NEW YORK - Major League Soccer (MLS) Commissioner Don Garber announced that the league is proactively making certain that the empty seats at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports location will be on their best behavior for July's upcoming tournament return as the league released the 2020 Empty Seats Code Of Conduct.
“You’re not singing over there! You’re not singing over there!”
“Can you hear the stadium seats ohhh ohhh!”
"Obviously the safety of our players is paramount. We need to make sure empty seats are creating a safe atmosphere for the staff and each other at these games,” stated Garber to The Nutmeg News. “The world will be watching us and we need to make sure that empty seats aren’t showing a side of this league that will decrease our corporate investments.”
The code of conduct includes a clarification on the conduct, signage and language that is not permitted at league events during the upcoming tournament, including:
Displaying signs, symbols, images referencing the cryogenically frozen body of Walt Disney in the cavernous doomsday bunker underneath Tomorrowland.
Displaying signs, symbols, images referencing “Song Of The South”.
Displaying signs, symbols, images referencing the crows from Dumbo.
Any mention of the caricatures of native Americans in Peter Pan.
Displaying signs, symbols, images disparaging ESPN+.
As well, the league made an addendum to the prohibited items list which now reads:
Any bags larger than the approved 14” x 14” x 6”
Weapons of any kind including, but not limited to, knives, pepper spray, stun guns, concealed weapons and firearms
Fireworks of any kind including, but not limited to, flares, smoke bombs, incendiary devices and pyrotechnics
Illegal drugs or harmful chemicals
Any missile or object that can be used as a projectile
Aerosol cans or pressurized containers
Professional camera equipment, including but not limited to, tripods, battery packs, large commercial video cameras
Noisemakers, including, but not limited to, whistles and horns
Laser pointers
Remote controlled aircraft or unmanned aircraft systems (drones)
Hover-boards
Selfie sticks
Inflated soccer balls
Beach balls or other inflatable items
Animals (excluding certified service animals with proper documentation)
Any other items deemed to be inappropriate and/or dangerous by the Venue Security Representative
Fans of any team
MLS officials worked together with themselves to develop portions of the Fan Code of Conduct without feedback from other organizations.
"We haven’t received any negative feedback from the chairs and empty spaces where fans typically would congregate so we figure this is the best way to go about this situation.”
The Nutmeg News will have more on this as Major League Soccer accuses the empty seats of failing to show up for the OPS call in advance of the tournament.