Student Tailgating

[bluehenbillk]

Interesting tweet:

UDCockpit
@UDCockpit

23m
@DelawareFB & @DelawareVB
gameday & Barn tickets are now LIVE
🎟: https://bit.ly/3A6BrbB
COMING THIS FALL

75 spots in our new STUDENT TAILGATE LOT will be available for just $10.

Maybe this helps revive more student interest in FB games....

[Housthen18]

This is a good move. When I was a student the number 1 reason other students told me they wouldn't go to football games is because "we can't tailgate." I know the IFC is hosting a fraternity-rush related tailgate in September.

[HENJOHN]

Love it! More little things like this and access to practice and scrimmages for all and we can start to raise the interest level!

[72 Hen]

Good idea and I bet a lot more than 75 get in somehow.

[tenn hen]

right on brother

[Big R]

Where is this located?

[HENJOHN]

Where is this located?

Rich, I believe it's still over by the Baseball field.

[UDan]

This is a big push by the athletic dept.

With the introduction of this student-designated lot, there's an increased awareness among students that tailgating is, in fact, permitted--and that enforcement of what's on the books for "rules" will be somewhat hands-off

Not that students haven't always been able to acquire spaces in single-game lots, but this specific messaging is helping.

[UDan]

Rich, I believe it's still over by the Baseball field.

It is tucked away back that way. The thought is that it'll be a draw for upperclassmen who've outgrown The Barn

[jhym732]

the IFC is also holding a rush event before the home game this weekend which should help boost attendance numbers and get people interested in coming back.

[Section J]

Everyone needs to get over the idea that students, with the exception of the first and maybe second game, are going to attend. They never have and never will, at least consistently.

[RamblinRec]

Winning may help change those numbers!

[Info Hound]

The $10,000 tuition room and board raffle, for those students that have their tickets scanned for all 6 games might help. Of course, they might turn around and leave.

Given student attendance by the end of the season, there could be a pretty good chance of snagging that $10k.

[rooneyguy]

Freshmen students historically show up for the first home game. After that, not so much. And remember that when trying to lure students to a "tailgate party", it's only a party if there is alcohol there -- and UD can't sit back and allow underage drinking. So, just like many other places, don't expect huge student turnouts.

[Housthen18]

Freshmen students historically show up for the first home game. After that, not so much. And remember that when trying to lure students to a "tailgate party", it's only a party if there is alcohol there -- and UD can't sit back and allow underage drinking. So, just like many other places, don't expect huge student turnouts.

Are we really going to sit here and pretend like every other football school in the United States of America hasn't figured out a way to host tailgates where underage drinking laws are enforced to the extent necessary to prevent problems, but loosely enough that students can't have a good time with a little bit of discretion? And we're going to act like Delaware can't figure out how to do the same thing?

Everyone needs to get over the idea that students, with the exception of the first and maybe second game, are going to attend. They never have and never will, at least consistently.

I agree that it's unrealistic for students to show up in force this season. But I don't know why we should think they *never* will. They don't show up because the University doesn't foster the necessary culture (including tailgating). That can change. My other alma mater, Wake Forest--the smallest school in the Power 5 and historically a bottom of the barrel football program--just set a student attendance record with the equivalent of almost 70% of its undergraduate student body attending a game. It's possible the school makes the right moves.