The Sharks compete in the professional men’s National Basketball League and play their home games at Invercargill’s ILT Stadium Southland - known to fans as the ‘‘Shark Tank’’.
In recent weeks, the team’s management had been receiving reports about poor behaviour from a small number of fans.
In a message on the Southland Sharks’ Facebook page, team captain and former Otago Nuggets captain Sam Timmins thanked the Southland community for its overwhelming support at its home games, but raised concerns about the actions of ‘‘a small group of abusive fans’’.
‘‘We need to address something important to ensure our community stays strong.
‘‘We have received reports regarding behaviour from a small minority that has stepped well over the mark.
‘‘This has included unacceptable comments directed at players, as well as conduct that compromises the safe, family-friendly environment we have long prided ourselves on.
‘‘The Shark Tank must always be a place where families, kids and fans of all ages feel safe, welcome and inspired.’’
Timmins said while the team loved and encouraged fierce support, lots of noise, and intense passion, it had ‘‘a zero-tolerance policy’’ for abuse, hostility or behaviour that crossed the line into personal attacks.
‘‘Both teams, match officials and everyone involved on Sharks game day deserves respect, and our community deserves a safe and positive game day experience,’’ he said.
‘‘Let’s work together to keep the Shark Tank somewhere we can all be proud of.’’
Timmins declined to speak any further about the situation yesterday.
Southland Sharks spokesman Nick Jeffrey declined to say exactly what was said to the players from the sidelines, but said it involved a pocket of attendees ‘‘who got personal towards an individual [Taranaki] player’’ during the Taranaki Airs game and that it ‘‘crossed the line in terms of respectful banter’’.
‘‘As soon as we were made aware of this feedback from the Taranaki team, we reached out to them and the league office to ensure we were very clear that we would not tolerate fans who take their passion too far and step over the line.
‘‘We spoke directly about our zero-tolerance policy and that we would remove any fans from the venue who we believed got personal or took their support too far.’’
Mr Jeffrey said the team’s management had been ‘‘tremendously disappointed’’ by the actions of a small few.
‘‘We want to be known as an organisation that plays hard but fair, on the court and in the stands.’’
