Friday Night Lights

School is in full swing and that means the excitement of Friday night football games that bring our community together to cheer on our football team, trainers, Bearcat Regiment, colorguard, AHS cheerleaders, Bearcats Dance Team, Spirit of Aledo and many other students representing our district. This is definitely a time of pride for our community and a chance to shine for our students and their coaches and sponsors.

If you’re new to Aledo, you may not know that our games often sell out because of the incredible support our community shows our students. Because Friday Night Football in Aledo is the most well-attended weekly event in town, we wanted to share with you expectations as well as information about ticket sales, parking and more for our varsity home football games this season.

Please note the following important dates for upcoming football games:

• Thursday, Aug. 21: Scrimmage vs. Mansfield Timberview - FREE to attend!
• Sept. 12 vs. Brewer: Lone Star Cup Celebration Night!
• Sept. 26 vs. Fossil Ridge: Homecoming (parade will be Monday, Sept. 22)
• Oct. 10 vs. Granbury: Band/Dance Parent Night
• Oct. 31 vs. Azle: Football Senior Night

Thank you for being safe, for following all stadium rules, and for being SPIRITED! We can’t wait to see you all on Friday nights this season!

GO BEARCATS!

For the second year, Aledo ISD is joining the Texas High School Coaches Association, the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association, 2Words Character Development and school districts from across the state to be a part of The Texas Way program. This program is, first and foremost, working to improve the level of sportsmanship at UIL sporting events based on three pillars of The Texas Way:

1. Respect for Others: Respect, The Texas Way, is given generously.

2. Control of Self: Self Control, The Texas Way, is to handle adversity with class, and keep your anger in check.

3. Spirit of Competition: Competition, The Texas Way, is about more than a scoreboard.

We want to take that one step further and prove that the Bearcat Way is the Texas Way plus even more! We hope you will help us promote good sportsmanship among our players and fans and keep your cheers in support of our Bearcats and NOT against our opponents.

What you read below in this email is about our expectations as Bearcats on how we do things The Texas Bearcat Way. We want you all to have a safe and enjoyable experience! Please read this email to the end!

As a reminder, Aledo ISD is now CASHLESS for all athletic events! This means that ticket sales are online only and concession sales will all be cashless, taking credit cards AND Tap to Pay only!

Our Aledo ISD Police Department is implementing a new EXIT traffic pattern for after varsity home football games at Tim Buchanan Stadium. Please study this map and consider parking based on which way you are traveling after the game. Just as with new traffic patterns at schools the first week of school, we ask that you are patient with us as we implement this. We will communicate any changes that will help refine this process, if needed, after the first game.

As always, we will have Aledo ISD police officers directing traffic, and you should expect delays and traffic on Friday night home games. Gates will open an hour before kickoff for each home game. Parking lots are open at 4:30 p.m., and the road directly in front of Tim Buchanan Stadium will be blocked off for pedestrians only beginning an hour before kickoff.

We are excited to introduce a NEW tailgating area at Tim Buchanan Stadium - BEARCAT ALLEY! Bearcat Alley is the site of designated family-oriented pre-game tailgating for Aledo Bearcat football home games at Tim Buchanan Stadium. Opening at 4:30 p.m. for kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. or later, Bearcat Alley is an area for all Bearcat fans to congregate safely before kickoff.

Bearcat Alley is in the “bus loop” to the South of Tim Buchanan Stadium and East of the main entrance to the AHS gymnasium. Bearcat Alley is the ONLY designated area for tailgating at Buchanan Stadium, and spots can be reserved a week before each home game through the HomeTown Ticketing website or app: https://www.aledoisdathletics.com/httickets.

RESERVATION INFORMATION:

• Reserved tailgating spots will be sold for $200 per game through the HomeTown Ticketing app; fans will be able to reserve their exact tailgating spot. Aledo ISD will have marked each tailgating spot by number and group reserving the spot before your arrival.

• Tailgating spots will go on sale at 8 a.m. on the Friday morning a week before a varsity football home game at Tim Buchanan Stadium.

• Reserving a spot in Bearcat Alley will include: 10x10 tent, a reserved parking space near Bearcat Alley, trash cans and fire extinguisher provided by the district.

GENERAL TAILGATING RULES:

• Tailgaters are asked to only occupy the space they have reserved

• Bearcat Alley will open at 4:30 p.m. for all games kicking off at 7 p.m. or later. Grills may be dropped off in the Bus Loop any time between 4:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.

• Absolutely no alcohol, drugs, smoking, vaping, tobacco, or firearms on school property at any time, including before, during and after football games in the stadium and parking lots. These things are prohibited by law at all times for anyone, no matter their age, on school property.

