Question on ticket policy

[commavegarage]

Great... one you disagree with. What about Vandy (which is located in a wealthy section of Nashville) or UDub or Northwestern??? All have on-campus facilities outside too. Point is that there is no justification for our High School tailgating rules... NONE!!!

The reality is I don't know what the Vanderbilt tailgating atmosphere is like. I have been to the campus so I know exactly what you are talking about, but not on gameday.

With regards to the others: Miami plays in ProPlayer (or LandShark or whatever the hell they've changed it to now). Needless to say they've got ample parking and whatnot. Maryland's tailgating is better than ours, but I don't think it blows us out of the water (and Maryland's campus is much bigger than ours), GTech I haven't been to yet so I couldn't tell you about them.

My reference to our location for tailgating specifically had nothing to do with Boston- It had to do with, as campion pointed out, the neighborhood that BC is in. Very few schools have expensive homes literally across the street from its stadium.

That being said, I was referring to Boston when I said I would take our location and a below average gameday experience over living somewhere in the middle of nowhere and being able to party for 10 or however many hours 7 days of the year.

[commavegarage]

Do those schools need to get an entertainment license from their city? Isn't that where the limit on tailgating comes from?

The tailgating situation is something that has always struck me as being a problem that is not BC created, but one in which BC is doing the best it can given the state of Mass politics, lack of parking space, and the proximity of houses to the stadium.

That certainly would be what Gene would lead you to believe. I find it surprising that we can successfully win a war where we are allowed to expand student dorms adjacent to those same neighbors... yet, we can't get a couple of extra HOURS to drive past their homes (and soon-to-be-dorms) on 7 Saturdays a year (a day when many of them are supposed to be walking anyway). Yes... BC has to get a license... but they don't put up any really battle when the town says "BTW, you got 2 hours before and after... OK?" If the donations and ticket sales fall off the GDF created cliff, I can pretty much assure you that you will see a different hourly tailgating window to woo season ticketholders back into the fold. This could be the single achievement of the Spaz error... being so effing bad that Gene actually has to allow people to tailgate.

Actually BC did fight to add an additional hour. I forget when exactly that happened but it was relatively recently. You can say, whatever its only an hour, but I think the situation is much harder to deal with than what we think it is.

[HJS]

People keep bringing up how "good" tailgate is at places like Vandy, UNC, MD, etc. I'm not saying any of those places are better tailgating-wise or not. What I am saying is that any shortcomings in their tailgating is due to their fans. Our crappy tailgating is 1000000% due to our crap-ass rules.

BTW... didn't those homes exist when Shea used to be a freaking drunken orgy of fans back in the mid-90s??? I will also point out that it is a recent development that Gene forces people into the stadium 30 minutes before kickoff. THAT was something HE asked the city to put into the permit. Gene was also the one who decided to card each person... I mean... require everyone entering Shea to have a ticket.

We had the worst tailgating rules in all college sports... and Gene found a way to make them suckier.

[commavegarage]

People keep bringing up how "good" tailgate is at places like Vandy, UNC, MD, etc. I'm not saying any of those places are better tailgating-wise or not. What I am saying is that any shortcomings in their tailgating is due to their fans. Our crappy tailgating is 1000000% due to our crap-ass rules.

BTW... didn't those homes exist when Shea used to be a freaking drunken orgy of fans back in the mid-90s??? I will also point out that it is a recent development that Gene forces people into the stadium 30 minutes before kickoff. THAT was something HE asked the city to put into the permit. Gene was also the one who decided to card each person... I mean... require everyone entering Shea to have a ticket.

We had the worst tailgating rules in all college sports... and Gene found a way to make them suckier.

I don't know where you tailgate, but I am never forced in 30 minutes before kickoff. That includes in the Comm Ave Garage, Beacon St. Garage, Shea, and the Mod lot. The only time I had trouble was last year at the GTech game- but I don't think I was the only one from what I read on the board at the time.

With regards to the bold, do you know that for fact, or are you just saying that. While I'm too lazy to look things up, I would be interested to hear Vanderbilt's, Northwestern's and similar schools' rules on tailgating

[talon]

Gene was also the one who decided to card each person... I mean... require everyone entering Shea to have a ticket.

