Eagles tailgaters rally against new parking restrictions: "We're here to ask for a seat at the table"

Tailgaters gathered Wednesday night at the South Philly Boxing Gym to fight new parking guidelines for Eagles home games.

In an email to Eagles season ticket holders, the Sports Complex Parking Venture announced that oversized vehicles will be restricted to designated areas in Lots D and N. Parking locations will be assigned and cannot be saved. Standard-sized vehicles will not be allowed to park next to oversized vehicles and dropoffs are also banned. 

Those at the gym, like Carmen Conti, who's been tailgating in the same spot for about a decade, argue their location is at the heart of the tradition of game day.

"We're a community," Conti said. "In the F lot, we call ourselves a neighborhood because everybody knows each other. We know where everybody is going to be. It's like knocking on your door I'm going to come over."

"People get out at 10 o'clock the night before, come out, hang out, wait to get parking spaces," Dwayne Ross, another tailgater, said, "and we have a great time. There's never any problems."

The changes also come with a higher price. Oversized vehicles will pay $200 for four parking spaces, with the option to purchase two additional spaces for $100. Officials say the changes are necessary to ease traffic and preserve availability for all guests.

"You're worried about traffic, but exiting these lots — it takes two hours because you only have one entrance to exit out," tailgater Louis Jordan said.

"If we could all just stay in the spots that we're in and they can raise the prices that way,  tailgater Kellie Berrios said. "Putting all these big tailgates in one lot is going to be not enough space."

These changes are set to go into effect Oct. 4 when the Eagles host the Los Angeles Rams.

Those at the South Philly Boxing Gym say they are forming an association to organize this community and have reached out to the mayor and Eagles for help, determined to find a solution for everyone. 

"We're here to ask for a seat at the table," Conti said.