Legal precedent regarding spectator injuries in professional sports generally shields franchises through the legal doctrine of "assumption of risk," which dictates that fans attending a live baseball game inherently understand the obvious dangers of flying objects like bats and balls entering the stands. When purchasing a ticket, fans agree to terms outlined on the back acknowledging these inherent hazards. However, lawsuits have occasionally tested these boundaries if a fan can prove gross negligence, structural failure of protective netting, or reckless stadium operations outside the ordinary scope of a standard game-day hazard, though standard foul ball injuries rarely result in successful litigation.