Fans react to new Chiefs pre-game tailgating, parking policy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Early morning tailgaters at Arrowhead Stadium were feeling extra tense Saturday, and it wasn’t because of the Chiefs and Lions game.

Diehards arrived hours before the gated entry opened but were greeted with a new rule. The rule threatened all their tailgating traditions.

And if there’s one thing you don’t mess with, it’s the traditions of long-time Chiefs fans.

“You have to get out here early and get set up so you can have a good tailgate,” said Chiefs fan and tailgater Jim Baxter.

There are several unspoken rules of Chiefs tailgating, most of which involve getting the same parking spot for every single game. This tradition has created a little neighborhood and community of friendly and familiar faces on the soil of Arrowhead Stadium.

“It’s a tradition, ” said Chiefs fan Duane Brock. “We’ve done this for years. Everyone in this area has done this for years.”

Another fan, long-time tailgater Alexander Vander Veen said, “We have tailgated on the same blade of grass for 8 years.”

Each season, fans have been able to solidify their spots on game day by walking their tents, grills, banners and chairs into the parking lot before the gates open to traffic, thus ensuring their coveted piece of pavement is saved.

But the Chiefs just threw a major wrench into this pregame ritual posting this sign and passing out these cards.

The cards and signs said pedestrians are no longer allowed to walk through the gates before they open, explaining it away as a “safety” concern.

“Don’t pop those changes in at the last minute. That’s all we ask,” said Baxter.

At every home game, when the Chiefs open the gates, it looks like this crazy, unbridled, curb-hopping race to the parking lot. Now, tailgaters who used to come the night before games to secure their spot in line will have to arrive even earlier, and that is messing with some serious traditions.

Even though the organization thinks it will help out with safety and efficiency, some fans believe the restriction is pointless and could even lead to more problems.

“I don’t know how that works for our safety. In any way whatsoever,” said Duane.

Although several fans are not happy about the new policy, some tailgaters do like the idea of banning pedestrian traffic in the parking lot before the gates open to vehicles.

The argument for the new policy is that some folks who arrive late tend to walk their cones and tents into the parking lot before people who are further up in line.

This causes a lot of frustration for people who waited hours, and sometimes overnight, for a piece of the pavement.

For up-to-date policies regarding Chiefs parking and tailgating, go to www.chiefs.com/stadium/parking/ or click here .

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