Professional Sporting Event?

[Kalrog]

I am going to a concert tonight at the Travis County Expo Center. I was planning on wearing my normal stuff, but then a thought hit me. The warm up "act" for this concert is the rodeo. I am thinking that this would qualify as a professional sporting event and as such I would need to go "naked" in order to be legal.

Cowboys without guns... sheesh!

[longtooth]

Kalrog you are right. Got into this a couple years ago. Most folks, like me, define the professional sporting events clause as B-balls, football, soccer, hockey, track, tennis... Well while talking to a friend about the PSE thing he said, "you know there are a few that everyone always forgets or never even think about. Rodeo was the 1st named. Golf, go watch but go naked. The worst was this. Texas Forest Festival is OK. BUT, sit down in the bleachers to watch the PROOOFESSIONAL Lumberjack Competitions & again. Charles help us out. LEO's & instructors. We need to this one out if we can.

[Kalrog]

So I'm fine if I don't sit down and watch the rodeo... guess I am outta luck tonight.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Kalrog you are right. Got into this a couple years ago. Most folks, like me, define the professional sporting events clause as B-balls, football, soccer, hockey, track, tennis... Well while talking to a friend about the PSE thing he said, "you know there are a few that everyone always forgets or never even think about. Rodeo was the 1st named. Golf, go watch but go naked. The worst was this. Texas Forest Festival is OK. BUT, sit down in the bleachers to watch the PROOOFESSIONAL Lumberjack Competitions & again. Charles help us out. LEO's & instructors. We need to this one out if we can.

I can tell you that the legislature had only football, baseball and basketball in mind during all of the discussions on this issue. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone made a comment about fans getting mad at an umpire, line judge, etc. and shooting at him. I kept pointing out the dark parking lots we have to traverse to our cars, but that fell on deaf ears. (I fairness I have to admit that this was a time when our opposition was preaching that there would be blood in the streets, so some concessions had to be made to get SB60 passed.)

Nevertheless, the phrase "professional sporting event" is not limited to those sports and I believe it includes any sport for which the participants are paid or can win prize money.

Regards,
Chas.

[stevie_d_64]

Kalrog you are right. Got into this a couple years ago. Most folks, like me, define the professional sporting events clause as B-balls, football, soccer, hockey, track, tennis... Well while talking to a friend about the PSE thing he said, "you know there are a few that everyone always forgets or never even think about. Rodeo was the 1st named. Golf, go watch but go naked. The worst was this. Texas Forest Festival is OK. BUT, sit down in the bleachers to watch the PROOOFESSIONAL Lumberjack Competitions & again. Charles help us out. LEO's & instructors. We need to this one out if we can.

I can tell you that the legislature had only football, baseball and basketball in mind during all of the discussions on this issue. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone made a comment about fans getting mad at an umpire, line judge, etc. and shooting at him. I kept pointing out the dark parking lots we have to traverse to our cars, but that fell on deaf ears. (I fairness I have to admit that this was a time when our opposition was preaching that there would be blood in the streets, so some concessions had to be made to get SB60 passed.)

Nevertheless, the phrase "professional sporting event" is not limited to those sports and I believe it includes any sport for which the participants are paid or can win prize money.

Regards,
Chas.

But Charles...Since we are hot and heavy on honoring the "intent" of the law...Wouldn't it be safe to assume the intent was not because the professional nature of the sporting event was not driven by the celebrity status of the players, or the contraversial nature of how the game is played and referre'ed (or judged)...

But, by the fact that alcohol, and other inhibiting reducing factors are present at those events???

And even though I know my good CHL friends out there are not partaking in the consumption of alcohol at these places...Others will, and the chance that a reasonable "sober" person, could for no malicious intent irritate an unreasonable "intoxicated" person, where that could get out of hand???

I mean my mind is just working around this "what if", but its one I have always thought about when this issue comes up...

So as far as defining a "professional sporting event", thats just another one in a long line of clarifications the legislation is going to have to tackle...

I know it would be defensable to carry at a "venue" tht hosts PSE's, that also host concerts and non-PSE events that you should be ok to carry to those events...

But we know the complicating factors in that, are that the facility may leave the metal detectors on, to screen spectators at those events, and have other illegal prohibitive restrictions placed on the normal public, that we may not want or desire to have to explain to the doofus security personnel that we are in the right, and that becoming a negative encounter...

