Tulane University Police Department, New Orleans Police Department and three different third-party security companies will provide security at Yulman Stadium, TUPD Superintendent Jon Barnwell said. 

Inside the stadium, SMG employees will be the authority interacting with fans, along with their contracted event management vendor, Landmark Event Staffing. If fans refuse to comply with ushers or security guards’ requests, TUPD will provide law enforcement backup. 

Outside the stadium, TUPD will manage tailgating areas as well as normal patrols on and off campus. Additionally, TUPD has contracted Admiral Security Services to provided unarmed aid in patrolling tailgating areas and on-campus areas. 

NOPD will direct traffic on Willow Street and Ben Weiner Drive. Willow will shut down three hours before kickoff at Audubon Boulevard and McAlister Extension to accommodate high volumes of pedestrians. NOPD will have traffic patrols set up on Ben Weiner out to South Claiborne Avenue. Ben Weiner will be primarily for pedestrians on game days. 

Barnwell said that TUPD will be more stringent inside the stadium with behavior and prohibited items than it otherwise would be outside the stadium. 

“Inside the stadium is zero-tolerance,” Barnwell said. “With tailgating, we understand that people want to have fun. We want to be there to support the event and make sure [fans] are enjoying themselves. That’s the message I’m sending to all of our guys.”

Heat- and alcohol-related medical emergencies are Barnwell’s biggest concerns for the first two games. 

“Our students are going to socialize and interact and a lot of times that is going to include alcohol,” Barnwell said. “If they don’t stay hydrated and it’s 100 degrees outside, people will start passing out in numbers.”

Barnwell said that students need to stay hydrated on game day. 

“I’m a realist; I understand that a lot of our student body is going to be drinking, but mix some water in with that,” Barnwell said. 

Louisiana State Police will provide additional security and will sweep the stadium with a K9 unit on game days. 

Barnwell said he expects students, Uptown residents and fans to be respectful and responsible. 

“The biggest thing that these events can help do is mold who we are as a student body when it comes to understanding that although we want to have a good time, we can do that respectfully and responsibly,” Barnwell said. 

With a 30,000-person capacity, coordinating security at Yulman Stadium has been no simple task. Barnwell has spent years working on the safety and law enforcement procedures.

“The long hours that those of us behind the scenes have had to put in are rewarded when we reach the post-game and we see that everybody has enjoyed themselves and not had to worry about everything,” Barnwell said. “That’s what our job is; to be seamless behind the scenes. Moreover, for your average fan that’s coming to the game, they won’t even realize we are here.”