University officials remain committed to the new Central Michigan University tailgating procedures despite Saturday’s low turnout at Lot 63.
Athletics Director Dave Heeke said he was disappointed more students did not attend.
“They formed their opinions without actually visiting and seeing what the overall impact would truly be. I think it’s really shortsighted on their part,” he said. “I think we’re forgetting that there was the very real chance that tailgating would not exist for students at all.”
Misconceptions and sensationalism from Facebook and the media hurt the overall perception of the procedures, he said. The tailgating policy limits students to six beers or one pint of liquor each, bans external sound systems, bans cars leaving before the third quarter and instates six pedestrian entry points, among other rules.
“It seems like they took a couple of small pieces and rallied around those to de-unify the student body. I believe the students de-unified themselves,” he said. “I think if you talk to people who were there, the level of enforcement was very reasonable.”
Senior Associate Athletic Director Derek van der Merwe said the terms “checkpoints,” “restrictions” and “regulations” were never used.
“We talked about this in terms of expectations,” he said. “The message has become this imposition of regulation.”
Van der Merwe said students were represented at all committee meetings regarding tailgate and were supportive of the initiatives. Three of the 21 positions on the committee were students.
The initiatives for student tailgating cost around $2,500 to $3,000 per game, which included restrooms, fencing, security, entertainment and food, van der Merwe said.
“We want more students,” Heeke said. “I hope they’ll come back and give it a try to create a great atmosphere in the parking lot.”
Game attendance
A total of 18,323 attended CMU’s 48-0 win over Alcorn State at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Saturday. The stadium seats 30,255.
Several comments from people claiming to be alumni on Central Michigan Life’s Web site raised concerns that alumni attendance might suffer because of the new tailgating procedures, but Heeke is confident alumni will return.
“If alums want to occupy space that’s been allotted for our student body, that in itself is concerning sometimes,” he said. “Is it really alumni’s spot to go into that tailgate?”
Ted Tolcher, interim vice president of development and alumni relations, said he has not heard of any alumni cutting contributions to CMU over the tailgate procedure.
The procedures did not seem to dampen student attendance at the game, which Heeke said was one of the best he saw in his four years at CMU.
Even if game attendance drops, he said the university is committed to providing a safe environment.
“I understand the picture that’s in the paper,” Heeke said, referring to the front page of Central Michigan Life on Monday. “That’s a difficult picture. I also have to make sure there’s not a picture of a dead student on the front page. We all have to keep that in mind because the environment was not safe and it was not conducive to keeping people out.”
Tailgating in previous years was very dangerous, he said, and the number of injuries increased significantly over the last three years, said CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley.
Heeke did not address whether tailgate procedures would be change if attendance drops.
Enforcement
Yeagley said the expectations are not laws, and students cannot be subject to a ticket or arrest for not complying.
Instead, students who do not follow the expectations will be asked to comply or leave.
“If they’re coming in with a case of beer and it’s just one person, we would say you need to get rid of the beer or you have to leave,” he said.
Overall, he said the atmosphere was what the university looked for — relaxed.
“I would love the students to come try it. If you aren’t pleased, I’ll meet with anybody personally,” Yeagley said. “None of this was intended to drive people away. None of this was intended to ruin tailgating and I don’t think it needs to. I think we can still work within the expectations.”
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Lindsay Knake
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I found this entry on Scout.com, just thought everyone might want to see this from a recruiting stand point. something has to be done to help this situation….maybe find another location or that march idea is really starting to take off.
“My son is a 2010 recruit for CMU and one of the selling points for his decision was the outstanding fan support. He has been looking forward to coming up to watch a game and experience the great gameday atmosphere that he’s been told so much about. I’ve informed him of the situation with the tailgating changes so he won’t be disappointed this weekend.
When he came home, after visiting this summer, he was so excited when telling us about what happens on gameday. Shoot, I got excited with him just telling me about it. I can see how this could effect when recruiting. When young men can imagine themselves being part of that…it could be that little extra that sways their decision.”
