McLane Stadium Policies, Student Ticketing Information Released

Baylor Athletics officially released a list of policies that will be put into effect this season at McLane Stadium. Some of these policies are conference policies that are enforced at almost every facility in the country. Others are more specific to McLane Stadium, but most follow the general trends of college and professional football stadium management. This article is here to summarize the rules and highlight any major changes from last year at Floyd Casey so that none of our readers have any misunderstandings come game day.

McLane Stadium Policies

No Artificial Noisemakers

Sorry folks, but Baylor will not be going the way of Mississippi State and Oklahoma State. Per general NCAA policy, artificial noisemakers like cowbells, drums, air horns, and paddles will not be permitted on premises. This rule is in place to keep players and officials from becoming distracted during the game, even though that's the point of cheering.

No Non-Service Animals

Service animals are awesome. If you have a service animal for any reason, it will be welcome inside the stadium and adored by the multitudes. If Fido isn't around to help you, it's best to leave him at home. Besides, a football stadium isn't the safest place for a dog anyway.

MAJOR: NFL BAG POLICY

McLane Stadium is adopting a much more stringent bag policy than Floyd Casey Stadium ever did. If you're familiar with the bag policy at NFL stadiums, you should have no trouble at McLane. Backpacks are not allowed at McLane Stadium, and all bags and purses must be 12" x 6" x 12" or smaller. There are no exceptions to this rule. That includes diaper bags and camera bags. If you try to leave your bag at the gate, it will be removed from the premises and discarded by staff.

Cameras

Tripods and bipods are not allowed in McLane Stadium, and any cameras carried by a fan must have a lens that is less than four inches wide in order to preserve the experience for other fans. Cameras that are dedicated to taking videos are also not allowed inside the stadium in order to protect digital media rights held by Baylor University and the Big 12 Conference. They can't confiscate your phone though.

No Chair Backs or Seat Cushions

Fans will not be allowed to bring their own portable chair backs and seat cushions into McLane Stadium since they are likely to impede on other fans' space. Arrangements can be made to have a chair back installed at your seat by the university. All official seat covers are fitted to McLane Stadium's bleachers.

MAJOR: FIELD ACCESS

At Floyd Casey Stadium, fans were allowed onto the playing surface after the game. No spectators will be allowed on the field at McLane Stadium before, during, or after the game. The only people permitted on the field are student athletes, coaching staffs, student performers, and properly credited personnel. Any students who are in possession of a field pass (i.e. film and digital media students and Chamber of Commerce members) must also have a game ticket. This policy is in place to protect the playing surface at McLane Stadium.

MAJOR: NO RE-ENTRY

Baylor joins Oklahoma and West Virginia in enforcing a no re-entry policy at McLane Stadium. This means that fans won't be able to step out to the tailgate at halftime. This is far and away the most controversial new policy, but its impact is being overstated in my opinion. Most parking at McLane Stadium will be much farther away from the stadium than it was at Floyd Casey, making such exits effectively impossible for a fan who wants to watch the whole game. Stadium personnel will take special circumstances into account.

No Smoking or Tobacco

It's a tobacco-free campus. Sorry folks.

No Umbrellas

Umbrellas can impede the view of other fans and also poke eyes out. Bring a poncho if you think it's going to rain.

Tickets

All fans ages 2 and older must have tickets to enter the stadium on game day. This is to prevent children who would normally sit on their parent's lap from interfering with the experience of other fans, and ensures that there is enough seating in the stadium for all fans in attendance.

Student Game Day Changes

Student Ticketing

Okay, kiddos. If you're a student, this is the part of the article that you're really interested in. Major changes are coming to the student ticketing process, and we're about to highlight all the significant changes.

• The student section at McLane Stadium can accommodate 8,500 students, including: 2,800 Baylor Line seats, 5,200 general student seats, and 500 berm overflow seats.
• Students will no longer pick up their tickets from the ticket office in the SUB. Baylor now supports a print-at-home option that allows students to reserve their tickets online starting six days before game day and either print their ticket from home or redeem their ticket through their smart phone.
• A valid student ID is still required in tandem with a student ticket to enter the stadium.
• If a student reserves a ticket but cannot attend the game, they can return their ticket up to two days before kickoff with no penalty. However, there are penalties for students who abuse their privileges. These will be detailed under the next heading.

Student Ticketing Restrictions

Students who use their ticket privileges improperly will be penalized in order to ensure maximum student attendance on game day.

• Any student who reserves a ticket and fails to attend the game will be given a one day penalty before the next home game. While other students will be able to reserve their tickets six days before kickoff as usual, penalized students will only be able to reserve their tickets five days before the game.
• If a student is caught trying to sell their ticket online or elsewhere, they will be unable to reserve a student ticket for the remainder of the season.
• If a student tries to give away their ticket, they will lose their student ticket privileges for two games.
• As stated above, any student who returns their ticket up to two days before kickoff is absolved of any penalties.

Student Ticketing Accommodations

If something goes wrong and you're unable to get the seat you wanted, don't fret. There area few accommodations for you.

• If you're a member of the Baylor Line and you're unable to get one of the 2,800 Baylor Line tickets, you can still get one of the general student tickets or berm overflow tickets.
• If you're a freshman or first year transfer and you own a line jersey, you will be able to run in the first two games if you wish. Any student who does not get to run in the first game will be given priority to run in the second game.
• If you have a Baylor Line ticket and do not run, you can still sit in the gold bleachers, but you'll only be allowed in once all runners have gotten to their seats. This fixes one of last year's major problems.
• Seniors are given priority tickets for Homecoming and Senior Night.
• The University will release standing room only tickets if all student tickets are reserved in advance.
• If berm overflow tickets are not sold out two days prior to kickoff, they will be released to the general public.