PNC Park fall prompts fresh look at stadium safety
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PNC Park. Photo: Justin Berl/MLB Photos via Getty Images
A fan's 21-foot fall at PNC Park is reigniting scrutiny of stadium standards that some experts say haven't kept pace with modern fan behavior.
Why it matters: Stadium accidents like this have historically compelled some teams to go above and beyond code compliance, implementing enhanced safety upgrades. They've also elicited debate over century-old railing standards.
- Experts say Kavan Markwood's fall could serve as a similar catalyst — prompting teams to reevaluate standards.
Catch up quick: Markwood, a 20-year-old fan and former South Allegheny linebacker, fell 21 feet from the right-field bleachers at PNC Park during an April 30 Pirates-Cubs game.
- Markwood accidentally fell over a 3-foot railing while celebrating a play, according to police. Videos posted online and obtained by KDKA appear to show the man leaping from his seat in excitement while holding the railing and tumbling to the field below.
- Jennifer Phillips, the mother of Markwood's girlfriend, said in a GoFundMe update that he has made progress since he was admitted to the trauma center at Allegheny General Hospital with critical injuries. The fundraiser has raised nearly $45,000.
- Brian Warecki, the club's senior vice president of communications, told the Associated Press that an internal team review found that Markwood did not buy any alcohol at the ballpark but drank two beers during the game.
The big picture: Railing heights at ballparks must meet minimum standards often set in building codes. The 36-inch railing Markwood fell over at PNC Park was well above the 26-inch minimum code requirement, says Steven Adelman, vice president of the Ohio-based Event Safety Alliance.
Yes but: The 26-inch minimum for front-row railings — and similar building codes — dates back to the 1929 National Fire Protection Association Building Exits Code, says Adelman.
- While not commenting on Markwood specifically, he said fans today are generally taller, heavier and rowdier — and drink more — than they did a century ago.
- The Pirates did not respond to Axios' requests for comment.
Other accidents over the past decade have prompted ballparks to add plexiglass or netting, or raise railings — sometimes up to 42 inches — even when already meeting or exceeding code, he said.
Case in point: The Texas Rangers spent $1.1 million to raise stadium railings from 33 to 42 inches after a fan died in 2011, falling 20 feet while trying to catch a foul ball for his son.
- The Atlanta Braves in 2018 settled a lawsuit stemming from a fan's fatal fall over a 30-inch railing at the stadium years earlier.
- In the past decade, MLB teams — including the Pirates — have expanded their safety netting in response to a wave of fan injuries caused by foul balls across the country.
What they're saying: "From what I can tell, this really was just an unfortunate accident, but it should raise questions," Adelman says. "Maybe they don't necessarily need to 'fix' a problem, but they may be talking about whether improvements can be made to prevent it in the future."
The bottom line: Adelman says there's precedent for change after Markwood's fall.
- He says that installing new safety guards that impact sight lines or game experience could spark fan backlash — as could inaction, noting that the team faces tough choices ahead.