roll I'm sure, but not one of us really understand what the problem was). This went on for well over 45 minutes, until there was about 6 minutes left in the first quarter, until her supervisor finally arrived. He promptly checked our tickets, apologized for this person's conduct, and removed this person from our area. It really put a nasty cloud over what should have been a great day. The only thing we could figure is that maybe this person thought we weren't worthy of accessible seats because (some of us) didn't appear to have any special needs, or got bent out of shape because 2 companion seat holders had swapped seats, or just wasn't able to check tickets for whatever reason? One of the craziest thing I've experienced in 53 seasons of Stanford football.... at least off the field. :)

Anyone else experience anything like this? It's not like people are lining up to see these games, so Stanford needs overly-officious seat monitors like a hole in its head! Who would be the right person to contact so this doesn't keep happening?

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - 82lsju - 09-04-2022

(09-04-2022, 01:49 PM)Row80Critic Wrote: We have a big group/family with 16 season tickets that include 6 seats in the accessible seating, row Y. For reasons we still don't understand, a guest services worker asked to see our tickets twice before the game even started. This person got agitated for reasons we could not understand and continued to ask to see tickets (in my case 3 times) and making unintelligible but agitated comments at us (mask, stadium noise, speaking volume, hearing loss, language issues all played a roll I'm sure, but not one of us really understand what the problem was). This went on for well over 45 minutes, until there was about 6 minutes left in the first quarter, until her supervisor finally arrived. He promptly checked our tickets, apologized for this person's conduct, and removed this person from our area. It really put a nasty cloud over what should have been a great day. The only thing we could figure is that maybe this person thought we weren't worthy of accessible seats because (some of us) didn't appear to have any special needs, or got bent out of shape because 2 companion seat holders had swapped seats, or just wasn't able to check tickets for whatever reason? One of the craziest thing I've experienced in 53 seasons of Stanford football.... at least off the field. :)

Anyone else experience anything like this? It's not like people are lining up to see these games, so Stanford needs overly-officious seat monitors like a hole in its head! Who would be the right person to contact so this doesn't keep happening?

maybe

Jamie Breslin
Senior Associate Athletics Director • Facilities, Operations and Events
650.725.4997
jbreslin@stanford.edu

or

Jennifer Chow
Director • Fan Experience
650.691.8582
jenchow@stanford.edu

full AD staff directory here

https://gostanford.com/staff-directory

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - newguy - 09-04-2022

this is completely inexcusable.
sounds like the stuff that viral videos are made of.

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - Mick - 09-04-2022

(09-04-2022, 01:49 PM)Row80Critic Wrote: We have a big group/family with 16 season tickets that include 6 seats in the accessible seating, row Y. For reasons we still don't understand, a guest services worker asked to see our tickets twice before the game even started. This person got agitated for reasons we could not understand and continued to ask to see tickets (in my case 3 times) and making unintelligible but agitated comments at us (mask, stadium noise, speaking volume, hearing loss, language issues all played a roll I'm sure, but not one of us really understand what the problem was). This went on for well over 45 minutes, until there was about 6 minutes left in the first quarter, until her supervisor finally arrived. He promptly checked our tickets, apologized for this person's conduct, and removed this person from our area. It really put a nasty cloud over what should have been a great day. The only thing we could figure is that maybe this person thought we weren't worthy of accessible seats because (some of us) didn't appear to have any special needs, or got bent out of shape because 2 companion seat holders had swapped seats, or just wasn't able to check tickets for whatever reason? One of the craziest thing I've experienced in 53 seasons of Stanford football.... at least off the field. :)

Anyone else experience anything like this? It's not like people are lining up to see these games, so Stanford needs overly-officious seat monitors like a hole in its head! Who would be the right person to contact so this doesn't keep happening?

Good to see the fun prevention squad is in midseason form...

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - Phogge - 09-04-2022

Eric brings touchdown cookies to the Red Coats before the games. They are in his pocket much like the senators were to Don Corleone.

AKA, don’t let some whipsnade bully you. Immediately go to a supervisor.

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - Row80Critic - 09-06-2022

(09-04-2022, 10:42 PM)Phogge Wrote: Eric brings touchdown cookies to the Red Coats before the games. They are in his pocket much like the senators were to Don Corleone.

AKA, don’t let some whipsnade bully you. Immediately go to a supervisor.

Trust me, we tried! Happy to report that the guest services folks responded to my email almost immediately and said everything one could hope for under the circumstances -- refreshingly candid actually.