I think that the administrators of CMU are trying too hard to be a little school…..We’re not a little school, we are the 4th biggest university in this state and 44th in the country. Students are going to tailgate and if the administration doesn’t want us to in lot 63 so be it…..I’ll see the 20,000 students who do tailgate on Main Street this Saturday where cars are driving and there is a real potential for a “dead student”
Lets be real Heeke, you’re just causing more problems than you are fixing here. I support you most of the time, but this is just ridiculous
I think that the athletic director is missing the whole point. He is the one that has completely ruined the atmosphere for people at games. The football program is heading to new heights and they come out with these new rules that completely slapped the student body in the face. I have had teachers tell us that the rules are unneccessary and that just shows where everyone is coming from. The student body isnt dividing to tell you the truth mr.athletic director…. “You have brought us together even more” Thanks! Publish that for all faculity involved in this decision to see!
I didn’t realize there was an age limit for people that are allowed to tailgate in Lot 39? Heeke said: “If alums want to occupy space that’s been allotted for our student body, that in itself is concerning sometimes. Is it really alumni’s spot to go into that tailgate?”
Really Dave? I’m sorry I missed the memo that you have to be a certain age to tailgate in that lot. I am a ‘04 graduate, and I still tailgate over there because it WAS such a fantastic atmosphere. I cannot believe the rules you are putting on what is supposed to be a fun environment for students. This is one of their only places they can all get together and just let loose. I guess I also missed the last time a student died from tailgating at CMU (someone please remind me if I missed that).
Should we also take away everyone’s cars in the world because car accidents can kill people too? Stop trying to be a hero here Dave, and focus on the new basketball arena.
Students are just going to drink at their apartments or in bars and then drive/walk drunk to the games. Can’t wait to hear what Heeke has to say after someone gets hit by a car on Mission walking to the game because they had to tailgate at home since they wanted more than 6 beers.
The university has a gold mine in the football team now that its good and what are they doing? Shooing the students away. You can’t replace beer with a live band and expect that students are still going to be interested in showing up. I appreciate the concept of trying to keep students from hurting themselves, but that’s not the root of the issue. It’s that CMU doesn’t want to have responsibility if something goes wrong.
I really hope the students can all find another area to tailgate together, because it was honestly one of my favorite things about being a Chippewa.
I have never heard such a bunch of whiners! I wish you would all show this much care and concern for your academics or other things which you came to college for beyond 5 Saturdays a year. Get a life and show up to support your school! I have walked thru the student tailgate area as a student and now alum and have been embarrassed by the behavior I have seen. Students swearing, littering, pissing and vomiting on themselves–it’s embarrassing to be associated with some of you as fellow alums! (and don’t get my started on the confederate flag either).
While I agree that there could have been more input and maybe discussion on the issue…the big reason is some of the liability of seeing students hurt, fighting and utter drunken stupidness! Some people say EVERYONE wants to drink at the games to have a good time and that is not true either. Look at the number of students who attend non alcohol related tailgates, or those who drink responsibly and enjoy the game.
So get over it to all the students who are griping about the policy. If your focus on game day is being able to drink more than 6 beers and being able to bring in a keg than you have really lost your focus on the spirit of being a fan and a student. If you want to see change, go about it constructively. Get involved as a student leader, offer to meet with administrators and don’t just sit back and complain.
And for anyone who says they won’t give money or support as an alum, you won’t have much to donate when you are not employed since you drank your way thru college!
I am a Central Michigan Alumni so I can not judge what the current atmosphere at CMU is exactly like, but I have a good idea. Derek Van der Merwe said that students were represented on the committees that reviewed the tailgating policies; however I will all most guarantee that the “types” of students on this committee and other similar committees around campus do not accurately represent the majority of the student body. Students that would accurately represent the student body are around campus at local bars, in the parking lots tailgating, and, with all do respect, living their lives while the students on these committees are trying to run every one else’s for their own personal gain. Also Van der Merwe said there were three out of 21 positions set aside for students. Let’s say all three students were against the procedure change, there could still be 18 votes for the procedure change, hardly a fair representation.
Also I think the students of Central Michigan University, its Alumni, and any one that is a supporter of CMU athletics, the CMU football team and the tailgating environment in general should be out right insulted by the comments of Athletics Director Dave Heeke. To try and place the blame for the committee’s lake of foresight and poor tailgating attendance on the student body is ludicrous and threatening!
