Parking expected to be a huge problem during 2017 football season

Jasmine Casimir // Asst. Sports Director

The University’s football fans have not been the same in almost a decade. We definitely don’t have anymore of the seasoned football fans that used to get half-naked and paint up regardless of the weather.

We barely have season ticket holders. But before we are football fans, we are students, and as students we find the parking situation on game days to be horrendous, and it will most likely get worse for the upcoming season.

As most of the student body knows, the football team has a new head coach, Butch Davis, who made slight promises a few months ago in his press conference that President Rosenberg would need to make plans for adding a double decker to the football stadium because it will be sold out. Now, that sounds great coming from Davis, but with a bigger crowd comes an even bigger parking problem.

The University has tried their best to resolve the issue, and I give credit to the game day committee for developing plans to alleviate these parking problems.

But the lots that are being closed to the public on game days is a problem. Being told that you have to park elsewhere can be frustrating, especially since “elsewhere” is in a lot or parking garage that’s nowhere near the stadium or is already full.

The parking lot that was the closest for fans to park was demolished last season due to renovations, and the students already have to move their cars in the student parking lot the day before every home game because of that parking lot being used for tailgating.

I even have a problem with parking in the media parking lot because they allow fans and family to park their huge trailers there and tailgate, taking up about three to four parking spots with just one trailer.

The parking and transportation department has to also think about distance. If the panther garage is the only option for someone who is elderly or handicap, they have to walk a long distance to reach the stadium, and this would be a perfect time for the Panther movers to be in operation.

There should not just be one going back and forth from that garage to the stadium but two or three. There should also be two or three from the blue and gold garage. These garages are the farthest from the stadium, and everyone would feel better about how far they had to park to attend the games because they have an option of riding the Panther mover.

Now if students would like to see action for this change, it’s best that you do exactly what you would do at the football games: make some noise.

Flood the Student Government Association representative’s email, as well as the Office of the President. That’s the best way to get your voice heard.

If we don’t see progress for parking for the next season, then it’s time for us to start planning ahead for the 2018 season. The football schedule doesn’t get released the week of the first game. We receive the schedule well in advance to know when our home games will be as well as the who the opponent will be.

Regardless of whether the solutions or ideas anyone may propose is accepted or denied, you can’t be a part of the change if you’re not talking.