Alumni Tailgate at Maryland cancelled

Submitted by UESWolverine on
Email that just went out from the Alumni Association:
 
Saturday, October 3, 2015

UPDATE: The Tailgate at Maryland has been CANCELLED. 

After much deliberation, due to the impending weather situation this weekend, the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan has cancelled the tailgate event scheduled for this Saturday, October 3, in College Park, Maryland.

As you most likely know, kickoff for this game has been moved from 8 p.m. to noon. With the unpredictability of the weather forecast, for the safety of all alumni and fans, and our inability to guarantee that this event can be implemented to the level of our (and your) expected standards, we feel this is the prudent decision to make.
 
For everyone who has pre-purchased tickets to the tailgate, you will receive a full refund. We are working now to determine the most effective and efficient way to do this but are confident refunds will be issued within 2 - 3 business days. For those of you who purchased your tailgate tickets directly through the Athletic Ticket Office,the Athletic Department or the Alumni Association, we will automatically process refunds for those tickets. The game itself is not affected and, at this time, is still scheduled for noon.
 
The decision to cancel this event was not an easy one. It comes to us at a cost, both financially and in the spirit of supporting our football team. More importantly, we are losing an opportunity for alumni to connect with each other and the Association. But ultimately, when the safety of our alumni, fans and staff are at stake, we must err on the side of being safe. We hope you understand.
 
Be safe, be dry and GO BLUE!
MGoBoard
Football

BornInAA

October 1st, 2015 at 5:36 PM ^

It's more to do with lawsuits and insurance than anything.

I am sure the event insurance they take out excludes "natural disasters" or "acts of god". The minute the Mayor or Gov declares state of emergency then anything that happens falls into that category. 

Thus, if a tent at a tailgate loads up with rain water, collapses and injures a dozen people then the insurance will not cover it.

 

Joined: 11/21/2009

MGoPoints: 14510

Team 101

October 1st, 2015 at 5:46 PM ^

It has nothing to do with lawsuits or insurance.  The event was scheduled to take place inside a building not under a tent.  

The tailgate was set up for approximately 1,000 fans to participate and it sold out.  I assume that it took some effort to make arrangements for the event and it isn't so easy to snap your fingers and reschedule it 8 hours earlier and find vendors who would be interested in putting it together and taking it a part when a storm is coming.

I was hoping it would be able to be rescheduled but we will figure out something else to do.

Joined: 04/15/2013

MGoPoints: 38294

Mr. Yost

October 1st, 2015 at 8:16 PM ^

Think about the people that have to come in just for that event and work it...the people coming to that event and not going to the game. The drinks involved. How late does it go?

People can go drink and be merry anywhere...it doesn't have to be sponsored or on University property.

You're calling workers in, what if the streets are flooded and they should be home with their families? What if they have kids? I'd imagine it would be hard to find a daycare open or a babysitting that's going to drive in state of emergency type weather.

There are a million "what ifs" none of which may be important to you...but to a University, trying to send the right message to it's faculty and staff. It IS important. One person has something happen as a result of the University asking staff to work this event and it's a MUCH bigger issue than it needs to be. ONE person leaving this event and can't get home because of the conditions and it's a bigger issue than it needs to be.

This is a fucking social event. The fact that you would argue this decision is beyond insentive.

Guarantee anyone that can go to this event can pay money to go park themselves at an open bar or go to the store tonight and throw their own party. It's not worth it for the University, the risk far outweighs the reward from their perspective.

Maybe they just felt like no one would show up? Who the fuck knows...a tropical storm and heavy flooding is a decent justification. It's not like someone just woke up and said "nahhh, maybe next time" and rolled out.

Joined: 07/25/2011

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Duke of Zhou

October 1st, 2015 at 5:50 PM ^

Agreed. And the fact that many people who bought tickets probably wouldn't be able to make it to an event that starts in the morning probably made the decision easier. My friend and his girlfriend will have to miss the first half because she flies in at noon. At least similarly situated people will get a refund.

Joined: 12/03/2014

MGoPoints: 9840

copacetic

October 1st, 2015 at 6:00 PM ^

Really really. 

Not that it's that hard to open the thread and read it, but I didn't know if maybe they weren't allowing tailgating in certain lots (I have no idea how tailgating works there), or maybe OP cancelled his own personal tailgate. 

Joined: 01/10/2013

MGoPoints: 13689

M-Dog

October 1st, 2015 at 6:35 PM ^

Let's just do that anyhow.  Let's walk around in a big group with bottles of booze and potato chips and keep trying doors on classroom buildings until one opens.  Then we'll just take it over until the game starts.  

It's a Saturday at Maryland.  Who will know?

 

Joined: 07/06/2008

MGoPoints: 257573

FauxMo

October 1st, 2015 at 6:18 PM ^

Football without tailgate beverages is virtually inconceivable. Actually, seriously, I cannot even picture what it would be like, as I'm not sure I've ever witnessed football of any kind at any time completely sober.

The horror....the horror...

Joined: 06/17/2010

MGoPoints: 137610

StephenRKass

October 1st, 2015 at 6:19 PM ^

Hard but prudent decision. I suspect that Maryland and food vendors were involved in the decision making as well. With a full refund, the Alumni Assoc. loses money too. Unfortunately, in our litigious society, no matter how much you underscore the risk involved (come at your own risk, don't drive though flooded roads, etc., etc.), there is still significant liability if you do anything other than cancel such an event. The problem is the state of emergency put out there by various agencies.

Joined: 07/15/2008

MGoPoints: 23106

BomTrady

October 1st, 2015 at 7:33 PM ^

This is what that idiot Delaney gets for adding East Coast teams. I'll stick to the Midwest, where we don't allow the weather to interrupt football. We played in the ice bowl and these little girls at Maryland are trying to ruin everyone's fun because of a little RAIN! Go back to the ACC ladies!



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Joined: 09/26/2015

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rschreiber91

October 1st, 2015 at 11:59 PM ^

There are actually 2 main reasons why the tailgate was cancelled.

First, while the event had indoor space, part of the tailgate was planned to be outdoors.  As a result, there was a safety concern that there would not be enough room to have everyone inside at once.

Second, as alluded to above, there was concern that the food vendors would not be able to adjust to the earlier schedule to ensure that the event would be properly catered.

At the end of the day, the Alumni Association isn't going to half-ass anything.  They'd rather get a little egg on their face and cancel the event before they would charge people money for something that would be of less value than the cost to the membership.  I think it's both prudent and smart, and there's no harm to the alums who paid and will get a refund.

Joined: 10/10/2012

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