Tailgating: A must before any Colonel football game

Nicholls’ tailgating crowd has grown over the past several years due to recent success of the football team.
Development and Marketing coordinator Sean Beam, explained that the general public’s tailgating has grown over the past several years, and he believes it to be from the recent success of the football team.

Public tailgating is a relatively recent addition to Nicholls’ campus as it began only five years ago. A general public tailgating area was set up to make a more centralized location for non-students. Before the centralized location for public tailgating, families tailgated wherever they pleased.

There are not many rules set in place for tailgaters, however as Beam said tailgaters are “representing Nicholls,” they should act appropriately for a school event.

Nicholls student Mallory Labit said, “I enjoy tailgating at Nicholls for the small school and close knit experience.” Labit also explained that she likes the “openness of the student section.”

Although Labit enjoys the activities held for homecoming day, she would like “more activities for students, such as inflatables”. She would also like for the organization area to be less cluttered and more organized so that it is easier to navigate.

“I enjoy tailgating in the student section because you can truly feel the school spirit that everyone has,” Nicholls student Trivia Tran said.

Tran and Labit said tailgating is fun because it is a time when all of Greek life comes out to show support and hang out with one another.

“I can truly feel the team spirit which makes Nicholls such a special school to be at,” Tran said.
Tailgaters are encouraged to bring their own supplies such as grills and ice chests. Set up for tailgating begins between mid-morning or noon depending on the time of the game.

Tailgaters are told to clean up the tailgate area at least 30 minutes before the game begins so that one may view the game from inside the stadium, although it is not required that they leave the tailgate area to watch the game. There are trashcans at every other tailgate spot to make the cleaning process easier.

Tailgaters interested in securing a tailgate spot must contact Beam at least the Thursday before game day. The tailgate spots are sold for $30 per game or $150 for the whole season. The purchased spot will have spray painted borders so that there is no confusion as to who owns it.

Reserved spots contain a yard sign so that the buyer can easily find his tailgate area. Maps are also available with the locations of tailgate spots.