Heeke said, “They (the students) formed their opinions without actually visiting and seeing what the overall impact would truly be. I think it’s really shortsighted on their part. I think we’re forgetting that there was the very real chance that tailgating would not exist for students at all.”
We saw how the committee’s decision impacted tailgating; students didn’t show up and they didn’t need to show up to predict the lack luster, embarrassing debacle tailgating was going to turn into last weekend. They didn’t like the procedure change and they chose not to come, they didn’t need to visit to know that. I don’t like basketball; I don’t need to play a game to tell me that. And to threaten the student body by taking tailgating away will result in them absolutely revolting against the athletic department and the university, and ultimately who is hurt by this, the football team and its players. Of course depending on how you look at it the committee has already taken tailgating away.
Students DO NOT GO BACK!!! STAY ON MAIN STREET!!! The university wants nothing more than to control you. You think I am nuts but when I first started at Central beer pong and drink-o were allowed. However, the university decided throwing a plastic ball at a plastic cup with a shot of beer in it was dangerous. Dropping a wooden chip down a wooden board with some pegs on it was dangerous. Until the university realizes they are there to provide for the students and not the other way around, students should not be complacent.
Go to the Alumni/Old people/family lot if you want to be that boring. That’s why its the student lot and its away from everything else. You sound like the one who is crying.
Really? You think because people like to casually drink at tailgate means they are bad students. That’s probably one of the most irrational comments I have ever heard. Maybe you didn’t like tailgate because you had no friends to tailgate with.
lollerskates @ “CM ALUM & Responsible adult”
I will call you ‘Sally’ because your name is very long, and you’ve chosen to leave out the ‘U’. That’s your punishment. I will now present universal constants, as written by Sally:
1. If you disagree with any of the new policies, including the ones not relating to alcohol, you are a drunken idiot.
2. Students routinely urinate and vomit on themselves.
3. Fellow Alumni are embarrassing.
4. If you don’t give money as an alumnus, you will not be employed.
5. Relativistic physics and time travel are a reality – one can choose not to donate money as an alumnus, while being a future alumnus, while at the same time being a current alumnus – all the while being penniless, as in the present and past tenses, you drank your way, and currently drinking your way, through college. (wow)
6. Generalized insults don’t need to make sense, as long as they appear to be insulting.
7. People don’t swear – ever – unless you’re a drunken idiot, or tailgate.
8. If you disagree with school policy for whatever reason, it’s clearly because of #2.
9. Democracy holds no place at CMU; the majority is clearly wrong.
10. Judgement is a fun and rewarding pass time!
That was fun.
Why do you need to drink more than six beers? Binge drinking is a real problem. I am PROUD that my school is being proactive and taking action to try and stop binge drinking from happening at football games.
It’s not CMU that is ruining the game day atmosphere; it’s the students who think they need to be wasted to enjoy the game.
I was gonna write some long retort, but “ProudCMUstudent” pretty much nailed it.
It’s very common for students to go to tailgate but never actually go INTO the game. It becomes an excuse to get hammered outside. By just standing around, drinking, but not getting counted, all you’re doing is costing CMU loads of cash because they have to spend money on extra security and such.
So maybe if more students had gone into the game after tailgating than just standing around, this would be different? Who knows. Either way the policy is unlikely to change, so get over it.
You guys are still missing the point. The limits on alcohol are only one facet of the new rules. Honestly, anyone remotely creative can circumvent the new rule on limiting alcohol.
@Ben LaMothe, The few posts you made on this topic don’t do anything to address anyone who’s commented on the rules as a whole, but rather you’ve chosen to cherry pick at the kids who are just upset about the rule concerning alcohol. In doing so, you’re just as short sighted as those worried only about how much they can drink. Take some of your own advice and ‘get over’ that.
For Ben and Proud,
You’re both dumb and I’m questioning if you ever went to CMU.
When in the history of CMU has anyone ever needed a reason to get hammered. Go down Main st. on any day (except for the winter) and you’ll see someone drinking on a porch. People throw parties during the week just because. There are the famous Tuesday and Thursday nights where people drink tons.
