Syracuse University is opening the Carrier Dome doors to season-ticket holders at 3 p.m. today, in preparation for Saturday’s game against the University of Notre Dame.

Dome officials made the decision to open early after considering the record-low temperatures predicted for the rest of this week, according to an e-mail from the athletics department.

Jameson Fleming, president of Otto’s Army and a junior broadcast journalism major, said the Department of Public Safety expressed concern about students sleeping outside in the cold weather to Patrick Campbell, senior associate athletics director at the Carrier Dome.

The decision was made that there would be no camping out allowed before 3 p.m. today, when Gate P will open and an indoor line will form, Fleming said.

‘I’ve been out there on cold nights and it gets absolutely brutal,’ he said. ‘Sleeping outside when it’s -5 degrees is not healthy for anybody.’

Fleming met with Campbell and DPS on Tuesday to discuss rules for the event. Campbell then sent an e-mail detailing the changes to all season-ticket holders.

A lottery system will determine who is first on the list, out of the people who arrive at 3 p.m.

‘If eight groups show up, those eight groups will be put in a hat to see who’s first, second and so on,’ Fleming said.

Otto’s Army rules will take over from there. One student must keep the group’s place in line at all times, and everyone in the group must be present at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in order to claim their seats.

All non-season ticket holders will also be allowed to line up inside, but not until 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

The upper concourse inside Gate P will be designated for those in line. Sleeping bags and non-alcoholic beverages are permitted, but tents are not, the e-mail said.

This is the earliest the Dome has opened its doors to fans, Fleming said. In the past, cold weather has prompted officials to forbid students from lining up early or camping outside.

Mike Monacelli lined up six nights before the Georgetown game last year and slept outside of the Dome in subzero temperatures. Monacelli and his friends layered on warm clothing, slept in sleeping bags, drank cocoa and waited on cold concrete for the doors to open.

‘They used to just refuse to let people line up. I don’t know how that would have gone over,’ Monacelli said. ‘There’s a big camp-out following, at least 20 to 25 kids do it regularly. It’s a family thing, it’s a fun experience, it shows our loyalty to SU sports, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.’

jmterrus@syr.edu

Published on January 14, 2009 at 12:00 pm