Greetings all!! My wife and I are very excited as we just became season ticket holders!! I've been considering it for some time, and after watching Schelotto play on Saturday, I decided the time is right! So I was wondering, what do some of you guys do for tailgating at the games? How early do you usually go? Any thoughts/suggestions would be much appreciated!!
Well, apparently no matter what time you go, the parking lot police are going to get their take. On opening day, I showed up at like 3:30 (or a touch before) for the 7:30 game and they had people out taking money in 30degree weather. I asked the guy what time they started, and he said around 1pm. Anyway, so unless you have an RV you're going to bring to tailgate and park the night before, you've got that to consider. People I think start about 3 hours or so before the game. Grills, coolers, etc are all allowed in the parking area. There are large drum trash barrels and port-o-johns spaced about the area. If you're interested, the supporters in 103 (Crew Supporters Union:Local 103) has their tailgate at the SW corner of the paved VIP lot. A couple people have passes to set up the tailgate there, and then the rest of us just walk up. It's pot-luck (pitch-in or whatever u want to call it) style, where people bring stuff and just share the goodies. So some people bring snacks, or drinks, or hot dogs, or whatever. Anyway, other questions? BTW, welcome aboard as a season ticket holder. This is also my first season as a full season ticket holder (have done smaller packages before). The rest of the season looks promising and can't complain about the team actually being entertaining for the first time in about 5 years.
I am new to the tailgating world, so you will have to break this down for me. What do you mean the "parking lot police"? Do they charge you money to tailgate in the parking lot????
Glad this thread got started cuz I have a question myself. What exactly are the rules for alcohol in the parking lot. I know people drink there, and I have at my 2 home games so far this season (and I am 21+), but still as I stood saturday with an open beer can in my hand and some Columbus police went by slowly on their bikes, my heart raced a bit. Does anyone know? I know they probably won't arrest a guy, but can they?
FWIW, I went to the career fair before the April 19 game against NE. The career fair started at 2pm (I was there around 1:30ish), I believe. I was able to get there and stay without having to pay for parking. So yeah, it's pretty much like KK said, plan on paying for parking unless you have that RV.
Yes you are breaking the law but you won't get cited or arrested. Columbus Police have long maintained an unofficial Open Container tolerance policy at OSU games. It used to be all of Lane Avenue was fair game. That changed after they widened the street. Now only the parking lots are drink friendly. CPD pretty much advertised that the policy had changed (and therefore that one existed) and started ticketing or citing people for open containers on Lane Avenue. It's pretty much the same deal when you are tailgating at Crew Stadium. Once about 5 years ago a State Trooper confronted us and said we couldn't drink in the lots at all. We talked her down to pouring our drinks into cups. This was during the Fair.
So let me get this straight, after I pay for tickets, and after I pay for parking, I STILL have to pay for the right to eat food outside my car before a game?? And it's $7 per person, or per vehicle, or what? I think that is complete BS!!!
No dude... the $7 is for parking. That's what he was referring to. If it were extra just to eat, there'd be riots....
Ok, I was confused!! LOL, I have the VIP parking, I was just planning to tailgate there. Are there several other groups tailgating in the VIP lot? Are newcomers welcome??
Crew Union has a tailgate in the most SW corner of the VIP lots. You're more then welcome to join us or just stop by and say hello.
Sorry, I guess I didn't make it clear that anybody at all can come to the Local 103 tailgates... we don't check to see if you're a card-carrying member before you can hang out with us (joking, no cards have been issued). Everybody that feels inclined is more than welcome to come join our tailgate in the southwest corner of the VIP lot. Sometimes we have the big checkered flag flying to help identify who we are.