Many bags banned from stadiums
Here’s an unexpected fall-fashion forecast: Ziploc could be a big name in ladies’ handbags this season. Because of a recently passed NFL rule, women across the country will have to ditch their purses in favor of clear bags or small hand-held clutches.
Limiting the types of bags fans can bring into stadiums is intended to enhance safety and speed up the security-screening process at the gate, according to the league. While stadium safety has steadily evolved since 9/11, the latest move is by far the most dramatic and controversial.
But the NFL is not alone. In 2009, the University of Michigan instituted a similar ban on bags at its football stadium, and fellow Big Ten Conference schools Michigan State and Penn State have followed suit.
In Oklahoma, the rules aren’t as strict — for now.
Oklahoma State is keeping its Boone Pickens Stadium policies the same for the upcoming college football season, which is two months away.
“We’ll be watching to see how it goes in the NFL and how people respond,” OSU associate athletic director Marty Sargent said. “It’s just a wait-and-see for us.”
OSU’s bag restrictions are comparable to what most stadiums have in place: Only small bags (smaller than 8 inches by 11 inches) are permitted after they have been searched.
“We’re getting more and more people coming into the stadium who aren’t bringing things in,” Sargent said. “We actually have express gates designed specifically for that, where if you’re not bringing a bag or something that needs to be searched you can hop in that line and come right in.”
At Oklahoma, the security policies could be modified for this year’s home games at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
“The University of Oklahoma always strives to strike the right balance of maintaining a safe and comfortable fan environ- ment,” an OU spokesman said. “We are constantly evaluating our policies and procedures for all of our venues and are finalizing our plans for the 2013-14 academic year.
“We will keep our fans informed if there are any modifications to our current policies.”
University of Tulsa officials have been discussing stricter bag policies but also haven’t reached a decision, a spokesman said.
TU bans “large” bags at H.A. Chapman Stadium but doesn’t have a specific size restriction like OU and OSU have. In Norman, only those smaller than 10 inches by 10 inches are al- lowed. Diaper bags are a key exception, as are approved items related to medical care.
The NFL’s solution for diaper bags: “Diapers can be carried in a clear bag. Each member of a family, including children, would be allowed to carry an approved clear bag and a clutch purse into the stadium. That is quite a bit of storage capacity.”
Such statements aren’t likely to sit well with female fans, who comprise an estimated 44 percent of the NFL fan base. About 375,000 women attend games each week of the season, according to the league.