Today's musings are directed toward the Brown University Athletic Department and the Meehan Auditorium event staff. In recent years they have shown themselves to be hostile to team spirit exhibited by fans cheering for the visiting team. One year--and I was there to see this happen--they refused admittance to Cornell's Big Red Band, which routinely accompanies the men's ice hockey team to away games. All but five band members were forced to leave their instruments on the bus. Brown has gotten a little better since that time (they allow bands to bring instruments now), but...

Tonight I watched the event staff threaten a fan with a cowbell with ejection from the game for playing it during a break in play. The event staff and Athletic Director Michael Goldberger claimed that an NCAA rule excludes artificial noisemakers from games.

I'm positive that Brown's AD is familiar with the NCAA regulations. In fact, the NCAA Playing Rules FAQ prohibits artificial noisemakers only "while the game is in progress", not during breaks in play. The fact that Brown Athletics Department staff is materially misrepresenting NCAA rules suggests a continued hostility to displays of team spirit. It's also a display of questionable sportsmanship.

I suspect Brown is feeling inadequate in the team spirit department. I've been to games at twelve Division I hockey venues in two conferences in the past two years, and by far the least excited, least numerous, and least involved crowd is at Brown. Rather than trying to stamp out out opposing fans' team spirit, perhaps Mr. Goldberger should get his staff to start thinking about ways to engage Brown fans in their hockey games. If they're successful at this, I guarantee that everyone will have a better time.