New Tailgating Rules

[Roderick]

Here is the full text of a letter that I sent to USF regarding this topic. If you want this to change, you need to send a similar letter yourselves. The only way to get action is for lots of people to voice their displeasure.

September 22, 2008

By Email

Eric Soncrant

Assistant Athletic Director and Bulls Club Executive Director

USF Athletic Department

4202 E. Fowler Ave. Ath 100

Tampa, FL 33620

Soncrant@admin.usf.edu

Re: Raymond James Parking and Tailgating

Dear Eric:

I would like to begin by congratulating you and the athletic staff at the University of South Florida for the hard work and dedication that you provide. I appreciate that it is very difficult to both generate support for the athletic teams, and ensure that all fans attending games have the best possible experience. Further, I know that the university finds itself in a unique position of not having a true football home of its own, but instead leasing property that was built using taxpayer funds. Over the years as both a student and an alumni I have witnessed several events at the stadium that have caused me to cringe. Most not being from the behavior of fans, but from the behavior of overzealous TSA employees. Until now I have never felt the need to write a formal complaint to the University of South Florida; however, the newest change in tailgating and parking regulations have caused me to change my position.

Cutting tailgating by yet another hour is absolutely unacceptable. USF (in conjunction with the TSA) already limits the game day experience by limiting tailgating to five hours. Further limiting tailgate time takes away from the very image of being a traditional college football program that USF is trying to create. Few other major college programs have this restriction, and the true fans that come in from all over the area and country looking for the complete college football experience deserve better. Most if not all of us have accepted the five hour prior to the game lot opening, but to further limit it due to the behavior of an isolated few is outrageous. Limiting tailgating by one hour is not going to have an effect on the behavior of the few fans that find it acceptable to act like hooligans. It only serves to punish the good fans that are trying to make football game day at USF a true college football experience. USF should focus its crack down efforts on things that are actually going to work. Things like adding more competent (not overzealous) security at games. Not by adding knee jerk regulations that have no hope of curtailing the very behavior they are designed to stop.

Immediately following my graduation I became a green jacket donor. I live in Washington D.C. and fly down for nearly every home game. I also attend nearly every away game, not just because I have a good time and want to support the team, but also because I want to enhance our traveling image. I tailgate with a group of about 20 for every home game. We line up waiting to get into the parking lot exactly five hours prior to the game. During our tailgate we welcome opposing fans and Bulls fans alike to join us and experience what we hope is one of the best tailgates USF has to offer. We love tailgating and strive to do it right. We are the people that are going to bear the brunt of your new rules. I hope that USF would realize that this change is short-sighted and not in the best interests of the program. You have lots of great alumni and fans that are trying to build an game day atmosphere that is special. Once again USF (and the TSA) is making it harder and harder. My question for you is when is it going to stop? The very fan base that you are punishing is that one that USF will need long after the buzz about the epic rise of the program has faded. It’s time for USF to understand that.

cc: Doug Woolard (by US Mail)

Bill McGillis

Vicki Mitchell

Well said.  I will be submitting a letter as well.

[Cow Pie]

Well this is the problem with Lightning games, they used to not have anything open before the games in Tampa so people would get wasted at home, or in Brandon, St. Pete, etc. and then drive into Tampa drunk = tons of accidents, deaths, and injuries b/c some r-tard at USF thinks limiting tailgating will make the rowdy fans less rowdy...

[bwsdj]

Here is the full text of a letter that I sent to USF regarding this topic. If you want this to change, you need to send a similar letter yourselves. The only way to get action is for lots of people to voice their displeasure.

September 22, 2008

By Email

Eric Soncrant

Assistant Athletic Director and Bulls Club Executive Director

USF Athletic Department

4202 E. Fowler Ave. Ath 100

Tampa, FL 33620

Soncrant@admin.usf.edu

Re: Raymond James Parking and Tailgating

Dear Eric:

I would like to begin by congratulating you and the athletic staff at the University of South Florida for the hard work and dedication that you provide. I appreciate that it is very difficult to both generate support for the athletic teams, and ensure that all fans attending games have the best possible experience. Further, I know that the university finds itself in a unique position of not having a true football home of its own, but instead leasing property that was built using taxpayer funds. Over the years as both a student and an alumni I have witnessed several events at the stadium that have caused me to cringe. Most not being from the behavior of fans, but from the behavior of overzealous TSA employees. Until now I have never felt the need to write a formal complaint to the University of South Florida; however, the newest change in tailgating and parking regulations have caused me to change my position.

Cutting tailgating by yet another hour is absolutely unacceptable. USF (in conjunction with the TSA) already limits the game day experience by limiting tailgating to five hours. Further limiting tailgate time takes away from the very image of being a traditional college football program that USF is trying to create. Few other major college programs have this restriction, and the true fans that come in from all over the area and country looking for the complete college football experience deserve better. Most if not all of us have accepted the five hour prior to the game lot opening, but to further limit it due to the behavior of an isolated few is outrageous. Limiting tailgating by one hour is not going to have an effect on the behavior of the few fans that find it acceptable to act like hooligans. It only serves to punish the good fans that are trying to make football game day at USF a true college football experience. USF should focus its crack down efforts on things that are actually going to work. Things like adding more competent (not overzealous) security at games. Not by adding knee jerk regulations that have no hope of curtailing the very behavior they are designed to stop.

Immediately following my graduation I became a green jacket donor. I live in Washington D.C. and fly down for nearly every home game. I also attend nearly every away game, not just because I have a good time and want to support the team, but also because I want to enhance our traveling image. I tailgate with a group of about 20 for every home game. We line up waiting to get into the parking lot exactly five hours prior to the game. During our tailgate we welcome opposing fans and Bulls fans alike to join us and experience what we hope is one of the best tailgates USF has to offer. We love tailgating and strive to do it right. We are the people that are going to bear the brunt of your new rules. I hope that USF would realize that this change is short-sighted and not in the best interests of the program. You have lots of great alumni and fans that are trying to build an game day atmosphere that is special. Once again USF (and the TSA) is making it harder and harder. My question for you is when is it going to stop? The very fan base that you are punishing is that one that USF will need long after the buzz about the epic rise of the program has faded. It’s time for USF to understand that.

cc: Doug Woolard (by US Mail)

Bill McGillis

Vicki Mitchell

Well Said, i will be sending a similar email as well, and am going to spread the word about sending a email