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - gailtate - 09-06-2022

(09-06-2022, 02:04 PM)Row80Critic Wrote:
(09-04-2022, 10:42 PM)Phogge Wrote: Eric brings touchdown cookies to the Red Coats before the games. They are in his pocket much like the senators were to Don Corleone.

AKA, don’t let some whipsnade bully you. Immediately go to a supervisor.

Trust me, we tried! Happy to report that the guest services folks responded to my email almost immediately and said everything one could hope for under the circumstances -- refreshingly candid actually.

Good for you! On a related topic, I never understood, in five decades of season tix, why Stanford had to ANNUALLY REINVENT the processes of ingress, egress, parking, and all kinds of protocols relative to football games. And WHY, during the 90,000 seat era, getting to the stadium, parking around it and walking into it was such a friction-free, snap, even if it was pre 9/11, etc. etc.. Don't get me started on BYOB. Today, too many Karens hovering like nuns at mid-century Catholic Schools waiting to inflict punishment: grabbing an earlobe here, smacking rulers across knuckles there. As recently as the mid-'90s, I was escorted out of the stadium for conduct inconsistent with Stanford norms. I lost it, re-grouped and telephoned (this was pre-cellular) a highly placed individual who escorted me back in. Never saw my accusers again, BTW. Dipsticks.

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - 82lsju - 09-06-2022

(09-04-2022, 10:42 PM)Phogge Wrote: Eric brings touchdown cookies to the Red Coats before the games. They are in his pocket much like the senators were to Don Corleone.

AKA, don’t let some whipsnade bully you. Immediately go to a supervisor.

we never feed the red coats.

probably five years ago I went to visit a friend in his seats, as we arrive security arrives (not just a red coat but a deputy) who asks my friend to accompany him, he declines and asks what's the problem. Seems someone in the row behind him, who by now had left, had complained about my friend's exuberant behavior, you know things like standing up and cheering....the people still seated in the area immediately jumped to his defense and the deputy left without further incident....

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - fullmetal - 09-07-2022

I got yelled at last spring for leaving my sunglasses on top the dugout at Sunken Diamond. Front row seats, just my sunglasses, but didn't want to wear them in the evening (super regional), and didn't want to forget them either. I draped them on the armrest of my seat and promptly forgot them when the game was over.

Starting to really despise the no-fun brigade.

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - Mick - 09-08-2022

(09-07-2022, 10:46 AM)fullmetal Wrote: I got yelled at last spring for leaving my sunglasses on top the dugout at Sunken Diamond. Front row seats, just my sunglasses, but didn't want to wear them in the evening (super regional), and didn't want to forget them either. I draped them on the armrest of my seat and promptly forgot them when the game was over.

Starting to really despise the no-fun brigade.

I'm starting to get the feeling that the customer experience is not a priority at Stanford University athletics...

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - BobK - 09-08-2022

When Dorst took over in charge maybe now 8-10 years ago everythibg got much better. I’ve had 3 recent excellent experiences
But Row’s is unacceptable

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - Phogge - 09-08-2022

I have a ton of experience dealing with guards, Sheriffs, cops, Secret Service, officious SID's, sideline thugs ....
The absolute best in the business were SS agents and the California Highway Patrol. The worst were Denver cops, by a lot.

I've learned to suck it up and I've learned that just a little authority can go to peoples' heads. Generally however, if you are polite and both you and the authority know the rules everything functions AOK. But sometimes you get an asshole. Glad that you went over the person's head and hopefully no more hassles.

Strange thing about Stanford's general press office. For decades they bent over backwards (their job) to facilitate our story needs. Bob Beyers staff with the great science PR man Bob Lamar made the process work with parking and access. Sure, they were there to protect the institution and add insight but not once did they interfere on location.

However during the last 60 Minutes piece I shot on campus the staff put up a number of roadblocks (mostly just annoying). It was a science/athletic story that was very positive to the school and profiled a pair of talented student athletes who were building a business. We were all puzzled. I don't recall a hatchet job on Stanford ever on 60 but maybe someone on the Cardboard does.

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - Row80Critic - 09-08-2022

(09-08-2022, 06:50 AM)BobK Wrote: When Dorst took over in charge maybe now 8-10 years ago everythibg got much better. I’ve had 3 recent excellent experiences
But Row’s is unacceptable

He wrote to me personally. Without getting into specifics here, his response was refreshing and well-received. Channeling my inner David Shaw, I'm inclined to chalk it up to execution in the trenches and not the game plan. Channeling my inner Melvin Belli, after 45 - 60 minutes checking the same 6 seats, without any resolution, the phrase 'res ipsa loquitur' comes to mind.

