As we head towards fall, many things return, cooler weather, the changing of the colors of the leaves and for many, most importantly, football! While football is the most watched sport in the country, it can also create some interesting issues for condominiums. The passion of many football fans can lead to some strong reactions when things do not go well for their teams (for some examples [CLICK HERE]). This can create some challenges for associations in managing these reactions. Additionally, as the games are only once a week, football leads itself to game watching parties more so than most other sports and this can create issues at condominiums in terms of noise from these parties, parking at the condominium and other issues.
When it comes to unit owners or residents hosting game watching parties, the important thing for associations to be mindful of is the potential for noise disturbances which impact other residents. Should complaints come relating to noise, it may make sense to initially send the offending owner a letter informing them of the complaints and indicating that should these types of incidents continue to occur a fine will issue in accordance with the rules and regulations. Should issues persist after a fine or fines are issued, it may be possible to prohibit this owner from hosting these types of gatherings, either by way of a new rule, or through a Court Order.
Another potential issue that can come up when game watching parties are being hosted is parking. Many associations have a limited amount of parking available and when one owner has several guests over it can put a strain on the association’s parking. Boards should be making sure that any guests are parking is designated areas and prevent parking in spaces designated for a specific unit or owner. Should these rules be violated, towing and or fining would be an appropriate level.
When it’s one owner alone who is causing noise disturbances, the association should follow similar steps as mentioned above, warnings, then fines, then potential Court involvement. However, as can be seen in the video in the link above, sometimes reactions to a loss or a bad play can get violent or destructive. If it’s an incident where someone damages or destroys their own personal property, such as a TV, the only real involvement the Board should have with that is a potential noise violation. However, should a reaction lead to damage of the condominium’s common area, the Board should act quickly, assess the owner with the costs to repair this area and consider fining as well.
Football is a sport that is enjoyed by many and done mostly in a reasonable way. However, Boards should be ready to act if a fan crossing the line and causes disruptions to others or causes damage to the condominium. Should you have any more questions, feel free to contact an Attorney at Allcock & Marcus, LLC.
Written by
Norm Orban
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