NFL Restricts Types of Bags at Games, Citing Public Safety

These new rules are for only Seahawks games and do not reflect other events at CenturyLink like SoundersFC soccer games or concerts.

According to local media reports, the Seahawks will provide Season Ticket Holders with an approved bag for their belongings.

The NFL strongly encourages fans to not bring any type of bags, but outlined what is permissible in this article. 

Beginning with preseason games, fans will be able to carry the following style and size bag, package, or container at stadium plaza areas, stadium gates, or when approaching queue lines of fans awaiting entry into the stadium:

• Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12.” (Official NFL team logo clear plastic tote bags are available through club merchandise outlets or at nflshop.com), or one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar).
• Small clutch bags, approximately the size of a hand, with or without a handle or strap can be taken into the stadium with one of the clear plastic bag options.
• An exception will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection at a gate designated for this purpose.

Prohibited items include, but are not limited to: purses larger than a clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, seat cushions, luggage of any kind, computer bags and camera bags or any bag larger than the permissible size.

Fans will continue to be able to enjoy their tailgate activities in the parking lots and to do so with greater safety and the knowledge that their entry into the stadium will be smoother and faster. They also will continue to be able to carry items allowed into the stadium, such as binoculars, cameras, and smart phones.

In recent years the NFL has enhanced its already comprehensive safety plans with additional measures such as pat downs, bag checks and metal detectors. 

“Our fans deserve to be in a safe and secure environment,” said Jeffrey Miller, NFL vice president and chief security officer. “Public safety is our top priority. This will make the job of checking items much more efficient and effective. We will be able to deliver a better and quicker experience at the gates and also provide a safer environment. We appreciate our fans’ cooperation.”

This type of public safety measure is being successfully used at other large venues. The University of Michigan, Penn State University and Michigan State University do not permit any bags, while the TD Garden in Boston only permits clutch bags.

Working personnel, including media, will continue to enter NFL stadiums through designated gates where they will be subject to screening and bag inspections already in effect at all stadiums.

Q and A from the NFL on new policy:

How does the new policy improve public safety?

There will be a secondary perimeter around the stadium where security personnel will check for prohibited items or bags being carried toward the stadium so those situations can be corrected immediately. This establishes a protected buffer area for fans in plaza-level areas and at the queues for stadium entry. Prohibited bags will be turned away. Any prohibited bag inside the second perimeter will be highly visible and more quickly resolved.

The clear bag is easily and quickly searched and greatly reduces faulty bag searches. It also supports the Department of Homeland Security’s “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign.

Will teams be making money from selling team identified bags to fans?

There are a variety of options, including a clear 12” by 6” by 12” bag with no commercial identification or an inexpensive Ziploc bag. In addition, fans may carry their own small clutches. For fans who wish to purchase team logo bags, they will be available.

How many bags can each person bring into the stadium?

One large clear bag – either a one-gallon Ziploc style bag or the 12” by 6” by 12” clear bag – plus a small clutch. The larger clear bag must be a standard 12” by 6” by 12” made of clear PVC vinyl and is easily searched. The one-gallon Ziploc bag is readily available, inexpensive and easily searched. The small clutch allows privacy for small personal items and also is easily searched.

Can fans carry cameras, binoculars, smart phones or tablets separately from what they put in a clear bag?

Yes. Binoculars or a phone or camera can be carried into the stadium so long as it is not in its own bag. This is not a restriction on items that fans have been able to bring into the stadium. It is only a restriction on the type of container used to carry items.

Are seat cushions allowed to be carried into the stadium?

No, they are not due to the large size and because the way seat cushions are constructed would allow them to be used to conceal a potential explosive device.

What about bringing blankets in cold weather?

Fans will be able to bring blankets by tossing them over a shoulder or arm as they do in Green Bay. They can be easily screened carrying a blanket into the stadium.

Why haven’t more stadiums and arenas adopted this kind of policy?

The NFL is the only professional sports league that has a comprehensive set of best practices for stadium security certified by the Department of Homeland Security as anti-terrorism technologies under the United States Safety Act. As such, other professional sports leagues look to the NFL as the leader in stadium and large venue security. Other stadiums have watched the NFL closely and followed, to the extent possible, security enhancements pioneered by the NFL. We anticipate that many more stadiums and arenas will soon adopt this policy.

What happens if I show up at the gate with a bag that is not permitted?

Fans carrying bags that do not meet the criteria will be turned away from the stadium well before they reach the gates. Stadiums are encouraged to maintain an ample supply of clear plastic tote bags or clear plastic freezer bags to afford guests the opportunity to transfer their belongings to an approved bag before they approach the stadium. As an alternative for guests that have no other option, stadiums are encouraged to consider providing the opportunity to temporarily check non-compliant bags at a facility located well outside the bag-restricted area.

If I have certain items that I need to bring into the stadium for medical reasons and they won’t fit in the clear bag, what do I do?

There will be a separate entrance to allow screening of these bags and medically necessary items. 

*Information for this story came from www.nfl.com.