List of Violent Spectator Incidents in Sports - 2009

2009

• February 16 – In an AHSAA high school basketball tournament game between Carver-Montgomery and Valley high schools at the ASU Acadome, a hard foul with 6:23 remaining in the game escalated into a wild bench-clearing brawl, and fights broke out in the stands before spilling over onto the court. Eleven people were arrested, with the game being declared null and void, and both teams were ejected from the playoffs. Carver-Montgomery were fined $2,600 and banned from tournaments for two years, while Montgomery were fined $3,900 and banned from tournaments for one year. Talladega High School were given a bye in the tournament as a result of the brawl.

• March 21 – During an Argentinian Primera C match between Barracas Bolívar and General Lamadrid, a heated argument broke out between three Lamadrid players, four Lamadrid team officials and Barracas fans on the touchline in reaction to taunting and abuse by Barracas fans with Barracas leading 3–0 in the 60th minute; this escalated into a brawl, and the remaining Lamadrid players ran over to defend their colleagues, sparking numerous brawls in and around the stands. After riot police, officials, ground staff and fans had restored order, all 11 Lamadrid players on the pitch and all seven of Lamadrid's substitutes were ejected, and the match was abandoned. Lamadrid were forced to play with a team of reserve and youth players for their next match.
• April 25 – In an NHL playoff game between the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals at Washington's Verizon Center, Rangers head coach John Tortorella squirted a fan with a water bottle, threw another water bottle over the glass which hit an unsuspecting fan in the face, and made threatening gestures to the fan with a stick. Tortorella was suspended for one game.
• May 16 – With 33 seconds remaining in an NRL game between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Canterbury Bulldogs, Bulldogs fans threw bottles onto the field and at officials to protest a video referee's decision that overruled a try, causing a five-minute delay.
• May 18 – At the end of an NRL game between the Wests Tigers and the Brisbane Broncos which the Broncos won 20-18, a drunk Tigers fan ran onto the field and tackled referee Jared Maxwell before being detained by security. The fan was charged with trespassing and assault, and was also banned from NRL games for life.
• July 19 – During the first half of his first game back at the Home Depot Center following a loan to A.C. Milan, Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham was subjected to obscene chants by fans angered by his expressed desire to remain with the Italian club. At halftime, Beckham was restrained by security from trying to climb over a barrier to confront a drunk fan who had run onto the pitch. The invading fan was arrested and banned from attending LA Galaxy home games for life, while Beckham was fined $1,000 for the incident. The fan's life ban was later lifted on appeal.
• August 12 – Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino was hit by a beer cup while catching a pop-fly ball at Wrigley Field. Victorino and the Phillies filed a complaint with the Chicago Police Department; the fan was charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery.
• August 25 – A second-round League Cup match at Boleyn Ground between Millwall and West Ham United was repeatedly interrupted by multiple pitch invasions and debris throwing, and a wild brawl broke out between rival fans outside the ground after the match. The English FA fined West Ham ₤115,000 and warned both teams that they would be ejected from the FA Cup for any further incidents of crowd violence.
• September 3 – After a 19–8 loss at the Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho, Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount punched Boise State linebacker Byron Hout in the jaw after Hout physically provoked him. As he was escorted from the field by officials, Blount had to be restrained from running into the stands to take on BSU fans, who Blount claimed wielded a chair and threw punches at him. Blount was suspended for ten games.
• October 16 – During a Philippine Basketball Association game between the Burger King Whoppers and Smart Gilas at Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines, Whoppers captain Wynne Arboleda ran into the stands and kicked and punched a fan, Alain Katigbak, who was shouting profanities at him after Arboleda had been ejected for committing his second flagrant foul. Arboleda was suspended for the rest of the 2009–2010 season plus the first game of the 2010–2011 season, fined PhP20,000 (US$428), and banned from attending games during his suspension by the PBA.