Gator gameday is indubitably one of the most exhilarating times of the year. If you’ve ever been to a Gator game, you can attest to the inspiring atmosphere, the feeling of community and the boundless celebration of all that it means to be a Florida Gator.
Many of us have had the unfortunate (but reassuring) opportunity of attending a football game at another university, which always pales in comparison. You know, you get invited to the “best tailgate ever” only to arrive to a half empty backyard with “In the AirTonight” by Phil Collins forcefully piercing through the speakers and you’re introduced to a guy named Gerry (that’s right, with a “G”) who can’t seem to tap the keg correctly. Shortly after, you leave the “chicks never came” themed party with your red solo cup (entirely filled with foam) and you proceed to the “biggest game of the year” only to find that the highlight of the entire first half was the jumbotron capturing the mascot eating a chicken finger through the eye hole of his head gear.
Truly a day for the books. Books that you should probably burn immediately.
Unfortunately, not every part of Gator gameday is jubilant either. Before you enthusiastically perform your first “Gator Chomp” or pop open your first Natty of the day, you’re forced to stomach the inevitable grievance associated with – dun, dun, dun – parking.
Whether you’re the Gainesville resident standing on your front lawn equipped with a cardboard sign, exhibiting an embarrassing display of your attempt at bubble letters to passerby’s, or you’re a commuting fan who after finally getting through miles of traffic, has to again wait in line for a half-decent parking spot because a guy named Gerry is trying to negotiate a 2-for-1 parking deal with a poor UF student, sadly the frustration doesn’t end there. It almost always returns at the conclusion of the game when you return to find that your car has been blocked in, ticketed or scratched, which compels you to scream out once more: “DAMMIT DRISKEL!”
I’ve been both the guy with the shitty cardboard sign and the guy with the traffic-induced rage and it’s not fun. I’m holding out hope that with the development of Yardslot, the nightmare that is gameday parking will finally come to rest. Yardslot, a Gainesville-based startup, is the brainchild of 2014 Gator grads Thomas Dunne and Logan Middleton.
The Yardslot.com website allows users to sell and reserve parking spots before football games, calming the chaos involved in game day parking. Home owners and tenants selling parking on Yardslot select features they wish to offer, such as Friday arrival, Sunday departure and access to certain amenities on their property like tailgating and private restroom usage. Parkers then have the flexibility to search for spots that meet their specific needs, and the ability to view every available lot to ensure fair pricing. The design of the venture also helps to reduce the heavy congestion gamedayers are so accustomed to seeing on University Avenue since users will now know in advance where they are parking.
“Parking is simply no longer a problem that will be associated with Gator football games,” said Dunne.
On that same note, users who post their lot have the opportunity to ditch the aforementioned shitty sign and engage in gameday activates without having to reserve precious time for coordinating parking. They also have the flexibility of selling an entire season’s worth of parking should a Yardslot user show interest. Uber, AirB&B and now Yardslot. The shared economy is here to stay.
I know for some of you all this extra time you’re now going to have might be giving you some anxiety. You’re thinking: “My god, the damage I’ll do with another full hour of drinking.” Others might be thrilled at how many more games of cornhole they’ll be able to mercilessly defeat their young children in. Whatever it is you choose to do out of tribute to our Gators, do it responsibly, enjoy your tailgate and whatever you do, just don’t be a Gerry.
