2025 West Lot/Selection date and times UPDATED

[Consigliere]

The driving factor here isn’t incompetence or any lack of consideration for the fan base. It’s a declining inventory of parking spots. Impossible to renew everyone year after year if the number of spaces declines.
Pragmatically using donor rank and annual reseeding is the only solution available. Absent a system to formally recognize cumulative contribution of regular groups of STHers and accommodate based on that level of support things aren’t likely to change and, at best, we’ll be dealing with complete uncertainty every year.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I'm going to be honest with you, my wife and I have taken the shuttle bus to and from every game for the last three seasons (we walked a couple times too). Never once had a problem. Only negative is waiting in line after the game to ride back.

People complaining about the shuttles are a head scratcher to me as I think SU does a good job with it. Just calling it like I see it, and trying to offer some constructive ideas. At the end of the day I'm in a different tailgate group than you guys but I think you guys have options that you're not seriously considering.

And yes I think it's complete BS that you're all having to deal with this.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with parking and tailgating at Manley or Skytop, clearly a number of people enjoy it and it offers some nice amenities. However, some of us having been tailgating in the West lot for the better part of 20 years or close to it going back to the Grob era etc. Fair or not we've become accustomed to the closeness to the Dome, the atmosphere of being so close, ability to tailgate up to a half hour or so before kickoff, ability to get together postgame quickly and discuss the game for hours etc. A shift to Manley or Skytop greatly affects the dynamics we have. Could it still work, yes, it absolutely could but not sure the will or desire would be there. The post game would be a real cluster as you noted and having to wait on a shuttle just doesn't appeal to a lot of us.

First world problems I know but when you've been at it as long as we have and the $$ generated toward the University, it's hard to not feel some entitlement.

 

[UnknownOrange]

does oakwood cemetery have any plots for sale? Might be a little bit pricier than your average lot but hey, you're getting it for eternity

 

[richmondcuse03]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with parking and tailgating at Manley or Skytop, clearly a number of people enjoy it and it offers some nice amenities. However, some of us having been tailgating in the West lot for the better part of 20 years or close to it going back to the Grob era etc. Fair or not we've become accustomed to the closeness to the Dome, the atmosphere of being so close, ability to tailgate up to a half hour or so before kickoff, ability to get together postgame quickly and discuss the game for hours etc. A shift to Manley or Skytop greatly affects the dynamics we have. Could it still work, yes, it absolutely could but not sure the will or desire would be there. The post game would be a real cluster as you noted and having to wait on a shuttle just doesn't appeal to a lot of us.

First world problems I know but when you've been at it as long as we have and the $$ generated toward the University, it's hard to not feel some entitlement.

Well said. Summarizes it nicely. Frankly the school should just make some exceptions for this group. You dont anger your most loyal and supportive fans.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

does oakwood cemetery have any plots for sale? Might be a little bit pricier than your average lot but hey, you're getting it for eternity

People are dying to get in.

 

[Consigliere]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with parking and tailgating at Manley or Skytop, clearly a number of people enjoy it and it offers some nice amenities. However, some of us having been tailgating in the West lot for the better part of 20 years or close to it going back to the Grob era etc. Fair or not we've become accustomed to the closeness to the Dome, the atmosphere of being so close, ability to tailgate up to a half hour or so before kickoff, ability to get together postgame quickly and discuss the game for hours etc. A shift to Manley or Skytop greatly affects the dynamics we have. Could it still work, yes, it absolutely could but not sure the will or desire would be there. The post game would be a real cluster as you noted and having to wait on a shuttle just doesn't appeal to a lot of us.

First world problems I know but when you've been at it as long as we have and the $$ generated toward the University, it's hard to not feel some entitlement.

That’s the key. For a group of our size the tear down process is a bear. Attendees can leave 45 minutes to an hour before kickoff still having had plenty of time to enjoy the festivities. But for the core team you really can’t start teardown until later and it takes 20-30 minutes at best. Then those folks need to rush to get into their seats by kickoff.
I know some folks that ran a large scale tailgate almost as big as ours at Skytop and they generally didn’t get into their seats until after the first couple of drives.