I heard the Shea Field donors requested this. Donors didn't want to spend a ton of money to be tailgating next to some schmuck who walked onto Shea without a ticket, but with a thirty pack.

[HJS]

Actually BC did fight to add an additional hour. I forget when exactly that happened but it was relatively recently. You can say, whatever its only an hour, but I think the situation is much harder to deal with than what we think it is.

He initially moved the start time up by 30 minutes... but to do that, he promised to have the lots swept 30 minutes before kickoff. Net-net... no increase in tailgating time. Sure he pretended he accomplished something, but he really just gave the Troopahs a law they could hide behind when being dicks.

As tix sales began to slump with the DBS... he maganimously rounded it up to 3hrs before. I can't recall if he took time away after the game. He may have. But, if he didn't... and actually increased the time by a whole 30 minutes over the regrettable 15 years he has ruined my school... well, it ain't shit since he cancelled all tailgating during and 30 minutes before the game. Further, if he was able to expand it by 30 minutes due to slumping sales, it just goes to show how complicit he is the restrictions.

[commavegarage]

Actually BC did fight to add an additional hour. I forget when exactly that happened but it was relatively recently. You can say, whatever its only an hour, but I think the situation is much harder to deal with than what we think it is.

He initially moved the start time up by 30 minutes... but to do that, he promised to have the lots swept 30 minutes before kickoff. Net-net... no increase in tailgating time. Sure he pretended he accomplished something, but he really just gave the Troopahs a law they could hide behind when being dicks.

As tix sales began to slump with the DBS... he maganimously rounded it up to 3hrs before. I can't recall if he took time away after the game. He may have. But, if he didn't... and actually increased the time by a whole 30 minutes over the regrettable 15 years he has ruined my school... well, it ain't shit since he cancelled all tailgating during and 30 minutes before the game. Further, if he was able to expand it by 30 minutes due to slumping sales, it just goes to show how complicit he is the restrictions.

Like I said- I have never been asked to stop tailgating except for the GTech game last year, and if you are complaining about not being able to tailgate during the game because you'd rather be doing that then watching the game then, well, you suck and I don't want you as a fan anyway.

[commavegarage]

Gene was also the one who decided to card each person... I mean... require everyone entering Shea to have a ticket.

I heard the Shea Field donors requested this. Donors didn't want to spend a ton of money to be tailgating next to some schmuck who walked onto Shea without a ticket, but with a thirty pack.

To be honest, I don't think this is a big deal. If you're walking around the place without a ticket on gameday then you aren't supporting the team and I want those people to GTFOMAM.

[BCDF22]

Actually BC did fight to add an additional hour. I forget when exactly that happened but it was relatively recently. You can say, whatever its only an hour, but I think the situation is much harder to deal with than what we think it is.

He initially moved the start time up by 30 minutes... but to do that, he promised to have the lots swept 30 minutes before kickoff. Net-net... no increase in tailgating time. Sure he pretended he accomplished something, but he really just gave the Troopahs a law they could hide behind when being dicks.

As tix sales began to slump with the DBS... he maganimously rounded it up to 3hrs before. I can't recall if he took time away after the game. He may have. But, if he didn't... and actually increased the time by a whole 30 minutes over the regrettable 15 years he has ruined my school... well, it ain't shit since he cancelled all tailgating during and 30 minutes before the game. Further, if he was able to expand it by 30 minutes due to slumping sales, it just goes to show how complicit he is the restrictions.

Like I said- I have never been asked to stop tailgating except for the GTech game last year, and if you are complaining about not being able to tailgate during the game because you'd rather be doing that then watching the game then, well, you suck and I don't want you as a fan anyway.

They most definitely sweep Shea Field and force everyone into the game. Not a problem for me, as Im always there for kickoff anyway. I recall it going like this, it used to be 2 hours before, but no sweep 30 mins prior to game. Then it became 2.5 hours before, with the 30 min sweep. So that was a total wash. This year and last year it is 3 hrs before, with 30 min sweep. So we gained a hallf hour. Post game is always 2 hours, except after 3:30 games when its one hour, and night games where there is no post game. And I swear they start the 2 hour coundown after the start of the 3rd quarterr. it sure goes pretty damn fast

[HJS]

I tailgate on Shea and it sucks. The Gene's Gestapo are everywhere and whenever the clock strikes 30 minutes beforehand they harass everyone to pack-up. Talon... your post is the first I have ever heard that the donors asked for it. I've been on Shea since the day I graduated. So, I span that time before and after. If non-donors with a 30-pack is the problem, then you would simply just prohibit alcohol entering the field... which is EXACTLY what they do today. I mean, you can still have a ticket and run afoul of the conduct you said they were trying to prevent. I had heard that they instituted the ticket requirement because residents were concerned about people not going into the game and ultimately getting so drunk that they URINATE ON THEIR BUSHES!!!!