So is it different if someone is drinking 12 beers in a parking lot or doing it at Dollar pint night?
I think Ben is on the “fun” police. What is it anyone’s business how much I or anyone has to drink before a game? 6 beers is enough. I enjoy the games, and I don’t need ANYONE telling me, oh you can’t drink one more because you’ll be over the limit. Mind your own damn business people. Be lame, and just go tailgate with the alumni and families on the north side.
I am disappointed in Mr. Heeke’s understanding of why people park in this lot. I have been attending CMU games since before Kelly/Short was built. I bring two 80 year olds with me to the games. Our season tickets are closer to the south end of the stadium. We come to the game at least two hours before the game to park in the handicapped parking closest to that end of the stadium and we tailgate without alcohol. The tailgaters have always been courteous to us, and to the other older people in the handicapped parking area in that lot. The space roped off for tailgaters forced us to park farther from the entrance than it was previously. For older fans that have difficulty walking that is a huge issue. Once we were in the stadium we were hearing similar complaints from long time season ticket holders around us. The current situation is not just alienating students, it is also upsetting long time patrons.
This whole “tailgate committee” thing, who voted this group as a part of it? Or was it just appointed by Heeke himself, with people who were against tailgating?
So if I am reading this correctly: The ‘rule-makers’ at CMU think that while you attend CMU you are incapable of using your own judgement, operating stereos, and grilling on propane grills, but when you graduate you have the knowledge and skills to enter the workforce and be a productive part of society, but at the same time you are unable to go where you want to have fun.
This is absurd! Not only are they trying to control and dominate the current student body, they are now pushing thier dominance onto EVERYONE else.
If you think that people besides students should not be at the tailgate why don’t you put your view to a test?
I challenge CMLIFE with this poll question:
DO you, a current students of CMU, agree with Heeke’s view that people other than the current student body should not tailgate in Lot 63? yes or no
Then we will get a ‘real’ representation of the student body. How is one man allowed to make a statement like that?
Fire up Chips and keep the protest going!
Facebook groups:
Dont change CMU tailgate
and
Chippewa March
Join them. The first has a link to a great post, a member had a conversation with Dave Heeke yesterday and explained to him the reasoning behind everything. The Chippewa March is a great idea for students/fans/alumni to all meet and walk to the game/tailgate as a group. Would be a great idea and tradition..
I guess I just don’t realize the who idea where all of these rules are coming from. I haven’t missed a game in the 5 football seasons I was there, nor have I missed a tailgate. I’m sorry if I go into the game drunk, I’m still there, supporting my team louder than I would if I were sober. I can tell you I wouldn’t go to the game if I could tailgate. I’m coming back this year for the first time as an alum and there are already talks of my friends to just drink somewhere else then head to the bar. and 6 beers per person? You realize taligate is 3 hours long, that means it’s 2 beers an hour…really? I didn’t realize that was binge drinking. My most fun tailgates were when we were playing music, and just socializing w/ my friends. It doesn’t happen often w/ the hustle and bustle of school, working out, and extra curricular activities. it’s nice to have a time set aside to just kind of relax and have a great time. With that being said,I’m sure homecoming isn’t a miserable tailgating experinece.
To the responsible adult who wrote a few spaces above…. DONT PUT YOUR OPONION IN UNLESS U ARE DEALING WITH THE SITUATION… KEEP YOUR ASS ON YOUR CHAIR AT HOME AND STAY OUT OF IT
Needless to say, Dave Heeke is extremely out of touch with the student body. He’s obviously not someone worried about fan support which is why CMU will never be a big athletics school.
Attendence and support is what makes a big time school and by coming up with bogus restrictions and trying to make sure there is not a picture of a dead person on the front page is reckless and out of touch.
Students go to tailgate to drink, hang out with friends or Greek brothers and sisters, and to show Chippewa support. Most injuries that occur during tailgate are self inflicted such as the twisted ankle that happened just this past weekend. Such travesty!
A guy who’s job is to promote the athletic department is destroying a part of it. Good luck ever taking this program to the next level!
I lost score, but its probably something like Andrew 10 > Sallys and Debbie Downers 0.