 

[baggerbob]

There more than enough parking, just not steps away from the dome.

There are more than enough spaces within a 25 minute walk.

One problem about that is a lot of Senior citizens couldn't make the 25 minute walk both ways.

 

[cuseguy]

As long as I can walk and breathe, I’ll continue to go to games. But with the West Lot purge, I’m no longer getting any benefits as a STH and contributor to the school. If I can’t get back in the West Lot, it makes sense to drop my season tickets and contributions. I can pick select games and park in University garage.

 

[310Pigpen]

Was able to get a pass in Harrison thankfully. The rep on the phone said there’s still a good number of passes available for those interested.

 

[cuseguy]

Was able to get a pass in Harrison thankfully. The rep on the phone said there’s still a good number of passes available for those interested.

Believe it’s the last year for Harrison

 

[GoSU96]

One problem about that is a lot of Senior citizens couldn't make the 25 minute walk both ways.

I get it, in fact I predicted all this starting 10 yrs ago.

This was inevitable

 

[310Pigpen]

Believe it’s the last year for Harrison

I asked the rep I spoke with about this and she said she hadn’t heard about that yet. I figured that was going to be the response

 

[Chip]

Always enjoy seeing you as well, Chip. Still a Cape May regular?

Bought a place 30 minutes north in Sea Isle City back in 2021. Much more in my price range, but it just isn't the same. We'll try to buy a place down there once I figure out how to get my hands on more money, legally or illegally.

 

[Irishsecra1]

Why should we suddenly have to change after being there for 20+ years? Most of the people in the tailgate donate THOUSANDS of dollars every single year to the university. And we have proved our loyalty

Quite frankly if it wasnt for the hardcore people that attend the tailgates that are closest to the Dome the athletic department at Syracuse University would be in trouble.

Where is the loyalty from Syracuse University to us?

Why should I have had to give up my third row top tier end zone seats that I have had since 1997 for the new student section?
Especially when half the time my seat was empty most, if not all of the game.
Things change - I lost my fan family of more than 20 people.
My friend was so pissed off she wanted to give up her tickets entirely.
But I was damned if I was going to give up my seasons when the long football nightmare was ending and Fran was making us good again.
So you can curse the heavens at the unfairness of it all - and it is grossly unfair to be sure- and leave, or stick around and tailgate at Manley or Skytop.
I paid my dues watching the crap under Grob and Shafer and I am not bailing now.

JMO

 

[JRHEETER]

Why should I have had to give up my third row top tier end zone seats that I have had since 1997 for the new student section?
Especially when half the time my seat was empty most, if not all of the game.
Things change - I lost my fan family of more than 20 people.
My friend was so pissed off she wanted to give up her tickets entirely.
But I was damned if I was going to give up my seasons when the long football nightmare was ending and Fran was making us good again.
So you can curse the heavens at the unfairness of it all - and it is grossly unfair to be sure- and leave, or stick around and tailgate at Manley or Skytop.
I paid my dues watching the crap under Grob and Shafer and I am not bailing now.

JMO

FWIW, I lost my seats too. And as I said in a previous post, you can only push your fans so far.

Making them lose their seats last year and now pushing them out of their parking.

Goes back to my final point that I made in the post......

Where is the loyalty from Syracuse University to its fans?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Syracuse street near SU Dome to close forever to make way for new I-81

Starting today, Renwick Avenue will be closed in both directions.

www.syracuse.com

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Here's the tailgate...

 

[Chip]

Here's the tailgate...

View attachment 252574

The drunken fall down the hill doesn't look as treacherous. As long as the train isn't coming through.

 

[Headmaster 9]

does oakwood cemetery have any plots for sale? Might be a little bit pricier than your average lot but hey, you're getting it for eternity

Yes- we have passes there ( and still pay for west lot due to equipment and food hauling for our tailgate). All seasons passes, but limited parking, and lady I knew there was a wait list. No tailgating permitted.

