Parking Lots to Open at Noon for Notre Dame Game

Submitted by Raoul on

U-M announced earlier today that all the university lots, the golf courses, and Pioneer will open for parking at noon for the night game vs. Notre Dame. Here's the press release:

Aug. 18, 2011

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan Athletic Department announced today (Thursday, Aug. 18) that football game day parking lots will open to all permits and public at noon when Michigan hosts Notre Dame in the Under the Lights Game on Saturday, Sept. 10.

The listing of parking lots opening at noon include: Blue, Grey, Purple, Buffalo, Red, Brown, Green and the U-M Golf Course. In addition to the university lots, Ann Arbor Golf and Outing and Pioneer High School will be opening to the public at noon.

The game between the Wolverines and Irish is scheduled for an 8 p.m. kickoff on ESPN. This will be the first-ever primetime game played at Michigan Stadium in the history of Michigan football.

IncognitoWolverino

August 18th, 2011 at 11:36 PM ^

AAGO and PiHi opening at noon as well? I thought people were lining up at the golf course at six in the morning, regardless of game time. There are even RVs in the high school parking lot a day or two before the game sometimes.

I can understand the reasoning behind this, but I think this is going to create more problems than drunkeness would.

Bando Calrissian

August 18th, 2011 at 11:57 PM ^

Oh God.  The idea of what the line into the Blue Lot is going to be at noon is already making me nervous...  Methinks a lot of folks are going to get bumped out of their normal spots, even the ones that get there before 6AM for a normal game no matter what time it starts.

mgoblue7

August 19th, 2011 at 12:06 AM ^

Pioneer had originally told me that nothing would change for the ND game.  Sounds like the University threw their weight around to make them open later.  I did send them an email asking if this press release is correct.  I am dissappointed in the parking time as I feel it will diminish the crowd for game day as only residents of Ann Arbor will be able to make it early to the show.

bluewings

August 19th, 2011 at 12:38 AM ^

 will I have to wait in my truck for 4 and 1/2 hours before the gate opens.  Maybe, I can just get in line with my truck, turn it off and head back at noon.  ND weekend cannot come fast enough.

HELLE

August 19th, 2011 at 12:55 AM ^

I'm a fan of David Brandon, but he is being way too cautious. He shouldn't deny fans the complete night game experience. If you're going to have a night game, you should do it the right way. Make an entire day of it by encouraging fans to get there early to attend Gameday, The Victors Walk, ect.. This is going to be a special day. We shouldn't be forced to fight traffic at noon, just because the University of Michigan is concerned about people drinking all day. Also, I bet they want to close the golf course at 12:30am. I would love to walk over and celebrate a victory at Good Time Charlies, but that probably won't happen because of the fear that my car will get towed off the golf course. Ridiculous!

VeryBlue

August 19th, 2011 at 5:37 AM ^

Just start drinking at home around 6 in the morning. Drink on the way to Ann Arbor. And, drink for 8 hours prior to the game. 14 hours of pre-game boozing isn't nearly enough; you'll have to make-do.

GoBlueMAGNUS

August 19th, 2011 at 10:26 AM ^

I told him my concern of having everyone showing up at the exact same time because of every parking lot opening at noon. I suggested staggering the openings by a bit to help reduce what probably will be a traffic jam from stadium south to 94. He responded almost immediately and said he didn't think everyone would be showing up for what would be an 8 hour tailgate. He said he's been in contact with ton of other athletic departments and this was pretty much what they did and it worked fine. I also suggested making a lot (like UofM golf course) require game tickets in order to park to help reduce the excessive partying and troublemaking that probably will occur. If anyone has been to Notre Dame their golf course has that policy and it works great. I parked there last lear and liked the idea a lot. They make you show them your game tickets at the enterence and if you don't have any, then you couldn't park there. He basically said they are keeping their plans as is. I'm thinking there is going to be a huge traffic jam on Saline. Who knows. I know I'll be there when they open so I guess we'll see

Raoul

August 19th, 2011 at 10:53 AM ^

Regarding what's done at other schools, MSU doesn't open their lots until 1:00 pm for night games (according to this page), so that's one example backing up Brandon's contention.

Lot Opening Times

Football parking lots will open 7:00am for noon games, 9:00am for 3:00pm games and 1:00pm for all night games (subject to change based on game time).

Also, a Purdue page says "Paid parking lots open eight hours prior to kickoff, but no earlier than 7 a.m. the day of a home football game." Nebraska's policy sets the opening at six hours prior to kickoff.

Illinois seems to be an exception, according to this page: "Parking lots open to patrons starting at 7 a.m. and remain open until 10 p.m. (this excludes night games, which will close 1 hour after the completion of the game)."

