Homecoming Tailgate spots now cost $!?

GMUSig03

All-Conference
The school is now charging a refundable $15 fee to reserve a tailgate spot (refunded if you show up and check in). Is it just me, or has the homecoming lot always been completely dead and empty, at least in recent history? So this led the school to say, hey, we need another hurdle/disincentive for people to come and attend? There are literally thousands of spots on campus, no reason for this.

Not only did they create this ridiculous registration requirement (when there are tons of empty spots every year), now they want to try to make money off people who want to attend homecoming but otherwise aren't able to.

Just when you think Mason can't be any more Mason, they go and Mason.
 

JimP

All-American
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
That is pretty ridiculous.

My cousin is a professor at Binghamton University. He has a grad assistant from George Mason. Scan-Trons were needed for a class and the Mason grad asked where he (or maybe students) could buy scan-trons. Apparently he had to at Mason. Do Mason students really need to buy their scantrons? First thing I thought of when I read your post Joe.
 

JimP

All-American
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
Yep, the bookstore does a brisk trade in scantrons. Blue books too.

Wow. Come on. Must be salt in the wound when you have to buy scantrons and blue books for a test you know you're going to fail.

I will praise Mason for making it cheaper to get into ball games this year. My brother has season tickets and was able to get me in for a lot less than the $25 I had to pay last year.
 
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TweederGMU

All-Conference
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
Its laughable but at the same time are we really surprised.... this is pretty low. Unreal that they are charging for spots. No wonder alumni engagement and loyalty is awful for Mason. Even paying for alumni weekend events is unreal to me. Tack on $10 on every students fees in tuition to make alumni weekend and events free for all alumni.

Yea, you had to pay for your scantrons. Nothing is free according to the Mason gods.

Oh.... business is bad.... F you Pay me
Oh....you had a fire...... F you, Pay me
Oh....place got hit by lightning.... F you, Pay me
 

GMU92

Starter
I gave up on the Homecoming tailgate years ago, we just attend the game. My father had severe heart and lung problems, so it eventually became impossible to roam around in polar vortex type weather for a tailgate. Always got the impression that Mason wanted this "dead and empty" as you say, they seem uncomfortable with folks having an adult beverage or two. Remember the miniature wine tent they set up one year which was the only booze allowed at the tailgate (on campus property), which was obliterated by the Fairfax Social Club (The FSC) tailgate in Brion's parking lot. If I'm not mistaken, Merten even crossed the street to say hi and conceded defeat. Mason likes the booze served in the hospitality rooms or at artsy-fartsy black tie events in the arts center.

And yes, I had to buy Scantrons and Blue Books in 1988.
 
Oh.... business is bad.... F you Pay me
Oh....you had a fire...... F you, Pay me
Oh....place got hit by lightning.... F you, Pay me

So good.

Wait till you guys see what you'll have to pay to get that mythical practice facility that floats above the Patriot Center on a cloud and is guarded by Jay Marsh's pet unicorns!

It'll be even more, like $19.99 per person! Two lost dinners at Applebee's, f**kers!
 

Pablo

Hall of Famer
I don't have a dog in this fight. But, seriously, is a refundable $15 deposit such a big deal (or am I missing the sarcasm in this thread)? BTW, I had to purchase blue books at Penn State in the 1960's.

https://homecoming.gmu.edu/block-party/:

Block Party
HOMECOMING BLOCK PARTY AND TAILGATING

Saturday, February 13, 2016
1PM – 3:30PM
Parking Lot K
Cost: $15 per spot – Refundable deposit.

It’s the 18th annual Homecoming Pregame Block Party. Wander through heated tents and hang out with friends, and meet alumni. You just never know who you’ll find. A great event for any Patriot fan, the gathering will include Mason’s family-friendly area, complete with interactive games, crafts, and face painting for our younger Patriots 13 and under.

Tailgating during the Homecoming Block Party is a tradition at Mason and one we would like to continue in the future.