As a 2006 alumni, I’ve been to plenty of games during my years as a student and since that time as well. I’ve been to a couple of games sober and I’ve been over the line as well. There’s definitely a point in between that you can have a good time, be more loose than you normally would and still keep from offending others.
That point isn’t necessarily under 6 beers for everyone. The average 180 lb male is supposed to metabolize somewhere around 2 per hour. Yet, I’ve seen 100Lb girls drink 2 beers and pass out. That being said, this is a time when people just need to learn their limits. Putting a 6 beer cap on everyone hardly allows students to stay within their own limits and use their own judgement.
I understand that some people don’t drink at tailgate. CMU has always been more than accomodating to a family atmosphere. The west and north lots are fine for that. Admittadly though, you can see plenty of old men and women getting tanked in the north lot. They just do it with more expensive booze and nicer trucks.
I’m all for having an emergency lane or spreading tailgate out more. When emergency’s happen, it’s a good thing to be able to react. But to not allow students to make their own judgements on music or drinking, is counter to the atmosphere CMU is supposed to be providing.
Lastly, many people do show up to tailgate because of the game, but there are many people who would not otherwise show up to the game if it weren’t for tailgate. There are many people who don’t like football or are marginal fans who simply wouldnt go unless friends or family drag them along…often, they meet these people at…tailgate.
*Provide sober tailgaters an area, keep the beer, keep the music and let students make their own decisions.
So Ben, we were costing CMU “loads” of money by not going into the games? We are already paying the university LOADS of money to go here. Why shouldn’t we be able enjoy our Saturday afternoons? It’s almost laughable that you would call 6 beers “binge-drinking” over the long-period that WAS CMU tailgating. I’m really having a hard time remembering there being such a problem with tailgating the last few years that I have attended CMU. I never read about it here in CM-Life or heard any students complain about what went on there. All of a sudden a group of 21 people (3 of those 21 being actual students) decided tailgating required changing, and that is the reason the vast majority of us (students) are pissed off. They are not going to change these rules anytime soon…so keep drinking on main st. or with your buddies anywhere but the “tailgating” lots. Fire Up Chips.
CMU & student body,
Be what it may, the University has made a decision and is planning on sticking to it. Lets be real. Everyone makes rules or enforces limitations for liability purposes. CMU is making an attempt to move possible liabilities off their hands and onto someone else, which ends up being the student body. Really, it all has to do with responsibility. Taking responsibility, not wanting responsibility, whatever. Remember, as young adults, we are here to learn responsibility and maturity, amongst other things. It took me a few years to do so and I know that its different for each student. Moderation can be learned but sometimes only through excess. What is important for the student body to remember is that we are all young adults in a university community and a greater community that is very supportive of us, despite what we may think. So you choose to tailgate in lot 63 or you spread yourselves all over town. That’s your decision. Everything about this boils down to decisions. Good ones, bad ones. We each have the power. Making the decision to act immature publicly about the new enforcement just reinforces CMU’s interest to regulate the atmosphere. Shouting profanities about CMU or the enforcement while walking through town or campus is unnecessary. There are much more mature ways to make a point and protest your beliefs. I believe in equality and the downfall of discrimination which the majority of CMU and the student body will agree with. However, I’m not sure that CMU realizes that they are discriminating against their student body by not placing the new enforcements on all tailgating within their property. The Alumni/Family lot should abide by the same rules as lot 63. If this is the new face of CMU pregame football I challenge them to even the playing field. Its only fair. As for the additional money spent on “initiatives” for student tailgating, I’m concerned. But what concerns me more, as a local tax payer, is the additional cost the community will acquire to “monitor” the unconfined tailgating that has spread throughout the town. We had it down pat. Everyone in one space. Close quarters? Yes. Some excessive indulgence? Yes. But is was all confined and controlled. And after all, aren’t the politics of this about control? We were unique from all the other Michigan colleges and universities in that we came together in one place for the event. Those days may be gone but please, lets continue to come together as a student body of higher education cheering on our Chippewas and voicing our beliefs with maturity. This is how a movement happens.
