A new, more restrictive tailgate policy at Levi’s Stadium may have backfired on its first try, as 49ers fans showed up earlier instead of later Monday, and set up their tailgate parties outside the stadium parking lot.  

Your San Francisco 49ers kick off their 2024 season at home tonight in a Monday Night Football matchup against the New York Jets, a campaign they hope produces that elusive sixth Super Bowl title. But the goodwill that always surrounds a home opener has been dampened somewhat for longtime 49ers fans, as the team is now implementing a new parking lot policy to clamp down on tailgate parties. Fewer vehicles will be allowed into Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium parking lot early, and when most vehicles are allowed in, they will get assigned parking rather than the ability to park near their friends' tailgate parties.

As the official Levi’s Stadium Twitter account notes below, the parking lot did not open until 1:45 pm Monday. Even then it was open only to those with the Early Entry Tailgaters pass — fewer of which were handed out this year, as the stadium tries to cut down on early arrivals and their pregame debauchery.

Folks, this may have backfired. KTVU reports that cars were lined up outside the parking lot as early as 12 noon Monday. These vehicles were not allowed inside the parking lot, and maybe these fans didn’t care. As the aerial image below shows, they simply set up their tents and barbecues outside the Levi’s Stadium parking lot, and started tailgating when they damned well pleased.  

“SkyFox was overhead at about 12:30 pm — over an hour before the parking lots opened to tailgaters,” KPIX reports. “Dozens of cars packed into the area, with some faithful fans even setting up tents as they waited.”

That outlet also notes that Levi’s Stadium officials explicitly said that police would cite anyone who tried to start tailgating early outside the parking lot gates. But they added that “KTVU cameras did not capture any officers citing the fans.”

The game kicks off at 5:15 pm, will be broadcast live on ESPN, and also locally on KGO / ABC7. The Jets are coached by former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh (seen above), and their quarterback is Cal alum and anti-vaccine kook Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers ruptured his Achilles tendon last year on just his fourth play, and did not play again the rest of the season.

And in a wild coincidence, today also happens to be 49ers receiver Ricky Pearsall’s birthday. Pearsall was of course shot in the chest in Union Square just ten days ago, yet is making a miraculously quick recovery. He will not play tonight, and cannot be medically cleared to play until Sunday, October 6 against the Arizona Cardinals, at the earliest.

Related: 49ers Crack Down On Tailgate Parties in Parking Lot, Longtime Fans Are Furious [SFist]

Image: SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 29: Fans tailgate before the San Francisco 49ers preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Levi's Stadium on August 29, 2021 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)