Associated Student Government is canceling the tailgate before Saturday’s 11 a.m. football game against Indiana University in anticipation of poor weather, leaders said.
“We’re making a weather call,” said Joel Richlin, ASG’s public relations chairman.
As of Thursday, Chicago Tribune metereologist Tom Skilling’s forecasted low for Saturday is 33 degrees. The predicted high is 47 degrees.
Richlin said ASG officials were concerned about giving students alcohol in the cold, but also that ASG was worried about wasting money on a tailgate students might not attend.
Richlin, a Weinberg senior, said serving alcohol in cold weather is unsafe, but also said a smaller turnout would waste student money.
“It wouldn’t be fiscally responsible to spend the money on this when attendance at the football game in general is going to be possibly low,” Richlin said. “The attendance at the tailgate would then be quite low.”
After last season’s more restrictive tailgates failed to generate much interest, this fall’s tailgates, held before the Oct. 5 game against Ohio State University and the Oct. 26 game against Purdue University, have attracted hundreds of students.
ASG officials attribute the popularity to its decision to offer food as well as Anheuser-Busch products to students over 21.
Expecting the weather to drive down attendance, ASG President Rachel Lopez echoed Richlin’s sentiments, saying there was no sense in having a tailgate for students if they would not come.
“We didn’t want to hold an event that was set up to fail because of circumstances beyond our control,” said Lopez, a Weinberg senior. “ASG only wants to do things that will benefit students and be the best use of students’ money.”
But some students said the weather will not drive people away from the game or the tailgate.
“I don’t think weather will be a factor,” said Kevin Rodrigues, a Weinberg freshman. “If it promises to be a good tailgate, people will show up.”
Richlin said ASG still hopes to hold a tailgate before the final home game on Nov. 23 against the University of Illinois. He already has lined up drum and dance troupe Boomshaka to provide some of the entertainment.
“The last tailgate we did was in 40-degree weather and it was great,” he said. “If on Nov. 23 it goes above freezing and gets near 40, we’ll go for it.”
