No More Re-Entry to DKR.

[joeywa]

Texas Athletics announces new stadium re-entry policy

Providing a safe and secure environment for fans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium is a top priority for Texas Athletics.

Aug. 13, 2015 Football

Providing a safe and secure environment for fans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium is a top priority for Texas Athletics, and the approaching Texas Football season offers a new opportunity to showcase a smooth and exciting gameday experience.

Beginning with the 2015 season, Texas Athletics is instituting a no re-entry policy at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. Gates open at the conclusion of the Stadium Stampede, or approximately two hours before kickoff, and from that point, fans are allowed one entry and one exit.

This policy is consistent with most major sporting venues across the country, including statewide NFL stadiums of similar capacity that provide homes to the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys. Careful consideration went into the decision to implement this policy, and the motivation behind it was providing the best, most secure environment for our fans and student-athletes. No re-entry allows gameday staff the best opportunity to ensure the safety of everyone in the stadium.

This year, Texas Football Fan Fest in the Red McCombs Red Zone begins four hours prior to kickoff and is open to anyone who has a ticket for the game. Fans may exit and re-enter the north end zone area freely until the conclusion of the Stadium Stampede.

http://www.texassports.com/news/2015/8/12/FB_0812155808.aspx

 

[BevoBlake]

From a safety standpoint, it's a good decision. To be honest, I can't think of any logical reason for someone to need to leave the stadium and then return. If it's a medical reason, bring it with you. There isn't much that you can carry in your vehicle that you can't also bring into the stadium. If you need a cigarette that bad, you have a problem. 

 

[TeamMayhall]

From a safety standpoint, it's a good decision. To be honest, I can't think of any logical reason for someone to need to leave the stadium and then return. If it's a medical reason, bring it with you. There isn't much that you can carry in your vehicle that you can't also bring into the stadium. If you need a cigarette that bad, you have a problem.

Amen Brother

 

[Matt Cotcher]

AKA "Now that there is Torchy's, Plucker's, and beer inside the stadium, you're not allowed to leave and consume elsewhere."

 

[joeywa]

AKA "Now that there is Torchy's, Plucker's, and beer inside the stadium, you're not allowed to leave and consume elsewhere."

Bottom line, THIS is what it's all about.  A lot of people left to go across the street to the Exes Center for a beer and a bite to eat at halftime.  Now, the powers that be want to have a captive audience, drinking their $8 beer and eating the food for sale at the stadium.  Don't really have a huge problem with this, but let's not be fooled by their claims of "this is for safety reasons" hoo-ha.  This is ALL about capturing more money. 

 

[BevoBlake]

Bottom line, THIS is what it's all about.  A lot of people left to go across the street to the Exes Center for a beer and a bite to eat at halftime.  Now, the powers that be want to have a captive audience, drinking their $8 beer and eating the food for sale at the stadium.  Don't really have a huge problem with this, but let's not be fooled by their claims of "this is for safety reasons" hoo-ha.  This is ALL about capturing more money. 

This is me. And I assure you, I'm not a band geek. But why wouldn't you want to stay and enjoy the halftime festivities? It's a good chance to catch up and jabber back and forth with your comrades. I've never even considered leaving the stadium at halftime. 

I'm sure there are financial reasons as to why they're pushing the rule. But I absolutely believe this has something to do with safety. How much or little is up for debate. But I'm good with this. Especially with the approval of alcohol sales at DKR, lets not let a foolish drunkard pull anything stupid at halftime. 

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

AKA "Now that there is Torchy's, Plucker's, and beer inside the stadium, you're not allowed to leave and consume elsewhere."

...or other controlled substances

 

[joeywa]

This is me. And I assure you, I'm not a band geek. But why wouldn't you want to stay and enjoy the halftime festivities? It's a good chance to catch up and jabber back and forth with your comrades. I've never even considered leaving the stadium at halftime. 

I'm sure there are financial reasons as to why they're pushing the rule. But I absolutely believe this has something to do with safety. How much or little is up for debate. But I'm good with this. Especially with the approval of alcohol sales at DKR, lets not let a foolish drunkard pull anything stupid at halftime. 

