Beginning with Virginia football’s October 7 home game versus Duke, fans will have to adapt to a new Bag and Entrance Policy at football and men’s and women’s basketball games, Virginia Athletics announced in this September 28 press release.
In light of the new policies, Virginia urges fans to arrive early to Scott Stadium on October 7. The Duke game kickoff is set for 12:20 p.m. Gates open at 10:50 a.m.
“The safety and security of all of our fans, guests, student-athletes, coaches and staff is our top priority,” Virginia director of athletics Craig Littlepage said. “We realize adoption of this policy in the middle of the football season is not ideal and ask our fans for their patience as we implement these new procedures.”
Per the Virginia Athletics Release, the new bag policy “limits the size and type of bags that can be brought into Scott Stadium and John Paul Jones Arena. The policy does not change the items fans may bring into the stadium and arena, but restricts the type of bag used to carry items.”
The clear bag policy is as follows …
–Bags must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and cannot exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″ or clear one-gallon plastic freezer bags (Ziploc bag or similar) are also permitted.
–Small clutch bags, approximately the size of a hand and no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″ (with or without a handle or strap) can be taken into the stadium or arena and will be subject to search.
–An exception will be made for items necessary for medical reasons after proper inspections at a gate designated for this purpose.
–Prohibited bags include, but are not limited to: purses larger than a clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, luggage of any kind, computer bags and camera bags or any bag larger than the permissible size.
–Seat cushions and seat backs are permitted as long as they do not have pockets or are not in a carrying bag.
–Items needed for small children must be in a clear bag that meets the stated dimensions.
Additionally, “screening procedures will now be used at all entry gates to Scott Stadium and John Paul Jones Arena. Walk-through and hand wand metal detectors will be the primary means of screening. For guests who are unable to utilize a walk-through metal detector, hand-held metal detectors will be used.”
In addition to football and basketball games, the new bag policy and entrance procedures will be in effect for “most non-athletics public events that are ticketed and/or high-profile at Scott Stadium and John Paul Jones Arena. Policies for Virginia’s other athletics venues are still under review.
Click here to read the full release found on VirginiaSports.com.
Click here to read the Bag Policy and Entrance Procedures, complete with a FAQ section.
