Tailgating on Campus

St. Mary’s University has designated certain areas near the Greehey Arena, Dickson Stadium, Sigma Beta Chi Field and the Softball Stadium for tailgating. Except for times when ARAMARK is providing alcohol for sale as part of a sponsored event, students, employees and fans of legal drinking age in Texas may bring their own beverages for responsible consumption in the designated areas prior to, during and immediately following athletic contests. At its discretion, St. Mary’s University may terminate tailgate parties, or take other appropriate actions toward individuals, groups, or organizations whose conduct is in violation of, or in conflict with, University policy. Failure to comply with directions from StMU Police Officers, Athletics event staff or any other university officials may result in eviction from university property without a refund of services. St. Mary’s University shall not be held liable or responsible for any actions taken by the public or tailgaters while on University property pertaining to alcoholic beverage consumption. Individuals are responsible for compliance with all local and state laws governing alcohol consumption. Anyone failing to comply with University policy, state law(s) and/or code(s) is subject to penalties prescribed by law, which will be enforced by University Police and local law enforcement as necessary. 

Tailgating Parameters

• Days: Tailgating will take place only on St. Mary’s Athletics game/event days.
• Times:
  • Outdoor Sports Events: Tailgating will open three (3) hours prior to the start of the game and will end thirty (30) minutes after the conclusion of the game.
  • Indoor Sports Events: Tailgating will open three (3) hours prior to the start of the game and will end (30) minutes after the start of the game. 
• Alcohol Consumption: In accordance with Lone Star Conference policy, alcohol consumption is not permitted during actual game times.   All consumption must cease at the official start of the game and may resume after the game ends.   For Double-header Sports Events, tailgating will be allowed during the time frame between Games 1 & 2, but must cease at the start of the second game.
• Location: Designated areas near the Greehey Arena, Dickson Stadium, Sigma Beta Chi Field and the Softball Stadium.
  • Greehey Arena: Alumni Athletics & Convocation Center (AACC) Courtyard, and Parking Lot T.
  • Dickson Stadium: Flex Field area outside of the outfield fence and Parking Lot K.
  • Softball Stadium: Along the berm, and in the area in Parking Lot D directly in front of the Softball Field berm (right and center field).
  • Sigma Beta Chi Field: Grassy area along Margaret Keefe Drive directly behind the soccer goal. 
• Allowable Tailgating Items: Tailgaters will be responsible for providing their own pop-up tents (cannot be fully enclosed), chairs, ice, food, grilling items, etc. StMU will not be held responsible for any lost or stolen items.
  • For outdoor sports, once the game begins, amplified sound (standalone speakers, or connected to an amplifier) will not be permitted during the (30) minute window between start of game and end of official tailgate.  
  • Tailgaters are responsible for all clean-up and disposal of all trash resulting from their activities.
  • During extreme heat advisories, city “Burn Bans” must be adhered to and grilling will not be permitted during tailgates.  
• Items for Sale at Tailgates:
  • ARAMARK, the official licensed vendor for St. Mary’s University, is permitted to sell beer and wine at tailgates, while games are in progress.
  • St. Mary’s University’s departments and Registered Student Organizations (RSO) are permitted to sell merchandise that has been pre-approved by the University.
  • Except for the above, the sale of alcohol and/or other items are prohibited.
• The university reserves the right to restrict any vehicle or person for reasons of safety from designated tailgate areas.

Alcohol

St. Mary’s University promotes personal responsibility regarding the use of alcohol. Individuals under the age of 21, the legal drinking age in Texas, may not possess or consume. Texas State law prohibits the consumption of alcohol by persons under the age of 21. Additionally, state law prohibits supplying alcohol to anyone under the age of 21.

• Types: Alcoholic beverages is limited to beer and/or wine. Hard liquor is not permitted. The quantity of alcohol per person is limited to an amount appropriate for personal consumption. Alcohol must be in its original containers.
• The following are prohibited:
  • Hard liquor or pre-made servings of hard alcohol – including but not limited to gelatin “Jell-O”/party shots or jungle juice/trash can punch.
  • Glass containers
  • Bulk containers, including but not limited to kegs, beer balls, wine boxes, etc.
  • Drinking games that encourage binge drinking or a rapid consumption of alcohol. Such activities including, but not limited to beer bongs, beer pong, funnels, shot-gunning, ice luges, and other drinking games.
  • Open containers of alcohol outside the designated tailgating areas.

The university reserves the right to end tailgating activities should an individual or group be determined to have exceeded appropriate personal consumption amounts. In these instances, the University Police department may take additional steps, including testing for alcohol levels, detainment and referral to city services to ensure the safety of those involved.  

Security & Safety

University Police will patrol tailgating areas to check for violations of the policy. Anyone in the tailgating area and in possession of alcohol may be asked to show valid identification/proof of age. University Police enforces all Texas State laws and University policies. Violation of University Policy, state or federal law will result in the tailgaters being removed from StMU grounds and prohibited from future tailgating events. University students are subject to action under the processes outlined in the Code of Student Conduct and possible University Police ticketing.

All tailgaters should exhibit good sportsmanship in accordance with Lone Star Conference Sportsmanship Policy. Profanity, racial, or sexist comments, or other intimidating actions directed at officials, student-athletes, coaches, the general public, or team representatives will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from the site of competition by University Police.

The safety of all tailgaters is our primary concern. We remind all tailgaters that it is illegal to drink and drive. In addition, should you or someone you know be abusing alcohol, we highly encourage you to report this behavior to a university official. 

Registered Student Organizations (Additional Policies)

All student organizations should review the alcohol polices within the Reregistered Student Organizations Handbook prior to any Tailgating Event Submission. The RSO Office reserves the right to deny or cancel any tailgating event by an RSO at their discretion.