Police to Put Damper on Rams Tailgating

Ram fans who participate in tailgating before games are objecting to a notice that the Anaheim police will enforce a city ordinance that prohibits the consumption of alcohol in the parking lot at Anaheim Stadium.

Greg Smith, Anaheim Stadium operations manager, said the ordinance has been on the books for several years but rarely has been enforced. He said a number of alcohol-related incidents at the stadium led management, the city, the Angels and the Rams to agree to begin cracking down.

“This is part of an overall awareness on the part of stadiums and teams nationwide to the problem of alcohol abuse,” Smith said. “We had begun receiving a number of letters from people complaining about the amounts of alcohol being consumed. It is an effort to maintain safety and a family environment.”

Of the notices, Ram spokesman John Oswald said: “The city asked us if we could put the supplement in the mail to season ticket-holders, and we said yes. It was just something to back the city in case of a big disturbance. It (the notice) is something they could fall back on.”

Among the fans objecting to the notice was George Rogers of Placentia, a season ticket-holder for 10 years.

“Parties have been going on since the Rams have been here, and I haven’t seen any serious problems” Rogers said. “So it was a real surprise to get this notice. I think it’s ridiculous and I think a lot of other people feel the same way.”