Photo by brianmka

Are you a Redskins suite holder? (Hah, OK, you’re more than likely not, but bear with us here.) Then you might have been surprised when you got a letter in the mail from the team letting you know that tailgating will only be allowed in the last few rows of each parking lot at FedEx Field this upcoming season. Dan Steinberg reports that the team, in an effort to ostensibly suck as much fun out of the game-day experience as possible, would really prefer it if you could keep the tailgating riff-raff as far away from the stadium as possible, please. Why? Who knows, although we’d imagine that Snyder would like it if you purchased food and drink inside of the stadium instead of bringing your own. Tailgating is one of the few things that keep ‘Skins games entertaining anymore, and is a vital reason why many people put up with the exorbitant parking charges at the Field — there’s also a strong sense of community in the lots: folks who know exactly where their friends are and can tell stories about tailgates of years gone by. Steinberg thinks that “we should withhold judgment until we hear exactly why this is happening,” but it’s hard to imagine that hardcore tailgaters will see it so diplomatically.