Tail Gate Spot Parking Policy (merged)

[CrazyCajun]

Sounds like you have a lot of people to help unload and load. Change the way you do things, everybody does something every time. The way you tailgate doesn't void the university of liability of having vehicles driving around an area with 20k people walking around in it. I see enormous tailgates all over the place that don't have vehicles in the spots. Tv, generator, tables, food, cook trailer, DJ system...no vehicles. It can be done.

[FSF]

Here are the issues at hand - and I really think it is because Farmer is an idiot -
1. Timing was/is horrible - this should have been announced at the spring game or at least a "townhall" type meeting to be had and a date that should have been announced at the spring game to discuss possible changes and get feedback from the DONORS that have been here for 30 years, before anyone charged for tailgating
2. It should also be announced that all spots were going to be priced according to the distance to the stadium, road, access to power, etc - just like parking, the closer/ more prime location you are the more expensive the spot (since I haven't seen any complain about paying, and ultimately it's a money grab and to prevent people from using tailgate spots as parking spots only because someone got butthurt about not having a tailgate spot

Make the first row of spots having to donate LA Classics giving level, plus $2,000/spot; then from 2nd row to the gravel road donate to the AD Level, plus $1,500/spot with paved road frontage adding a premium of $500, then the next 10 rows have to be at $2,500 level, plus $750/spot and same road premium, then the next 10 at a $1,000 level, $500/spot and same road premium - so if so done wants to pay that kind of jack to park their car, let them, but keep the rules in place about 5 hrs prior to CookOff closing all vehicle traffic to "tailgate village"

Those that tailgate on the side of the stadium hills are at the same level as the first row of tailgate village.

RVs along baseball tract have the same pricing requirements as TV, but with a $1,000 RV premium
RVs in the north end zone price them at a graduated scale similar to TV

Then make all RVs and Tailgate spots have a 8 Season ticket minimum, but allow credit for up to 3 members of that tailgate crew

Now you'll have the existing rules that matter and everyone knows (which UP needs to fully enforce) - you'll have your revenue stream that is significantly increased, and you do this to price out the "parking lot" spot

Now, who wants to ______?

[FSF]

The real problem us Scott Farmer is an IDIOT - he is small time swim coach mentality, he isn't a true leader, he reincarnate of the fossil

[KajunKrazy]

My point was that it seems a lot of people think they are entitled to have their way with tailgating...obviously I don't think the school would come to such decisions, but geez i remember the time where we could just drive up a couple of hours befor the game and literally tailgate out the back of my family's car (at the time was a minivan). How many big schools in the country can u just drive around the tailgate areas literally within the parking lot of the stadium...things will only change more and more as the success continues with our football program and we can't expect to keep doing the same thing each year because "that's how we have always done it" just sounds like whining to me...and I'm sure that's all the administration takes it as.
Just think what's gonna happen if we actually start having every game over 30k in attendance or dare I say over 35k in attendance...u think tailgating is crazy now, imagine how it will be with more success. I believe the school is doing it's best to adapt to greater influx of tailgating and trying to make it more "tailgater" friendly and less cars using those spots...
I'm all for it.
That's all I have to say.

Most big schools have on campus stadiums with no big parking lot. Tailgating takes place on campus and you do just that find an empty spot and set up.

[Turbine]

Sounds like you have a lot of people to help unload and load. Change the way you do things, everybody does something every time. The way you tailgate doesn't void the university of liability of having vehicles driving around an area with 20k people walking around in it. I see enormous tailgates all over the place that don't have vehicles in the spots. Tv, generator, tables, food, cook trailer, DJ system...no vehicles. It can be done.

I see the breakdown as one-way driving in daylight vs two-way driving in the dark.

[SlickRick]

Sounds like you have a lot of people to help unload and load. Change the way you do things, everybody does something every time. The way you tailgate doesn't void the university of liability of having vehicles driving around an area with 20k people walking around in it. I see enormous tailgates all over the place that don't have vehicles in the spots. Tv, generator, tables, food, cook trailer, DJ system...no vehicles. It can be done.

"Sounds like" you don't have a TG spot?

[Boomer]

"Sounds like" you don't have a TG spot?

-----Sounds like he hasn't experienced the PBA atmosphere!!! lol---No, it really is nice to just go to the game and not have to worry about anything but an ice chest and maybe some chairs---Now your work day can be tough like the pig for HC but we have some vets!!! I am just happy that we don't have to put up the tent anymore!!! btw, how many years have we done this??? Were you back yet???

