The NBA's List Of Banned Items Reads Like A How-To List For Disruptive Fans

Anyone who has attended a sporting event knows that disruptive behavior can ruin the experience for others seated nearby and, in many cases, lead to dangerous confrontations between those in attendance.

With the fan experience and safety in mind, the NBA issued a revised list of items banned in all its teams’ arenas. Also present on the list are items that have been used to disrupt play on the court through both clever means (optical illusions!) or tactics that are tantamount to assault (shining laser pointers in players’ eyes while shooting).

Though the list is a curious one, it’s hard to defend the inclusion of many items on the list, no matter how innocuous, especially in the wake of the Las Vegas mass shooting that served as a painful reminder of how vulnerable members of large crowds can be.

While many of the items are simply obnoxious and intrusive given their size and shape, listed objects such as large signs, bags, and even strollers could be used to conceal weapons once inside the arena. The ban on strollers may be seen as an undue hardship on parents looking to take in a game with their kids, but I think we can all agree that the beach balls, selfie sticks, frisbees, and whistles are all best left at the door for the sake of everyone’s sanity.

Similarly, the only drones that fans should be excited about seeing are the helium blimps that move over the crowd at a glacial pace, dropping T-shirts and gift cards to the teeming fans below. But even those are subject to going rogue and into the crowd.