Try 30 days of free premium.

Bad Sports: When Fans Turn Violent

CNN Senior National Correspondent Ed Lavandera returns with a harrowing look at the rise in violent incidents at sporting events around the world. 

70% of professional stadium security officials surveyed said they felt sports fan behavior is worse now than it was five years ago. Lavandera investigates how the adrenaline and frustration of sports, combined with the extreme hive mentality that comes with team fandom, can lead to violent conflict.

"There's nothing quite like finding yourself in the middle of an exhilarating sports drama. The passion. The energy. But all too often there is a dark side to these moments," said Lavandera. "This journey explores the violent consequences when the action spills off the field."

In "Bad Sports: When Fans Turn Violent," Lavandera speaks with sports lovers, local authorities, and stadium officials who have been impacted by poor fan behavior across the country, from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. He reports from Detroit during the NFC Divisional Round of the 2024 NFL playoffs, and even crosses the pond to London, the most notorious city in the world for rabid fans.

Try 30 days of free premium.

Notes

Late Episode Changes note

"Political Violence: America's Bloody History" replaced the premiere of "Bad Sports: When Fans Turn Violent" on September 14, 2025, at 21:00 due to the murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. In the opening, Anderson Cooper describes this airing of "Political Violence: America's Bloody History" as an update of its Season 2 premiere on July 27, 2024. Since CNN has not rescheduled "Bad Sports: When Fans Turn Violent," I left the episode without an airdate.

View all notes »

Guest Cast

View full cast list »

Cast Appearances

View full appearance list »

Episode Discussion

No comments yet. Be the first!

Login to leave a comment on this episode.
Try 30 days of free premium.