At some Southeastern Conference schools, the actual main attraction on Saturday takes place well before the opening kickoff occurs inside the stadium.
Of course, we are talking tailgating, a tradition that’s just as rich as the football played down South.
While the SEC is attempting to navigate the best possible scenario to playing games in the fall, many fans are dying to know if they will be allowed to tailgate in the event that stadiums are open to the rabid fan bases across the Southeastern Conference.
League commissioner Greg Sankey was asked to share the SEC’s official policy on tailgating during an appearance “The Dan Patrick Show” on Monday.
“That’s a – you like, get to the great questions right, that’s why I keep coming back. Believe it or not, I’ve had university presidents and chancellors ask me that very question,” Sankey said during his appearance on the show. “We have not banned tailgating.
“I think our effort now has been to actually look at our campus policies, so that’s where I spent time this weekend and ask our campus personnel, what are your policies allow? I think our state and local policies will be in play there, and to the extent we have to regulate, whether it’s in-stadium numbers or masking, which has become prevalent, or even outside the stadium, we will if that’s necessary. I’m not sure that’s going to be necessary based on what’s happening at the state and local level.”
Sankey did a great job of dodging that question for the most part but based on what he offered up there, the SEC is going to leave the fate of tailgating up to local and state officials.
If they give the green light for tailgating in the fall, it appears the SEC may allow fans to party it up before games as long as the size of crowds doesn’t get out of control on Saturdays.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
