Too costly too secure walking patrons I think the only price to pay will be the car itself . But I could be wrong which I hope I am not because no tailgating anywhere I have been stops walking patrons .
I’ll be biking or using transit to get to the game. Does my ticket get me into the tailgate?
I’ve read both answers on various chat boards. Some say that with a game ticket you can walk in. I read elsewhere that you won’t be able to get into the tailgate area. So I’ve emailed Client Services with the Argos to ask. I’ll let you know if I get a reply.
Thanks, good of you to do that.
Duran Duran, Hall and Oates, Indy Car… none of these have been relevant since the Argos were back when they played at the CNE. Is it a sign?
Sadly, I think the tailgating will probably be a soft launch this year and they can hope for better luck next season. This will probably be Indy Car’s last year in Toronto. That that will free up a potential week end.
Tailgating. It’s a great thing. I’ve attended many of them. From Ann Arbor to San Diego, Miami to Calgary. Hell, even here in over-regulated Vancouver. And you know what makes them good? They happen organically. They’re allowed to ‘just be.’ Everyone knows you can’t crack open a beer in public just anywhere, but it’s sanctioned in this one place and everyone goes about their business. It’s neither flaunted nor flouted.
The key word is sanctioned. Not “celebrated,” like what’s going on in Toronto. Hell, I’d even go a step further to almost call it a mandated part of their business plan.
Toronto Argonauts ?@TorontoArgos 21h21 hours ago$4 beers. Yes…you read that correctly.
We just brought tailgating to Toronto!
This could turn out to be a key part of their resurgence. I sure hope it is. But it could just as easily go sideways the way Copeland and the Argo brass keep pushing their millennial agenda. Drunkapalooza. Pukefest. It’s like, “okay Argos. I get it. You’re attracting younger fans through $4 beers…just don’t complain if you have trouble controlling the rowdiness in the stands if you make this more about partying and less about football.”
The way Copeland and Tory were going on and on at their Tailgating press conference, reminded me of the Dad trying to act cool at his teenager’s pool party. “Watch this, kids!” he shouts at the top of the diving board, before landing on his belly. Ouch.
Here is the reply from Argos Client Services.
Pat,We anticipate that the cars parking in the tailgate area will be full of fans and therefore we will not have the capacity to allow fans to enter on foot. We strongly encourage anyone parking in the tailgate to ensure they pick up any fans they are meeting before entering. If our capacity permits, we will allow fans on foot to enter the tailgate area during the last hour before the game.
We are also working on a pre-game festival that will be accessible for anyone with a game ticket. Details about this will be made prior to our home opener.
Argonauts Client Services
Thanks Pat it sounds like they went with a special events liquor permit with a low capacity number . Yeesh . Argooos.
250 spots and exclusive is not a social tailgate experience they were looking for to entice thousands to the game .
This talegate will be an epic fail. 1000 people is probably the capacity.. This will not draw many new fans to the game.. This event needs to be 10 times as big, and they need their own section in the stands like TFC has with their drunk idiots in Red Patch Boys. If half of the fans are greybeards, bringing a bunch of drunks in isnt going to mesh.
Don't get me wrong, drunk people are awesome,but this is Canada after all..
They would have been better off just allowing people to park and eat . Tailgating would be a natural event instead of alcohol purchased . Let the people police themselves and take any chances on alcohol violations .
Then have an all inclusive area with a band and drinks/food sold . You would have win/win for all ticket buyers . Nobody should be pushed away from congregating in a parking lot before a football game if you arrive on foot.
They are trying too hard for a natural event . I agree with Rhymes w Orange earlier statement .
This may have to be a key part of their resurgence. In that media “toxic” market they may not have a lot of choices.
As for the second paragraph I prefer to see Copeland as in the following using some common sense and working the problem.
Copeland talks Argos tailgating experience
TSN Overdrive June 1 2016
Toronto Argonauts President & CEO Michael Copeland was in-studio with the guys from OverDrive to discuss the Argonauts new tailgating experience for their home games at BMO Field.
The league is truly lucky to have this guy here at this time, he “gets it” From the interview re the Grey Cup in Toronto, outside in November:
"There’s a saying “No such thing as bad weather just bad clothing… come prepared, have a couple of beers in our tail gate and you’ll be fine. It’s fine, it’s not an Arctic expedition, I mean you’re going to a football game for a few hours, it’s gonna be great.”
TFC fans have been sitting at BMO for a few years in the cold in April and May, the soccer seaon starts 2 months before the CFL and they don’t seem to have attendance problems.
I don’t think they are tougher than CFL fans, hope that Argo fans prove that sitting outside on a cool rainy October or November evening is not a problem at all.
Yup - weather can not be an excuse for the Argos - and I don't think they'll need an excuse because I think their attendance will be fine. Might not be a TOTAL sellout every game - but it will be fine.
And just to clarify on the Tailgate. For some games (because of space and other events) they likely may only have the one 250 car parking area available to the tailgate - and you will need to be in one of those 250 cars to get into it.
But for some other games - like the Labour Day rematch against Hamilton on a Sunday afternoon - for a game like that there may be as Copeland points out - other parking lots included in the tailgate - covering areas that may include up to 1,000 cars. It all depends on the demand.
$30 - $35 per car is a bit steep though IMO especially if somebody is driving alone or there are only a couple of people in the car. Sure if 4 or 5 in the car it is not bad on a per person basis but a bit steep for fewer people in a vehicle.
Thanks Pat,
Cars full of fans. Hope so, we’ll see.
How are they going to enforce this? There are public pedestrian bridges going to the Ontario Place Parking Lots and a Public Bike and Walking Path running along the edge of the Parking Lots.
The main tailgate is at Ontario Place Parking Lot # 1:
[url=http://www.ontarioplace.com/sites/default/files/front-page/ontario-place-parking.pdf]http://www.ontarioplace.com/sites/defau ... arking.pdf[/url]We walked along the public bike and walking path last year when the Ex Air Show was on. There were steel barriers put up and security everywhere to stop people just walking into the Ex, parking lots 1 & 2 by the water were being used while the Ex was on and cordoned off with barriers and security.
It sounds like getting into the takegate area will be like trying to break into a prison.. Why does our country have to be this way? Its alcohol, its not Napalm or Antrax behind the fence. Sadly, all the money wasted on security ,could be spent more wisely on programs like Keys Please.
Why do you say country. Say what it is, it’s Toronto. And things will change quickly enough when the weed consumables start to come out. They’re not going to say you can’t eat a weed chocolate bar on the street when Trudeau gets weed legalized or decriminalized or whatever the hell they’re going to push through.
It’s actually the Provincial liquor laws in Ontario.
Even once weed becomes legal private establishments (such as a sports stadium) will still be allowed to prohibit it on their premises.