Hello everyone, I am a fairly new Huskie football fan and I've only been to one game so far (last year's beat down of Western Illinois) so I'm not exactly sure about the tailgating scene at Huskie Stadium. I'm making the trip down to DeKalb from Milwaukee for the game Saturday vs. Temple!

Where are the prime spots to tailgate? The two lawn lots? How early do you have to get there in order to get a spot in there? And finally, do you have to pay to park there/how much does it cost?

I appreciate your help and I look forward to your responses. My school doesn't have a football team (Marquette), which sucks, but my best friend played two years for Northern so I instantly latched on to NIU as my football team. The past two or so years I have become addicted to Northern Illinois football and I look forward to supporting them the rest of my life.


Go Huskies!!

I just park wherever, grab my case of beer, find the Huskiemobile and partay!

East and West side lawns are restricted parking for HASF donors/season ticket holders. East side is also student tailgating while West side is for us older folks.
Convo lot offers tailgating...not sure what restrictions if any there are.
There is a private lot south end of Stadium entrance from Lincoln hwy that I have seen people tailgating at. Probably best to come early for that one.

NIU website is promoting reverse tailgating following the game. Not sure what that means when lots are to open.

Park in lot K if you get there early (3.5 hours before the game the lot opens). If you cant get a space there, head over to the Convocation Center (lot C1 or C2). Feel free to come hang with us over in the grass lot on the East side of the stadium. We should be in the SE corner of the lot right by Stadium Drive. Look for the Huskie Mobile with the deck on top of the van and the Huskie Sprinter (big RED Dodge Sprinter). You can't miss us.

http://www.niu.edu/parking/images/ParkingMap.pdf

(10-05-2010 08:38 AM)HuskiemobileMan Wrote:  Park in lot K if you get there early (3.5 hours before the game the lot opens). If you cant get a space there, head over to the Convocation Center (lot C1 or C2). Feel free to come hang with us over in the grass lot on the East side of the stadium. We should be in the SE corner of the lot right by Stadium Drive. Look for the Huskie Mobile with the deck on top of the van and the Huskie Sprinter (big RED Dodge Sprinter). You can't miss us.

http://www.niu.edu/parking/images/ParkingMap.pdf

Can we tow the winnebago?

BTW, parking at the convo lots or the small lot off Lincoln Hwy (lot k I think) are all $10/car, maybe more for RV. I prefer the small lot because it's closer to the stadium and right by the East lawn near the students/music/entertainment etc. I recommend you party with the Huskie Mobile folks. It always looks like that section is having a good time and you can't miss them right on the corner. If you just want to spread out and chill there's plenty of room in the main convo lot, but it's all blacktop.

(10-05-2010 08:38 AM)HuskiemobileMan Wrote:  Park in lot K if you get there early (3.5 hours before the game the lot opens). If you cant get a space there, head over to the Convocation Center (lot C1 or C2). Feel free to come hang with us over in the grass lot on the East side of the stadium. We should be in the SE corner of the lot right by Stadium Drive. Look for the Huskie Mobile with the deck on top of the van and the Huskie Sprinter (big RED Dodge Sprinter). You can't miss us.

http://www.niu.edu/parking/images/ParkingMap.pdf

Thanks for the map - that helped a lot. Decided at last minute to go to game with 15 year old son. Should get there for kickoff!

(10-05-2010 07:47 AM)66Huskie Wrote:  East and West side lawns are restricted parking for HASF donors/season ticket holders. East side is also student tailgating while West side is for us older folks.
Convo lot offers tailgating...not sure what restrictions if any there are.
There is a private lot south end of Stadium entrance from Lincoln hwy that I have seen people tailgating at. Probably best to come early for that one.

What level of HASF Donor to you need to be in order to get a tailgating pass for the West Side lot?

(10-18-2010 02:07 PM)sillingworth Wrote:  

(10-05-2010 07:47 AM)66Huskie Wrote:  East and West side lawns are restricted parking for HASF donors/season ticket holders. East side is also student tailgating while West side is for us older folks.
Convo lot offers tailgating...not sure what restrictions if any there are.
There is a private lot south end of Stadium entrance from Lincoln hwy that I have seen people tailgating at. Probably best to come early for that one.

What level of HASF Donor to you need to be in order to get a tailgating pass for the West Side lot?

Victory ($1,500 and above) gets you closest to the stadium on the West side. Just west of the Victory lot is the Pride ($1,000 to $1,499).

Tailgating post game is not a great idea in my mind. In addition to the throngs who tailgate in the lot throughout the game, you now have additional tailgaters to block the lanes of people trying to leave the stadium. I do enjoy trying to run the bastards over, however!

(10-18-2010 02:07 PM)sillingworth Wrote:  

(10-05-2010 07:47 AM)66Huskie Wrote:  East and West side lawns are restricted parking for HASF donors/season ticket holders. East side is also student tailgating while West side is for us older folks.
Convo lot offers tailgating...not sure what restrictions if any there are.
There is a private lot south end of Stadium entrance from Lincoln hwy that I have seen people tailgating at. Probably best to come early for that one.

