Carolina football is seeking to take the tailgate out of tailgating.

The drawback of having the most scenic stadium in college football is that people cannot drive their cars into some cow pasture within walking distance of the game, open up their trunks and tailgates and have an instant party. Sure, you can do that before UNC home games, but it has to be in the beautiful concrete decks on Manning Drive or on grassy knolls next to park and ride lots to Kenan.

It has been a problem since driving to football games replaced horses and buggies. If you want to pitch a tent, layout out the spread of fried chicken, potato salad and deviled eggs, do it in the soft gray environment of Craige Deck or pay some mega bucks to someone to get one of the cherished spots on Stadium Drive. The nearest mass parking lot for such a thing is Bowles next to the Smith Center, where you have to walk up one of the steepest inclines in Chapel Hill to get to the dad gum game – and on a full stomach of tailgate fare.

Now, UNC is seeking to solve the problems by taking the tailgate out of tailgating. The athletic department has partnered with a 12-year-old company called Tailgate Guys, which was born in the Southeastern Conference and faces perhaps its biggest challenge in Chapel Hill. Tailgate Guys says, “Pay us and forget about everything else. Park wherever you can and come to the picnic spot you rented close to the stadium, don’t bring a thing except your empty wallet.”

Tailgate guys will scope out nooks and crannies all around Kenan and rent out the spaces to fans for big and small tailgate parties they set up with your moola. You want to be within a pitching wedge from Gate 6 on the south side of the stadium? You got it on the grass near the student health center. You can’t drive there and park there and lower your tailgate, but Tailgate Guys can with one vehicle, set up the food and booze, as I understand it, and wait for you.

It’s kind of a cool idea, and credit must go to the athletic department for trying to solve an unsolvable problem: no traditional tailgate space except for a privileged few outside of Kenan because the stadium was built smack dab in the middle of campus. The idea was park wherever you can, eat wherever you can and stroll to the game. It has worked for so many for so long, including the eateries on Franklin Street, but UNC still wants to say you can tailgate outside of Kenan.

Well now you can. Sort of, with the Tailgate Guys.

(Photo: codeelec.com)