When Gene got here, the only thing he inherited was a tailgating window that spanned 2hrs before and after each game. Under Gene, he allowed the town to further tighten the tailgate window for the 2-hours post-game (which could disappear depending on the time the game played). He then created a set of his own, unsolicited restrictions... first, restricting people accessing Shea with alcohol... then restricting people from access Shea without a ticket... THEN restricting anyone (including those donors with tickets) from being on the field during the game... then increasing that period of banishment to include 30 minutes before kickoff. Fail, FAIL, FAIL!!!!

[BCDF22]

I tailgate on Shea and it sucks. The Gene's Gestapo are everywhere and whenever the clock strikes 30 minutes beforehand they harass everyone to pack-up. Talon... your post is the first I have ever heard that the donors asked for it. I've been on Shea since the day I graduated. So, I span that time before and after. If non-donors with a 30-pack is the problem, then you would simply just prohibit alcohol entering the field... which is EXACTLY what they do today. I mean, you can still have a ticket and run afoul of the conduct you said they were trying to prevent. I had heard that they instituted the ticket requirement because residents were concerned about people not going into the game and ultimately getting so drunk that they URINATE ON THEIR BUSHES!!!!

When Gene got here, the only thing he inherited was a tailgating window that spanned 2hrs before and after each game. Under Gene, he allowed the town to further tighten the tailgate window for the 2-hours post-game (which could disappear depending on the time the game played). He then created a set of his own, unsolicited restrictions... first, restricting people accessing Shea with alcohol... then restricting people from access Shea without a ticket... THEN restricting anyone (including those donors with tickets) from being on the field during the game... then increasing that period of banishment to include 30 minutes before kickoff. Fail, FAIL, FAIL!!!!

I also have been told from those within the AD's department that the Shea donors requested the alcohol restriction on those coming in, basically to protect their investment. Theoretically, I don't have a problem with clearly the lots 30 mins prior as I want Alumni full for kickoff, but that ONLY works if you a more reasonable window to tailgate before the game, 4-5 hrs or so. 2.5 hours is simply not enough to drive in, unload the car, set up, get the grill going, wait for your friends who are stuck in line in Beacon trying to get onto Shea, enjoy yourself and have a few beers and then pack up most your belongings so you can get into the game ontime. its a nightmare

[HJS]

Not supporting the team... don't want you as a fan...

Ah yes... the merrymen lexicon. Next step... semi-fan.

Give me an effing break. Walk around Clemson or any other college in the country after kickoff and you will see plenty of fans still tailgating. Some have tickets and opted to watch it on their MOBILE HOME TV. Others are there for the atmosphere and fun that normally comes with being on-campus on gameday. It is all part of the atmosphere. Like it or not, people having fun is a reason in and of itself to show up. Not everyone gets aroused by the thought of watching an offense take 60 minutes to put up 54 yards. I will guarantee that there would be more tickets sold and more fans in attendance if Gene didn't do any of these things. Whatever he touches turns to crap... tailgating and the fanbase being the shining example.

[HJS]

I also have been told from those within the AD's department that the Shea donors requested the alcohol restriction on those coming in, basically to protect their investment. Theoretically, I don't have a problem with clearly the lots 30 mins prior as I want Alumni full for kickoff, but that ONLY works if you a more reasonable window to tailgate before the game, 4-5 hrs or so. 2.5 hours is simply not enough to drive in, unload the car, set up, get the grill going, wait for your friends who are stuck in line in Beacon trying to get onto Shea, enjoy yourself and have a few beers and then pack up most your belongings so you can get into the game ontime. its a nightmare

Alcohol restrictions does not equal must have a ticket to get on the field!!!
Personally, I think that donors pay enough that they should be able to do whatever the eff they want. They want to hold a tailgate for dozens of non-ticket holders... so be it and thanks for the $6k. They want to sit on Shea and mindlessly drink while a game is going on 20 yards from them... so be it and thanks for the $6k. If they want to drive their ass onto campus at 4 in the effing morning... so the eff be it and thanks for the six effing thousand dollars.

