Gameday tailgating has disappeared

[Champ967]

However, unless you are going to contact Dr Wood or Dr Wood's staff--you aren't being constructive. Now I remember why I quit getting on here.The majority of you on here just have to be Baptists....complain about everything, and no alternative solutions! Ah, now, HOLD YOUR WAD there mister(didn't Eddie say that?)--MANY of you do feel you have solutions...TAKE IT TO THE POWERS THAT BE! Maybe they listen, maybe they don't....

I, too, wasn't thrilled about "the Red" lot going up; it's still cheap compared to many other places... though, I actually moved to the blue lot...BOTTOM LINE--we CAN ALL FIND EXCUSES not to come...I do think it will take this season to "iron out" some gameday issues--first and foremost the tailgating and gameday atmosphere....

My final thought--us diehards(or maybe not)...NOW is NOT THE TIME to bail! IF we ever have a chance to recoup the atmosphere, we must stay the course! Take it to Dr. Wood OR his staff; Jarred Latta; whomever! Then, after we give time to the new regime and some serious issues aren't addressed and/or changed--then you'll know " things" wont change, and then act accordingly!

I think you're missing something --

Several of us HAVE brought these things to leadership's attention, and we HAVE proposed alternatives. But they dont want to hear it unless you're dirty filthy stinking rotten RICH. And those fans have no more complaints now that all the hoi-poloi have been successfully runned off.

They wanted Tech gamedays to be exclusive entertainment for the silk-stocking, Squire Creek set. And they succeeded. That was the point all along. They're not going to make any changes to bring more fans or enhance tailgating because the way it is now is just how they like it.

[DallasDog]

I think you're missing something --

Several of us HAVE brought these things to leadership's attention, and we HAVE proposed alternatives. But they dont want to hear it unless you're dirty filthy stinking rotten RICH. And those fans have no more complaints now that all the hoi-poloi have been successfully runned off.

They wanted Tech gamedays to be exclusive entertainment for the silk-stocking, Squire Creek set. And they succeeded. That was the point all along. They're not going to make any changes to bring more fans or enhance tailgating because the way it is now is just how they like it.

And what seems to be lost on them as well is the fact that while 100 people giving at the level I was giving would net them 100,000 grand extra a year in guaranteed revenue, but more importantly it would be 100 more seat full. Even when we were rolling with the game day atmosphere before TMac we all know the attendance issues we have always had. 100 people in the stands looks better and generates more energy for the team than 1 person who probably isn't in their suite etc. anyway.

Money is money, but it seems we only really want it from some people. We only want value to exist for that dollar at certain levels. It is really a simple change/fix but we have to want to do it.

[HogDawg]

The only way to tailgate in the "free zone" is to setup prior to 8am or haul your stuff from somewhere like Memorial gym if it's after 8am. Both options suck. Most, not all, of the people that use the free zone cant afford donating and paying for parking passes. This is why most my family and I, and most my friends and their affiliated frats quit tailgating years ago. No one wants to have to get there that early. But anyway, I was hoping the rules have changed this year but whatever. Maybe next year but not holding my breath.

That's just not true. I even took pictures of a few "late" tailgaters --young guys-- carrying a sofa by hand into their tailgate, which was being set up at 10 AM Saturday morning. IN the free" zone. But ya'll just keep thinking what you think, because it's so much more productive.

[HogDawg]

You are worse than my wife - always getting the last word in, even if it's false! LOL
I do appreciate your view point from time to time, but I've run into the get out by 8 am this year...I'm one of those that don't have a RED PARKING PASS. And I won't donate to LTAC until tailgating becomes fun again.

In other words, you don't do ANYTHING. You're worse than my Dog. He's lazy too.

[Dawgpix]

Hot off Twitter.

https://twitter.com/raginreview/stat...123710472?s=10

[DallasDog]

Hot off Twitter.

https://twitter.com/raginreview/stat...123710472?s=10

At least we gave them the good crack to smoke.

[johnnyb019]

That's just not true. I even took pictures of a few "late" tailgaters --young guys-- carrying a sofa by hand into their tailgate, which was being set up at 10 AM Saturday morning. IN the free" zone. But ya'll just keep thinking what you think, because it's so much more productive.

So they carried in by hand. Same thing everyone has been saying. If they setup prior to 8am they could have used their vehicle. Since it was 10am hiking it in is the option. That's what needs to change. No one wants to hike their stuff in then back to the vehicle when it's over. It not fun and more stressful especially in our case with 2 young kids and a baby. So until thats changed a lot of people will just avoid it. IF the rules have changed they need to let people know but according to their parking map released this year it hasnt changed.

