Confirmed: Parking Lots Opening at 3:30pm on Sunday 12/30 for Dallas Game

Apparently some STH's have recieved an email from the Redskins confirming that the team owned lots will be opening at 3:30pm on Sunday. This means 5 full hours of in-lot tailgating, a first for the 2012 season!

I am very appreciative of the team's decision to do this. Now the early birds can get setup with plenty of time to enjoy themselves, cook dinner, and take down their tailgates in time to be in their seats by kickoff. It's truly a shame the team doesn't do this more often.

Just curious, does anyone know why there is a 4 hour limit*? Even for the Phillies games you can tailgate at around 10-11 am for a 7 pm start.

*not counting the "pre" tailgate on the road beforehand

Just curious, does anyone know why there is a 4 hour limit*? Even for the Phillies games you can tailgate at around 10-11 am for a 7 pm start.

*not counting the "pre" tailgate on the road beforehand

Have you seen the morons at the stadium? THe 4 hour thing always made sense to me because of that.

Have you seen the morons at the stadium? THe 4 hour thing always made sense to me because of that.

Usually those policies are reactionary, just wondering if something happened to create that.

Usually those policies are reactionary, just wondering if something happened to create that.

Is it an NFL policy or just something that the Redskins choose to do?

Is it an NFL policy or just something that the Redskins choose to do?

Redskins choice.

Redskins choice.

That's what I thought. I think 4 hours is plenty enough for the day games. I do think it cool however to open it early like they did 2 years ago and will do Sunday for the big primetime games.

That's what I thought. I think 4 hours is plenty enough for the day games. I do think it cool however to open it early like they did 2 years ago and will do Sunday for the big primetime games.

In my opinion, not enough. Of course it's good because you avoid the people that get ridiculous. But with you needing now to be packed up 45-hour before to get through wanding and get into the stadium, bathroom, to your seat, etc - it would be nice to open up the gates earlier.

Also, ohter stadiums you have time to smoke stuff, get there real early and cook everything fresh, then sit back and enjoy for a while.

Have you seen the morons at the stadium? THe 4 hour thing always made sense to me because of that.

I think it has less to do with the drinking than it does to do with the extra money needed to pay for the parking staff, port-a-johns, security, etc. The 8 hour tailgates of 2009 will likely never be repeated although they were a truly cool experience for those who were able to attend.

From my experience (I've been to all but 4 home games since 2006) the drunkenness and the parking lot opening times do not have much of a correlation. The "morons" you refer to are usually around my age and show up 2 hours before kickoff with a handle of Captain, a few 30's of Bud Light, and no food. If one chooses to start drinking at noon on gameday there is nothing the team can do about it short of denying entrance if the person is visibly intoxicated.

The early birds are I far cry from the others I mentioned. They show up at the crack of dawn for every game regardless of the weather and set up generators, tents, grills, smokers, speakers, etc. and provide FedEx with the best tailgating atmosphere in the NFL! These people are the ones who truly enjoy it when the lots open early as it allows for greater ease of entry and more time to cook and clean up. I have spent lots of time with the early tailgaters. They are model fans and give Redskins supporters everywhere a reason to be proud we are well represented at FedEx.

Also, I think the high ticket prices and demand for this game will reduce the number of my previously described "*******" fans. There was a noticeable positive change with the people who attended Nationals and Capitals games as the teams met with similar success and I expect the same will happen at FedEx. You will always have a few bad apples as you do at any sporting event in the world but when the tickets are expensive you don't get as many idiots who lucked into free tickets and are just trying to get as drunk as possible.

Yeah the handle of liquor is crazy, I can't do that and function responsibly. I eat breakfast and then play beer pong. I pretty much just chill and drink the entire 4 hours so by the end I always feel like I've had enough and are ready to go inside. I remember not drinking at all during the first 2 hours of the 8 hour tailgates so I could pace myself.

I think we need to call this one a rumor until we get a confirmation.

I really hope this is true. I'm looking forward to the early start if not just to be able to set up early but to be able to avoid traffic. Yeah, it's Sunday so it won't be too terrible but I like the early setups so you can just breeze right through the parking attendants and all the normal backups and pretty much have free reign on parking.

Attachment - problem - see below

Did anyone else get this email?

[ATTACH]47529[/ATTACH]

Attachment problem - see above.

..but while I'm here -

Not a rumor: it's fact. I got the same e-mail.

I did not get that email GV. However, I did get the press release announcing the time change, and there was nothing about the lots opening early.

Furthermore, there is nothing in the newspaper about lots opening early.

Furthermore, there is nothing on redskins.com about the lots opening early.

Furthermore, there is nothing on the web about the lots opening early.

It appears to me that whoever typed that email shown in your attachment made a one-hour mental error when he listed all the other time changes on the 30th, other than the kickoff.

I also got the email. I'd say the cat's out of the bag. IF the Redskins sent out the email with the wrong time, it's pretty much too late to say "oops". People will arrive for 3:30pm and the backup will begin if they do not open the parking lots.

EDIT -- My wife suggested that maybe the Redskins just like some of us more than you other guys (cough, cough, MTH, cough) and they want us to get better tailgating positions. :evilg:

Guess we'll sit tight and wait for confirmation. My mom forwarded that email to me - just didn't want her email plastered all over the interwebs. Sorry about mucking up this thread....was having some attachment problems.

I didn't remember getting anything on the 24th from the TO. Just rechecked and I did get the email with lot time change.

Limiting the tailgate to 4 hours doesn't stop the 22 year old drunks from throwing up inside FEDEX. It's not like RFK. We knew how to do it.

I got the email too, with the 3:30, 4:30, 5:30 and 8:20 times listed.

I got the same email...

Dear Season Ticket Holders,

Due to the NFL's flex scheduling policy, Sunday's Redskins vs. Dallas game presented by Verizon has been moved from 1:00 p.m. to the Sunday Night Football game on NBC at 8:20 p.m.

As a result, the parking lots will open at 3:30 p.m., Bud Light Party Pavilion and AAA Ultimate Fan Zone will open at 4:30 p.m., and gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Come early and show your support as the Redskins battle for the NFC East Division title.

Thank you and Hail to the Redskins!

It was also said on 106.7 the fan this morning...

---------- Post added December-26th-2012 at 11:36 AM ----------

I tried to call the ticket office but after 15 minutes on hold gave up. I'm sure they're short staffed today due to the weather. I'll send an email and post any response I get.

Larry Michael just called my house, he stated "in anticipation of heavy commuter traffic, Fedex field parking lots will open at 3:30PM"

Also got the email stating the same.

Hail

Just got the same call. Good old Larry!

Parking open at 3:30 pm

Kickoff at 8:20 pm

Gates 5:30 pm

Bud Light Pavilion at 4:30 pm.

no longer a rumor