MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Mountaineer fans will need to make an adjustment in their game day packing starting this season. A new West Virginia University Athletic Department Policy will require any bag brought into the Milan Puskar Stadium to be a clear, see through product.
“The NFL has had this policy since 2013,” said April Messerly, Assistant Athletic Director and President of the Facility Management Association. “It allows quicker screening and more efficient screening when you have all of the components in a bag you can see.”
Fans have been subject to bag searches since 9/11, but until now there were allowances for traditional bags. Now only the clear bag are acceptable and that extends to women’s purses.
“They cannot bring a regular purse now,” said Messerly. “You’re allow to bring a small clutch instead.”
Messerly said the clear bag policy is becoming more and more common around the nation at large sporting venues. It’s been the NFL policy for the past five years. The Southeastern Conference this year has mandated all of its schools go to the policy and Messerly added eight Big XII schools now have the policy.
Season ticket holders will be provided with a clear bag and vendors around the stadium will sell them. If you don’t want to use that option, she added, a regular, clear gallon sized zip-lock bag would also be acceptable and those would be available at the gate for anyone who needed them.
The policy will be in effect and enforced during the first game. There will be no exceptions, but Messerly added they’ll have signage up throughout the city and stadium parking areas. Where shuttle buses are running the athletic department planned to post personnel to observe those getting on the bus and alert them if they were carrying a bag which would be unacceptable to give them time to leave it in the car.
“They’ll be able to get used to it at the first game with Virginia Tech,” she said. “A lot of people will be at the game and Redskins Stadium has a clear bag policy.”