[Dawg74]

Champ 967--fair enough--I am sorry to hear that! i do know just a couple of weeks ago I had to voice a concern a blue parking pass situation..they would make my wife go all the way down to the "unfilled up" blue spots and not stop in handicap blue so my 92 year father-in-law in law could get out...I voiced my displeasure, and they changed the rules for the next week(with the [po-po's blessings I am sure)! Granted, compared to ya"lls suggestions, fairy minor. But i did receive a response! I also know we have two tailgate spots and had no issues.

It saddens me that we've come to this point. Truly. And I have no doubt we have MAJOR things to update/change....we remain pretty "small time" in so many areas, which is just one of the myriad of reasons we will not be in the AAC...I wish there was a magical "fix"...but, alas, nope...I DO HOPE some of you will come back DESPITE the headaches, but doesn't sound like it...Thanks for ALL of your debate..

[PawDawg]

Geez, must of you on here are terribly depressing! I'm not saying many of your suggestions aren't good--they are, and many very logical!
However, unless you are going to contact Dr Wood or Dr Wood's staff--you aren't being constructive. Now I remember why I quit getting on here.The majority of you on here just have to be Baptists....complain about everything, and no alternative solutions! Ah, now, HOLD YOUR WAD there mister(didn't Eddie say that?)--MANY of you do feel you have solutions...TAKE IT TO THE POWERS THAT BE! Maybe they listen, maybe they don't....

I, too, wasn't thrilled about "the Red" lot going up; it's still cheap compared to many other places... though, I actually moved to the blue lot...BOTTOM LINE--we CAN ALL FIND EXCUSES not to come...I do think it will take this season to "iron out" some gameday issues--first and foremost the tailgating and gameday atmosphere....

My final thought--us diehards(or maybe not)...NOW is NOT THE TIME to bail! IF we ever have a chance to recoup the atmosphere, we must stay the course! Take it to Dr. Wood OR his staff; Jarred Latta; whomever! Then, after we give time to the new regime and some serious issues aren't addressed and/or changed--then you'll know " things" wont change, and then act accordingly!

What else can be said? Albeit major changes need to be made--I STILL ENJOY seeing friends and tailgating...even more than the game usually!!

Hoping for changes, and sensible ones, I remain...a Bulldog

I kept it up through 3 years of Jamar, but that was enough for me and Skip's crap show.

As, I've mentioned more than once, I spoke to our AD about the 8:00am issue back in the summer. Maybe he is responsible for setting up the drop off area along Alabama. If so he should be commended. That's much easier access to the north side of the TAC than what had been available after 8:00.

[THEarmada]

According to this you can still do this. Notice, no parking on the north side, but it does not say no parking on the south side. They have also provided a tailgate drop off area (on the south side) that has never been there before this year.

Thanks. I unfortunately haven’t tailgated at Tech since school. We tailgate here in Hattiesburg. They’ve got some good tailgating.

[PawDawg]

We tailgate here in Hattiesburg. They’ve got some good tailgating.

Yes very inviting and spread out around the stadium.

[BCSDAWG]

It seemed forced and over managed, and it destroyed actual traditions that were developing naturally.

That sums it up...what once was is no more. It may be hard for Dr. Wood to undo the damage that's been done, but he needs to figure out a way.

[Champ967]

That sums it up...what once was is no more. It may be hard for Dr. Wood to undo the damage that's been done, but he needs to figure out a way.

He really doesnt!

If the SnobDawg cohort is happy with the way things are, then there's nothing else to talk about.

[Dowty]

We don’t have enough you g alumni that stay in the area to fill that section. Pretty sure I never saw that section more than half full. Another solution is just sell those seats to some donor and give the tickets to students. Pretty sure they couldn’t do anything about that.

I agree that the section isn't filled, but the problem isn't the number of alumni in a 150 mile radius of Ruston. The problem is our gameday atmosphere sucks so bad that students don't care enough to become Young Alumni level supporters when they graduate. Given the cost of being a Young Alumni level supporter is only $50 to LTAC plus $90 per season ticket, it's a shame we aren't doing a good enough job to convince recent graduates to give $140 a year for some of the best seats in the stadium.

[Champ967]

It seems some folks think that gameday would be more fun if the product on the field were more compelling.

While I agree that a winning team is part of a great gameday, I'd submit that one can exist even when the team sucks. (And conversely, that a even a fun team does not, on its own, yield a great gameday experience.)