I'm going to disagree with you a little bit here. 

I have been going to games for a long time, and have been a Season Ticket holder for 20-ish years on the west side of the stadium.  I travel in from WA state, and try to catch up with a bunch of folks that I don't get to see very often. 

I have, from time to time, been known to meet up with friends, (whose seats are located in other parts of the stadium,) for a quick beer and a taco over at the Exes center at halftime.  Not always, but sometimes.  We're back in time for the 3rd Quarter, (our seats are LL section 8, so it's not like it's a time drain to leave and get back.)

This is not a knock on the halftime festivities; sometimes I'll stick around and watch them.  But if we're being honest here, this move is not going to keep more fans in their seats at halftime, it is merely going to create more fans in the concourse levels getting refreshments during halftime.  In all likelihood, there will still be plenty of people wandering back to their seats throughout the 3rd Quarter, as has been the case in the past. 

There are plenty of stupid drunk people before, during and after games.  Not allowing re-entry is not going to significantly alter this.  Selling beer to the fans at DKR won't stop folks from getting drunk.  Flasks will still be snuck into the stadium in boots.  People will still get sloppy drunk prior to games at tailgates.  People will fork over plenty of cash for booze in the stadium. 

While on the surface the announcement is decorated to look like a safety thing, I think it's clearly a way to keep the wallets inside the gates and spend their money with vendors that make money for UT. 

 

[joeywa]

...or other controlled substances

Well yeah, I suppose that could be case as well. 

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Reminds me of the story Justin Wilson, the Cajun cook used to tell about LSU football.....

He would buy two tickets to every LSU football game.  The guy next to him asked if he had a friend that he was taking to the games with him and Justin said "Heck no.  These two tickets are for me."  The guy asked him why he needed two tickets and Justin said "I'll be making so much noise and drinking so much bourbon that by halftime I'll be thrown out of Tiger Stadium."

"I need the second one to get back in!"

 

[streettopeschel]

Safety my ass. I'd respect them more if they said 'we're making it so you HAVE to drink our beer, not yours or the Texas-Exes'

 

[joeywa]

Safety my ass. I'd respect them more if they said 'we're making it so you HAVE to drink our beer, not yours or the Texas-Exes'

Precisely.

 

[Randolph Duke]

People shouldn't have to justify their preferences. If someone wants to show up early to check out whatever Patterson is putting together for pregame, they should be free to come and, if it isn't to their liking, they should be allowed to leave as they choose during the entirety of the event up to the end of the 4th quarter. The alternative is showing up immediately before kickoff, which evidently isn't what some people want to see. If you want people to show up early, locking them in the stadium isn't going to make that happen. If people want to go outside for whatever reason, that reason is their personal business. Authoritarian control over grown adults who have paid for a seat to an entertainment event isn't necessarily the best poilcy. Treat responsible adults as responsible adults. In time, maybe UT could totally transform its attutude and treat ticketholders as (gasp!) guests! Wow!

But no, the arrogant prick in change decides because it works for him, that's the way it will be. The preferences of the fans are always Patterson's last consideration.

I simply do not understand how the college football atmosphere featuring a one-time great college football program in one of the greatest party cities in the nation ends up being so horribly mismanaged. A weekend in Austin and a UT football game should be something that is on every sports fan's bucket list. This policy isn't moving the UT game day experience in the right direction. Adults paying premium prices for tickets and concessions should be treated like adults and be allowed to make their own decisions about when and why to step out of the stadium for whatever period of time. The worst part is that not only is the policy misguided, we all can be sure it will be enforced with all the consideration and tact of a prison corrections officer.

It doesn't matter that the Cowboys and the Texans have a similar policy. Neither of those teams has a similar fanbase. Maybe that is the problem. Maybe Patterson is just clueless to the demographics of UT's fans. If his core assumption is that there is no difference between college football in Austin and most NFL teams, we should expect a lot more of these misguided decisions. Nielsen media demographics indicate 40% of NCAA football fans are 55 and older. 80% are white. UT football has a far higher percentage of college educated fans than any NFL team. UT home games are far less likely to have fans of opposing teams attending in large numbers and confrontations between rival fans are far less likely. UT fand are far more likely to be employed professionals than NFL games.

