How Tailgating Policies Help Schools Control Game Day Alcohol Abuse

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Whenever Louisiana State University's football schedule produces a marquee Southeastern Conference matchup, at least 100,000 people roll into Baton Rouge to make the scene — the invasion beginning Thursday and lasting all weekend. Tiger Stadium (capacity: 91,600) has managed to squeeze no more than 92,141 fans through its gates (vs. Auburn in 2001), meaning that on most fall Saturdays, upwards of 10,000 fans descend on Death Valley only to park their vehicles and party — the time-honored autumn ritual known nationwide as tailgating. Once there, according to research commissioned by the LSU athletic department, the average tailgater logs 10 hours behind his or her wheels. "Our fans come the earliest, stay the latest and make a real Mardi Gras out of the football game," says LSU athletic director Skip Bertman.

488A colorful picture, for sure, but that many people in one place for one reason can be cause for concern. Even lower-profile programs, such as Division I-AA's University of Delaware, aren't immune from the potential problems game-day partying can create. Excessive tailgating during the Blue Hens' 1998 homecoming resulted in 23 cases of alcohol poisoning among individuals ranging in age from 18 to 31, according to athletic director Edgar Johnson. "We had all three ambulances in attendance for the football game picking up alcohol-poisoned tailgaters and taking them to the emergency room at the local hospital," Johnson recalls. "After the hospital received about 20 or 22, they called our public safety office and said, 'Stop sending us your drunks. You have effectively shut down the emergency room.' "

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