Fans misbehaving at sports events is certainly no new phenomenon.
Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported that the fan involved in an altercation with Jusuf Nurkic, which led to a player receiving a $40,000 fine, had heckled that his mom was “trash” and also called his grandmother a “b****!”.
A new study by Onlinecasino.ca has found that more than a third of fans admitted to swearing at other fans or players at games and dug into who the worst behaved fanbases are.
How Badly Are NBA Fans Behaving?
The 2000 NBA fans were first asked who had experienced physical aggression, throwing objects, profanities, and spitting, and then followed up by who had carried out such acts.
The findings show how prevalent physical aggression with half of all fans reporting that they had witnessed such acts, and almost half have seen objects being thrown at games.
Perhaps most shocking is that 35% of fans have experienced fans SPITTING at games, and a further 32% have admitted doing so!
Which Teams Admit to the Worst Behavior?
Only one team’s fans rank top three positions in each of the four bad behavior traits – the LA Clippers.
They scooped first place for physical aggression (43%) and swearing (65%), second place for spitting (48%), and third for throwing objects (59%).
The Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks fans also both ranked twice in the top three positions.
The Nuggets were first for throwing objectives and third for spitting, whereas the Hawks came in second place for the same traits.
| Team Fan | Physical aggression | Throwing objects | Swearing | Spitting |
| Atlanta Hawks | 21% | 60% | 55% | 43% |
| Boston Celtics | 17% | 56% | 42% | 34% |
| Brooklyn Nets | 36% | 50% | 32% | 36% |
| Charlotte Hornets | 20% | 59% | 43% | 53% |
| Chicago Bulls | 23% | 43% | 31% | 30% |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 16% | 44% | 47% | 25% |
| Dallas Mavericks | 28% | 36% | 48% | 36% |
| Denver Nuggets | 35% | 68% | 40% | 48% |
| Detroit Pistons | 14% | 36% | 27% | 30% |
| Golden State Warriors | 11% | 23% | 21% | 28% |
| Houston Rockets | 21% | 24% | 31% | 17% |
| Indiana Pacers | 12% | 21% | 29% | 21% |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 43% | 59% | 65% | 48% |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 17% | 28% | 24% | 24% |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 28% | 34% | 38% | 25% |
| Miami Heat | 27% | 33% | 36% | 33% |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 11% | 24% | 18% | 24% |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 17% | 31% | 21% | 21% |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 19% | 31% | 40% | 21% |
| New York Knicks | 31% | 41% | 41% | 29% |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 14% | 34% | 43% | 14% |
| Orlando Magic | 17% | 26% | 21% | 26% |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 3% | 20% | 23% | 15% |
| Phoenix Suns | 20% | 43% | 53% | 43% |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 29% | 42% | 40% | 36% |
| Sacramento Kings | 39% | 55% | 34% | 45% |
| San Antonio Spurs | 27% | 43% | 27% | 47% |
| Toronto Raptors | 21% | 56% | 28% | 44% |
| Utah Jazz | 7% | 48% | 27% | 20% |
| Washington Wizards | 10% | 20% | 17% | 24% |
Who Was Voted to Have the Most Vulgar and Trashiest Fanbase?
When asked which fans display the most vulgar/disruptive behavior at basketball games – fans voted Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Brooklyn Nets as the top teams with the worst fanbase.
The Boston Celtics boast one of the most successful franchises in the NBA with 17 championships, but their fanbase has also been voted as one of the worst.
The Charlotte Hornets and Cavaliers came in fourth and fifth positions.
In fact, seven teams voted themselves the trashiest – Hawks, Celtics, Hornets, Cavaliers, Pistons, Bucks, Timberwolves, and 76ers all voted for themselves!
Do Fans Want Harsher Punishments?
Over a third of fans feel that the current punishments for spectators that swear, spit, hit, or are deliberately vulgar at/to players are not harsh enough. Current punishments include being removed or banned from games, such as the Philadelphia 76ers fan who was ejected and banned after using racial slurs.
Interestingly, the Indiana Pacers led all fans polled in asking for stricter and harsher punishments for bad behavior.
Despite ranking highly for bad fan behavior, the Atlanta Hawks were also at the top of the list of those seeking harsher punishments for bad fans. Perhaps their conscience is finally getting the better of them?
Whether it is that fans are being more unruly or incidents are being more widely reported, these unpleasant and disruptive behaviors from fans can have real consequences for both players and fans alike.
The Indiana Pacers led all fans polled in asking for stricter and harsher punishments for bad behavior. In the state of Indiana, basketball is almost a religion. It makes sense that these diehard fans want the NBA to clean up the game.
Despite ranking highly for bad fan behavior, the Atlanta Hawks were also at the top of the list of those seeking harsher punishments for bad fans. Perhaps their conscience is finally getting the better of them?
The Boston Celtics boast one of the most successful franchises in the NBA with 17 championships, but their fanbase has also been voted as one of the worst. Despite this, they too would like to see harsher punishments for bad fan behavior — go figure.
A Brief History of Bad Behaviour in the NBA
Looking to brush up on your news-worthy NBA fan incidents? Then let’s take a quick look back at some of the most notable events in recent NBA history.
In January 2022, a Philadelphia 76ers fan was ejected from their game with the LA Lakers for using racially charged language during an altercation with Carmelo Anthony.
In 2004, players from the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons rushed into the stands at the Palace in Auburn Hills, and an all-out melee occurred. Known as the “Malice at the Palace,” the NBA wants to avoid a repeat of this crazy event.
With fans being so close to the action, it’s not a surprise that tempers occasionally boil over. Back in 2018, Russell Westbrook from the Oklahoma City Thunder knocked down a game-winning shot against the Denver Nuggets and was confronted by an angry Nuggets fan but luckily avoided a fight.
Part of the problem with fans behaving badly is, of course, alcohol consumption. In 2021, LeBron James from the LA Lakers learned this firsthand after his altercation with what the media dubbed a “courtside Karen” during an Atlanta Hawks game. The “Karen” had a little too much wine to drink, which gave her the liquid courage to talk smack with the NBA’s top star.
Players are trained and prepped in the art of blocking out abuse and criticism from fans, but not so much with bodily fluids… During the 2021 NBA playoffs, Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks drew the ire of New York Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden, with one fan despicably spitting on Young after the game ended.
One of the most dangerous acts that a fan can do is to hurl a potentially lethal object. During the 2010 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and LA Lakers, an inebriated Celtics fan threw an empty vodka bottle at Lamar Odom from the Lakers.
Methodology
In January 2022, sport betting experts Onlinecasino.ca surveyed 2,000 NBA fans on their behaviors and attitudes at NBA games.
There were at least 50 fans from each NBA team to ensure even representation.
Featured Image: OnlineCasino
