Babies at playoff games

[TilsonBritoFan]

Is it just me or is this an incredibly stupid idea?

 

I remember going to a Leafs/Devils playoff game about 15 years ago at the ACC with my girlfriend (now wife). We had a couple with a newborn about a month old beside us. No ear protection. It was so loud, likely hearing damage at that young age. We both couldn't believe the parents brought the baby. Not to mention they were jumping around with her a lot too.

 

I have been at all 3 playoff games this year at home. At all 3 of them I saw multiple babies under 6 months old at the game. Granted most of them did have hearing protection, but some did not. There was a mother in the section beside me in game 1 who was jumping up and down when Jose hit his HR with the baby flopping all over the place - it easily could have had neck damage and it was horrible to watch.

 

Even being a rabid sports fan father myself, I would never even consider bringing my child under the age of 1. There is no point. The baby could be injured by thrown debris. Mom jumping. Other people celebrating too hard right next to mom. Hearing damage from the noise.

 

I want to grab every parent who does this and slap them silly. Get a sitter, leave your baby at home. There is no way they will remember any of this, however unfortunately they may be permanently scarred from the experience.

[pickoff22]

I have a 3 month old and would never think about taking him. Maybe in the last row of the 200s or something, but I wouldn't expect to be able to stay the whole game. Seems like a bad idea.

[Terminator]

I agree. This ain't no Bible Study. It's playoff baseball and these fans are a rowdy bunch. Leave the babies at home.

[G-Snarls]

Except this guy:

 

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/132444096/cubs-fan-makes-catch-holding-baby

[RealAccountant]

Seems like it would kill having fun at the game having to worry about a baby.

[HERPDERP]

Babies don't belong in games unless they have ear protection. Even then, it's probably so much of a hassle that you are better off staying at home. I sat beside a couple that brought their baby to the game and they only sat in their seat for 5 innings.

 

Might as well stay at home...

[EMK19]

Yeah, not to excuse the fans' behaviour yesterday or anything, but That was just foolish to bring babies to a rowdy playoff game, especially in the 100 level at that. If they can pay for 100 level playoff tickets I'm sure they can afford a babysitter.

[Governator]

Babies need baby sitters. I wouldn't bring my youngest 3yr old to a playoff game, he was at a Jays game early in the season, it went fine and all but too many towel spinning drunks at these games let alone the noise.

[jaysblue]

Yeah I was in 219 yesterday and there were parents with a baby that looked a couple months old with ear protection. I don't understand why you would bring your baby to a postseason game, its irrational. Seriously, can't they find someone to look after their baby? Like a family member or friend?

[Brownie19]

I tend to applaud parents who don't let a newborn "end" their social life. I have friends who had kids and I didn't see them for 4 years because they couldn't break routine and though their child would parish if not contained within a bubble.

 

To be honest - kids under 6 months old are extremely easy to look after. All they do is eat, sleep and s*** in a 2 hour cycle - the issue is that sequence continues throughout the night. You can basically take them anywhere without them being much of a nuisance to your enjoyment. You want to see a nuisance? Take a 2 or 3 year old with you. Total. utter. chaos.

 

I hear the concern re: ear protection - that's just dumb. I don't think jumping around poses much danger (despite popular belief by those people without kids - they aren't china dolls) and I'd love to believe we live in a world where you don't have to worry about being showered with beer cans, beer and debris at a sporting event (however, people are idiots).

 

I personally don't think I'd do it, but I don't think it's as bad as some of you people make it out to be.

[Brownie19]

Yeah, not to excuse the fans' behaviour yesterday or anything, but That was just foolish to bring babies to a rowdy playoff game, especially in the 100 level at that. If they can pay for 100 level playoff tickets I'm sure they can afford a babysitter.

 

Depends what ages you're talking about. You can't really get babysitters for kids under 6 months old - even up to a year it's hard man.

[intrigid]

Absolutely selfish and stupid. The baby gets nothing positive out of the experience. It's all about mommy needing to be special and important and posting pictures on Facebook so she can make her mommy friends jealous.

[KingKat]

Absolutely selfish and stupid. The baby gets nothing positive out of the experience. It's all about mommy needing to be special and important and posting pictures on Facebook so she can make her mommy friends jealous.

 

So what if the baby gets nothing out of it? What if mom and dad simply wants to have a life? Why is taking your baby with you such a big deal?

[Governator]

I tend to applaud parents who don't let a newborn "end" their social life. I have friends who had kids and I didn't see them for 4 years because they couldn't break routine and though their child would parish if not contained within a bubble.

 

To be honest - kids under 6 months old are extremely easy to look after. All they do is eat, sleep and s*** in a 2 hour cycle - the issue is that sequence continues throughout the night. You can basically take them anywhere without them being much of a nuisance to your enjoyment. You want to see a nuisance? Take a 2 or 3 year old with you. Total. utter. chaos.

 

I hear the concern re: ear protection - that's just dumb. I don't think jumping around poses much danger (despite popular belief by those people without kids - they aren't china dolls) and I'd love to believe we live in a world where you don't have to worry about being showered with beer cans, beer and debris at a sporting event (however, people are idiots).

 

I personally don't think I'd do it, but I don't think it's as bad as some of you people make it out to be.

