Memorial Stadium Game Day Experience

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#26      

chiefini

chiefini
Rockford, Illinois
chiefini
Cook said:
What are the tailgating rules? I always thought you could do pretty much whatever you want at your own tailgate... keg, liquor bar, or trunk of beer 🤷‍♂️
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On game days since Grange Grove has opened, our crew has brought our bag chairs and a pull-behind cooler filled with Coors Light, the beer of the Fighting Illini, to Grange Grove before every game, and we have never been hassled by anyone. Not sure about how they check underage drinkers, but I know there were some pop up sorority tents in GG before the game last Saturday. Before that, we tailgated for every game in Lot 31 for 35 years, and no one has ever hassled us. There are many extravagant tailgates with full bars set up that are crowded with Illini. Liquor at tailgates is NOT an issue…
 
#27      

mini30fan

mini30fan
mini30fan
chiefini said:
On game days since Grange Grove has opened, our crew has brought our bag chairs and a pull-behind cooler filled with Coors Light, the beer of the Fighting Illini, to Grange Grove before every game, and we have never been hassled by anyone.
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If you are hassled by someone, tell them to go away, you're trying to enjoy your Colorado Cool-Aid; and if they persist, tell them "I hope you brought your knife-proof earmuff."

 
#28      

Illiniguy74

I
Illiniguy74
Butters said:
I have extended family who recently moved to Champaign. Not Illini fans previously, but were excited to come check it out (we brought them along with our extra two tickets from family four pack). Things were good through the tailgate, right up until we got to the stadium. There are fans on the fringes, and this type of crap will absolutely keep them away. It's been happening for toooooo long. Was it 2018 or 19 when they gave out free food after one of the weeks because it was such a terrible concession experience? And yet it persists. When you struggle to get 40k in the stadium without half of them being fans of the opposing team, it's time to completely revamp the experience. I know the product on the field is issue 1A, but this stuff matters too. Please make it easier for me to convince friends and family to come to these games!
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Josh may be fighting a 'tenured' and entrenched workforce that is too comfortable (read: no fear of being replaced). Competitive enterprises in the private sector are nimble and quick. They must be to survive. Not so the public sector.
 
#29      

DaChief4ever

D
Urbana
DaChief4ever
chiefini said:
On game days since Grange Grove has opened, our crew has brought our bag chairs and a pull-behind cooler filled with Coors Light, the beer of the Fighting Illini, to Grange Grove before every game, and we have never been hassled by anyone. Not sure about how they check underage drinkers, but I know there were some pop up sorority tents in GG before the game last Saturday. Before that, we tailgated for every game in Lot 31 for 35 years, and no one has ever hassled us. There are many extravagant tailgates with full bars set up that are crowded with Illini. Liquor at tailgates is NOT an issue…
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I walked along with 5 friends carrying open beers in South Bend./Nortre Dame...all thru the streets,...passed several police...no problem.
 
#30      

blackdog

blackdog
Champaign
blackdog
DaChief4ever said:
I walked along with 5 friends carrying open beers in South Bend./Nortre Dame...all thru the streets,...passed several police...no problem.
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I did that on exact same thing here on Saturday, what's your point? Someone asked how they check for underage drinkers and the answer to that is they don't. It's not the drinking rules that are limiting tailgate turnout.
 
#31      

DaChief4ever

D
Urbana
DaChief4ever
blackdog said:
I did that on exact same thing here on Saturday, what's your point? Someone asked how they check for underage drinkers and the answer to that is they don't. It's not the drinking rules that are limiting tailgate turnout.
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Can you walk from the parking lot near the I hotel, and carry an open container to the stadium?
 
#32      

blackdog

blackdog
Champaign
blackdog
DaChief4ever said:
Can you walk from the parking lot near the I hotel, and carry an open container to the stadium?
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You can walk anywhere in any of the tailgate areas with an open container. You could go all the way down Florida from Lincoln if you want to. We regularly are out at the research park area which is across from I hotel and always have walking beers, sometimes more than one, heading to the stadium.
 
#33      

DaChief4ever

D
Urbana
DaChief4ever
OK, so the open beers are confined to the tailgate area? We parked at lot E11, I think it's near Pennsylvania and were walking to the stadium....Authorities said...to Empty the beers or put in trash. Maybe we got the wrong idea....
 
