You Will Behave Yourselves - And You Will Have Fun! No Tailgating at Superbowl

[TimPoet]

The story is here.

Can you believe it? The gall of these NFL officials!

"We're going to have a security perimeter so we can screen people coming in." Among the items banned: containers of any type, coolers of any size, backpacks, bottles, banners, noisemakers and horns.

"I understand they want to get their concession sales, but...when you are paying two, three, $4,000 for a ticket, for them to say you can't bring in a grill, I just don't understand the thinking," he said.

Only corporate weenies would rain on this parade....

[Strider]

I think has more to do with security after 9/11 than corporate businesses being party poopers. The same people complaining about no tailgating at Superbowl will be the same people if something unfortunate does happen and it could have been prevented. Just my opinion

I really think the Superbowl should be played in every city that has a NFL team, even in open stadiums up north (like Soldier Field). I realize that they want the game to be played indoors or in a warm climate so the people attending can be comfortable, but some cities like Miami seem to host the Superbowl a lot.

[SonicVanguard]

There hasn't been tailgating at the Superbowl for years - I had the privledge of going to 2000 Superbowl at the Georgia Dome - there wasn't any tailgating then either at that was pre-9/11.

Every year fans from the two cities sending teams complain about the no tailgating. And I'm sure there's more complaining this years because Bears fans tailgate like no other. So of course they're going to complain because to them, tailgating is as much apart of football as the pigskin itself.

[glc]

It will be worse if the Packers ever get back to the Superbowl. Their tailgating makes ours look trivial. The parking lot at Lambeau is full of ash cans. The cheeseheads wouldn't know what to do if they couldn't tailgate.

Unfortunately, it is a security issue. It's a known fact that the terrorists would love to target the Superbowl - there isn't a more visible real time event here. It's showcased worldwide.

[rjfvillarosa]

To me tailgating is when you are driving too close to the vehicle in front and in doing so likely to cause an accident in the event that the vehicle in front suddenly brakes very hard.
This action is likely to get your collar felt by the boys in blue.
Reading this I take it your idea of tailgating is setting up house at the back of your car/truck in the car park of the SuperBowl and firing up the BBQ?

[glc]

Exactly. This applies to most regular season football games here, most stadiums do permit tailgating with various rules and restrictions. People like to come in to the lot a few hours early, have a BBQ and toss down a few brews and shoot the breeze. Some people don't even have game tickets, they just stay out in the lot and watch the game on TV while still partying.

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by glc Some people don't even have game tickets, they just stay out in the lot and watch the game on TV while still partying.

That sounds great. Most of the stadiums back home have no facilities for parking, the parking is generally done well off site, in fact most people park outside of the city and travel to the stadium via public transport.
Even with the huge stadiums they have built, tickets are always in short supply. Most large venues have a debenture system where by your ticket is guaranteed, we could do with something similar instead of all the fans with no tickets invading the local bars.

[glc]

Getting tickets here is not too easy depending on venue - in Green Bay it's 100% season tickets with about a 20 year waiting list. Packers season tickets are often in a person's will. The parking situation varies too, some downtown stadiums have very limited parking.

[David M]

Can die hard fans get Superbowl tickets? I have heard of corporate giveaways as thank yous to customers and to people who are really not all that interested in getting a seat. Is there much truth to this?..or can die hard fans still get seats to go see their favorite team in the Superbowl?

It seems like having a tail gate party might be irrelevant if the real fans are not getting many tickets in the first place. The other question is...are they really that many who are going to have a tailgate party if they have to either fly or drive that far? I just don't see people who were given free tickets as being into the tailgate scene.

[glc]

The diehard fans can buy tickets - for thousands of dollars from scalpers - err - brokers. Easiest way is with an air and hotel package.

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by David M I have heard of corporate giveaways as thank yous to customers and to people who are really not all that interested in getting a seat. .

This really jerks my chain, I have been a rugby player and fan ever since I was old enough to pick up a ball, in my teens and early twenties I played at club level and had trials for the international youth side, yet I can't get a ticket.
It really makes me mad to see these people going to the corporate hospitality suites who have no intention of watching the game they are just going for the free food and drink.
There are thousands of diehard fans in most sports all over the world who probably feel agrieved in the same way as I do about these hangers on going to games they are not even interested in watching.