 

[Jake]

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it shouldn't surprise me that the absolutely dying mall isn't trying to get creative with the giant parking lots they control, just 3 miles from the Dome.

Shuttling stinks (IMO) but its a few minutes further than Skytop, but MUCH easier to get out of + the "benefit" of having the hotel, shops, bars, restaurants all right there

Lots of issues doing this.

It’s more than a few minutes when you consider the route you have to take and traffic.

You can’t go 81s to the hill via almond. That is gridlock central. Same deal going 81s to Clinton to West St. Gridlock.

Approaching from the north in almost any path means you get stuck in gridlock. That means any bus you hire is doing 2 trips pregame max if you drop off at Bird Library.

And you’re getting school buses that hold 30 people max with no air conditioning. So you’re moving 60 per bus pregame, and that’s if half the people leave 60-90 minutes before kickoff.

And it’s $1,000 per bus to rent.

And destiny doesn’t have the benefit of 25 cops available in a 2 block area. There’s no way in hell a near bankrupt mall owner is taking on any additional liability.

The idea sounds easy….its not. If it were easy and viable, it’d have been done years ago.

 

[Jake]

It’s obvious that the supply of public event parking west of the Dome is constrained temporarily (I-81) and will be phased out long term. Even if the U retains some lots for staff and students (and a few high rollers), the days of West tail-gating are numbered.

My issue is the lack of communication to STH’s, or even to ticket reps, about parking, both short term and long term. I don’t have data on the number of tail gates, but it has to be in the thousands for FB. Where are they going to put people? If it’s south campus, tell us what the plan is. What season will it start? Will there be adequate shuttle transportation, a dedicated lane for buses, support for large groups, maybe a tail gate registration system, etc, etc? People will adjust if the plan is communicated clearly and is well thought out. The slow squeeze is increasingly unpopular.

“Dedicated lane” - thems the magic words.

 

[UnknownOrange]

[/
Lots of issues doing this.

It’s more than a few minutes when you consider the route you have to take and traffic.

You can’t go 81s to the hill via almond. That is gridlock central. Same deal going 81s to Clinton to West St. Gridlock.

Approaching from the north in almost any path means you get stuck in gridlock. That means any bus you hire is doing 2 trips pregame max if you drop off at Bird Library.

And you’re getting school buses that hold 30 people max with no air conditioning. So you’re moving 60 per bus pregame, and that’s if half the people leave 60-90 minutes before kickoff.

And it’s $1,000 per bus to rent.

And destiny doesn’t have the benefit of 25 cops available in a 2 block area. There’s no way in hell a near bankrupt mall owner is taking on any additional liability.

The idea sounds easy….its not. If it were easy and viable, it’d have been done years ago.

Okay Mr “uses his brain before he posts”

Let’s do a gondola! Bullet trains!

 

[JeffCuse]

The driving factor here isn’t incompetence or any lack of consideration for the fan base. It’s a declining inventory of parking spots. Impossible to renew everyone year after year if the number of spaces declines.
Pragmatically using donor rank and annual reseeding is the only solution available. Absent a system to formally recognize cumulative contribution of regular groups of STHers and accommodate based on that level of support things aren’t likely to change and, at best, we’ll be dealing with complete uncertainty every year.

I generally agree, although people should be allowed to renew their seats abd parking at the same time. I get some may not be able to renew their parking but they should know that before committing to game tickets

 

[JeffCuse]

“Dedicated lane” - thems the magic words.

As NYC commuters how good that works during the morning rush

 

[Consigliere]

I generally agree, although people should be allowed to renew their seats abd parking at the same time. I get some may not be able to renew their parking but they should know that before committing to game tickets

Can’t renew parking if there is a significant reduction in supply. It’s apparent that is the case this year and at least some of the reductions weren’t made known to Athletics until shortly before the process kicked off.