Coming from someone who doesn’t get to tailgate because I am in the Marching Band…
I think a lot of you are taking this way to far…
I have heard of stories of people getting hurt and sent to hospital at tailgate… So I can see where limiting your alcohol at tailgate and such isn’t such a bad idea. There are some things… Like the external speaker thing, yes… I think that is not a good rule. But for the most part… I think our university has the right thing in mind and that is our safety!
They aren’t taking tailgate away!! So go… give it a chance… Who knows maybe you will actually like it…
Also, coming from someone who doesn’t tailgate… But is at every home game (Yes I am there because I have to be, but I also want to be)… I think a lot of you use a football game a reason to drink and drunk, instead of coming out and supporting your school and your colors, which is what your really should be doing!!
And there is has been things going around about protesting games so they will change tailgate rules… Please don’t… Even if you still want to protest tailgate and tailgate on Main or wherever… Still come to the game and support your school and your team!!
FIRE UP CHIPS!!
I think that some of the new rules were necessary but I think it’s the fact that students are being limited. No one likes being told what they can and cannot do. I won’t drink more than 6 beers or a pint of liquor, but I’m 21 which gives me the right to. A lot of times I share with my friends. The rules will be hard to adjust to, but the police weren’t hounding people last saturday. My friend walked in with a 30 pack and they didn’t stop him. Maybe the case would be different if there were 2,000 extra people…who knows. A few of my friends talked to the police and said they were pretty cool about it and some of them didn’t even agree with the new rules.
I think it’s seriously about time we discuss converting our traditional football team to a flag-football team. I mean, do you realize how many people get hurt playing tackle football? It’s very dangerous – broken collarbones, paralysis, dehydration, etc etc etc. Maybe we should even reconsider the whole idea of the football team itself. From what I remember in years past, more people have died at the hands of CMU football players than have died at the actual tailgates…. so maybe we should just can the entire program. For everyone’s safety. I mean, you can have fun at CMU with our without football. Right?
In all seriousness, don’t ruin the fun and the college memories for all students because there are a few kooks running around out there. Tailgating for me was a blast because it was one of the few time during the busy school week that you could really let loose, and … God forbid… DRINK MORE THAN A SIX PACK. You can take a few bad examples and paint a very broad picture, but in reality the troublemakers are the minority and should be handled as they have been in years past by the appropriate actions of the CMU and Mt. Pleasant police.
I am glad most of you think college is all about getting drunk and that is the only way you make a memorable college experience.
NEW FLASH…
IT’S NOT!!
I do drink, but not very often, because honestly I have better things to spend my money one than alcohol!
WHAT? No change in sight?
That totally motivates me to go to SGA meetings and pretend I have a say in WHO IS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF CMU.
We had pretty fun tailgates back in the mid-90’s when I was a student. All the tailgating took place north of the stadium and had few restrictions. My last year up there (96-97), they had a similar crackdown because old alumni and police complained. Attendance plumeted at tailgates and the games. The low attendance followed for years until Central was close to losing it’s div.1 status for football because of the low attendance. Early this decade, GUESS WHAT HAPPENED?….they relaxed most rules for tailgating and welcomed the students back…giving them the entire south lot to party it up (away from the view of the old guard). Couple LeFevour’s play with fun tailgating and the attendence shot back up. Game day was fun again…even more than in the 90’s.
Now the “powers-that-be” have made the changes again…not remembering recent history. Well, LeFevour will be gone next year and without a fun tailgate, I predict a pretty empty stadium week after week in the future.
By the way….
“If alums want to occupy space that’s been allotted for our student body, that in itself is concerning sometimes. Is it really alumni’s spot to go into that tailgate?”
Have you ever been to a Michigan or Michigan State football game? Don’t most fans tailgate. Aren’t most fans Alumni? What an idiot. My parents still tailgate at MSU with friends and they are in their 60’s. Is that “concerning” to you? Idiot.
First they came for the kegs, and we went along because we could still have cases of beer. Now, it seems, they have come for the cases of beer.
Allison,
You sound like someone who doesn’t get invited to much stuff so that’s probably why your attitude is like that.
No one likes fat, ugly, mean buzz kills
And now, after going back and reading some of your past comments about you being in the marching band, I now know I was correct lulz