Illinois State University’s updated tailgating policy has drawn mixed reactions from students, with some praising the effort to increase game attendance and others missing the longer pregame experience of years past.
The new policy, introduced for the 2025 football season, requires tailgating to end before kickoff and asks students to help clean up their areas. In previous years, tailgates often continued well into the start of games, giving students more flexibility.
Senior history education major Christopher Kim understands the university’s effort to maintain order and school pride.
“I think the new policy helps the university, and I think that at the end of the day everybody’s just gonna follow what the university wants for guidelines,” Kim said. “It’s going good right now, and if you’re not helping clean up, it doesn’t make you look like a good student.”
Sophomore biology major Rushi Patel believes the new rules have noticeably changed the tailgating experience.
“This new policy most definitely changes my experience,” Patel said. “Last year, I remember we could tailgate for almost however long we wanted to. Compared to this year, which now has us cleaning up and ending the tailgate right before the game starts … I mean, I get why ISU’s trying to get more people to attend their football game, but we’re just trying to have fun out here.”
“I’ve been here for two years now, and the tailgates have been fun,” Patel continued. “It’s the best part of the football game in my opinion.”
Sophomore elementary education major Kate Wohlfeil sees both sides of the policy change.
“For this year, I think it’s super nice that Illinois State wants more students and people to go to the games,” Wohlfeil said. “I just think it was maybe halfway during the game that the tailgates could end because, especially for these 12 o’clock games, the tailgates have to end super early.”
Isabella Cervantes, a sophomore marketing major with double sequencing in data analytics and integrated marketing communications, said the change hasn’t had much of an impact on her.
“I personally don’t see a big difference in it. We’re still getting the same amount of time; it’s just that we can’t start later,” Cervantes said. “To me personally it doesn’t make that big of a difference, but I understand where some people might be coming from, like that there’s a little irritation.”
While the reactions differ, many students agree that the community atmosphere of tailgating remains an essential part of ISU’s football culture.