I think alot of the barriers we are encountering these days has to do with a lot of these definitions and situations where we as law abiding CHL'ers ar noticing, and are only asking for those issues to be once and for all reviewed...And I don't think that is unfair to expect them to get it together in the next session...

I certainly do not want to be put in a situation where I am asked to respond to the question: "What do you need a gun in here for?"

And my crase response would be: "None of your business! I am legal to carry in this facility while this event is taking place!"

I would hope we don't ever have to do that...And the other side of the coin is "they" (people who conduct a non PSE event) are not going to worry about what "our" concenrs are...And that its is up to us to shake the tree a bit and get our ducks in order so that those who don;t care about our plight, have at the very least, and expectation that there are people like us out there whoattend these functions, and that it should not be an issue...

Gotta run to lunch...

Later...

[Charles L. Cotton]

But Charles...Since we are hot and heavy on honoring the "intent" of the law...Wouldn't it be safe to assume the intent was not because the professional nature of the sporting event was not driven by the celebrity status of the players, or the contraversial nature of how the game is played and referre'ed (or judged)

Unfortunately, it won't work here. The statute is very clear, and legislative intent only comes into play if/when there is some ambiguity whether real or feigned.

Regards,
Chas.

[stevie_d_64]

But Charles...Since we are hot and heavy on honoring the "intent" of the law...Wouldn't it be safe to assume the intent was not because the professional nature of the sporting event was not driven by the celebrity status of the players, or the contraversial nature of how the game is played and referre'ed (or judged)

Unfortunately, it won't work here. The statute is very clear, and legislative intent only comes into play if/when there is some ambiguity whether real or feigned.

Regards,
Chas.

So clearly its the PSE, never mind the venue or facility its played in...You are not to carry a firearm into places like that that are holding a PSE, regardless of its type...Be it Football, Baseball, Hockey (bad idea to begin with ) Bowling, etc etc...Rodeos, being amature or professional included...

And it had nothing to do with what is served there be it hot dogs, or beer...

Honestly, thats what I have understood it to mean all along...

Maybe I mis-wrote my comment up there...I wasn't trying to find a way around the law, I was speculating on what they were meaning by the restriction, and what it was really might have been based upon...

The interaction of personalities at sporting events is somewhat light triggered, and can be further hazardous with the introduction of alcohol and team spirit you might say...

Thats all I was getting at...

[KBCraig]

So clearly its the PSE, never mind the venue or facility its played in...You are not to carry a firearm into places like that that are holding a PSE, regardless of its type...Be it Football, Baseball, Hockey (bad idea to begin with ) Bowling, etc etc...Rodeos, being amature or professional included...

IPSC.

[Kalrog]

Just an update. I saw 2 signs that I had to laugh at last night.

The first was a totally unenforcable sign that said something like "no lethal weapons allowed. This includes knives and guns regardless of weather you have a CHL or not." Absolutely nothing like a 30.06 sign.

The other thing that I saw was what appeared to be a valid 51% sign. NO WAY this establishment gets more than 51% of its revenue from the sale of alcohol for on premises consumption, even with a beer costing $5.50. Who in TABC can I report this to and have it checked out?

[stevie_d_64]

So clearly its the PSE, never mind the venue or facility its played in...You are not to carry a firearm into places like that that are holding a PSE, regardless of its type...Be it Football, Baseball, Hockey (bad idea to begin with ) Bowling, etc etc...Rodeos, being amature or professional included...

IPSC.

You know it!

[stevie_d_64]

"no lethal weapons allowed.

They obviously don't like Mel Gibson movies...I think that was their intent...

The other thing that I saw was what appeared to be a valid 51% sign. NO WAY this establishment gets more than 51% of its revenue from the sale of alcohol for on premises consumption, even with a beer costing $5.50. Who in TABC can I report this to and have it checked out?

http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/contact/default.htm

This looks to be a great source of information that everyone should bookmark and reference from time to time if you see something that you believe is wrong on the part of a particular business...

[longtooth]

Kalrog, about 2 yr ago in Greenville, we were going to eat w/ some cousins. As usual I scanned the doors & side windows as we approacked & nothing at all. I don't even remember the name of the place but in the enterance it was pretty crowded. We were slowly getting in line & the wife pokes me & says look. A sign about like you say. Definately owner computer generated. Something like "No guns allowed in here even if liscensed" I looked & we both chuckled as we entered. She carries too.

[Kalrog]

I'll have to utilize that link when I get home! Thanks.

[Kalrog]

Complaint / inquiry filed.