The NFL likes to say all the right things when it comes to diversity, especially when embracing the things that make us different can help separate fans from more of their money. Last Sunday, however, a trio of NFL customers encountered the wrong kind of treatment based on their individual characteristics.
According to 10news.com, three Sikh fans who drove seven hours from Fresno to San Diego were initially denied entry to Qualcomm Stadium for the Broncos-Chargers game because they were wearing turbans.
“Three of my buddies, they had turbans on, and it [was] like, you guys got to take the turbans off,” Verinder Mahli said.
They eventually got in, but they were told (according to Mahli) that if they return, they can’t wear turbans.
“It’s bad, I mean, this is embarrassing for me, because we are Americans at the end of the day,” Mahli said. “And we are not supposed to be afraid of fellow Americans.”
Outside the stadium, a fan called security after seeing the three turban-wearing men doing something in the trunk of their car. Bomb-sniffing dogs checked the car; Mahli said the men were merely putting in the car a bag they realized they couldn’t take into the stadium.
It’s one thing for fans to raise concerns arising from racial profiling. It’s quite another for fans who pass the enhanced security measures to face resistance to entry into the stadium. That aspect of this situation is inexcusable, and the NFL has a clear obligation to ensure these kinds of things don’t happen.