[mbossman2]

each team is allocated a certain percentage of the available tix.

it was set up something like this:

take a hypothetical 100,000 seat stadium: 50,000 seats allocated to the NFL teams, 50% (25,000) allocated to the 2 playing teams (12,500 each) and the balance are split equally amongst the remaining teams (~833/team). BTW, these ain't freebies, they each have a $$$ value attached to them. Teams will then distribute them however they see fit (When the Bills went in the 90's it was done via a weighted lottery based upon how long you were a season ticket holder). Usually a team will allocate 5-10 per player (which they pay for and promise not to scalp...but it happens) and the balance of their allocation will be at the owners discretion. there is a lot of horsetrading with tickets (hey Bob, my brother's wife's second cousin's son in law's roomate really wants to go, can I buy your ticket and you can buy mine if you need it...that kind of thing)

The other half (all NFL) is then either sold by the NFL to their various corporate sponsors for face value (again, in theory, no scalping, especially as they know exactly where and to whom each ticket went) or given to stars and digitaries (like the President and other political types).

if youe team doesn't make the Superbowl, it is unlikely that you will get a ticket unless you know someone associated with the team. if your team does go to the Superbowl, you'd have the best shot if you were a season ticket holder.

as to the no tailgating? I have been to plenty of NFL games and I think the last thing the NFL wants is a bunch of drunken painted fans relieving themselves in the parking lot at the NFL's flagship event...

[juppy]

Among the items banned: containers of any type, coolers of any size, backpacks, bottles, banners, noisemakers and horns.

I can sorta understand the containers and backpacks for terrorism concerns, but banners?? What is the danger of a banner?? Are they afraid a cardboard sign that says "GO BEARS!!!" is gonna blow up section D-5 of the stadium or what??

[mbossman2]

Originally Posted by juppy Are they afraid a cardboard sign that says "GO BEARS!!!" is gonna blow up section D-5 of the stadium or what??

no but they are afraid of some yahoo with a sign that says ^*&)*& the colts

[TimPoet]

I say it's a bunch of hogwash. Terrorists with plastic coolers....

They aim to control people, plain and simple. Classic co-dependancy, only they have a good excuse since 9-11.

Listen to this:

"The parking lot and traffic flow will look a lot different than it will during normal season games," McCarthy said. "We're going to have a security perimeter so we can screen people coming in." Among the items banned: containers of any type, coolers of any size, backpacks, bottles, banners, noisemakers and horns. "We'll have security people out in the parking lots," McCarthy said. "If they see something that's obtrusive to other fans, they'll say you should put that back in your truck."

Obtrusive to other fans???, what the blank has that got to do with terrorism? This is a case of corporate overreach, "you shall do as you're told!"

This burns me up, it's not American, it's "safe," sort of like political correctness, you don't want to offend anybody, don't want to be obtrusive.... I guess that some sort of sin, you know, being obtrusive. No tailgating, indeed.

EDIT:
Here's Google on obtrusive: undesirably noticeable. Hmmm, terrorist threat likened to being undesirable noticeable. What??? That is the whole point of the NFL!!! For fans to be demonstrative. Tailgating and whooping and hollering is something called fun. Otherwise, what's the point???

[mairving]

Tickets at this Super Bowl have been much harder to come by. Last year it was in Detroit. This one is in Miami. Which one would you rather go to in the middle of Winter?

[HAL9000]

Originally Posted by TimPoet Tailgating and whooping and hollering is something called fun. Otherwise, what's the point???

To watch an over-glorified and over-priced football game?

[TimPoet]

Originally Posted by HAL9000 To watch an over-glorified and over-priced football game?

Beat it, CFLer! The Grey Cup was last year.

[HAL9000]

Don't have to beat it.... it's been proven, we have bigger balls.

Does ANTHING sound right about that sentence?????

[TimPoet]

Originally Posted by HAL9000 Don't have to beat it.... it's been proven, we have bigger balls.

Hahahahaha!!!

[David M]

Originally Posted by mairving Tickets at this Super Bowl have been much harder to come by. Last year it was in Detroit. This one is in Miami. Which one would you rather go to in the middle of Winter?

Does it make any difference if it is winter or summer in a domed stadium? Do they pick the southern states so it can be played on real turf?...or does real or artificial turf make any difference anymore?

[juppy]

Originally Posted by mbossman2 no but they are afraid of some yahoo with a sign that says ^*&)*& the colts

True, but you'd think they could just scan the crowd like they do at most events and just take away the offending sign and/or kick the offender out of the stadium. I guess after Janet Jackson's boobgate stuff they figure they better nix any possible bad thing before it even gets started.

Originally Posted by TimPoet Tailgating and whooping and hollering is something called fun. Otherwise, what's the point???

To me personally, they already started ruining the fun of the game a long time ago. All the stuff of getting a penalty for taking your helmet off on the field or for too much celebration after a touchdown is just a bunch of bull to me. I mean, who cares if it's offensive to the other team? If they take your celebration of a touchdown as a slap in the face, then they should do a better job of not letting you score now shouldn't they?

