Summary of Current Research on Celebratory Disturbances


Definition of Celebratory Disturbances:
  • Sometimes, but not always, associated with sporting events.
  • Typically occur very late at night and extend into the early morning hours.
  • Almost always associated with high volume alcohol consumption.
  • Involve fire setting as a common practice along with destruction of public and private property, such as overturning and burning cars.
  • Involve active participants who are nearly all white, young adult males with a large crowd of onlookers who are predominately white, young adults of both sexes. Many are students of the "host" institutions, but other young adults who are not students are often involved. (Of the students arrested in Ohio State's 2003 post Michigan game disturbances, all were male, 70 percent were first- or second-year students, and were not intoxicated, according to self report and police report. (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 23))
  • Involve eventual police intervention that is met with considerable resistance and lack of respect for authority. (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 7)

    Four levels of spectator aggression:
  • Level One: Spontaneous reaction by an individual or small group to individual events that occur during a contest (e.g. verbal taunts or throwing projectiles after a bad call).
  • Level Two: Premeditated acts by a large group (e.g. rehearsed chants intended to demean coaches, student-athletes or officials by a group of students).
  • Level Three: Thousands of fans storming the court or field after a game, often times destroying property in the process.
  • Level Four: Riots that occur after the event, involving the same number, if not more, of fans as level three, and that occur beyond the stadium or arena. Unlike fans in level three, many of those involved in level-four riots did not attend the game. (NCAA Report, 2003, p. 4)

    Student unrest is not new
    Student unrest was known in ancient Greece and in the medieval and European universities. It has occurred in the United States since colonial times. According to sociologist Seymour Martin Lipset, the university and college student populations may be "the most volatile and most easily mobilizable of all social strata. (Lipset &Schaflander, 1971, p. 195)" (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 19)

    Celebratory disturbances are a new phenomenon of the last two decades
    Incidents of celebratory disturbances (vs. disturbances associated with protests) have risen sharply in the last two decades. Crowd size and the level of destruction also are growing rapidly. Ohio State has experienced 19 riots or disturbances since 1996, including a riot involving up to 6,000 people Nov. 23-24, 2002. (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 6, 21-26)

    " …Incidents of inappropriate fan behavior in recent years have known no geographical bounds, occurred at both the Division 1-A and 1-AA levels in football, taken place after institutions’ football and basketball teams both won and lost critical games, and occurred during regular and postseason play." (NCAA Report, 2003, p. 2)

    Bill Hall, Ohio State vice president for student affairs, said the "cell phone phenomena" helped turn a small disturbance into a full-scale eruption. "Students can now communicate when something is about to occur" in a specific area. "Curiosity takes effect, the crowds escalate very quickly, and trouble builds." (Chronicle of Higher Education, Dec. 13, 2002)

    Students increasingly view celebratory riots as "tradition"
    At Ohio State, students frequently talk about riots now being a "tradition," both as part of the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry and springtime parties in off-campus neighborhoods. (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 28)

    Ohio State student rioters held belief that victory "earned us the right to riot." (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 6, 21-26)

    " For many fans, it has become tradition to exhibit poor sportsmanship. Fans sometimes interpret spectator aggression, when repeatedly shown on television or learned from parents or peers, as approval. In a broader sense, sport is just a microcosm of greater society’s developing culture of violence." (NCAA Report, 2003, p. 4)

    Ohio State President Holbrook said that before the Michigan game when she urged students to "think, use moderation and show respect," her office was flooded with e-mails criticizing the suggestion. "They thought I was attacking or trying to take away the very essence of Ohio State football," she said. (The NCAA News, March 3, 2003)

    Columbus, Ohio, Mayor Michael Coleman urged that letters be sent to all Ohio State students’ parents asking that they tell their kids to act responsibly before, during and after the Michigan game. "I received written responses saying, 'What do you mean telling us not to let our children behave this way?' " Coleman said. (The NCAA News, March 3, 2003)

    Murray State Professor Dan Wann, an expert in crowd psychology, told his students in his sports psychology class about the summit. They were shocked. "They said to me, 'That’s what we do – we tear down the goal posts. What do you mean we’re not supposed to do that?' "Wann said. "If you want to effect change, you’re going to have to change their viewpoint on what is appropriate and what isn’t."

