A crucial piece of Mizzou football’s game-day experience will be unavailable in 2020
When the Missouri Tigers open their 2020 season Sept. 26 against Alabama at Faurot Field, there will be fans in the stands at up to 25% capacity.
But a crucial part of the game-day experience won’t be there: tailgating. Mizzou announced on Friday that fans will not be allowed to tailgate in game-day parking lots and campus spaces this season.
“This was a difficult decision to make because of the passion Mizzou fans have for game-day tailgating and the backdrop it provides as part of a football Saturday in Columbia,” Mizzou athletic director Jim Sterk said in a release. “However, the health and safety of all our fans remain a top priority as we continue working toward a very different-looking 2020 season.”
The decision was made “in an effort to ensure the health and well-being of its fans, student-athletes, coaches, officials, staff and students” attending home games. The SEC, which unveiled its guidelines for football games a few weeks ago, allowed each individual institution to decide whether it would allow tailgating or not.
The final say was made after guidance from public and university health officials, the release said.
“In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 and keep our community safe, we are prohibiting tailgating on University of Missouri property this fall,” MU vice chancellor for operations Gary Ward said. “This means no tailgating anywhere — grassy or landscaped areas, sidewalks, streets, parking lots or parking structures.”
Fans who hope to attend a Mizzou football game this fall also likely won’t have the chance to purchase single-game tickets. Instead, season tickets will be distributed based on donor levels as the university is currently wrapping up that process.
These are some of the features that will make the college football product different in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
SEC guidelines also stated no home or away bands will be allowed to perform on the field, another crucial part of the game day experience.
The Tigers will kick off against the Crimson Tide in front of a nationally-televised audience on ESPN at 6 p.m. Sept. 26.