Are sports fans taking things too far?

With their backs to the wall, the New York Yankees beat the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday, forcing a fifth game in the best-of-seven World Series.
But the most memorable moment from the contest wasn’t Austin Wells’ homer or Anthony Volpe’s grand slam. It was a shocking tussle between Mookie Betts of the Dodgers and two Yankees fans.
The conflict came in the first inning as Betts attempted to catch a foul ball from Gleyber Torres.
Betts got the ball, but then one Yankees fan in the front row of the stands grabbed his glove while a second grabbed his other hand. They wouldn’t let Betts go until they’d knocked the ball loose.
Video of the incident spread like wildfire on social media, turning the two fans, who have since been identified as Austin Capobianco and John Peter, into folk heroes of sorts.
But as the footage made them internet celebrities, Capobianco and Peter were dealing with real-life drama.
First, the Dodgers recorded the out after umpires confirmed that Betts dropped the ball due to fan interference. Then, Capobianco and Peter were ejected from the game.
The incident called to mind a moment at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, earlier this month, when a Green Bay Packers fan disrupted Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon’s effort to do a “Lambeau Leap.”
The fan shoved Mixon back down to the field after he jumped toward the first row of fans, apparently defending the sanctity of the Packers’ tradition.
The fan was later questioned by police over the incident, but he was not ejected, according to USA Today. But a different Packers fan was kicked out after stadium officials accused him of throwing a beer at Mixon.
Capobianco and Peter were never allowed back to their seats Tuesday and they won’t be there Wednesday night either. ESPN has reported that the two men have been banned from Game 5.
“The Yankees announced in a statement Wednesday that the fans ‘will not be permitted to attend tonight’s game in any capacity’ and added that the incident Tuesday night with Betts was ‘egregious and unacceptable,’” ESPN reported.
Capobianco, a Yankees season ticket holder, told ESPN that he got a refund for his Game 5 tickets and told that he’d be arrested if he tried to attend.
“We’re hoping for a short-term ban,” Capobianco said. “We don’t want to lose the season tickets.”
Game 5 of the World Series is set for 6:08 p.m. MDT. The Dodgers, who lead the series 3-1, would claim the trophy with a win.