The Nexus (old EI and now EO) is popular because there is no one telling what the hell to do or say or how to cheer. BC tailgating was insanely good back when we sucked at the end of the Bicknell era and the start of TC and games were just as heavily attended. Since we are going to soon be seeing levels worse than those of Cowboy Jack's, I don't think it is wrong to point out that the shitshow that Gene is made of Gameday is the prime reason why attendance is going to be much, much worse.

[commavegarage]

Not supporting the team... don't want you as a fan...

Ah yes... the merrymen lexicon. Next step... semi-fan.

Give me an effing break. Walk around Clemson or any other college in the country after kickoff and you will see plenty of fans still tailgating. Some have tickets and opted to watch it on their MOBILE HOME TV. Others are there for the atmosphere and fun that normally comes with being on-campus on gameday. It is all part of the atmosphere. Like it or not, people having fun is a reason in and of itself to show up. Not everyone gets aroused by the thought of watching an offense take 60 minutes to put up 54 yards. I will guarantee that there would be more tickets sold and more fans in attendance if Gene didn't do any of these things. Whatever he touches turns to crap... tailgating and the fanbase being the shining example.

So I'm a merrymen because I want the asses of the few fans we have in their seats at game time? Let's be serious HoMoJS, nobody, nobody outside of students tailgate on gameday's without a ticket. We're just not big enough for that to be a realistic possibility. And we're not the only school that way. Sure, if you look at the Southern Schools they have some that do that, but you rarely see an overwhelming number tailgate at a school like ours without the intention of going to the game.

Like I said, I don't have a problem getting forced into the stadium on gamedays- Maybe that's because I go in about 15/20 minutes early. But seriously, if you're complaining about the team on a message board when you aren't there on time to show them your support on gamedays, you are a bxtch.

[BCDF22]

I am very, very fearful of what Gene/tailgating rules/DBS have done to the fanbase. These problems were masked by Matty R and consistently high level play. We all feared what might happen with a few bad seasons. Not to mention the bad economy. We are averaging 29,000 through 2 games. that is pathetic. and we can't even sell our parents' weekend vs a conference team. That is a bad, bad sign...I'd love to see the true dip in season tix sales.

[talon]

So I'm a merrymen because I want the asses of the few fans we have in their seats at game time?

I want the stadium to be filled by kickoff because the product on the field is expected to be more entertaining than getting blackout drunk.

[HJS]

So I'm a merrymen because I want the asses of the few fans we have in their seats at game time? Let's be serious HoMoJS, nobody, [i]nobody outside of students tailgate on gameday's without a ticket. We're just not big enough for that to be a realistic possibility.[/i] And we're not the only school that way. Sure, if you look at the Southern Schools they have some that do that, but you rarely see an overwhelming number tailgate at a school like ours without the intention of going to the game.

Like I said, I don't have a problem getting forced into the stadium on gamedays- Maybe that's because I go in about 15/20 minutes early. But seriously, if you're complaining about the team on a message board when you aren't there on time to show them your support on gamedays, you are a bxtch.

See... that is where you are WAY off. Some good friends of mine are from Mass but went to Cuse. They used to go to every home game whenever they could because the tailgating was so much fun in the mid 90s. I can't tell you the number of times people have bagged on games because it is so difficult to get to a game (unless you are donor) and or because a few in the group did not have tickets. I can assure that more ticketholders have decidedly missed games while at Roggies or Citysides because visiting friends didn't have tickets and didn't want to bother trying to sneak onto Shea... than would sit on Shea all day and miss a game.

As for your I'm-a-better-fan-than-everyone comment, I have no option BUT to go in on time. But, I promise you, if we didn't have the restrictions, I would be on time most games (exceptions being games like Northeastern). But, it would sure as hell be nice to know that I am not sequestered in the stadium for a full 60 minutes when Tranq and Spaz again decide to give-up on the team days before the actual game.