Originally Posted by David M does real or artificial turf make any difference anymore?

It matters if you're one of the players that manages to blow out a ligament in your leg because of the artificial turf. Some of the fields have gone to that other fake turf though; you know, the stuff that's got the little pieces of rubber mixed in with it? I've heard players saying they hate that type of field too, because when they go down in a tackle, those little pieces of rubber fly everywhere and can get in their eyes. You can always tell a field that has that type of turf because when somebody gets tackled you can usually see a bunch of those little rubber pieces flipping up in the air......kinda looks like a thin smoke cloud behind them at times.

[mbossman2]

Originally Posted by David M Does it make any difference if it is winter or summer in a domed stadium? Do they pick the southern states so it can be played on real turf?...or does real or artificial turf make any difference anymore?

they pick southern venues for the non-game related events....

which would you rather do? stoll south beach or walk thru downtown detroit?

Originally Posted by juppy True, but you'd think they could just scan the crowd like they do at most events and just take away the offending sign and/or kick the offender out of the stadium. I guess after Janet Jackson's boobgate stuff they figure they better nix any possible bad thing before it even gets started.

easier to make the announcement and eliminate 95% of the signs before they get there rather than have to watch for the signs in line when you colud be looking for something a tad more serious.

[HAL9000]

Juppy, maybe it's an attempt to avoid riots that occur at soccer games... you get people too riled up and look what happens.

[TimPoet]

*sigh*

We are not Europeans or other third world countries. We do not riot at NFL games!!!

It's ludicrous and indefensible to try to control NFL fans' in this manner. Remember, these people are trying to ban noisemakers and horns. What's that but being a control freak?

It's all about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and these gorram co-dependent corporate weenies want to interfere with that.

[HAL9000]

Umm... I could make a comment, but then I would have to close the thread myself.... no, you do not riot, that is NOT what I said.... key words, it is an ATTEMPT to AVOID... maybe I should have added THE POSSIBILITY OF.

I'm sure you're right... they sat in a board meeting deciding how they can be control freaks, there is no other explanation [/sarcasm].

PC Mech gets labelled as control freaks by those that are banned for not conforming to the rules.... why don't you call the mods here control freaks? You can't tell me that EVERYONE stays under control at these games... you can't tell me that there aren't people taken away by security for their actions... it happens... you may not see it directly, but it happens.

Maybe you need to stand in a "weenie's" shoes for a few days to understand.

[TimPoet]

Originally Posted by HAL9000 PC Mech gets labelled as control freaks by those that are banned for not conforming to the rules....

PC Mech moderators use common sense and decency to guide their actions. They are not interested in restricting freedoms, just people who would interfere in the freedom of others. They ban those who insult, lie and whatnot. It's called requiring others to act like an adult.

Here, the NFL is denying adult's their free expression, expressions that do not impose force on others. Noisemakers and banners and horns are part of the game all over the country and should be also in the Superbowl. As well as tailgate parties.

Maybe you need to stand in a "weenie's" shoes for a few days to understand.

I'd rather die than stand in the shoes of a corporate weenie, now a PC Mech moderator's shoes- that's a different story!

[mbossman2]

Originally Posted by TimPoet Here, the NFL is denying adult's their free expression, expressions that do not impose force on others. Noisemakers and banners and horns are part of the game all over the country and should be also in the Superbowl. As well as tailgate parties.

here the NFL is exerting their influence on a private event of their own creation/funding and, undoubtedly bowing to the pressure of the various law enforcement agencies. if you want to attend, you pay the asking price and adhere to the rules, terms and conditions of entry as printed on the reverse side of the ticket. If you don't like the restrictions, the answer is quite simple: don't attend.

is it a good business decision to restrict how the fans celebrate (as long as it is within the bounds of the law)? probably not, you can only insult your customer base so much before they rebel and take their money elsewhere.

Are they legally within their rights to so? yes, they most certainly are.

[David M]

I would not want to have to sit in front of some clown with an air horn blasting in my ears...especially if I just spent $1000 for the seat I am sitting in and another $1000 for my wifes seat next to me. Would it be my responsibility to bring earplugs so the jerk behind me could have a good time or could I just enjoy the game?

I think these rules are made for the benefit and safety of everyone.

[TimPoet]

Originally Posted by mbossman2 Are they legally within their rights to so? yes, they most certainly are.

Those are all givens.

Can we criticize their decision- deem that they are wrong? Yes! They are decidedly wrong.

They should change their minds and allow tailgating, horns, and banners. AND they should apologize for their foolishness and fire the weenies.