For whatever reason, the selfie stick has been getting banned from more and more locations. Everywhere from Walt Disney World to music festivals have decided that the selfie stick is an unwanted accessory among the crowd. The latest event to join the ranks is the Kentucky Derby, which just recently placed an official ban on both the selfie stick and drone aircrafts.
According to the Courier-Journal , Churchill Downs decided to ban selfie sticks and drones on Thursday in light of increased security measures, which includes the decision not to allow re-entry to guests who have bought tickets. The people who run the Kentucky Derby claimed that the banning of the selfie stick was done for the sake of other fans trying to enjoy the event, as well as the horses competing in the races.
It seems the no selfie stick policy will be upheld fairly strictly. Ryan Jordan, the general manager of Churchill Downs Racetrack, said that fans trying to bring a selfie stick in through the gates will be asked to return the item to their car or else have it thrown away. Selfie sticks will not be held for the customer to pick up after the event. This applies to drone aircrafts as well, which some event-goers will use to take footage of the main event or to document their experience.
While Churchill Downs did not give a more specific reason for the banning of drones and selfie sticks, the obvious explanation seems to be that the items disrupt the event for other paying customers. The selfie stick is a long device that attaches to a smartphone, allowing the user to extend the object far out in front of them to snap a photo of themselves. This could potentially block the view of people behind them in the seats. Drones are equally distracting in both sight and sound, and they can travel nearly anywhere in a stadium. However, it’s not as clear why a selfie stick would be distracting to the horses in the Kentucky Derby.
As for the denial of re-entry, Churchill Downs has good reason to back up that decision, according to CBS Sports .
“Our previous re-entry policy made it a fairly simple task for ticketed patrons to exit the track and quickly generate copies of their tickets and wristbands for sale outside of our grounds,” Ryan Jordan said. “Those who purchase counterfeit items are denied access when they arrive at our admission gates.”
Do you think it’s unnecessary to ban a selfie stick from an event? Is a selfie stick useful in certain situations?
[Images courtesy of Getty Images]
