Report: Arrests At Giants, Jets Games Outrank Nearly All Other NFL Stadiums
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Giants and Jets might not be at the top of the standings, but they are among the league leaders in one dubious category: number of fans arrested at home games.
According to an analysis by the Washington Post, only San Diego Chargers games account for more arrests than those played by Big Blue and Gang Green. Giants games at MetLife Stadium averaged 22.5 arrests from 2011-15, while the Jets, who play at the same venue, averaged 21.5.
The average number of arrests per game across the league last season was 6.34 and has been trending slightly upward in recent years.
The NFL credited the high number of arrests in San Diego and New York to those franchises instituting zero-tolerance policies, according to the report. In San Diego, police stepped up security following a violent parking lot brawl in 2013 in which glass bottles were thrown.
Seattle, Chicago and Tampa Bay tied for the fewest arrests per game with just 0.8. The analysis did not include all 32 teams because some data were unavailable, incomplete or unreliable.
The Post found several correlations that explained the increases in arrests at certain games. For instance, division games, night contests and games in which the home team lost were likely to produce more busts.
Earlier this month, an Oakland Raiders fan punched Baltimore Ravens fan Joe Bauer, 55, on an exit ramp at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Bauer fell and hit his head, suffering a brain injury. He was initially given a 30 percent chance to live, but has improved since, although his family says they're not sure if he'll ever fully recover.
NFL officials insisted that games are safe and family friendly, but Amy Trask, a former Raiders executive who has served on the NFL's security committee, said the perception of unruly fans could be a problem for the league.
"If you are concerned about bringing your family to a game, then that is an issue," she said. "It's not just an issue for one team; it's an issue for all 32 teams. The teams know this. The league knows this."