 

 

I don't disagree that a baby is less work than a toddler, that's obvious, even though half of the babies there probably drank milk and took 2 shits during the 7th inning alone. However, ear protection is not dumb at all... it's well known high decibel sounds can cause permanent hearing damage to an innocent baby who doesn't need to be there to begin with. 5 years ago I took my oldest son who was 1 years old at the time to a playoff Barrie Colts game (stupid looking back) and left in the 1st period after the Colts scored because of the noise, he was holding ears and crying from being scared. He didn't need to be there, he wasn't going to remember that moment, and I didn't care about the $50 I spent. Sometimes common sense matters, this would be different in May with 16000 fans with the roof open.

[Grant77]

Depends what ages you're talking about. You can't really get babysitters for kids under 6 months old - even up to a year it's hard man.

 

I've babysat a few children under 1, it's not that difficult. Everyone has parents, siblings, neighbours, a best friend, etc.

 

People who pay big money for tickets have no excuses. There's no good reason to endanger your child at a stadium full of 50,000 drunks and emotionally charged fans.

[Stangstag]

I would personally say any child under 3 shouldn't be at a huge sporting event or concert.

[KingKat]

I've babysat a few children under 1, it's not that difficult. Everyone has parents, siblings, neighbours, a best friend, etc.

 

People who pay big money for tickets have no excuses. There's no good reason to endanger your child at a stadium full of 50,000 drunks and emotionally charged fans.

 

Why should your child be endangered though? I can see advocating for noise protection but anything beyond that is just victim blaming. FFS, let's blame the guys throwing the beer cans not the parents please.

[500LevelSTH]

I have a 3 month old and would never think about taking him. Maybe in the last row of the 200s or something, but I wouldn't expect to be able to stay the whole game. Seems like a bad idea.

 

The last row of 200s is one of the loudest parts of stadium with the echo off the wall and people constantly banging the wall like a drum. But at least nothing will get tossed on you from above

[West Texas Forever]

I am clearly anti-children at games so take this as a grain of salt. If you can afford to spend lets just say $300 on tickets between the two of you, you couldn't spend an extra $50 on a babysitter? I will never understand that, granted I am never having children and my fiancee and I travel the world with our free time and money and enjoy life to the fullest, I get that you want to bring a kid into this world but until the age of 4 they don't even know what f***ing planet they are on let alone what is happening in a baseball game.

[Sammy225]

Why should your child be endangered though? I can see advocating for noise protection but anything beyond that is just victim blaming. FFS, let's blame the guys throwing the beer cans not the parents please.

 

This x10000.... The only reason not to bring a baby to a game is because of noise..... I don't know why anyone should have to worry about objects being thrown because under no circumstances this should not be happening.

[Governator]

I am clearly anti-children at games so take this as a grain of salt. If you can afford to spend lets just say $300 on tickets between the two of you, you couldn't spend an extra $50 on a babysitter? I will never understand that, granted I am never having children and my fiancee and I travel the world with our free time and money and enjoy life to the fullest, I get that you want to bring a kid into this world but until the age of 4 they don't even know what f***ing planet they are on let alone what is happening in a baseball game.

 

 

I hope you've had a vasectomy, if not you should look in to that.

[Shogun89]

Not to mention the mass riots and pillaging and plundering that would have ensued if we had lost 3-2 to that Martin mistake. Remember how bad the Vancouver fans took being knocked out of the Stanley cup a few years back? Our fans shows signs of that yesterday, and the last thing you want to be caught up in that with is a new born baby.

[West Texas Forever]

I hope you've had a vasectomy, if not you should look in to that.

 

Bingo good sir.

[jaysblue]

Not to mention the mass riots and pillaging and plundering that would have ensued if we had lost 3-2 to that Martin mistake. Remember how bad the Vancouver fans took being knocked out of the Stanley cup a few years back? Our fans shows signs of that yesterday, and the last thing you want to be caught up in that with is a new born baby.

 

If the Jays lost because of that call, the city of Toronto would have been turned upside down. Worse than Vancouver.

[intentional wok]

Not to mention the mass riots and pillaging and plundering that would have ensued if we had lost 3-2 to that Martin mistake. Remember how bad the Vancouver fans took being knocked out of the Stanley cup a few years back? Our fans shows signs of that yesterday, and the last thing you want to be caught up in that with is a new born baby.

 

For real. There's no good reason a parent shouldn't be able to bring a baby to the game. Unfortunately there are also a lot of stupid reasons they should be cautious.

 

Last night was f***ing embarrassing.

[West Texas Forever]

If the Jays lost because of that call, the city of Toronto would have been turned upside down. Worse than Vancouver.

 

Exactly, that's what I was saying to my buddy. If that call would have been the game the city would have been destroyed.

[The duff man]

Not only did the Rangers bring him....they let him pitch in the 7th!!

[KingKat]

Funny-ish story. I was babysitting when the Jays won in 1992. When Timlin flipped to Carter, I had to celebrate in silence lest I wake the kids up. I don't remember if I was able to watch the game from the beginning or not. I know the evening definitely started with a viewing of Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

[TheHurl]

I believe we should ban everyone under 19, so I'm a bad one to answer this one. Although I'd rather see a baby near me over a 15 year old.

[Abomination]

I agree that babies shouldn't be at major sporting events. There's nothing positive they can possibly get out of the experience imo, meaning only negative things can happen. Get a babysitter, and enjoy the game worry free. Better for the baby, better for the parents. I'm not saying that because of idiots throwing things either, I'd say it regardless.