Bando Calrissian

August 19th, 2011 at 11:05 AM ^

That's cool, but none of those programs are having their first-ever night games against one of their biggest rivals with even the worst tickets already well into the triple-figures.  And all of those schools also already have an adequate amount of parking for their stadiums.  

This is the perfect storm of hype, history, and too few parking places for too many cars, with a ton of people probably showing up without tickets in the first place.  

Mattinboots

August 19th, 2011 at 9:16 AM ^

I'm just going to assume that means open to cars.  My buddy lives within walking distance of the stadium, so we'll just carry everything in by hand.

Wolv2004

August 19th, 2011 at 9:32 AM ^

This is unnecessary. Having participated in an all day night game tailgate at an SEC school a few years ago, I can say that people don't need their hands held like this. If you allow people to park at the normal time, most fans still won't show up until noonish. This is going to be a beast from a parking perspective.

Wolv2004

August 19th, 2011 at 9:32 AM ^

This is unnecessary. Having participated in an all day night game tailgate at an SEC school a few years ago, I can say that people don't need their hands held like this. If you allow people to park at the normal time, most fans still won't show up until noonish. This is going to be a beast from a parking perspective.

Wolv2004

August 19th, 2011 at 9:32 AM ^

This is unnecessary. Having participated in an all day night game tailgate at an SEC school a few years ago, I can say that people don't need their hands held like this. If you allow people to park at the normal time, most fans still won't show up until noonish. This is going to be a beast from a parking perspective.

Wolv2004

August 19th, 2011 at 9:32 AM ^

This is unnecessary. Having participated in an all day night game tailgate at an SEC school a few years ago, I can say that people don't need their hands held like this. If you allow people to park at the normal time, most fans still won't show up until noonish. This is going to be a beast from a parking perspective.

Wolv2004

August 19th, 2011 at 9:32 AM ^

This is unnecessary. Having participated in an all day night game tailgate at an SEC school a few years ago, I can say that people don't need their hands held like this. If you allow people to park at the normal time, most fans still won't show up until noonish. This is going to be a beast from a parking perspective.

Wolverine Pride

August 19th, 2011 at 9:35 AM ^

Having only been to AA 2 times before, always arriving early in the morning to get a parking spot.  Now what?  Is arriving at 11am for noon early?  Will the AAPD allow us to line the roads at 9am to get in line? 

mxair23

August 19th, 2011 at 9:52 AM ^

I foresee this becoming a messy situation. Creating new rules and guidlines and expecting 1/4 million people to follow is seting us up to fail. DB said that future night games would be scheduled based on "OUR" performance. Why not open at 9am so we can all find a place to park and head over to where Game Day is set-up.

M2NASA

August 19th, 2011 at 10:16 AM ^

I understand the university's intentions, but this is going to create a complete and total clusterfuck.

People are going to start lining up for the golf course at 7am and wait for five hours.  By noon, the line will go to I-94 at the very least, and this doesn't count every other lot like AAGO and Pioneer.

It's going to be a traffic disaster.

Bando Calrissian

August 19th, 2011 at 10:51 AM ^

Considering it's like that in both the Blue Lot AND the Golf Course, for example, by 7AM for a noon game, it's not all that out of the ordinary people will just not alter their normal routines.

I'm just worried about all the folks who will buy or acquire a parking pass from someone else for an established lot who will think they're all awesome and hardcore and try to set themselves up in a primo spot and screw over the regulars in the process.  This is going to be nuts, and making the parking lot open time that late is going to complicate the crap out of it.

Laser Wolf

August 19th, 2011 at 10:27 AM ^

Coming in from Cleveland. Should I still plan to get there early just to avoid the inevitable back-up to the highway?

Total newbie when it comes to driving in from out of town.

Powdrkeg7

August 19th, 2011 at 11:33 AM ^

I'll be setting up the last tee time for Friday and placing my EZ up on the cart along with my cooler and grill.  I plan on posting up at the 292 yard marker on the top of the hill, hole 18. 

SagNasty

August 19th, 2011 at 11:48 AM ^

I have no idea what time to start tailgating. It's just going to be me and my brother-in-law and we have an hour and a half drive to and from. I don't want to start too early but I want to have a decent place to park. I have a feeling it's going to be a mess trying to park. Guess we will just wing it and hope for the best

GoBlueMAGNUS

August 19th, 2011 at 7:20 PM ^

Too late man. I like to get there at 8 no matter what time kickoff is. If it's a nooner I'll cook one meal and if it's a 3:30 I'll cook breakfast and then lunch later. There's a lot of things that can keep you busy for a long tailgate. Cornhole, throw a football, drink, TV, ect. The earlier I can get there, the better