I do remember a season or two in the old stadium -- in our sorely missed Row 80 -- when the University hired a security company that seemed to genuinely believe they were watching over the rec yard at a high security prison. Rumor had it they were the same group that did the Black Hole at Raiders stadium. If memory serves, they were removed mid-season after one too many massively tone-deaf altercations. I think the issue made its way to the old Bootleg fax, if anyone remembers that, though I may be mixing issues and eras. :) It was long before Mr. Dorst was involved. Row 80 was up against the top wall, and we sat up above were the student section is now. I'll never forget that they had a 'no standing' policy, which we found a bit silly since there was a wall behind us. They ended up sending two thugs to physically intimidate us (which worked), and we saw them physically remove people for the crime of standing (two thugs, one on each side marching people down the steps holding them on both sides by the upper arm). Not sure we would have returned had that group stuck around. So, yeah, it's way better now -- not perfect, but way better than that. :)

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - BostonCard - 09-08-2022

Did 60 minutes do any pieces on the indirect cost scandal?

BC

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - Mick - 09-08-2022

(09-08-2022, 07:48 AM)Phogge Wrote: I have a ton of experience dealing with guards, Sheriffs, cops, Secret Service, officious SID's, sideline thugs ....
The absolute best in the business were SS agents and the California Highway Patrol. The worst were Denver cops, by a lot.

I've learned to suck it up and I've learned that just a little authority can go to peoples' heads. Generally however, if you are polite and both you and the authority know the rules everything functions AOK. But sometimes you get an asshole.

When I was growing up in a white-trash, single-mom household, my Mom gave me a one-sentence method for dealing with any uniformed authority, good for the palace dweller, down to the homeless, as follows:

Treat any uniformed authority the same way you would treat a crazy person with a loaded gun.

Worked then, works now.

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - Softball Fan - 09-08-2022

About eight years ago my son and I were early at a volleyball match. We decided to sit in some empty seats in a block of empty seats near the team. The attendant said the section was reserved for a donor who usually doesn't show up. We offered to go back to our original seats. She said we could sit there unless some of the donor's guests came and told us to move. It was more than generous. We never did that again but most likely could have for games with small crowds.

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - Phogge - 09-08-2022

(09-08-2022, 12:03 PM)BostonCard Wrote: Did 60 minutes do any pieces on the indirect cost scandal?

BC

I don't know. What was the scandal?

FYI: A couple of years ago I told them that traveling with 30 cases, very long hours etc was not for a man in his seventies.

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - BostonCard - 09-08-2022

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-07-30-mn-131-story.html

BC

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - Leftcoast - 09-08-2022

(09-08-2022, 12:03 PM)BostonCard Wrote: Did 60 minutes do any pieces on the indirect cost scandal?

BC

Yup, 60 Minutes covered it.

I watched the piece live and the CBS expose was the first coverage by a major news source. Multiple institutions were implicated but the main focus of their story was Stanford grant funding. I remember being outraged when 60 Minutes linked some of the indirect cost charges to the remodeling of President Donald Kennedy's house. The scandal preceded Kennedy resigning as University President.

The details were less scandalizing as more info emerged and Stanford was eventually absolved of any criminal conduct. Even so, it smelled of mismanagement, led to major changes both at the university and national government level, and wasn't a great look for Kennedy or Stanford. I still greatly admire Donald Kennedy but this was a big deal and was predicted to be a paragraph 1 moment for his obituary which indeed it proved to be 20 years later. My memories of Kennedy's legacy are different and center on his hands-on guidance of the physical expansion and earthquake recovery, embrace of the student body (ex. inviting students to run the dish with him), energy and leadership as Stanford rose in national prominence in the 70s and 80s.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/donald-kennedy-who-led-stanford-to-rising-national-influence-dies-of-coronavirus-at-88/2020/04/24/f4a69c3e-859a-11ea-a3eb-e9fc93160703_story.html

RE: Anyone else harassed for sitting in Accessible seating? - newguy - 09-08-2022

(09-08-2022, 03:48 PM)Leftcoast Wrote:
(09-08-2022, 12:03 PM)BostonCard Wrote: Did 60 minutes do any pieces on the indirect cost scandal?

BC
My memories of Kennedy's legacy are different and center on his hands-on guidance of the physical expansion and earthquake recovery, embrace of the student body (ex. inviting students to run the dish with him), energy and leadership as Stanford rose in national prominence in the 70s and 80s.

i remember that it was more difficult for undergrads to find on-campus housing when he decided to retrofit Roble.
then the earthquake hit. i wonder if that decision saved lives.