Athletics announces new clear bag policy

Troy Athletics announced a new clear bag policy for athletics events last week. The new policy will debut this fall.

The new rules now prohibit fans from bringing items such as backpacks, large purses, coolers, fanny packs and outside food/drink. Now, fans are only permitted to bring in a clear bag that is at maximum 12”x6”x12”.

Fans are still permitted to bring in seat cushions, blankets, binoculars and small purses within specific measurement parameters. The new policy comes after years of TUPD Chief George Beaudry’s advocacy for the change.

“I’ve been pushing for this for five years, along with several other initiatives,” Beaudry said. “I think this is a good start, and I’m hoping to one day include metal detectors, increase camera presence and more.

There’s a lot of initiatives that the police department has pushed directly related to campus safety and safety at athletic events. This is a great starting point.”

Along with ULM, Troy was previously one of just two schools in the Sun Belt that did not have a clear bag policy in place. The Sun Belt Conference has recommended the policy to schools but has not mandated it.

The policy will not officially be in effect until the beginning of the 2026-27 athletic season and will not be enforced for the remaining home athletic events of this spring. It applies to all ticketed events at Veterans Memorial Stadium, Riddle-Pace Field and Trojan Arena.

While there are some not ticketed events, it can still be enforced at the Colley Track and Soccer Complex along with the Troy Softball Complex.

More information on the policy and bag measurements can be viewed on the Troy Athletics website.