Autzen Stadium, home of the Oregon Ducks, bans smoking
In accordance with a campus-wide no-smoking policy, the University of Oregon athletic department announced this week that Autzen Stadium is now a smoke-free environment.
No Smoking Sign photo/pmox
Fans weren’t sure whether or not the policy would go into effect in time for the 2012 football season, but school administrators confirmed this week that the policy would begin immediately in Autzen Stadium.
For decades, Autzen has been home to some of the most passionate student fans, and most people have turned their heads and ignored the stench in the past when the student section turned into a smoky haze. If stadium employees can find a way to enforce the new policy, the smoking tradition will end.
“We’re hopeful that they’ll abide by the new rules that we have in Autzen Stadium, and our fans are great. So we really don’t anticipate that there will be any problems with it. It is going to be a change and we think that fans will adapt accordingly,” said Senior Associate Athletic Director Craig Pintens.
The smoking ban applies not only to the stadium, but to all property owned by the university. That means fans won’t be allowed to smoke during tailgating or on stadium concourses. It has many people upset while others rejoice over clean air.
