NFL Sends Angry Fans to Therapy

Enjoy brawling in the stands at a football game? Get ready for therapy. The NFL has instituted a new rule that requires fans who are ejected from the bleachers for fighting to attend an online, four-hour psychological class before being permitted back to games, writes Sean Gregory in Time. And the course "gets pretty deep," he warns. The virtual shrink session consists of twelve chapters, such as "Communication is King," "Skills in Stress Management," and "The Cost of Alcohol Abuse in America." It'll also set back a belligerent fan up to $100.

Daydreaming through the tutorial is not an option; there are frequent pop quizzes and a final exam. And a score of at least 70% is needed on the final to pass. "At first glance, this new policy seems a bit controlling," writes Gregory. "Isn’t getting kicked out humiliation enough? And now, the NFL—whose product, by the way, consists of men mauling each other—is going to send me to my room for a four-hour lecture. ... Still, the fan conduct class is worth rooting for. Because it can only help deter fan foolishness." (More NFL stories.)