Groth criticizes Wolf Pack fans for behavior

Associated Press

After witnessing what she called “offensive” behavior at Nevada’s 31-3 victory over rival UNLV, University of Nevada, Reno athletic director Cary Groth said she’d seen enough.

Although it was a small number of fans, Groth said she was disgusted by foul language, excessive drinking and fighting in the stands during the Sept. 30 football game at Las Vegas.

In response, she sent out about 3,500 letters to season ticket holders and others reminding Wolf Pack fans about good sportsmanship.

“I could just turn my head to what I saw and heard at the UNLV game or I could send out a letter to all the season ticket holders, be proactive about it,” she said.

Groth said letters also went to those who purchased single game tickets if the athletic department had their address on file. She also said she contacted UNLV athletic director Mike Hamrick to apologize for some Wolf Pack fans’ behavior.

“It’s not just a Nevada issue,” Groth told the Reno Gazette-Journal. “It’s all over the country.”

The letter read, in part, “We should all be proud of the way that our student-athletes competed and our coaches prepared the team. ... What we should not be proud of however, is the way that some of our fans behaved at the game. Unfortunately, the behavior became so offensive that even a few of our own supporters left the game. While it was only a small number of fans who acted inappropriately, it was not a good reflection of the school, the athletics program, or our community.”

Bill Doherty, a season ticket holder and booster, said the letter was appropriate.

“Some unruly fans were being ejected. I heard some fans and students were pretty inebriated,” he said.

Groth said, and the letter addressed, that steps will be taken to make sure that unruly fans are removed from games, both at home and on the road.

“It’s important that we represent the school in a first-class way,” she said.

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