Changes coming to gameday tailgates

A group tailgates for last year's Homecoming game.

University Relations photo

Gameday tailgating at Troy University will start to look different this upcoming football season.

The Troy University Police Department (TUPD) recently collaborated with Troy Athletics and university administration to update the tailgating policy on campus. In a Facebook post, TUPD outlined several new rules, including no fully enclosed tents, no overnight tailgating and no tailgating past kickoff.

“We’ve been pushing for a policy for several years to limit timelines and limit allowed activities and things of that nature,” said TUPD Chief George Beaudry. “We want an environment where families can come.”

These updated rules haven’t come without backlash, though. Khelsea Stone, a junior nursing major from Montgomery, Alabama, and president of Troy University’s National Pan-Hellenic Council’s (NPHC) Executive Council had some thoughts on how the new policy could diminish student spirit around tailgating events.

“Tailgating is a big part of what builds the excitement and energy around football game days,” Stone said. “It gives students a reason to come out, socialize and get excited before the game, so limiting that experience could take away from some of the school spirit we normally see.”

The rule for tailgating to end at kickoff was a particular point of contention from fans on and offline. One Facebook user replying to TUPD’s post called the change shameful.

Stone talked about how it might affect student turnout for tailgates, particularly for earlier games.

“If kickoff is at 3 p.m., for example, a lot of students probably aren’t going to want to get up early in the morning just to tailgate for a limited amount of time,” Stone said.

John Ramos, a junior psychology major from Prattville, Alabama and secretary of Troy’s NPHC Executive Council, talked about how the earlier end times could affect student spirit.

“It might bring down the spirit for games since tailgates won’t last as long,” Ramos said.

Beaudry explained the tailgating end time was created in response to previous problems on Tailgate Terrace and the need for officers to be inside the stadium.

“We took nine guns off of a quad from a party that was billed as a tailgate,” Beaudry said. “Why do we want to shut it down at kickoff? That’s why.”

Facebook users also mentioned that Troy University doesn’t have metal detectors going into games at Veterans Memorial Stadium. When asked, Beaudry said it wasn’t currently in the budget.

“We’re always looking at grant funding opportunities,” Beaudry said. “We’re always looking for alternate sources of funding.

“Do I want it? Yes.

Do we need it? Yes.

I am very pleased that we did get a clear bag policy in place. That’ll help a little bit, but at the end of the day we need to get there.”

The new policy will go into effect starting this upcoming football season, which is less than a month away and will start with a home game against Sam Houston on Sept. 5th.