Town of Blacksburg Council Social Gathering Ordinance Has Limited Impact on #Hokies Football Tailgating

Good afternoon, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) sports fans.

Here we are in the middle of summer 😉  Please note that we have a few more ACC college football team previews on the @AllSportsDACC podcast before we enter August – when we start taking some more global looks at ACC and national college football.

One thing we all love to do when we visit Virginia Tech – and Blacksburg – is to tailgate.  My ACC friends tell me that Virginia Tech has some of the very best tailgating in the ACC – and I would argue that Virginia Tech has some of the best tailgates in all of college football.

Recently, the Town of Blacksburg voted in favor of an ordinance, which would impact tailgating in a few ways. Here’s our friend, Mike McDaniel’s take (he and usually agree on a lots of things regarding Virginia Tech – but I depart from his opinion below – reasonable minds can disagree, too):

The Town of Blacksburg trying to undermine gatherings for college football Saturdays, which brings the area millions of dollars every fall, is certainly a choice…https://t.co/NWJ4Czg9Sy

— Mike McDaniel (@MikeMcDanielSI) July 15, 2022

Here’s my take on the ordinance:

• First, it requires a person to get a permit for sound amplification equipment.  This is not a big deal – if you’re a good neighbor (like we Hokies all are), this is a pretty easy process.  Further, SEC schools, like Auburn, require these sound amplification equipment permits.  Most colleges feel they have to be reasonable to the neighbors they serve in their communities.
• Second, Virginia Tech tailgaters already have to get permits for crowds over 200 people (this isn’t a new requirement).
• Third, the ordinance establishes a voluntary permit system for crowds under 200 people.  That’s a key distinction – voluntary.  Town Councils, City Councils, state governments, even the federal government – set up voluntary structures.  The Blacksburg Town Council isn’t going to do anything that causes problems with “the golden goose.”  The Blacksburg Town Council knows that Virginia Tech students, fans, alumni, friends of the university – you name it – bring a lot of cash to Blacksburg during football season.  There is no enforcement mechanism with a voluntary permit system.  Police already have the authority to protect the safety of the community – so a voluntary permit system really is just a “we heard you and we’re taking action on the problem,” (but not really).

I get the slippery slope impact – but it does not apply here.  The Blacksburg Town Council just wants to show they “are doing something” without really doing anything.

So, yeah, I don’t think this is a big deal.  It will not have a massive impact on Virginia Tech football tailgating.  No one has demonstrated that this ordinance will have a massive negative impact.

Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page