[commavegarage]

As for your I'm-a-better-fan-than-everyone comment, I have no option BUT to go in on time. But, I promise you, if we didn't have the restrictions, I would be on time most games (exceptions being games like Northeastern). But, it would sure as hell be nice to know that I am not sequestered in the stadium for a full 60 minutes when Tranq and Spaz again decide to give-up on the team days before the actual game.

I never said I'm better than every fan- It just pisses me off to hear fans complaining about not being able to go into the game until the second quarter. It's an effin football game- Show up on time and support your damn school.

[talon]

I never said I'm better than every fan- It just pisses me off to hear fans complaining about not being able to go into the game until the second quarter. It's an effin football game- Show up on time and support your damn school.

Imagine you're shitfaced at a bar. There's no good tail. You look around and decide to leave. As you're walking towards the exit, the bouncer grabs you and literally forces you out the door. You were going to leave anyway, so there's no reason to get upset, right?

[commavegarage]

I never said I'm better than every fan- It just pisses me off to hear fans complaining about not being able to go into the game until the second quarter. It's an effin football game- Show up on time and support your damn school.

Imagine you're shitfaced at a bar. There's no good tail. You look around and decide to leave. As you're walking towards the exit, the bouncer grabs you and literally forces you out the door. You were going to leave anyway, so there's no reason to get upset, right?

It doesn't work that way. If there was no rule of starting to move people off Shea, many people wouldn't get to the game until halftime. I know you and HJS and everybody on the board cares enough to show up on time, but there are a lot who don't and it pisses me off that I see a half full Alumni for the beginning of games. Seriously- Adam06 posted pictures from the beginning of the Northeastern game- If students can make it on time, why can't alumni?

[talon]

If students can make it on time, why can't alumni?

Are the students banned from drinking in the dorms/mods until 2 hours before the game?

[commavegarage]

If students can make it on time, why can't alumni?

Are the students banned from drinking in the dorms/mods until 2 hours before the game?

In the mods, you can't start tailgating until 3 hours before like everyone else.

Are you really telling me the reason 60 year olds don't want to go in on time is because they want to binge drink beforehand?

Look, I realize that part of the reason people go to games is to spend time with people they haven't seen for a while. I'm just saying I think given the fact that you get 4 hours to do so, asking people to show up on time is reasonable. (Not the way the nazi's do it, but as a fan)

[HJS]

If students can make it on time, why can't alumni?

Are the students banned from drinking in the dorms/mods until 2 hours before the game?

Precisely... those with a tailgating restriction didn't show up on time... or at all... for a game against Northeastern (even with the Troopahs dragging them in). Yet, the students who have no limits to their pre-, post- or during partying were there... on time... and loud.

Gene Zanderized our gameday experience and has suffered similar consequences.

[commavegarage]

If students can make it on time, why can't alumni?

Are the students banned from drinking in the dorms/mods until 2 hours before the game?

Precisely... those with a tailgating restriction didn't show up on time... or at all... for a game against Northeastern (even with the Troopahs dragging them in). Yet, the students who have no limits to their pre-, post- or during partying were there... on time... and loud.

Gene Zanderized our gameday experience and has suffered similar consequences.

This discussion has changed somewhat from tailgating to showing up on time.

The bottom line is I agree with you that our tailgating sucks. It does, and we do little about it.

That being said, I think it's not unreasonable to ask a BC fan to show up on time for a game. (I don't condone the way they do it- I don't even think it should be enforced at all- I just think people should know to go in on time.)

[HJS]

I'm just saying I think given the fact that you get 4 hours to do so, asking people to show up on time is reasonable.

Uh... no it is not. NOTHING about a grand total of 4 hours of tailgating is reasonable (its 2 btw if the game is after 3:30). It takes me twice that long to roundtrip to the game. So, for every TWO hours I spend in the car driving to campus, I get ONE hour in return. One hell an effing investment.

[HJS]

If students can make it on time, why can't alumni?

Are the students banned from drinking in the dorms/mods until 2 hours before the game?

Precisely... those with a tailgating restriction didn't show up on time... or at all... for a game against Northeastern (even with the Troopahs dragging them in). Yet, the students who have no limits to their pre-, post- or during partying were there... on time... and loud.