[zephyr]

Here are the issues at hand - and I really think it is because Farmer is an idiot -
1. Timing was/is horrible - this should have been announced at the spring game or at least a "townhall" type meeting to be had and a date that should have been announced at the spring game to discuss possible changes and get feedback from the DONORS that have been here for 30 years, before anyone charged for tailgating
2. It should also be announced that all spots were going to be priced according to the distance to the stadium, road, access to power, etc - just like parking, the closer/ more prime location you are the more expensive the spot (since I haven't seen any complain about paying, and ultimately it's a money grab and to prevent people from using tailgate spots as parking spots only because someone got butthurt about not having a tailgate spot

Make the first row of spots having to donate LA Classics giving level, plus $2,000/spot; then from 2nd row to the gravel road donate to the AD Level, plus $1,500/spot with paved road frontage adding a premium of $500, then the next 10 rows have to be at $2,500 level, plus $750/spot and same road premium, then the next 10 at a $1,000 level, $500/spot and same road premium - so if so done wants to pay that kind of jack to park their car, let them, but keep the rules in place about 5 hrs prior to CookOff closing all vehicle traffic to "tailgate village"

Those that tailgate on the side of the stadium hills are at the same level as the first row of tailgate village.

RVs along baseball tract have the same pricing requirements as TV, but with a $1,000 RV premium
RVs in the north end zone price them at a graduated scale similar to TV

Then make all RVs and Tailgate spots have a 8 Season ticket minimum, but allow credit for up to 3 members of that tailgate crew

Now you'll have the existing rules that matter and everyone knows (which UP needs to fully enforce) - you'll have your revenue stream that is significantly increased, and you do this to price out the "parking lot" spot

Now, who wants to ______?

What you are saying makes sense but it has flaws, or one big flaw I should say. While it would be nice to have prices allocated on position within the "village" and proximity to cajun field, the problem you will run into is that many people have had those spots for years. Sure, their level of donation may be less than someone who is tailgating at the fence by Congress but the idea is that they've held those spots and used them for years which would include the very thin times of the late Stokley years as well as the well decorated tenure of the "toothpick".

To go to these people now and tell them they either donate $2,000 to RCAF and then have to pay normal fees would be a PR suicide mission. You don't do that to longstanding fans who have been with you through all of the frustrating years and have been a part of one of your only income sources. If you were to open up new ones around the stadium and want to do this, that is fine. If you have some people give up their spaces and you bring in new people who have been on the waiting list and want to charge them this, that's fine as well but drastic measures will create drastic responses. The only way that will work is if they do incremental increases over the next few years and its across the board.

[VObserver]

What you are saying makes sense but it has flaws, or one big flaw I should say. While it would be nice to have prices allocated on position within the "village" and proximity to cajun field, the problem you will run into is that many people have had those spots for years. Sure, their level of donation may be less than someone who is tailgating at the fence by Congress but the idea is that they've held those spots and used them for years which would include the very thin times of the late Stokley years as well as the well decorated tenure of the "toothpick".

To go to these people now and tell them they either donate $2,000 to RCAF and then have to pay normal fees would be a PR suicide mission. You don't do that to longstanding fans who have been with you through all of the frustrating years and have been a part of one of your only income sources. If you were to open up new ones around the stadium and want to do this, that is fine. If you have some people give up their spaces and you bring in new people who have been on the waiting list and want to charge them this, that's fine as well but drastic measures will create drastic responses. The only way that will work is if they do incremental increases over the next few years and its across the board.

Or, you could require each TG Group to have total donations/season tickets at certain levels, according to distance from stadium. That would require a listing of RCAF members in each TG group, but that is no big deal. I doubt seriously that any of the folks up front are non-RCAF to the degree that they don't have, say $5000 in annual fund donations among the group.

[CrazyCajun]

"Sounds like" you don't have a TG spot?

I certainly do and I'm currently and pretty much always have been the person who brings everything. I can't park in my spot even if I wanted to. When I was in the grass, I had even more crap to setup, never was able to park in my spot.

[CrazyCajun]

I see the breakdown as one-way driving in daylight vs two-way driving in the dark.

For those that keep saying this have either never stayed until the end of a game or just aren't thinking this through. I stay every game to wait for traffic to clear. I can promise you this, at 9pm there aren't a bunch of children running around the TG area. Nothing will change, except a few people will now have to walk a little. The ones griping will load their stuff before kickoff and leave halfway through the 3rd quarter like they always do. The chance someone getting run over leaving the TG area at 3 or 4pm is way more than at 9pm. Not even a discussion. When the ones who are making the biggest complaints would be the first ones to try to take the university to the cleaners if their kid got run over in the TG area.

[fpc4life99]

For everyone who wants to park next to their tailgate spots or in them, sell special spots behind the Hilton for a discounted price and allow all the other people on the mile long waiting list to fill those spots. It's a win-win. More money for the university and everyone is happy. Right?