# Military Stadiums **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 11, 2016, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597 "2016-03-11T00:52:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Potestas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@Potestas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Potestas)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/1 "2016-03-11T00:52:01Z")
First: [http://m.braves.mlb.com/news/article/166676496/braves-honored-to-play-at-fort-bragg?partnerId=as\_atl\_20160309\_59119086&adbid=10153530796147831&adbpl=fb&adbpr=35071097830](http://m.braves.mlb.com/news/article/166676496/braves-honored-to-play-at-fort-bragg?partnerId=as_atl_20160309_59119086&adbid=10153530796147831&adbpl=fb&adbpr=35071097830) So my question is why doesn’t the MLB or NFL consider moving more of its games to military bases and make stadiums on base stadiums? Forget the need for stringent security, if its on a military base you’ll already have incredibly stringent security and you can easily fill those stands with off duty military members and veterans. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/2 "2016-03-11T00:59:18Z")
The NFL has no desire to give military members and veterans free anything, let alone free tickets to their games. They are already a tax-exempt organization so there is no benefit or tax write-off opportunity for them. As it is, the NFL charges the military tens of millions of dollars to have Military Appreciation events. Those tickets do not cost the Soldiers anything, but the NFL isn’t giving them away for free. The government is paying for them with your tax dollars. You suggest placing professional stadiums on bases so they can benefit from free security services too? Why should our tax dollars go toward providing free security for professional sporting events?! It’s bad enough our tax dollars are going toward the construction of their stadiums and the sale of their “free” tickets for military personnel. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/3 "2016-03-11T01:02:40Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > The NFL has no desire to give military members and veterans free anything, let alone free tickets to their games. They are already a tax-exempt organization so there is no benefit or tax write-off opportunity for them. As it is, the NFL charges the military tens of millions of dollars to have Military Appreciation events. Those tickets do not cost the Soldiers anything, but the NFL isn’t giving them away for free. The government is paying for them with your tax dollars. You suggest placing professional stadiums on bases so they can benefit from free security services too? Why should our tax dollars go toward providing free security for professional sporting events?! It’s bad enough our tax dollars are going toward the construction of their stadiums and the sale of their “free” tickets for military personnel. The NFL is no longer tax-exempt. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/4 "2016-03-11T01:04:18Z")
> [@Potestas](#): > > Forget the need for stringent security, if its on a military base you’ll already have incredibly stringent security and you can easily fill those stands with off duty military members and veterans. So what about the civilian fans who want to attend a game? Would they not be able to do so? Would they have to show ID to enter the base and go to the game? Does the base want to deal with thousands of civilian visitors? ---
**Author:** ![Potestas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@Potestas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Potestas)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/5 "2016-03-11T01:06:03Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > So what about the civilian fans who want to attend a game? Would they not be able to do so? Would they have to show ID to enter the base and go to the game? Does the base want to deal with thousands of civilian visitors? Well the easiest solution would be to vet the civilians before hand to grant them access to the stadium during the game. Require all game tickets to be paid for the season prior so that there is at least a full season + spring training worth of time to vet the people. It would be no different than going to the White House, vetting happens there as well. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/6 "2016-03-11T01:07:21Z")
Since 2001, the military has worked to make military bases more, rather than less, secure. Bases where civilians used to have ‘no questions asked’ access, just show their driver’s licenses or sign in - now require that civilians on base go through a background check prior to accessing the base.\* The military doesn’t want to do that for tens of thousands of people every game day. Can you imagine the expense and backlog, the waiting? Building sports stadiums on military bases would make the bases significantly less secure, or contravene the owner’s desire to get people in the seats easily. Probably both. - > [@http://www.army.mil/article/147527/Plan\_now\_for\_gate\_changes\_beginning\_Aug\_\_3/](#): > > This change is to ensure that Fort Huachuca is in compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12, which requires that 100 percent of visitors be vetted prior to entering the installation. “While this is a DOD-wide initiative, we are doing all we can to streamline the process for accessing Fort Huachuca, yet ensure the safety and security of the installation,” said Dan Ortega, director of Emergency Services. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/7 "2016-03-11T01:08:35Z")
Let’s move this over to the Game Room. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Potestas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@Potestas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Potestas)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/8 "2016-03-11T01:10:07Z")
> [@wevets](#): > > Since 2001, the military has worked to make military bases more, rather than less, secure. Bases where civilians used to have ‘no questions asked’ access, just show their driver’s licenses or sign in - now require that civilians on base go through a background check prior to accessing the base.\* > The military doesn’t want to do that for tens of thousands of people every game day. Can you imagine the expense and backlog, the waiting? > Building sports stadiums on military bases would make the bases significantly less secure, or contravene the owner’s desire to get people in the seats easily. Probably both. > > - Then why don’t they just bill the NFL for it since really it would be a huge favor for the NFL to get it done. As for backlog I doubt it would take that long to do, just hire a few dozen legal immigrants to sift through the stacks and get the ball rolling. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/9 "2016-03-11T01:13:23Z")
