New "Code of Conduct" for fans

[stomperrob]

Not sure what the policies of other team are, but the Bears are banning tailgating during the game.

CHICAGO (CBS) ― The Bears' first preseason game kicks off Thursday night at Soldier Field, and starting this season, some tailgaters are getting booted from the parking lot under new rules for fans.

Now the new policy will get its first test.

As CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports, grilling burgers and beers held high for a toast are a common sight on the parking lots near Soldier Field during game time. But starting Thursday, that's going to change.

The Bears sent out emails to ticket holders on Wednesday stating that, in a move to enhance the fan experience, tailgating during Bears home games will be prohibited.

The Bears aren't banning tailgating altogether. It will still be permitted in the Soldier Field parking lot before games, but people without tickets must leave once the game starts. Ticketless fans may come back to the parking lot after the final whistle blows.

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/bears.tail ... 89251.html

The Bears will send a 10-person "Event Services team" to patrol the entry gates, seating areas and parking lots at Soldier Field, looking for anyone who appears inebriated, and addressing "potential problems that may hinder the fan experience," according to a Bears news release.

So basically they can boot whoever they may pose "potential problems that may hinder the fan experience". I really didn't realize that there was that big of a problem with tailgaiters. I remain resistant to these vague tactics. Suppose it's a Bear/Pack game and there is someone tailgaiting wearing Packer gear. Are we to expect that words won't be exchanged between he and Bear fans? Should then the Event Services Team kick them out? This looks to me much more likely to take away from the fan experience. A better solution would be to designate tailgate free zones in the parking lots and exits gates for those who don't want to deal with spirited fans. That way those who want to enjoy all that is the tailgate experience can without scaring customers who just want to come and go in peace.

From what I've seen, both on TV and in person, tailgaters usually aren't a problem - they're typically people who have been doing it for years and the rivallry is usually nothing more than good natured bantering. The real problem seems to be in the stadium during the game when ya get jackasses who are on their 27th beer and are loud and obnoxious and rude and beliigerent, dumping their food and beer on everyone, cursing a bluestreak, standing up so no one can see around them, etc, etc, ad infinitum. They are not there to watch the game, only to get drunk, and if pressed probably couldn't even tell you who was playing let alone what the score was! There's nothing worse than a few drunks ruining it for everyone around them! I know up here in the Great White North, this became a problem in my old hometown for both the CFL and NHL teams - it ruined the experience for a lot of fans and as a result attendence began to suffer because it was no longer an enjoyable event, and certainly not something one would want take his family to. As a result both teams took measures to get rid of drunken, boorish fans and limit liquor sales - even going as far as kicking out season ticket holders and refunding their money and telling them they were no longer welcome. Eventually both became enjoyable family events again, where you could still be loud & proud, just not be a drunken jackass!

[BALCO All-Stars]

Not sure what the policies of other team are, but the Bears are banning tailgating during the game.

CHICAGO (CBS) ― The Bears' first preseason game kicks off Thursday night at Soldier Field, and starting this season, some tailgaters are getting booted from the parking lot under new rules for fans.

Now the new policy will get its first test.

As CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports, grilling burgers and beers held high for a toast are a common sight on the parking lots near Soldier Field during game time. But starting Thursday, that's going to change.

The Bears sent out emails to ticket holders on Wednesday stating that, in a move to enhance the fan experience, tailgating during Bears home games will be prohibited.

The Bears aren't banning tailgating altogether. It will still be permitted in the Soldier Field parking lot before games, but people without tickets must leave once the game starts. Ticketless fans may come back to the parking lot after the final whistle blows.

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/bears.tail ... 89251.html

One of the best things to do is go to the Bears game and tailgate. Then when the people that actually have tickets go to the game, you listen to the game on the radio while continuing to tailgate in the parking lot. Now, what's the point of even going down there...I'd rather just go to the local establishment instead of partying until game time and then getting kicked out. This policy change is taking away from the average fan's experience, not adding to it.

If they want to improve the atmosphere, they need to ban the drunken idiots that want to razz every other person there that is rooting for the other team. This was a while back, but I remember that a drunk 49ers fan (in a brand new leather coat) stood up in the 3rd quarter and started razzing Bears fans because the 49ers just scored and were destroying the Bears (I think that was '01 and the Bears came back to win it with a huge 4th qtr rally and a Mike Brown interception returned for a TD)...so in retaliation, some Bears fans went over to him, ripped his coat off of him and chucked it out of Soldier Field...this is classic stuff, but it's people like the fans that chucked the coat that need to be banned from stadiums, not ban tailgating.