What level of HASF Donor to you need to be in order to get a tailgating pass for the West Side lot?

If you are talking right next to the stadium in the Victory Lot, the donation is $1500. If you are talking the Pride Lot west of the Victory Lot, the donation is $1000.

The Cardinal & Black lot over by the dorms is a $250 donation. The spirit lot by the water tower is $150. Those are the west side parking. On the east side you can park next to the stadium (and the students) for a donation of $500.

(10-18-2010 02:07 PM)sillingworth Wrote:  

(10-05-2010 07:47 AM)66Huskie Wrote:  East and West side lawns are restricted parking for HASF donors/season ticket holders. East side is also student tailgating while West side is for us older folks.
Convo lot offers tailgating...not sure what restrictions if any there are.
There is a private lot south end of Stadium entrance from Lincoln hwy that I have seen people tailgating at. Probably best to come early for that one.

What level of HASF Donor to you need to be in order to get a tailgating pass for the West Side lot?

Victory (WEST) Lot requires annual donation from $1,500 to 2,499.

Red Black, Huskie Bob, and Cheer Dad put out quite a spread. They do it right. Food, as usual, was awesome. Made my annual appearance and hung out on East side. Music by HMM was also good, Like you can watch games on the Dish by his vehicle(s). He has an entourage driving in to the game. All three of the vehicles were there.

(10-18-2010 02:20 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Tailgating post game is not a great idea in my mind. In addition to the throngs who tailgate in the lot throughout the game, you now have additional tailgaters to block the lanes of people trying to leave the stadium. I do enjoy trying to run the bastards over, however!

I know several people who didn't have tickets to the game and were kicked out of the convo lot as soon as the game started. The flyer of tailgating rules said that tailgating ended one hour after the end of the game, and apparently the bike cop let a bunch of other people stay. The people I know said they weren't doing anything besides listening to music, playing bags and hanging out. Apparently the bike cop was a huge ***** about it as well. Pretty weak in my opinion.

(10-18-2010 02:36 PM)armour248 Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 02:20 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Tailgating post game is not a great idea in my mind. In addition to the throngs who tailgate in the lot throughout the game, you now have additional tailgaters to block the lanes of people trying to leave the stadium. I do enjoy trying to run the bastards over, however!

I know several people who didn't have tickets to the game and were kicked out of the convo lot as soon as the game started. The flyer of tailgating rules said that tailgating ended one hour after the end of the game, and apparently the bike cop let a bunch of other people stay. The people I know said they weren't doing anything besides listening to music, playing bags and hanging out. Apparently the bike cop was a huge ***** about it as well. Pretty weak in my opinion.

I have no sympathy. There is a game. Go to it. Otherwise you can go to the bars.

Thank you all for the information. One other question that's off topic, but I didn't want to make a new thread for it. What is the process to get tickets to watch the football game for the outdoor deck at the Yordon Center?

(10-18-2010 03:21 PM)niuguy Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 02:36 PM)armour248 Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 02:20 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Tailgating post game is not a great idea in my mind. In addition to the throngs who tailgate in the lot throughout the game, you now have additional tailgaters to block the lanes of people trying to leave the stadium. I do enjoy trying to run the bastards over, however!

I know several people who didn't have tickets to the game and were kicked out of the convo lot as soon as the game started. The flyer of tailgating rules said that tailgating ended one hour after the end of the game, and apparently the bike cop let a bunch of other people stay. The people I know said they weren't doing anything besides listening to music, playing bags and hanging out. Apparently the bike cop was a huge ***** about it as well. Pretty weak in my opinion.

I have no sympathy. There is a game. Go to it. Otherwise you can go to the bars.

Give this man a cigar.

I can't tell you the high number of morons who do this in the Victory lot. Someone who has season tickets and donates over $1,500 to the program is making a serious statement as to their commitment to and support of the program. Then, they park their asses in their tailgate area throughout the game while the Huskies need the attendance and support of everyone at the game.

I had to leave last Saturday a few minutes before the game ended because of an illness in the family. It almost looked like Woodstock in the Victory lot with all the idiots there playing with their balls and sacks and watching TV. I thought the game not being televised would alleviate this somewhat. Nope. I guess once a moron, always a moron.

(10-18-2010 03:27 PM)sillingworth Wrote:  Thank you all for the information. One other question that's off topic, but I didn't want to make a new thread for it. What is the process to get tickets to watch the football game for the outdoor deck at the Yordon Center?

Seating on the curved walk is usually reserved for folks who pony up around $1,000 or so, which will allow you and several friends to sit there. Trust me, it's not worth it to see the game from the endzone when virtually every seat in Huskie Stadium will afford a better view.

Haha a little over the top there Dog Fan. It's a college football game and you're annoyed by people drinking, grilling and playing games in a tailgating lot?

Isn't the $1,500 they spent also an indication of their commitment to the program?

I'd like it if everyone went to the game but it's not going to happen. Hopefully less people will stay outside as the team continues to win, but there will always be people who would rather eat, drink, and socialize with friends outside the stadium. I can't blame them...sometimes it's more fun than going in and watching the game and I say that as someone who loves attending the games.