> [@Potestas](#): > > Then why don’t they just bill the NFL for it since really it would be a huge favor for the NFL to get it done. As for backlog I doubt it would take that long to do, just hire a few dozen legal immigrants to sift through the stacks and get the ball rolling. Why would the NFL want to pay for it? Why would the NFL want to keep people who can’t pass a background check out of the stadium - their money’s still green, isn’t it? There’s plenty of people who can’t pass a background check, yet are no serious threat to a sports stadium. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/10 "2016-03-11T01:15:53Z")
> [@Potestas](#): > > Well the easiest solution would be to vet the civilians before hand to grant them access to the stadium during the game. Require all game tickets to be paid for the season prior so that there is at least a full season + spring training worth of time to vet the people. So does that mean I can’t sell some of my season tickets on StubHub? So I can’t make one of the games and I just lose the value of the ticket?That’s going to drastically reduce the value of season tickets. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/11 "2016-03-11T01:19:06Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > The NFL is no longer tax-exempt. The entities that sell the tickets and make the profits–the various teams–have never been tax-exempt. Only the league offices. ---
**Author:** ![Potestas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@Potestas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Potestas)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/12 "2016-03-11T01:19:11Z")
> [@wevets](#): > > Why would the NFL want to pay for it? > Why would the NFL want to keep people who can’t pass a background check out of the stadium - their money’s still green, isn’t it? There’s plenty of people who can’t pass a background check, yet are no serious threat to a sports stadium. Because of stuff like um NFL: [Three Seahawks fans wanted for beating man for wearing Green Bay Packers hat | Daily Mail Online](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3413502/Man-wearing-Green-Bay-Packers-hat-beaten-coma-rival-football-fans.html) MLB: [MLB News, Scores, Standings & Stats | FOX Sports](http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/San-Francisco-Giants-fan-remains-hospitalized-after-attack-040211) Background checks could prevent ghetto thugs from getting access to events in which they could do serious harm. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/13 "2016-03-11T01:36:51Z")
This is among the worst ideas I’ve ever heard. More violent incidents happen at bars than at sporting events. Nobody would think of relocating bars to military bases and require background checks for patrons. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/14 "2016-03-11T01:50:10Z")
> [@Potestas](#): > > NFL: [Three Seahawks fans wanted for beating man for wearing Green Bay Packers hat | Daily Mail Online](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3413502/Man-wearing-Green-Bay-Packers-hat-beaten-coma-rival-football-fans.html) This didn’t take place at a game, so your proposal would have no impact on this. What is your interpretation of “ghetto thugs?” I’d really like to hear this. ---
**Author:** ![Potestas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@Potestas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Potestas)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/15 "2016-03-11T01:54:34Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > This didn’t take place at a game, so your proposal would have no impact on this. > > What is your interpretation of “ghetto thugs?” I’d really like to hear this. Ghetto thugs= low information idiots and those who behave low class or with no class. In the UK they call them chavs. And frankly whether it happened at a game or not isnt relevant, it was the game that provoked it and yes moving a bar to a base might be a good idea to stop the violence. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/16 "2016-03-11T01:58:04Z")
> [@Potestas](#): > > And frankly whether it happened at a game or not isnt relevant, it was the game that provoked it and yes moving a bar to a base might be a good idea to stop the violence. Are you somehow under the impression that members of the military never get in fights? ---
**Author:** ![Potestas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@Potestas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Potestas)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/17 "2016-03-11T02:04:29Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Are you somehow under the impression that members of the military never get in fights? I’m under the impression that our military takes individuals and refines them into better Americans and that those who make the unfortunate mistake of getting into altercations are dealt with very quickly and efficiently by military police and the UCMJ ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/18 "2016-03-11T02:49:53Z")
This is starting to sound more like “hooray Army” than an actual question about playing sporting matches on military bases, but–what happens to the existing stadiums, which cost hundreds of millions? Where is a nearby military base for, say, the Yankees to play? What happens in case of war when the military no longer wants the burden of providing security for a football game? Why not move the entire country to a military base to make it more secure? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/19 "2016-03-11T03:06:59Z")
> [@Potestas](#): > > I’m under the impression that our military takes individuals and refines them into better Americans and that those who make the unfortunate mistake of getting into altercations are dealt with very quickly and efficiently by military police and the UCMJ Except for all that sexual assault on women, right? ---
**Author:** ![Potestas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@Potestas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Potestas)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597/20 "2016-03-11T03:08:26Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > This is starting to sound more like “hooray Army” than an actual question about playing sporting matches on military bases, but–what happens to the existing stadiums, which cost hundreds of millions? Where is a nearby military base for, say, the Yankees to play? What happens in case of war when the military no longer wants the burden of providing security for a football game? > > Why not move the entire country to a military base to make it more secure? I’m in favor of turning existing stadiums into low income housing similar to what the Atlanta Braves are doing with Turner Field. There is an epidemic of homelesness and poverty within this country particularly among minority segments of the population. Putting them in these stadiums and refurbishing them for housing such as turning the luxury/press boxes into apartments and sections of seats into segmented rooms (hotel style) would be a step in the right direction. As for your last question about moving the country into a military base, I put you in the direction of Donald Trump who if elected aims to do that very thing among other things reminiscent of a certain 1930s era German with a funny mustache. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-stadiums/748597.md?page=2)