On-campus tailgating curtailed

Georgia fans hoping to tailgate in their normal on-campus spots are going to have to take the party elsewhere.

On Tuesday, the University of Georgia Athletic Association sent out an email stating that on-campus tailgating will not be allowed before Georgia football games this year.

The statement read:

“Tailgating has been a part of the gameday tradition for home football games at the University of Georgia for decades. However, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, tailgating will not be permitted on campus this season.

“UGA Athletics reached this decision in accordance with public health guidelines and counsel provided by our own UGA health officials. It is consistent with the approach taken by other SEC schools, including Alabama, Florida, LSU, Auburn and Ole Miss.

“UGA Athletics realizes that fans will be traveling long distances to cheer on the Bulldogs. Therefore, fans will be allowed to gather near their vehicle with family members or those with whom they traveled and plan to sit with in the stadium. Please remember to maintain 6-feet social distancing and to wear masks when around others who are not part of your group. Parking lots on campus will open three hours before kick-off for each home game, and attendants will require all occupants in the vehicle to have tickets for the game.

“While we strongly encourage individuals and organizations off campus to follow UGA’s lead in taking appropriate measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, enforcement of social gatherings off-campus remains under the jurisdiction of Athens-Clarke County.”

The announcement comes four days after both UGA president Jere Morehead and athletic director Greg McGarity told reporters during a Zoom call that the option to tailgate was still being considered.

“We’re sensitive to what a lot of our peers are doing. We certainly do not want to create a dynamic that puts the institution in jeopardy,” McGarity said Friday. “We are trying to balance that. We are trying to return to some sense of normalcy, so there are a lot of challenges there. I am sure when we make a decision as a group that we will be confident in that call. That is where things stand now, but right now, the health of everyone is a concern, but want to balance that with some sense of normalcy.”