    Universities and communities nationwide are concerned
    University and community leaders across the United States are concerned about the harmful effects of celebratory riots, which include danger to participants, destruction of property, injury to police officers and damage to university reputation. (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 6)

    "The postgame riots that have been happening more frequently have long-term ramifications on university/community relations, and they provide the impetus for other people to act out in the future. This is the most pressing problem facing universities." – NCAA President Myles Brand, opening remarks, Sportsmanship and Behavior Summit, Feb. 20, 2003. (The NCAA News, March 3, 2003)

    Little information exists regarding celebratory disturbances
    "Task Force members were often frustrated b the lack of research and documentation on issues related to these disturbances." (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 3)

    "The most pressing questions relate to what turns a crowd into a riot. There are clear turning points, sometimes referred to as flashpoints that can be identified as disturbances unfold. The process can be described by researchers, participants and those trying to prevent the disturbance … however, the causes are only beginning to be understood." (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 37)

    There are no quick, easy fixes
    There are no quick and easy fixes for sustainable prevention. An effective, lasting response to prevention must be strategic, multifaceted, student-oriented and orchestrated, sustained over multiple years, and focused on the broadest issues of independence, health and positive engagement. (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 7, 10)

    What will most likely stop the rioting will be a combination of peer pressure, more creative programming, stricter enforcement of laws, and stiffer penalties for offenders – including expulsion and criminal charges. (Chronicle of Higher Education, Dec. 13, 2002)

    Students not involved in riots are embarrassed and disgusted by them
    The overwhelming majority of students not involved in celebratory riots are embarrassed by the media coverage of the fire and destruction, and disgusted by the behavior of rioters. (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 9)

    According to students surveyed by the Ohio State Office of Student Affairs and Center for Survey Research, students living off campus were more likely to believe that the behavior of the rioters was embarrassing to the university. (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 28)

    Research is unclear whether late-night activities deter bad behavior
    Schools reporting riots spend significantly more on "alternative activities with out alcohol" than schools reporting no riots. Explanations include that schools with riots began spending more on such alternative activities and therefore have a positive relationship between money spent on these activities and riots. Also, alternative activities implemented at curbing riots are ineffective in reducing their occurrence. "Although there is some evidence of the impact of alternative programming on drinking rates, no definitive impact on riot behavior has been demonstrated. These findings suggest that the role of late-night programming is not fully understood." (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 32-33)

    Age of students involved in riots corresponds with research on risk-taking behavior
    Risk taking and deviancy peak during the young adult years – those years when many young adults are newly independent and at college campuses. Data from the Ohio State riots confirms that the majority of participants were between 18 and 21 years old. (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 34)

    Alcohol contributes to celebratory riots, but does not necessarily cause them
    Excessive and high-risk drinking occurs at other times and does not lead to riots. Alcohol does not directly cause aggression. Although alcohol does have biological effects, such as impaired brain functioning, that predispose the drinker toward aggression, pre-existing psychological factors appear to be greater contributors to alcohol-related aggression. (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 35)

    The OSU Office of Student Affairs reports that of the 10 students successfully prosecuted for specific, destructive behavior in the fall 2002 riots, alcohol was not reported as a factor in any of the cases. (Ohio Report, 2003, p. 36)

    Information of Interest
    Following riots at Penn State several years ago, the university began hearing that potential employers were asking students seeking jobs about the incidents. The questions alarmed the students, who were concerned about the "residual effect" of the bad publicity regarding their alma mater. In a tight job market, such concern is justified, Penn State officials concluded. (Chronicle of Higher Education, Dec. 13, 2002)

    The city of Boulder, Colo., adopted a "sofa ordinance" that prohibits any upholstered furniture from being kept outdoors near the University of Colorado. (Chronicle of Higher Education, Dec. 13, 2002)

    Several universities, including Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue, have worked with local police to create Web sites that post photographs of the riots. The universities have found that posting pictures has a strong deterrent value. (Chronicle of Higher Education, Dec. 13, 2002)

    References
    The Ohio State University Task Force on Preventing Celebratory Riots Final Report, issued April 7, 2003.

    Report on the Sportsmanship and Fan Behavior Summit, NCAA, 2003.

    "Leaders Seek Behavior Shift After Sportsmanship Summit," The NCAA News, March 3, 2003.

    "Reading and Rioting: Colleges Struggle to Find Ways to Prevent the Postgame Rampages," Chronicle of Higher Education, Dec. 13, 2002