Grassy areas, like the Livestock Arena side lawn: are providing paid RV parking for this season. Students and alumni are worried that sooner or later, tailgating will be a memory more than a tradition. CONTRIBUTED
With new buildings popping up on campus, an Auburn tradition is being pushed farther away from campus.
The construction of The Village dormitories takes up old C-zone spots and various grass areas are being blocked off. These were used for paid RV parking and public tailgating. Students are struggling finding new locations to tailgate with the upcoming Louisiana-Monroe football game approaching fast.
“My family and friends have tailgated on the Nichols Center lawn since my freshman year,” said Jill Bledsoe, a senior in public relations. “Due to all of the new construction our spot is now gone, and we are still looking for a new place to tailgate.”
“The further you push the tailgaters out, the more harm you are doing to an Auburn tradition,” Bledsoe said.
Bledsoe said she remembers her first Auburn football game as a child tailgating on the Library front lawn.
“Tailgating is as much of a tradition as the Tiger Walk or the War Eagle,” Bledsoe said. “I think it is important to give the students room to tailgate.”
John Dasis, vice president and operations controller for the Arby’s Restaurant Group and an Auburn alumnae of 1986, said he has been purchasing season tickets and tailgating since 1988. Dasis said he’s been tailgating at his previous location, the Live Stock Arena, for six years.
“From what I understand, they have converted the area around our space to paid RV parking and will use our specific space of grass for the RV people to park their cars they may have towed,” Dasis said.
Whitt Hollis, a senior in aviation management, has been tailgating with Dasis at the Live Stock Arena since 2005.
“Our previous tailgating location becoming paid RV parking is unnecessary, RVs and tailgaters have been parking there for years,” Hollis said.
“The university already draws in enough funds from students and football.”
Dasis usually has 50 to 100 people at his tailgate and is having trouble finding a new spot for his tailgaters and their cars.
“I understand there are areas that get abused and trashed, so I understand a little of what they are doing by trying to keep the campus clean,” Dasis said. “But we leave our space as clean as it was, if not cleaner than when we got there.”
Dasis said he believes if it weren’t for the tailgating and the chance to visit old friends and family, people wouldn’t come to as many of the smaller football games.
“If the school wants everyone to come and get into the spirit, the tailgating is as much a part of (the spirit) as the Tiger Walk,” Dasis said.
Hollis agreed with Bledsoe, saying tailgating is the reason he gets up early to prepare for the games and socialize with his friends.
“I don’t have a problem with the new buildings taking up spots for new dorms because it will help incoming students, but I do have some concerns for roping off perfectly good grass areas,” Hollis said.
Bledsoe said tailgating has changed every one of the three years she has been here.
