UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
LeBron James crashing into Jason Day’s wife Ellie courtside sparks discussion about fan safety in NBA,
NBA fans who sit courtside love the thrill of the action unfolding right before their eyes.
But that excitement comes with the risk of being flattened by some of the world’s biggest elite players crashing into the seats, diving for a loose ball. The wife of PGA Champion Jason Day found out the hard way Thursday night in Cleveland.
Ellie Day was knocked over by LeBron James as the six-foot-eight, 250-pound Cavaliers player scrambled for a ball and couldn’t stop his momentum. Her head and neck were immobilized as she was taken on a stretcher to hospital. She is recovering at home with concussion symptoms.
The incident Thursday is leading some to wonder if more can be done to protect fans sitting courtside. Cavaliers coach David Blatt said he has long been “nervous” about the safety of fans sitting so close to the action.
Other leagues such as the NHL and MLB have made modifications for fan safety, such as erecting protective netting. Earlier this month, after a series of incidents this season where fans were hurt by balls or bats flying into the stands, MLB released a set of recommendations expanding the number of seats covered by the netting.
However, when it comes to basketball, at least one devoted fan doesn’t believe anything should be done to take away from the close-up experience that they pay thousands of dollars to enjoy.
Self-proclaimed superfan Nav Bhatia, who has courtside seats at Toronto Raptors games, says the experi- ence is what fans want and expect.
“It comes with the territory when we sit in the front row,” Bhatia said.
“We are always ready for it (collisions). It’s happened to me a few times. I wouldn’t like to change it like they did in hockey (with protective netting after a young fan died two days after being hit in 2002 by a deflected puck at a Columbus Blue Jackets game). If you don’t want to be subjected to that, sit four or five rows away.”
Bhatia said that he once was on the wrong side of a collision in a Raptors game against the Hawks that knocked his turban off. This was a big deal because he must always wear it for religious reasons.
“It was not a disrespectful act,” Bhatia said. “It was not done intentionally.”
Bhatia has 10 tickets altogether. Six seats are at courtside below the basket, four in the first row, two in the second row and four in the ninth.
Parents have a responsibility to protect children who want front-row seats, Bahtia added.
“I wouldn’t take my little two-yearold grandson and put him in the front unless I’m ready to bear the consequences of somebody jumping into him,” he said.
Raptors courtside tickets come with a warning. The holder assumes all risks, including death, and waives their right to claims against the NBA or Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. When the Raptors were asked about the James-Day collision, they called it “an isolated incident.” James agreed, calling the incident “unfortunate,” and he insisted being able to sit next to the court is “a great experi- ence for our fans.”
While NBA players diving into the stands after a loose ball isn’t uncommon, it’s rare for a fan to get hurt.
In March, six-foot-nine, 225pound Sacramento Kings star Omri Casspi was pushed into a young girl in the crowd. The girl began crying and was quickly comforted by her parents. Casspi met with her afterward and presented her with a doll from Disney’s Frozen.
More likely, such an incident provides a comical highlight for the nightly newscast, like when Raptors guard Kyle Lowry fell backwards after hitting a shot this month, knocking over a fan’s beer.
Or like in February, when sixfoot-11, 235-pound Mason Plumlee knocked over a waitress who was delivering a round of drinks to court- side spectators during an NBA clash between the Washington Wizards and the Brooklyn Nets.
Meanwhile, Day’s agent, Bud Martin, issued a statement Friday morning saying Ellie Day “is resting comfortably and appreciates all of those who have reached out and are concerned about her.”
He adds she has “no hard feelings” toward James and quotes her as saying, “He was just doing his job. Go Cavs.” With files from Star library and wire services