Smoking Ban at Busch

by john vb on Mar 22, 2007 3:35 PM EDT Comment 9 comments

There was a bit of discussion about this already on a previous main page post, but I'd be interested to see how some of the silent VEBers feel about this.

I myself am a non-smoker, and about as anti-smoking as it gets, but I'm not sure I'm in favor of this plan. I'm not about to start a letter writing campaign, but I don't see what was wrong with having designated smoking areas. They were there last year, and I don't recall being bothered by them.

Also, one point that's been seldom raised, but (I think) we can all agree on, is that they should have made this announcement before tickets went on sale, so smokers would have at least known what they were getting into.

Multiple selections are allowed, so feel free to say you're in favor of the ban, but you think smokers should be able to see/hear the action, or that you don't really care about the ban, but think they should have atleast announced it before tickets went on sale.

Poll

What do you think of the smoking ban at Busch?

I love it, smoking should be banned

19 votes

The policy in place last season with designated areas was fine

24 votes

They should have atleast announced it before tickets went on sale

2 votes

I don't really care

0 votes

Regardless of where people are expected to go to smoke, they should be able to see/hear a live feed of the game

9 votes

Last season's policy was already too restrictive

2 votes

56 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 9 comments

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Comments

Hmm...

I guess the multiple selection option doesn't want to work, but for the record, I think last season's policy was fine, except that they should pipe the game audio or even video to the smoking areas, and they should have made an announcement about the changes before tickets went on sale.

by john vb on Mar 22, 2007 3:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I voted ...

...that last year's policy was too restrictive. Not because I think I should be free to roam the stadium with a cig in my hand because I don't and I'm fine with that. I voted that it was too restrictive because there were no TV's or even radio piped into most of the smoking areas. Had they done that, we wouldn't have had people standing in the middle of the concourses smoking and trying to watch the TV's above the vendor areas, no one would have complained and there probably wouldn't be a smoking ban at the stadium right now. All they had to do was enforce the designated areas a little better and all parties would be happy right now.

"The two most important things in life: good friends and a strong bullpen." - Bob Gibson

by birds 4 life on Mar 22, 2007 3:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I voted....

Smoking should be banned. Maybe I am getting more conservative in my older years, but I hate having to sit next to someone who is getting up every half inning to get a cig in. First, I have to keep getting up to let them out. More importantly, they stink when they come back from the break and I have to sit there smelling it.

Second, the designated areas are not enforced, so you get people lighting up anywhere in the concourse, as long as they are within sight of the designated area. That creates two things, smoke in the concourse and traffic jams as people congregate in those areas.

You throw in drinking and I've seen many altercations or near altercations over the issue. Madison, Wisconsin banned smoking in bars and at first I was little befuddled by that. Now, when I go back its amazing and awesome that I can go into any bar and not come out smelling like an ashtray.

by Brock20 on Mar 22, 2007 4:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

First point

Whether people smoke outside the gates or in designated areas won't change the fact that they'll come back smelling like smoke. They'll just be angrier about missing more of the game.

The second point should have been addressed both by better identifying the designated areas and putting TVs or radio there. That's one of the improvements I was looking forward to in the stadium's second season. Instead, this. Ugh.

by liam on Mar 22, 2007 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wait a second...

They are getting designated smoking areas, so smoking hasn't been banned. They just have to leave the stadium to do it.

I see no reason for complaints here. If they want to have a cigarette, then that's the choice they make. They have to decide if missing part of the game is worth it.

by Brock20 on Mar 26, 2007 8:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's kind of the point

Why are the Cardinals going out of their way to make some of their customers feel unwelcome and have a worse experience going to a game without there being a real benefit to anyone else?

It's a long walk down from the upper decks, where there's a wide open-air concourse and plenty of out-of-traffic nooks and crannies.

by liam on Mar 26, 2007 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

banned

It's been banned within the stadium.

Certainly it's a choice, but the question is whether they're being given a reasonable option. Considering that it seems many people have/had little or no problem with the policy that was in place, I think it's fair to question the logic behind the new policy.

This might be a rather extreme analogy, but suppose alcohol consumption inside the stadium was prohibited. Sometimes I'd be able to go a whole game without caring about that, but other times I'd really be dying for a beer, or would leave a few times during the game to have a few sips. Sure it's a choice, but is it reasonable to expect people to leave the park to indulge their craving? And wouldn't you expect them to atleast advise you of this new policy before you went and bought your tickets?

by john vb on Mar 26, 2007 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Would have voted 2 & 5

But had to settle on 2. I made enough arguments against this cosmopolitan new policy in yesterday's thread that I don't intend to go over again here.

by liam on Mar 22, 2007 4:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm a former smoker....

and I really don't mind if they have a designated area for the smoking folks. We are outdoors after all. Just keep it out of the way so you don't easily walk through a smoke cloud, and by all means give them the TV feed.

by jillsinmo on Mar 25, 2007 2:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs