League trying to limit tailgating

[TrueBeliever]

I hadn't heard about this until today: NFL vs. unruly fans: League out to protect game day experience - USATODAY.com

(Isn't it ironic, dontcha think, they start out with a reporter at a Jets* game? )

Seriously though, I've never really understood this trend. I can see having a beer or two, but if you're spending all that money to go to the game, why get so hammered you don't know what's going on and won't remember any of it anyway? But maybe that's just me.

Discuss.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I hadn't heard about this until today: NFL vs. unruly fans: League out to protect game day experience - USATODAY.com

(Isn't it ironic, dontcha think, they start out with a reporter at a Jets* game? )

Seriously though, I've never really understood this trend. I can see having a beer or two, but if you're spending all that money to go to the game, why get so hammered you don't know what's going on and won't remember any of it anyway? But maybe that's just me.

Discuss.

I feel the same way. Especially if you are dropping $100+ for a game, parking, etc. Just depends on what you classify as a good time.

When they start doing breathalyzers at the gate, then I make take umbrege with the league's position.

My .02$

 

[Willie55]

If they want to try to protect the game day experience, they should stop calling bogus pass interference calls.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

I remember hearing about this in game 2 at Pats/Jets game. I heard that it takes away from fans buying food & beverages from stadiums. Their losing BIG Bucks. NFL = No Fun League

 

[TrueBeliever]

That reminds me of something I forgot to put in the original post. On the other end of the spectrum, I have also been to NFL games where standing up, cheering, yelling, etc. were frowned upon. (Not officially, but by the old fogies I was sitting by.)

So let's hope they don't go overboard with it and make it that going to the game is more like going to church.

 

[strongside]

Well I think Kraft's army aka Team ops is on board. A group of guys were playing cards at the miami game tailgate and had a $20 bill on the table. The team ops lady told them that there is no gambleing at gillette stadium and that if they didn't put the money away they would be arrested.

As a season ticket holder since 85 it was tailgating low and a disgrace.

 

[ForThoseAboutToRock]

I think limiting the tailgating time to 3.5 hours beforehand would cut down on the amount of drinking done by normal, moderate people who maintain their pace and drink socially. The people who get hammered in 5 hours of tailgating will have no problem finding a way to get hammered in 3.5 hours.

I don't really see the point.

 

[Rob0729]

This is such a non-story. The league is laying down the hammer by strongly suggesting teams change their tailgating policy which exactly one team has followed. The league policy is virtually the same policy that the Patriots already implement except that the Pats allow tailgating for 4 hours and the league wants it reduced to 3 1/2.

If you don't like the Pats or the league's policies, there are thousands of spots available in private lots that open 5-6 hours before the games at times. These lots are easier to get in and out of and have less restrictions and shorter lines to portapotties (or woods where you can go).

I haven't parked in the Patriots lot in over a decade. Scratch that. I parked their once when I had club seats and special club seat parking (both are overrated).

So even if the league makes their rules mandatory, the only thing that will affect Patriots fans is losing a half hour of tailgaiting. If you don't like it, there are plenty of lots where you can get there 5-6 hours early to tailgate. Some are cheaper to park in that the Patriots lot.

 

[Jimke]

The league and the owners probably want the fans to buy all

their beer and food inside the stadiums to increase concessions sales.

 

[RobertWeathers]

The league and the owners probably want the fans to buy all

their beer and food inside the stadiums to increase concessions sales.

100% agree.

 

[Rob0729]

The league and the owners probably want the fans to buy all

their beer and food inside the stadiums to increase concessions sales.

They obviously want to maximize their concession revenues, but I doubt that plays a part of this suggestion.

First, concession revenue is not revenue shared by the league. Each team keeps their concession revenues. Why would the league care if a team individually decided to hinder their revenue to allow their fans to have more tailgating time to maximize their experience?

Second, I can't see them gaining much more beer revenue by shortening the tailgating by 1/2 an hour. Also, shrinking the beer sizes only affect a small handful of teams.

I seriously think the league has the average fan's interest in mind with the suggestions. They are concerned with the image of the league and try to make the gameday experience a family friendly experience. Anyone who used to go to the stadium in the Wild West days of the pre-Kraft era can attest to how bad it could get. Whether it is a right policy or not is debatable, but I do think they are doing it to make sure parents can bring their kids to the stadium with worry that they could get injured between two drunk fans trying to beat their heads in or getting peed on by a drunken fan who thinks the seat in front of him is a urinal (I have seen that happen more times than I like to remember in the old stadium).

 

[DaBronxPats14]

The league and the owners probably want the fans to buy all

their beer and food inside the stadiums to increase concessions sales.

Exactly what I posted above.

 

[edelmansarmy]

They will not change my game day ritual. I need a good 5 hours of continual drinking followed by an hour or so of clubbing the opposing team's fans. Only then am I ready for kick off.

 

[PatsFan24]

I hadn't heard about this until today: NFL vs. unruly fans: League out to protect game day experience - USATODAY.com

(Isn't it ironic, dontcha think, they start out with a reporter at a Jets* game? )

Seriously though, I've never really understood this trend. I can see having a beer or two, but if you're spending all that money to go to the game, why get so hammered you don't know what's going on and won't remember any of it anyway? But maybe that's just me.

Discuss.

Scott Farrell once said something like "the language used at the jets games...you can't hear language that bad in hell"

 

[patsfan-1982]

Scott Farrell once said something like "the language used at the jets games...you can't hear language that bad in hell"

and the bad part is stoping people from eating and drinking to much wont stop them from being A hole's in front of people that come to the game with there wife and kids but it will help lol

 

[upstater1]

If they ever enforced these rules in Buffalo, you might as well fold up the franchise. Tickets are about $60, $10 to park your car. 4 hours for tailgating needed at a minimum (heck, I don't bring anything but a sub and a few beers, and I like to get there AT LEAST 2 hours before gametime). The fans are loud because they're pretty well oiled up, but if the fans were more family friendly, you wouldn't get as many fans. AND the Bills fans come to have a good time NOT to see them win (obviously).

All I'm saying is that this may fly at Gillette, but at half the other stadiums, it's a killer.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I seriously think the league has the average fan's interest in mind with the suggestions. They are concerned with the image of the league and try to make the gameday experience a family friendly experience. Anyone who used to go to the stadium in the Wild West days of the pre-Kraft era can attest to how bad it could get. Whether it is a right policy or not is debatable, but I do think they are doing it to make sure parents can bring their kids to the stadium with worry that they could get injured between two drunk fans trying to beat their heads in or getting peed on by a drunken fan who thinks the seat in front of him is a urinal (I have seen that happen more times than I like to remember in the old stadium).

I know this comes from a geezer's perspective but I for one welcome the improvement in family frendliness that Kraft has brought. I like to tailgate but the Pats time limit and beer size don't inhibit any reasonable enjoyment of the experience. It's lots safer to go to games than in the old days.

Fenway Park Pats games were the worst. Siting in the bleachers (EZ) fights with broken beer bottles would break out. I had two large friends get jumped and put in the hospital after a snow game loss to the Bills.

An aside. I sit on the end of the isle and the thing that irritates me the most these days is the constant back and forth of the morons during the game going and coming back, going and coming back with beer and overpriced, fatty food. They literally miss about half the game. For what?

 

[TrueBeliever]

I seriously think the league has the average fan's interest in mind with the suggestions. They are concerned with the image of the league and try to make the gameday experience a family friendly experience. Anyone who used to go to the stadium in the Wild West days of the pre-Kraft era can attest to how bad it could get. Whether it is a right policy or not is debatable, but I do think they are doing it to make sure parents can bring their kids to the stadium with worry that they could get injured between two drunk fans trying to beat their heads in or getting peed on by a drunken fan who thinks the seat in front of him is a urinal (I have seen that happen more times than I like to remember in the old stadium).

I have to agree with Rob. Apparently this reasoning is why Goodell socked Bud Adams with that whopping $250K fine, they want people to feel safe going to the stadium so they don't just stay at home.

 

[fnordcircle]

Seriously though, I've never really understood this trend. I can see having a beer or two, but if you're spending all that money to go to the game, why get so hammered you don't know what's going on and won't remember any of it anyway? But maybe that's just me.

Discuss.

Cause people are ******s. You can spend $30 and drink yourself silly in the comfort of your own home or double that and get hammered at a bar.

I tailgate and most everyone there are hardcore fans who are in it for the game so there isn't that much drunkenness. But in talking to people who drink more than I do it's often not an intentional thing just people show up to start tailgating 4 hours before the game and drink more than they realize and end up bombed.

My favorite was a guy who was falling down drunk trying to take his pants off for the security check-in woman on the women's aisles.

:eat2:

 

[Deus Irae]

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/10/263470-nfl-reduce-tailgating-time.html