Mason encourages its fans to come to campus early and enjoy the Block Party. Mason also encourages its fans to tailgate in a responsible manner, respectful of the campus and respectful of other Patriot fans and attendees at the Block Party.

Please help us keep your campus clean by bagging your trash and using recycling containers.

For the safety and enjoyment of all fans, please keep the guidelines below in mind when tailgating and attending the Block Party.

Tailgating Checklist Download a copy here!

Registration opens December 14, 2015.


 
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G M U

Starter
Homecoming games have been tough recently. Anybody else envision homecoming as a gray sky on a 43 degree wet day? Now Mason wants me to pay for a miserable experience.

Once Mason started charging money for the Mason Day concert, I knew it was over.
 
OP
G

GMUSig03

All-Conference
I am loath to defend the administration, but if the minimal deposit is refunded upon check-in, doesn't this discourage people from booking spots and not showing up? This seems intended to get more people at the tailgate, not less.

The point is that there is absolutely no need for it, as there is no shortage of spots. What would encourage the most people to come would be to block off all of lot K and say "come one, come all!"

Absolutely no need for pre-registration for a parking lot that always has plenty of spots and is otherwise free to park in and no amenities are provided related to the amount of people coming. The charcoal thing still drives me nuts as well...
 

patriotchild

Starter
The point is that there is absolutely no need for it, as there is no shortage of spots. What would encourage the most people to come would be to block off all of lot K and say "come one, come all!"

Absolutely no need for pre-registration for a parking lot that always has plenty of spots and is otherwise free to park in and no amenities are provided related to the amount of people coming. The charcoal thing still drives me nuts as well...

I'll give you that there are lots of spots, but I think the thing is that you are reserving a spot within the "approved" tailgating area. Since this is Mason, and they are trying to strike a balance between unfun and slightly less unfun, if you had all of lot K blocked off you'd impede with people trying to park and not go to the tailgate. Plus, they'd have less control over the event and it would look even more abandoned than it does in a smaller area. They want everyone parked on time in the tailgate pen so they can try to have everyone co-located, show that its a success, and be able to control the booze and such.


Overall, using the Mason fun scale, the tailgating has been pretty good for homecoming. I particularly enjoy the tents that they set up, its better than trying to deal with parking (refundable registration or not) and setting up your own tailgate within their little area.
 
OP
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GMUSig03

All-Conference
I'll give you that there are lots of spots, but I think the thing is that you are reserving a spot within the "approved" tailgating area. Since this is Mason, and they are trying to strike a balance between unfun and slightly less unfun, if you had all of lot K blocked off you'd impede with people trying to park and not go to the tailgate. Plus, they'd have less control over the event and it would look even more abandoned than it does in a smaller area. They want everyone parked on time in the tailgate pen so they can try to have everyone co-located, show that its a success, and be able to control the booze and such.


Overall, using the Mason fun scale, the tailgating has been pretty good for homecoming. I particularly enjoy the tents that they set up, its better than trying to deal with parking (refundable registration or not) and setting up your own tailgate within their little area.

All of those concerns are addressed by having a time frame in which to enter the tailgate and directing people to park in order. No need for registration or fining people who fail to show.
 

GSII

Hall of Famer
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GOLD SPONSOR
GIVING DAY 2023
can season ticket holders with parking pass tailgate at any home game?
 

MasonFanatic

Moderator
Staff member
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GIVING DAY 2023
Last year, the tailgate lot seemed half empty. Do we know for sure that that was due to a lack of interest, or is it possible that there were a lot of no-shows?
 
Reminds me of when my fraternity used to tailgate in the middle of a generally empty parking lot when we sucked in the early to mid-90's.

Literally there would be nobody there, it would be 20 degrees, and Mason cops would harass us because we had some beer.

Nothing builds interest in a program like harassing the die-hards. (I am one of those)
 
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