He needs to start being far more fan friendly and quit trying to replicate every policy and marketing strategy used by NFL or NBA teams. His policies are moving UT athletics in the wrong direction.

 

[Duke C #11]

I have no problem with this.

 

[Randolph Duke]

When the Oakland Raiders play the Dallas Cowboys, different policies need to be in place to manage the crowd than the ones needed to manage the crowd when Rice plays UT. Or when Cal plays UT. Or Oklahoma State plays UT.

UT crowds are fundamentally different than Coyboy or Texan crowds. UT fans don't need the same crowd policies as NFL games and UT fans don't want the same crowd policies as NFL games. Imposing NFL policies isn't going to make UT game days seem more like a college football atmosphere. The UT game day experience needs to be fundamentally different than NFL games. Quit pushing things in the wrong direction.

 

[tejasrulz]

Bottom line, THIS is what it's all about.  A lot of people left to go across the street to the Exes Center for a beer and a bite to eat at halftime.  Now, the powers that be want to have a captive audience, drinking their $8 beer and eating the food for sale at the stadium.  Don't really have a huge problem with this, but let's not be fooled by their claims of "this is for safety reasons" hoo-ha.  This is ALL about capturing more money.

I call BS on the safety reasons and I think it sucks.

Sorry but I don't want to see the band. If I wanted to see a band play music, I'd go see ZZTOP or Pink Floyd or The Stones or The Eagles (you get the point?). 

Instead, I go over to the UT-Ex Center at half-time, buy a beer or two, sometimes food and talk about the 1st half with a group of friends I don't have the privilege to sit by during the games. I've been doing this since the 80s and not once have I ever been mugged, robbed, beaten up, kidnapped or shot at (get this point?).

Yep, pure greed and pure BS.

 

[streettopeschel]

I call BS on the safety reasons and I think it sucks.

Sorry but I don't want to see the band. If I wanted to see a band play music, I'd go see ZZTOP or Pink Floyd or The Stones or The Eagles (you get the point?).

Instead, I go over to the UT-Ex Center at half-time, buy a beer or two, sometimes food and talk about the 1st half with a group of friends I don't have the privilege to sit by during the games. I've been doing this since the 80s and not once have I ever been mugged, robbed, beaten up, kidnapped or shot at (get this point?).

Yep, pure greed and pure BS.

been my routine as well.

 

[joeywa]

When the Oakland Raiders play the Dallas Cowboys, different policies need to be in place to manage the crowd than the ones needed to manage the crowd when Rice plays UT. Or when Cal plays UT. Or Oklahoma State plays UT.

UT crowds are fundamentally different than Coyboy or Texan crowds. UT fans don't need the same crowd policies as NFL games and UT fans don't want the same crowd policies as NFL games. Imposing NFL policies isn't going to make UT game days seem more like a college football atmosphere. The UT game day experience needs to be fundamentally different than NFL games. Quit pushing things in the wrong direction.

Randolph, I don't think the point of this move has a single thing to do with crowd management.  It has everything to do with keeping $$$ from being spent outside of DKR from just before kickoff to just after the final gun.  If you leave, you stay out.  That's the mantra.  While this may work for Patterson & Co. during really good football games, but games like Rice, Kansas, etc. will definitely lose fans for the 2nd half.  They'll leave and not come back when they don't have the option. 

Bottom line, this is a money driven agenda dressed up to look like a safety move.  I'd be curious to know what the average beer sales were last season at the Texas Exes center, and what they will be this year.  I'm saying they'll be cut in half. 

 

[Coal Harbour]

I always get a kick out of comments when there is a game day experience rule change.  At some point, you may have to check in your rotary phone at the game before entering.  Get over it, go to the game, buy your beer at the concession stand or give up your tickets and watch at home.  Just that simple.