Athletics Department partners with student leaders to re-vamp football tailgates

After extensive discussions with student leaders, the athletics department is introducing sweeping changes to the football game tailgates this year.

While the tailgates were previously managed by the Center for Student Involvement, their role has been scaled back. The changes were instituted by the athletics department and student leaders, and they will continue to manage the tailgates throughout the year, said Angelo Suggs Jr., president of the Richmond College Student Government Association.

The tailgate location has been moved from near the Carole Weinstein International Center and the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, to lot B7, which is directly in front of the New Fraternity Row.

David Walsh, the deputy athletic director, said he hoped the new location would provide students with easier access to the Robins Stadium and increase student participation during football games.

Contrary to previous years, the tailgates will now feature a live DJ and food trucks. Additionally, students can register for a parking space, as opposed to previous years when only student organizations could reserve spaces, Suggs said.

The changes to tailgates are the result of numerous Google Hangout meetings with student leaders and the athletics department throughout the summer, Suggs said.

“We reached out to students to see how we [the athletics department] could enhance their experience at athletic events,” Walsh said. “We talked to them and asked what they wanted to see. The tailgates were the first thing to come up.”

A common theme during those meetings was the need to create a campus tradition through the tailgates, said Joe Gutierrez, president of the Richmond Rowdies.

“Other schools have a mini pig roast before every single football game. We need to create a similar environment that gets students excited about the tailgates,” Gutierrez said.

One aspect of the tailgates that remains unchanged is that fraternities will not be able to host tailgates in their lodges before the games.

Suggs described his vision of an ideal tailgate as similar to a pig roast atmosphere inside the fraternity lodges, but respects the safety concerns of the University Police Department, which preferred to keep the tailgates in an open area.

Suggs urges students to make responsible decisions regarding alcohol and tailgates. Because the event will be in a public area, consuming alcohol will be illegal for attendees of all ages.

Suggs added that campus police officers will be present at the tailgate, but are familiar with college campuses and will use “discretion” when monitoring the tailgates. 

Contact reporter Hunter Ross at hunter.ross@richmond.edu.