#34      

Illinisteve25

Illinisteve25
Champaign
Illinisteve25
DaChief4ever said:
OK, so the open beers are confined to the tailgate area? We parked at lot E11, I think it's near Pennsylvania and were walking to the stadium....Authorities said...to Empty the beers or put in trash. Maybe we got the wrong idea....
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FWIW.... Just think it depends on where ya go with the open beer. But for the most part I have tailgated for 15 years and only been stopped once when I was crossing the corner of Neil and Kirby. Cops were cool n just said dump out the open one n move along. Seems like crossing streets or walking down certain still open roads are when they stop people. Honestly seems like you got stopped just being at the wrong place at the wrong time. I have walked all over in many lots for years other wise and never been stopped and walked past plenty other cops....
 
#35      

DaChief4ever

D
Urbana
DaChief4ever
Illinisteve25 said:
FWIW.... Just think it depends on where ya go with the open beer. But for the most part I have tailgated for 15 years and only been stopped once when I was crossing the corner of Neil and Kirby. Cops were cool n just said dump out the open one n move along. Seems like crossing streets or walking down certain still open roads are when they stop people. Honestly seems like you got stopped just being at the wrong place at the wrong time. I have walked all over in many lots for years other wise and never been stopped and walked past plenty other cops....
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Good points...I got too much old school in me....days of sneaking in beers, and wine in the bota and passing it down the rows....,
 
#36      

Illinigirl

I
Illinigirl
DaChief4ever said:
OK, so the open beers are confined to the tailgate area? We parked at lot E11, I think it's near Pennsylvania and were walking to the stadium....Authorities said...to Empty the beers or put in trash. Maybe we got the wrong idea....
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We walked right past the cops blocking the street Saturday with my open drink from Lot 42 and finished the drinks in line. Have done this in the past walking from the research lots. Never have had any problems.
 
#38      

nichi

N
nichi
Illiniguy74 said:
Josh may be fighting a 'tenured' and entrenched workforce that is too comfortable (read: no fear of being replaced). Competitive enterprises in the private sector are nimble and quick. They must be to survive. Not so the public sector.
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I might agree with half of what you said. This is not really the place for a nuanced discussion.

I just remember some other events that don't need to be rehashed. In any old, large, organization, public or private, there are pretty much always entrenched forces that resist change. They keep doing things the same old way, even when it stops working.

Not saying that is happening now. It does sound like they have new things going on that might require an adjustment.
 
#39      

ChiefGritty

ChiefGritty
Chicago, IL
ChiefGritty
Ransom Stoddard said:
the fact that everyone on the east side seems to have to go through the south gate
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I had wondered whether this was going to be the case with the new practice facility. That ain't gonna work pretty much any way you slice it.

Connecting the North End Zone to the remainder of the stadium goes from a nice to have to a necessity in what will surely be some coming work on MS.
 
#40      

Konnie

K
Western Suburbs
Konnie
ChiefGritty said:
I had wondered whether this was going to be the case with the new practice facility. That ain't gonna work pretty much any way you slice it.

Connecting the North End Zone to the remainder of the stadium goes from a nice to have to a necessity in what will surely be some coming work on MS.
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I have seats on the east side of the stadium and I go through the portal on the Northeast side of the stadium. There was once a portal on the east side off of fourth that I used. There are now only three portals into the stadium.
 
#42      

ptgrd23

ptgrd23
ptgrd23
Josh - get your assistant athletic director Citi-Field tomorrow for the Dodgers Mets game game. They get 40,000 in and out 81 times per year. and don't run out of food.

No excuses.
 
#44      

Cook

Cook
Richmond, VA
Cook
'16caine said:
Lol I almost got thrown out of Kinnick a few years ago for sneaking in a case. State trooper was cool tho let me stay if I “promised to behave.” We lost unfortunately
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Hold up, please elaborate on how one sneaks 24 beers into a stadium!?!? 😲
 
#46      

NJJ871

N
NJJ871
Cook said:
Hold up, please elaborate on how one sneaks 24 beers into a stadium!?!? 😲
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hands giants GIF


Easy...in my belly.
 
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