Dr. Ari Novick.
TEACHABLE MOMENT: Giants and Jets fans are too intense, says Dr. Ari Novick, whose classes will counsel NFL fans who get ejected. (
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The NFL is shrink-rapping football fans.
Unruly fans booted from stadiums this year will be required to pass a code-of-conduct exam — or they won’t be allowed back in for another game.
The idea was hatched by a licensed psychotherapist, The Post has learned.
“We’re not trying to squash anyone’s passion. We’re just trying to say don’t be violent,” said Dr. Ari Novick (right), the Californian who’s the brains behind the program.
Requirements will vary depending on the stadium, but most of the time the stadium louts will have to pass the test before being allowed back in, he said.
The classes are an effort to stem the rising tide of ugly stadium behavior that has included everything from bare-knuckle brawls to lewd Jets fans who screamed obscenities at women until they exposed their breasts in a rude Gate D tradition at the old Giants Stadium.
At the new MetLife Stadium, security chief Daniel DeLorenzi says about 25 fans are ejected from every Jet and Giant game — about 500 rowdies a year.
In 2010, the stadium was the first, along with the New England Patriots’ Gillette Stadium, to employ Novick’s classes.
Fans who get the boot must write DeLorenzi a letter of apology and take the four-hour, $75 online course, available
at fanconductclass.com. To pass, they have to get at least 70 percent of the questions correct.
Even a fan with multiple concussions could figure out the answers to these queries.
One true-or-false question: “Every fan has a right to like any team they wish. Using abusive language towards fans who support teams you don’t like will not be tolerated.”
(This answer, believe it or not, is true.)
Novick takes in $55 for each test he certifies. Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers split the remainder of the dough.
About 25 percent of those bounced don’t bother to take the course, DeLorenzi noted. Incorrigible wrongoers wind up on the “unforgiven” list — a book containing the name, photo and seat number of every booted fan.
A roving band of security guards monitors the stands each game for the unforgiven. If they are nabbed — and 10 have been over the past three years — they’re arrested for trespassing.
Most bounced fans grovel to get back in, especially season-ticket holders who could lose their ducats.
Even if it means lying on the cyber-couch.
“Most of the time, they apologize for their behavior,” DeLorenzi noted.
One remorseful fan wrote in November: “I am really sorry for my actions. I really do like the new stadium.
“I love going to football games and to concerts, and I really want to make sure I’m able to go back to future events.”
From the playbook
Think you’re smarter than a rowdy football fan? Te st yourself on these sample trueor-false questions, courtesy of Dr. Ari Novick.
1 Behaving badly towardsother fans, such as fighting, swearing or threatening them, is OK as long as they deserveit.
2 According to Met-Life Stadium’s alcohol policies, four drinks is the maximum aperson may purchase at a time.
3 Every fan has aright to likeany team they wish. Using abuse language towards fans who support teams you don’t like will not be tolerated.
Answers:
1) False.
2) False, it’stwo.
3) Tr ue.