Gene Zanderized our gameday experience and has suffered similar consequences.

This discussion has changed somewhat from tailgating to showing up on time.

The bottom line is I agree with you that our tailgating sucks. It does, and we do little about it.

That being said, I think it's not unreasonable to ask a BC fan to show up on time for a game. (I don't condone the way they do it- I don't even think it should be enforced at all- I just think people should know to go in on time.)

My point is that because our tailgating sucks and there is little they are doing about it, I don't think it is unreasonable to ask BC to allow unfettered tailgating as much as possible under the law. Which even means not forcing people who don't want to go into the game to either leave campus or begrudgingly attend. It is my opinion that if BC just let tailgating be free-wheeling for the ful 2hrs before, during and after the game that the gameday atmosphere (both in and outside the stadium) would be GREATLY improved.

[commavegarage]

If students can make it on time, why can't alumni?

Are the students banned from drinking in the dorms/mods until 2 hours before the game?

Precisely... those with a tailgating restriction didn't show up on time... or at all... for a game against Northeastern (even with the Troopahs dragging them in). Yet, the students who have no limits to their pre-, post- or during partying were there... on time... and loud.

Gene Zanderized our gameday experience and has suffered similar consequences.

This discussion has changed somewhat from tailgating to showing up on time.

The bottom line is I agree with you that our tailgating sucks. It does, and we do little about it.

That being said, I think it's not unreasonable to ask a BC fan to show up on time for a game. (I don't condone the way they do it- I don't even think it should be enforced at all- I just think people should know to go in on time.)

My point is that because our tailgating sucks and there is little they are doing about it, I don't think it is unreasonable to ask BC to allow unfettered tailgating as much as possible under the law. Which even means not forcing people who don't want to go into the game to either leave campus or begrudgingly attend. It is my opinion that if BC just let tailgating be free-wheeling for the ful 2hrs before, during and after the game that the gameday atmosphere (both in and outside the stadium) would be GREATLY improved.

I see your point- but the thing I fear is if they let people tailgate during the duration of the game, many people won't come in at all, and some won't come in until halftime (i.e. attendance will be worse than it already is.)

[talon]

This discussion has changed somewhat from tailgating to showing up on time.

you don't think the two are related?

Students pack their section before the alumni for many reasons:

1) they're not rushed. they're not waiting in traffic because the first car can't get into a spot a millisecond too early. they don't have much to set up. They can roll out of bed, crack open a beer, eat some leftover pizza, hang out with their friends and mozy on over to the mods all on their own schedule.

2) student sections are first come first serve. if a student wants to sit closer to midfield than getting stuck in the corners, then they've got an incentive to get there before kickoff. alumni don't have to worry about someone else taking their "spot" inside the stadium.

3) students are all there with their friends anyway. for them, football games don't double as reunions. there's not much of a chance of a current student running into another current student and they need to catch up because they might not see them again for another year. for alumni that don't live in boston, coming back to the stadium isn't exclusively about seeing a football game. when i head back to BC for a game, the people that I really want to see, I see them the night before the game and later that night after the gaem, but it's still nice to have excess time to walk around and randomly bump into old friends that you weren't expecting to see. and again, i'm not saying that that should excuse someone for waiting until halftime; but for people that donate money to the university, it REALLY FUCKING SUCKS to have some statie asshole treating you like you're a felon because you want to have one more beer 29 minutes before walking 2 minutes to the stadium.

[talon]

I see your point- but the thing I fear is if they let people tailgate during the duration of the game, many people won't come in at all, and some won't come in until halftime (i.e. attendance will be worse than it already is.)

If the product on the field is truly worth it, this shouldn't be a problem.

[twballgame9]

I see your point- but the thing I fear is if they let people tailgate during the duration of the game, many people won't come in at all, and some won't come in until halftime (i.e. attendance will be worse than it already is.)

If the product on the field is truly worth it, this shouldn't be a problem.

The product has been worth it the past 4-5 years, and it has still been a problem. A large portion of BC football fans suck balls. Period. If you let them stay out there they will, and it is a fucking embarrassment.

That's not to say that the tailgating experience is good - it is not. But your average BC fan could give a fuck about the game. If your ass ain't in the seats for kickoff, you suck.

That is all.