In a release issued today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today announced a that seeks to stop officials from conducting pat-down searches of persons entering Raymond James Stadium. The search policy, enacted by the Tampa Sports Authority on September 13, calls for pat-downs of all persons entering NFL football games, with or without cause.
When many 2005 - 2006 season ticketholders made their purchases, the policy was not in place. Claimants say that the Buccaneers have refused to refund the cost of the tickets.
Claimants also maintain that the policy fails to make game attendees any safer. Patrick Manteiga, Sports Authority Chairman, has publicly characterized the pat-down searches as intrusive, and charged that they provide a false sense of security. The ACLU also claims that an attorney for the Sports Authority told officials before adopting the plan that the searches would be unlawful if imposed on season ticket holders without their consent, unless they were offered refunds of their tickets if they objected to the searches.
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The suit follows a decision earlier this week by the Cincinnati Bengals to forego downs searches on fans, as they had earlier planned.
Originally published on Thursday October 13, 2005.
