Let the people tailgate
Conn Carroll
The College Football Playoff national championship game was a bit of a dud this year. The Georgia Bulldogs successfully defended their first national title in over 40 years, defeating the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs 65-7. Woof.
As tedious as the final game was for fans at home, the experience for fans at the game also left much to be desired. College football fans across the country love to add to the in-person experience by showing up to the stadium hours early, setting up a grill to cook some meat, and then enjoying an adult beverage or two (or maybe even three).
Unfortunately, tailgating was not allowed at the national championship game, which was held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Georgia and TCU fans, both of whom come from overwhelmingly red states, blamed California Democrats for the tailgating ban, but this one time, the Democrats were actually not at fault.
Turns out it was the College Football Playoff organization that banned tailgating. “For us to operate the parking operations efficiently on gameday, we are not able to allow fans to set up tents and grills in the drive aisles or adjacent parking spaces because we have limited on-site parking at SoFi Stadium,” said CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock.
Apparently the no-tailgating rule was not new and was in effect last year when the game was held in Indianapolis, Indiana. But with the 5-degree weather outside, no one complained about not being able to eat and drink in below-freezing weather.
But that only raises the question of why the CFP blamed limited parking at SoFi Stadium when the same policy was in effect last year at a totally different stadium. And both the CFP semi-final bowl games, hosted by the Peach Bowl in Atlanta and the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, allowed tailgating before their games (although fans could only bring charcoal grills, no propane allowed).
If the traditional bowl organizations can figure out how to run a parking lot that enables tailgating, why can’t the CFP?
More importantly, why is this game being played on a Monday night to begin with? College football is played on Saturdays all season, and then, all of a sudden, the national championship is on a Monday night when children have to go to bed before the first half is over.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) jokingly endorsed legislation proposed on Twitter that would have prevented any government or private organization from banning tailgating before a national championship game. Not only do I think Cruz should actually introduce such a bill, but he should also require the CFP to move the game to Saturday night.