Fans of College Football USA were shocked to find that those travelling to Los Angeles to attend Monday’s national championship won’t be able to start game day with what many consider to be the game’s most important custom.
According to the website of the College Football Playoff, tailgating is not permitted in either of the parking areas at SoFi Stadium, the host site in Inglewood. According to a CFP official, the rule has been in place for championship games for some time and is not brand-new.
However, in the days leading up to this year’s game between the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs and the University of Georgia Bulldogs, fans are criticising the rules on social media. They discovered a notable company. Republicans Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas), Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp tweeted their grievances on Thursday.
Cruz and Greene seemed to lightheartedly support the “Gerald R. Ford Right to Tailgate Act,” a satirical bill that was put out on Twitter by a parody account. The measure proclaims that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has zero SEC championships” and forbids any stadium or commercial establishment from forbidding tailgating.
As the House of Representatives started its third consecutive day of voting for a House speaker on Thursday morning, Greene tweeted, “I stand in support of football fans right to tailgate.”
Greene continued, “Unfortunately, without a Speaker, we are helpless.”
The College Football Playoff championship game will be held in Kemp’s home state of Georgia in 2025. Kemp tweeted that he would make sure tailgating would be allowed at the game, “even if it’s in the state Capitol!!”
Brendan Boyle, a Pennsylvania-based Democrat, likewise jokingly tweeted that he would “cross the aisle” to support the legislation.
The spoof account Three Year Letterman expressed their delight at seeing “bipartisan support for this crucial piece of law, which I drafted on my phone,” to The Post. Requests for comment from the offices of Greene and Kemp were not promptly fulfilled. Cruz’s staff stated that the senator was at a loss for words.
Fans will be allowed to bring coolers and “enjoy themselves” in their parking spaces, according to CFP executive director Bill Hancock, but they won’t be allowed to erect tents or barbecues.
Because there is a limited amount of on-site parking at SoFi Stadium, Hancock explained, “we are unable to permit spectators to put up tents and barbecues in the drive aisles or adjacent parking spaces in order to conduct the parking operations smoothly on gameday.
Before the game, the CFP will hold a free “Championship Tailgate” event outside the stadium that will feature performances from the marching bands of both institutions, Hancock noted.
However, other supporters claimed that would be a far cry from the informal get-togethers they would typically partake in prior to kickoff to BBQ and play drinking games.
TCU graduate and game-goer Zach Kadletz, 32, said, “It just sounds like this corporate grab.” We prefer to set up some tents and a grill and relax all day.
Clay Liolios, a junior at the University of Georgia who also intends to go, said, “It’s absolutely a letdown.” It’s among the game’s better features, in my opinion. when you get to relax and drink a couple beers at the stadium while you’re with all your buddies and a little worried before the game.
Despite not being shocked by the fact that the prohibition had been in place in prior years, Liolios claimed that this year’s tailgating was probably more enthusiastic than it was in 2022, when Indianapolis would host the national championship.
Because last year’s event took place in Indianapolis, where it was 5 degrees and snowing, he noted, “it maybe wasn’t as big of a thing in the past.” “I believe that people were quite eager to venture outside in the pleasant weather, tailgate, and do all that things. Perhaps for that reason, it initially came to light.
Liolios did discover a silver lining, though: He discovered ticket prices on resale sites had decreased around the time news of the tailgating restriction started to circulate and was able to save some money on his seats. Prior to the game, he intends to congregate with his buddies at the Newport Beach house of his family before boarding a bus to the stadium.
In the parking lot, Kadletz and his pals will try their luck.
Kadletz added, “It’s unfortunate. “We can’t hold a nice tailgate party to top off this incredible ride and historic season and enjoy it all together.”
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