Super Bowl Tailgating Petition

Dave Lamm writes a tailgating blog called Tailgating Ideas and he's mad. His beef: the NFL prohibits tailgating around the stadium for the Super Bowl:

The Super Bowl has gradually turned into an overcommercialized media event over the past few years but banning tailgating at the Super Bowl is just hypocritical and short sighted by the NFL. How can the NFL encourage millions of fans to tailgate prior to every game during the season but ban tailgating before the Super Bowl?

This is an issue that had fans tearing up message board and forums last year, but this year Dave's taken it the next step. He's started a petition for tailgaters around the country to sign that he'll send to the NFL and the Super Bowl Committee. The high points of his petition:

• Insists that the ban on Super Bowl tailgating policy be abandoned.
• Points out that this policy is hypocritical and undermines the NFL’s credibility.
• By banning tailgating at the Super Bowl, the NFL has essentially sent a message that the potential threat of terrorism has criminalized a uniquely American way of life.
• If the anti-tailgating policy is not changed, tailgaters across America are willing to boycott all Super Bowl advertisers and their products if this policy is not changed.

You can read the entire petition and sign it here. To read his blog post about the petition click here.

There will be at least one large tailgate area at the Super Bowl this year, however, even if it's not near the stadium.

Last year's ban sparked an idea for Jay DiEugenio, aka The Tailgate Guy, who runs YourTailgateParty.com. Super 'Gate 08 is a 4-day event with contests and concerts, and the Tailgate Decathlon. The idea, according to the website, is to:

- Give tailgaters a place to party before the biggest football game of the year.
- Celebrate the growing trend of tailgating by bringing together tailgaters from teams across the NFL.
- Strive to set the world record for the biggest tailgate party in history.
- Be a fun, interactive, event for the fans with contests, entertainment, and of course, tailgating!
- Provide a place to park, stay, and party for a minimal cost, and with minimal restrictions.

Oh yeah, there's also a contest for Miss Blacktop Babe.