Dallas Mavs eject fans protesting Luka Doncic trade
Dallas Mavs fan kicked out after mouthing ‘Fire Nico’
The Dallas Mavericks lost a tough game to the Sacramento Kings on Monday night, but a lot of the conversation is about what happened in the stands. One fan was removed from the game after mouthing “Fire Nico” and holding up a sign with the same message.
The Brief
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- Dallas Mavericks fans protesting the Luka Dončić trade were thrown out of Monday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings.
- The Mavs say the fans brought items that broke the NBA Code of Conduct.
- Dončić debuted for the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, scoring 14 points.
DALLAS – Some Dallas Mavericks fans angered by the trade of superstar Luka Dončić were removed from the American Airlines Center on Monday night.
Mavs fans thrown out of AAC
Dallas Mavs fans kicked out of game at AAC | RAW
FOX 4 cameras were rolling as Dallas Mavericks fans were removed from their seats in the game against the Sacramento Kings. The Mavs say the fans were breaking the NBA’s Code of Conduct.
What Happened:
Multiple Dallas Mavericks fans were removed from the AAC during the team’s loss against the Sacramento Kings.
Mavs PR tells FOX 4 that there were two incidents that led to fans being removed from the game.
The team says in the first incident, the guest brought in a sign that broke a rule in the NBA Code of Conduct banning signs with explicit language, profanity or a derogatory characterization of any person.
Photos from the game show the fans holding signs that say “Fire Nico,” referring to Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison.
Social media videos show one of the fans mouthing “Fire Nico” on the Jumbotron during karaoke.
Mavs say there was a second incident involving a fan who wore a t-shirt that also broke the NBA Code of Conduct. The team also says the man was intoxicated, disruptive and uncooperative.
The shirt featured Mavs owner Miriam Adelson with a clown nose.
The fan showed off the shirt to the crowd while he was being ejected.
Mark Cuban confrontation
In an email to FOX 4, Cuban says that the fans were booing while the Mavericks were shooting free throws late in the game.
Cuban says he turned around and the fan became confrontational.
“He started screaming at me. I had no idea what he said, but he was obviously mad. He couldn’t hear anything I said, but it was clear what I was saying,” Cuban wrote to FOX 4. “I didn’t care what he was saying. He was saying it the whole game. I cared that fans were booing him while we had the ball in crunch time or were shooting FTs. The time when they should be silent, or cheering for the Mavs. That was it.”
Patrick Dumont booed at AAC
The Dallas Mavericks fans also expressed their frustration with team governor Patrick Dumont.
Dumont received loud boos as he walked back to his second for the second half of the game.
Mavs All-Star Kyrie Irving talked about the emotion from the crows after the game.
What they’re saying:
“I think it has graduated from, just like, hate to anger. It’s the cycle of emotions. You know, the hate, the anger, the grieving and then the passion. You have to give credit to Dallas fans. They’ve really cheered, not only for Luka, but for the Mavericks for 40 some odd years and this is their community team. It’s just like I felt when the New Jersey Nets moved to Brooklyn. I’m not comparing it, but I felt a way when I was a kid, even when J-Kidd was on the Nets and he got traded, I was mad at J-Kidd for a while as a young fan. It’s just part of human nature and this journey in the NBA business and the NBA lifestyle and just the connectivity and engagement we have with the fans,” Irving said.
NBA Fan Code of Conduct
Dig deeper:
The Mavericks said the fans kicked out of Monday night’s game were violating the NBA Fan Code of Conduct.
The NBA says that guests who do not adhere to the code of conduct could be penalized, including ejection, revocation of season tickets or prevention from attending games in the future.
Here’s what the NBA Fan Code of Conduct says:
The National Basketball Association seeks to foster a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable sports and entertainment experience in which:
- Players and fans respect and appreciate each other.
- Guests will be treated in a professional and courteous manner by all arena and team personnel.
- Guests will enjoy the basketball experience free from disruptive behavior, including foul or abusive language and obscene gestures.
- Guests will consume alcoholic beverages in a responsible manner. Intervention with an impaired, intoxicated or underage guest will be handled in a prompt and safe manner.
- Guests will sit only in their ticketed seats and show their tickets when requested.
- Guests who engage in fighting, throwing objects or attempting to enter the court will be immediately ejected from the arena.
- Guests will smoke in designated smoking areas only.
- Obscene or indecent messages on signs or clothing will not be permitted.
- Guests will comply with requests from arena staff regarding arena operations and emergency response procedures.
