Non-Ticketed Fans CauseTexans to Implement New Tailgate Policy

[TxPhotoShooter]

From an e-mail sent out by the Texans:

"This past weekend we had our largest crowd in franchise history. While we were disappointed with how the game turned out, we are proud of the tremendous crowd support and are appreciative of our great fans like you that made it happen. We also had some significant challenges last Sunday, including traffic, parking and fan behavior in our parking areas. These issues were due primarily to the large number of non-ticketed individuals in our stadium parking lots before, during and, especially, after the game. All visitors to Reliant Park MUST have a game ticket or other team-issued credential to be on the Reliant Park grounds on Houston Texans home game days. We will offer a very limited number of tailgate access passes exclusively for season ticket holders at a cost of $10 per pass."

Okay, I understand and accept that they may have been part of the unacceptable fan behavior. But parking and traffic problems? And no mention of in stadium fighting by ticket holders? Any parking and traffic problems were due to Texan and Reliant decision makers. You are not suppose to be allowed to drive on stadium lots unless you have been issued a parking pass. If they sold non-ticket fans parking passes, then shame on them as they created the parking and traffic situation. But to blame it on non-ticket fans!

Personally, we quit purchasing parking passes when they started closing our lot for basically tailgaters only and pushed us out to Loop 610. But I'm glad to see that season ticket holders who tailgate aren't the trouble makers. Because as they noted in the e-mail, "The tailgating environment we provide has been recognized as the best in the NFL and was established for the enjoyment of you and our other ticketed patrons." And we can't have that image tarnished.

I just wonder if they could not hire enough security to maintain order in the parking lots, how are they going to enforce this parking lot ticket policy?

[Houston-X]

WOW!!! (speechless)

[KJ Smith]

Yes, parking passes were being bought by non-ticket holders.
I know people who could not get tickets, so they tailgated.

[DoublyDan]

The tailgaters were one of the highlights when I went to last years Jets game....I agree with the original poster about the responsibility of the ones making the money....