According to this Carla Hall piece from the LA Times, tailgating is no longer permitted outside Dodger Stadium.  Apparently, the rule has been in place for a while, but only this year is the police department enforcing anything more than the no alcohol part. Fans, of course, are unhappy with the enforcement, as you can imagine.  Instead of being allowed to finish their food, they are being asked to pack up and move into the stadium.  Interestingly, fans, at least some, were told they could take their food inside.

While I completely understand the no alcohol policy- after leaving Shea on some summer nights one would often have to dodge discarded beer bottles from folks who couldn’t clean up after themselves.  The cost to the team for cleaning that up might be prohibitive.  I also remember one game many years ago, when some discarded coals caused an SUV to go up in flames in the parking lot.  So, sure, there are a lot o public safety and maintenance issues that go along with allowing tailgating.  And we haven’t even spoken about those who drink on the sly- sneaking beers when they think no one is watching.  What happens when they start drinking 3 hours before game time, and then head into the stadium to consume more beers there.  Do you want to sit in front of that guy?

But the Hall piece shows the community and tradition that has been built up by tailgating on opening day.  Terry Romero wearing her Brooklyn Dodgers jersey, surrounded by 15 folks also sporting Dodger logos, says a lot about those that love the team.  They want to the experience to last longer than the 3 hours the game takes.  They want to engage their family.  They want to get to know their neighbors.  They want to bond over what is in essence the Dodger Brand.

So what happens to that familial feeling when police officers try to move them inside the stadium?  Do they still feel like its a joyous gathering?  Do they want to be associated with that brand?  I don’t think so.

Baseball is a sport that ties us to other generations.  It a sport we rally around, perhaps because of the long season, perhaps because of the pace of the game.  Cutting out tailgating is cutting out a part of that experience.

How do you fix it?  You create one lot for tailgaters.  You separate them off, perhaps charge a couple of extra dollars per car to cover the clean-up. If you aren’t in that lot- then you are asked to pack-up right away.  If you are though- you can stay as long as you want, provided you are not consuming alcohol.  You also must show a ticket for the game, upon entering that lot, to keep folks from just coming, making a mess and leaving.

Teams have to realize that you can develop fan loyalty be making it easier for a fan to follow your team in the way they want.  That’s how you build loyalty.  The harder you make it for fans to enjoy the game experience, the fewer fans you will have.  Simple as that.

If fans feel they have to stay at home to have these gatherings, they may never get around to turning the TV on.  And that could be the end of the Dodger fan.