Rowdy baseball fans linked to YouTube

TORONTO, April 11 (UPI) -- The chairman of the Toronto Blue Jays organization said two nights of rowdiness among fans is part of the YouTube Internet video phenomenon.

Paul Godfrey spoke with the Globe and Mail about the unusual incidents on opening night and Tuesday night in which about 100 people were ejected for rowdiness.

He said he had since seen "a couple of messages people have out on YouTube, and that's the reason there may be a sudden increase in that type of activity," which he described as attention-starved fans filming themselves.

"The entertainment is supposed to be on the field, not the stands," he said, adding much of the mayhem was likely associated with too much alcohol.

New security procedures have been ordered, including pat-downs of fans entering the Rogers Centre to detect flasks or bottles of alcohol, Godfrey said.