While acknowledging the idea of arresting fans as a deterrent, Jay Bilas’s argument against court storming also focused on the role of the media, calling out the national attention for being complicit in encouraging court storming.
Jay Bilas calls out the media for being complicit in encouraging court storming.
"It was network policy not to show that because we didn't want to encourage it. So what does that say about the way we in the media use these images now? We can't deny that we encourage it. Or at… https://t.co/1143SQbEzY pic.twitter.com/Nut1BtmKdP
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 26, 2024
This perspective resonated with Dan Patrick, who explored it further on his show.
Worried about the inevitability of potential injuries, Patrick began Monday’s The Dan Patrick Show criticizing the dangerous practice of court storming. He points to recent incidents and inadequate security, highlighting the vulnerability of players. Even within the passionate atmosphere of March Madness, Patrick finds this tradition a complex issue requiring a solution before a severe accident occurs.
“The networks have celebrated this, they’ve showcased this. Every highlight during championship week when I used to work at the mothership would show the kids storming the court. That’s the end of a highlight.”
-DP discusses court storming in College Basketball pic.twitter.com/D92G7eS6KJ
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) February 26, 2024
And he considers his former employer to be partly culpable.
“Well, ESPN helped glamorize this,” said Patrick. “Because when it was championship week, and all of a sudden Lehigh beats Bucknell, and the students rush the floor, it’s like, ‘That’s awesome; hey, let’s lead SportsCenter with that. Nothing says March Madness like storming the court.’ Alright, so now, if you’re a student, you want to be on TV; you want to be on the floor. ‘Hey, I was there.’ That’s what happens. Now, it just feels like that’s the norm. Like you’re supposed to do that.”
After playing audio from Duke head men’s basketball coach Jon Scheyer’s strong opposition to court storming, Patrick pondered aloud the search for a solution to this ongoing problem.
“How do you stop kids from wanting to run the floor?” asked Patrick. “Because we’ve accepted it; we’ve celebrated it.”
Patrick highlights that, as the NFL’s previous glorification of violent hits led to later problems, our current celebration of court storming may have unforeseen consequences.
“The networks have celebrated this, they’ve showcased this,” he added. Every highlight during championship week when I used to work at the mothership, they would show the kids storming the court. That’s the end of a highlight. It’s just standard procedure.”
