While the construction of Yulman Stadium has sparked the beginning of an on-campus tailgating culture, Tulane has implemented several rules and guidelines to ensure the safety of participants and efficiency of pedestrian and vehicle travel.

Tailgate Village, located on the Newcomb and Lavin-Bernick Center quads, will serve as the grounds for many of the pre-game celebrations and events starting this fall. General public tailgating will be restricted only to the LBC Quad, with space reservations determined on a first-come, first-serve basis. Newcomb Quad will have additional reserved tailgating spaces. 

Similarly, student groups and organizations can sign up to reserve space in the Student Zone, also located on the LBC Quad.

Additionally, the university will require fans to drop off tailgating equipment no earlier than eight hours before kickoff and no later than five hours before in order to avoid traffic congestion on the roads surrounding Yulman. Security personnel will direct traffic to the loading zone on Drill Road, and fans will have 15-minute windows to drop off their gear.

Another tailgating ground for fans of all ages will be the Bea Field Alumni House. The Alumni House, which was a popular stop for patrons heading toward the old Tulane Stadium, has multiple outdoor spaces and patios ideal for tailgating and socializing, and will include the Collins Cerré Diboll Bar.

Charcoal and propane grilling will be allowed in specified areas in the tailgate area but not under tents or in parking spaces. Standard university regulations regarding alcohol use still apply, and drinks must not be in glass bottles or containers. Sodexo will also set up tents selling additional food and beverages.

Executive Associate Athletics Director Brandon Macneill said school administrators faced many challenges while organizing the upcoming game day celebrations.

“In terms of the tailgating, you’re looking at taking over the entire campus, and that’s a major culture change,” Macneill said. “We’ve found some hiccups. There was a dance recital one Saturday and classes going on, so we had to make sure that we worked with everybody.”

Macneill said the university and school administrators were extremely responsive to the student body and its requests and complainants. 

“We’ve had thousands of hours planning with students and administrators, but if I know students, they’re going to make this thing their own,” Macneill said.

For 38 years, Green Wave fans have missed out on this distinct tradition, and Macneill said he believes it is only natural that tailgating has finally returned to Tulane.

“New Orleans loves to party,” Macneill said. “We love to be outside and to congregate, and what better way to do that than around a college football game?”