San Francisco 49ers fans upset over new Levi's Stadium tailgating policy

The San Francisco 49ers are speaking out and defending a newly implemented tailgating policy at Levi's Stadium that has some fans upset and pushing back ahead of the season opener Monday night.

The new policy, dubbed Directed Parking, has parking lot attendants directing cars to the next available spot rather than allowing fans to pick their own spaces. The team said it hopes the new policy will help with "reducing congestion, improved safety, enhanced accessibility, time savings and improved traffic."

Since the announcement, over 3,100 people have signed a Change.org petition saying the policy would make it harder for groups to park near one another and that its implementation is a sign of poor communication between the Niners and fans.

It's just wrecking everything. It's definitely going to hurt the experience because the tradition of football is tailgating as well," said Niner Empire's Joe Leonor, who started the petition.

Despite pushback, the team said the implementation is all about safety.

"Safety is our top priority," the team told NBC Bay Area in a statement. "… And while we want to ensure all guests are able to enjoy themselves, tailgating guidelines are in place to protect the safety of all guests and staff."

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/san-francisco-49er-fans-upset-over-tailgating-policy/3645067/