INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Many Georgia and TCU fans making their way to Los Angeles for the College Football Playoff National Championship game are now up in arms over the reported tailgate policy at SoFi Stadium for the big game Monday night.
Tailgating is synonymous with college football. It is one of, if not the biggest tradition for fans in college football that doesn't include going to the game itself.
After there were reports of this decision earlier in the week, fans of both teams took to social media to voice their displeasure. 11Alive looked into the decision to verify whether the claim is true.
THE QUESTION
Can you tailgate at SoFi Stadium before the CFP National Championship between Georgia and TCU?
SOURCES
THE ANSWER
According to the official stadium website, tailgating will not be allowed in any SoFi Stadium parking lot at any point prior to the Georgia-TCU game.
WHAT WE FOUND
The official SoFi Stadium website notes that tailgating is permitted in designated lots when both the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers play their home games.
However, according to both the official SoFi Stadium website and a statement from the College Football Playoff, it will not be permitted on stadium grounds for Monday's game between the Dawgs and the Frogs.
Bill Hancock, the executive director of the College Football Playoff, said that fans going to the game are allowed to bring coolers to their designated parking lots to enjoy the pregame at SoFi Stadium. However, fans are not allowed to set up tents and grills in the driving lanes or parking spaces due to the fact there is limited on-site parking, according to the statement.
Despite no traditional tailgates allowed for the game, CFP is hosting the Allstate Championship Tailgate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the SoFi Stadium parking lot on gameday. It is a free event that is open to those with tickets to the game. Bands from both schools will perform, in addition to performances from Kelsea Ballerini and Tiera Kennedy.
The decision from the College Football Playoff has received backlash by many fans on social media. Despite that, Hancock stated this must be the case in order "for us to operate the parking operations efficiently on game day."
The official SoFi Stadium website notes that tailgating is permitted in designated lots when both the Rams and Chargers play their home games. However, this was not a decision made by the stadium itself.
Gov. Brian Kemp took to Twitter to say that "in the South a tailgate with friends & family is the only way to prepare for a big game" and that when the CFP title game comes to Atlanta in 2025, he will be sure tailgates will be allowed.
According to the official Lucas Oil Stadium website, tailgating was allowed at the Georgia-Alabama national championship game last year in Indianapolis in select designated parking lots.
Now that the tailgate ban is in effect at the National Championship, Georgia fans planning on arriving early to the game can do so without grills, tents or games.
The CFP National Championship game between Georgia and TCU kicks off at 7:30 p.m. EST on Monday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. From Athens to Los Angeles, 11Alive is bringing you complete coverage in the Dawgs' quest to repeat as champions. Visit 11alive.com/bulldogs for more.
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