Viral videos of adults snatching souvenirs from children - from a cap-grabbing executive at the U.S. Open to a woman demanding a home run ball from a young fan in Miami - have reignited the debate over sports-fan etiquette.
Appearing on “Live In The D,” two familiar Detroit voices called for a reset. Theo “Gridiron” Spight, the singer behind the Detroit Lions’ fight song, didn’t mince words: “When I first saw it, I thought it was absolutely disgusting because we’re talking about kids.”
Blaine Fowler, half of Blaine & Lauren on 96.3 WDVD, said the solution starts with personal responsibility. “Somebody else’s ball, it’s not yours,” he said, adding that venues already post fan codes of conduct — and that the rest is on the crowd.
Both pointed to the ever-present camera as an accelerant — and a deterrent. With phones rolling at every game, bad behavior is exposed quickly and can lead to real-world consequences.
Spight said the cultural “temperature” has risen, fraying basic courtesy. His fix is simple: protect kids, keep it verbal, and leave the physical stuff out of it. Fowler echoed that line, noting that rivalry ribbing is part of the fun — until it turns personal or aggressive.
Their bottom line: cheer with passion, not entitlement. Act like a good guest in someone else’s house, accept the breaks, and remember the game is bigger than any single souvenir.
To watch the segment, click on the video above.