Story highlights
Contrary to reports, NFL says tailgating is not banned at Super Bowl XLVIII
Of 28,000 parking spaces at MetLife Stadium, 15,000 will be used for security and media
Most fans at the game are expected to be out-of-towners who will use mass transit
The National Football League wants to make it clear that tailgating will not be banned at Super Bowl XLVIII.
But fans won’t be allowed to spread out their pregame festivities like they did in the regular season.
The blueprint of New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on February 2, 2014, will look vastly different than it did in the regular season, according to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy.
MetLife Stadium will need to secure 15,000 of its 28,000 available parking spaces for security and media purposes, leaving 13,000 parking spots for the expected 80,000 ticket-holders, McCarthy said.
Fans will still be able to bring food and beverages, just like they would for a regular season game; and the “no lit flame” rule will still apply – enacted after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. But fans will not be allowed to take up multiple parking spots for their blacktop bashes, McCarthy said.
According to the MetLife Stadium parking guidelines, all tailgating items must be set up in front of or behind one vehicle.
“When people think of tailgating, they think of grilling, setting up tents, taking four or five different parking spots,” McCarthy said.
Allowing only one spot per car shouldn’t be a problem because the majority of Super Bowl XLVIII spectators are expected to use mass transit to get to the game in East Rutherford, New Jersey, McCarthy explained.
The NFL expects nearly 80% of ticket holders to use mass transit that Sunday, which should leave enough parking spaces for the 16,000-20,000 fans who are expected to drive to the game, he said.
Confining fans to the boundaries of their allotted parking spaces isn’t new, McCarthy said.
“Every Super Bowl since 9-11, we’ve had a policy where fans can bring their own food and drink and enjoy them from their spot in a parking lot,” he said.