Dale Mooney, a 53-year old season ticket holder for the New England Patriots, was enjoying a nice football game between his chosen team and the Miami Dolphins. Soon, however, he and his friend were being taunted by Dolphins fans. Not wanting to be disrespected, Mooney confronted the fans, ending with a punch to his face.
Mooney died later that day from an unknown medical condition brought to light by the punch.
“No one wants to be disrespected at a game and no one wants to be antagonized,” senior Sean Barrett said.
The NFL itself did not release a statement, but Gillette Stadium did.
“We are heartbroken to learn of the tragic passing of Dale Mooney, a lifelong Patriots fan and 30-year season ticket member, who died while attending last Sunday night’s Patriots game. We continue to work with local authorities to assist them with their ongoing investigation. We extend our sincerest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to Dale’s family and to all those who are mourning his loss,” a statement on their social media said.
None of the players from either team have made a statement at this time.
A tragic event, Mooney’s death has opened the eyes of the public and football fans to the violence that is embedded in football culture.
“Have you seen Pittsburgh after a lost game? There’s literal riots,” junior MacKenzie Brunton said.
The sport of football is inherently violent; players hit and tackle each other in the name of the game. However, fans have taken it upon themselves to bring that violence and overall toxicity into the stands.
“I think because [fans are] so invested in the game and also not mature, that they lack rationality and so they lash out,” Brunton said.
Not only are violent fans at risk of legal consequences, they also chance destroying their communities.
Football was once seen as a safe space for men to express their emotions and passion without being made fun of.
“For many boys, sports are a significant part of their life and often the only ‘safe space’ where they can receive positive socialization and engagement,” Professor Murray Drummond, who specializes in sports and physical health, said.
However due to the rising violence from fans, many others worry that their safe space will end.
“The space might not be around for much longer if the stigma [of violence] continues to grow,” junior Ben Sandoval said.
To fix the rising violence among fans, outsiders should understand why they get so passionate about football in the first place.
“Well, all these sports have a very distinct and committed fan base. Usually through family members, parents being fans, children and grandchildren becoming fans, so it’s very deeply rooted in a family’s legacy,” Barrett said.
With the legacy and overall obsession fans have with football, outsiders still have a hard time justifying the violence they witness from fans.
For example, the 2023 Super Bowl featured a “Tubi” ad, which showed a clip of the game followed by what looks like a clip of the TV changing channels. Women who were married to hardcore football fans started to film their reactions to the commercial. These videos showed the men screaming at their spouse, hitting the television, and even going as far as throwing things around the room.
“I think how invested they are in watching their team play, if they miss [something] they don’t know what’s going on, and that causes them to react,” Sandoval said.
Despite the extremity of the violence, most can agree that this issues has a very small fix that can allow for football to continue being a safe space for men again.
“I feel like once individuals on their own can understand [how] their behavior is immature that’s when football as well as every other fan base and every other safe space can be safe,” Barrett said.
