Yale Consolidates Tailgate

The Yale College Council will host one school-wide tailgate for Bulldogs on Saturday in response to problems experienced with Yale’s multiple tailgates the last time the Game was played at Harvard in 2008.

Previously, most of Yale’s residential colleges had their own tailgates. This year, the tailgate has been centralized to involve all but two of the residential colleges, Davenport and Timothy Dwight, according to Courtney B. Pannell, a Yale senior and associate member of the YCC who is helping to organize the tailgate.

The consolidated tailgate comes as a result of confusion in 2008 when multiple entrances and miscommunication between the arriving U-Hauls and event security resulted in many of Yale’s residential colleges’ tailgates being dispersed around the stadium instead of at Yale’s designated spot, the Beren Tennis Courts.

“In the past, not all the tailgates were next to each other or even necessarily near each other,” said Michael Chao, a Yale senior who is also the events director of the Yale College Council.

Pannell said that this year the YCC is in close contact with the Harvard event staff. As in 2008, Yale’s designated location on Saturday will be the Beren Tennis Courts.

“This year there is a lot more communication and organization. There are a lot fewer voices they have to hear,” Pannell said. “The YCC is getting involved here as a service to the student body.”

Yale will be subject to the tailgate alcohol restrictions that were implemented at Harvard for the Game in 2008. Unlike when Yale hosts the annual match, Harvard tailgate rules forbid kegs and hard alcohol. The YCC will only be providing boxed wine and canned beer at their tailgate.

Also, as in 2008, tailgating at Harvard must end at noon, while rules at Yale allow tailgating until half-time. “We are under the same rules as the Harvard Houses with regards to drinking,” Pannell said.

According to Chao, most of the residential colleges could have feasibly financed their own tailgate, but organizing the various tailgates and bringing them to Harvard would be inconvenient.

“Without this one tailgate only three or four of the residential colleges would have had a tailgate,” Chao said.

Having one YCC tailgate ensures that the colleges do not have to bring their own grills and U-Hauls.

Harvard will provide food to all Harvard and Yale students, according to Chao. With grilled food taken care of, Yale was able to order a caterer for a variety of special treats.

“Harvard has been hugely cooperative,” Pannell said. “We really want to work together with Harvard to ensure that we comply with all the restrictions.”