by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
Sunday afternoon, 15 minutes before kickoff, Bill Smallwood is preparing for the punishment he knows is coming.
He’s going to be kicked, grabbed, spit on and cussed. It happens every Sunday at Alltel Stadium and Smallwood is ready for it. But when he thinks about the $100 he spends to enter the stadium, Smallwood wonders why such mental preparation is necessary.
Smallwood isn’t a 350–pound offensive lineman, he’s a 170–pound retired firefighter. He and his wife have paid the Jacksonville Jaguars thousands of dollars to attend every home game in the franchise’s eight-year history. It’s a streak that will come to an end after this year.
Smallwood’s seats sit at the top of the South end zone. Unfortunately for him and his wife, Mickey, they also sit at the foot of the Bud Zone’s patio, the massive sports bar which opened this year. It hosts shoulder–to–shoulder crowds from kickoff to the third quarter when ceased beer sales send fans streaming toward the parking lot.
The largest crowds inevitably spill out onto the South end zone concourse, which has become the bar’s makeshift patio. That means fans like the Smallwoods watch nearly every moment of every game surrounded.
“We’ve had tobacco spit on us, beer dumped on us, people using really foul language,” said Smallwood. “I mean I’m no prude, but these people use words I’ve never even heard of.”
Smallwood said the abuse gets worse as the game wears on and the crowd gets drunker. By the end of the game, the cement floor behind his seat is littered with beer bottles, empty containers, half-eaten food, even vomit. He said repeated complaints to stadium security and uniformed Jacksonville Sheriff’s officers have amounted to nothing.
“I’ve spoken to the officers up there and they won’t do anything,” said Smallwood. “They say, ‘Oh they’re just enjoying the game. Well I’m not enjoying the game and I’m spending $100 to sit here.”
Several of the fans standing over him have told Smallwood they buy cheap tickets then watch the game from the concourse. The crowds, Smallwood said, make it almost impossible to get to and from the restrooms and concession stands.
“How is that fair, that these guys are buying $20 tickets and they’re standing right there, and I’m buying $50 seats and I’m sitting right here?” asked Smallwood. “And I have to put up with their behavior.”
Smallwood said everybody with season tickets in his row has complained to Jaguars officials. He said the person next to him had been offered a refund on her season tickets and was offered alternate seats.
Jaguars Marketing Vice President Dan Connell said the team heard the complaints and was taking them seriously.
“Obviously, we were aware when we built the Bud Zone that it would change the atmosphere in the walkway,” said Connell. “Occasionally somebody might get bumped or something might get spilt. We appreciate those fans; they’ve been there since 1995 and we’ve asked those people who have complained to look at other available seats.”
Smallwood said he found that solution unacceptable.
“This is where I want to sit; if they can’t accommodate that then I guess I’ll sit at home,” said Smallwood.
All eight season ticket holders interviewed said they had complained to Jaguars officials and were considering dropping their season tickets.
A husband and wife in the same section who have bought season tickets for five years said they thought the team was trying to keep the Bud Zone crowds under control.
The man, who asked not to be identified, said the team constructed tables on top of the railing to keep fans from leaning over the seats and said the ushers had been doing a better job keeping unticketed fans out of the section.
“It was just chaos out here the first couple weeks,” he said. “”The last few weeks have been a lot better.”
Smallwood said he hasn’t noticed any improvement. He has complained by phone and in writing to no avail.
“I understand this place is making them a ton of money, but it’s going to cost them season-ticket holders,” said Smallwood. “I tell them, ‘Come sit in my seat just one game and you’ll understand why I’m not renewing my seats.’ ”
Smallwood said lax security in the early season encouraged worse behavior as the season progressed.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer E. Taylor, who was working the patio Sunday said that police haven’t run into any problems with Bud Zone fans.
“I haven’t seen any problems; I haven’t even seen a fight yet,” said Taylor. “The only thing we really enforce out here is no smoking.”