• Please keep all tables, chairs, coolers, barbecues, etc. within your designated tailgate area.

• For safety purposes, all personal items (chairs, grills, etc.) must be put away before entering Buchanan Stadium if all tailgate participants are going into the stadium.

• No glass containers.

• Trash receptacles will be located throughout Bearcat Alley. Please dispose of your trash to keep our Aledo High School-Daniel Ninth Grade campus clean.

• Secure all tailgate items, extinguish all flames, and unplug electrical outlets before entering the stadium.

• Postgame tailgating will be permitted for (1) hour following the conclusion of the game. At that time, lots begin to close and all vehicles must leave property.

• Once you have completed your tailgate, the district-owned 10x10 tent, trash can (with trash inside or bagged next to the trash can) and fire extinguisher shall be the only items remaining in rented space.

• All tailgating spots must have an adult 18 or older to reserve and supervise the spot throughout the tailgate.

BBQ/GRILL RULES:

• Grills are permitted for tailgating enjoyment. Use of grills near buildings or in areas where other guests or property may be damaged is strictly prohibited. The disposal of hot coals in open parking spaces, under vehicles, or next to parked vehicles is prohibited.

• The district will make available a dump station for coals and/or ashes.

• Open fires are not permitted.

• Deep fryers or any oil-based cooking or frying is prohibited.

We will continue to follow a clear bag policy at Tim Buchanan Stadium with one new exception: there will be NO small clutches allowed (this includes fanny packs and cross body bags).

. The following items are permitted:

• Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and not exceeding 12” x 6” x 12”

• One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar)

• Diaper bags are allowed as long as they are accompanied by an infant/small child

• Simple seat cushions without pockets, zippers, compartments or covers

• Binoculars, phones or cameras can be carried into the stadium as long as they are not in an unapproved bag.

• Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items

The following items are prohibited:

• Purses, small clutches (NEW!), coolers, backpacks, fanny packs - this includes crossbody/belt bags - cinch bags, computer bags, camera bags or any bag larger than the permissible size. Please note that the bag that you got in with last year may be prohibited now.

Please also follow these stadium rules:

• No outside food or drink allowed. This includes water, soda or sports drink bottles or cans; Yeti/Stanley or similar cups or fast food drink cups; or paper or plastic coffee cups. If you come to the gates with any of these items, you will be required to return them to your car or throw them away.

• No in and out privileges; re-entry requires purchase of a new ticket.

• Middle school students who are not sitting with their parents must sit in the east end zone bleachers.

• Elementary students must be accompanied by their parent(s) and sit with their parents. We will contact parents to pick up students in 5th grade and below who attempt to enter without their parent(s).

• Children will not be permitted to congregate, run, throw objects, tackle each other or rough house under the stands or in the common areas directly to the east and west of the stands or in the concourse.

• The following items are not allowed in Tim Buchanan Stadium: airhorns, bullhorns, whistles, other other artificial noisemakers, footballs, soccer balls or other sports equipment, boom boxes/portable speakers, bubble guns, laser pointers, baby powder, streamers, confetti, silly string or similar items. No animals, skateboards, frisbees or rollerblades allowed in the stadium.

• Absolutely no alcohol, drugs, smoking, vaping, tobacco, or firearms on school property at any time, including before, during and after football games in the stadium and parking lots. These things are prohibited by law at all times for anyone, no matter their age, on school property.

We will once again prioritize ticket sales for Aledo High School-Daniel Ninth Grade campus students as well as parents of participants before general ticket sales begin for varsity home games. The following is the varsity home football game ticket timeline:

• AHS-DNG students in grades 9-12: May purchase 1 ticket per non-participating student from 8 a.m. on Monday through noon on Thursday the week of a home game. Reminder: student athletics passes are not valid varsity home football games.

• Parents of students participating in home varsity football games: May purchase up to 4 tickets from 8 a.m. on Monday through noon on Tuesday the week of a home game.

• General Admission Public Ticket Sales: Begin at 1 p.m. on Tuesday the week of a home game until sold out. More General Admission tickets may become available beginning at 1 p.m. on Thursday the day before the home game. Reminder: Family athletic passes are not valid for varsity home football games.

As a friendly reminder, seats in Tim Buchanan Stadium with a back on them (whether they are orange and black or not) are reserved seats. If your ticket has a section, row and seat number on it, then you have a ticket for one of these reserved seats. Otherwise, all other tickets are general admission tickets and patrons should sit in general admission seating on rows that do not have backs.

We ask that if you have reserved tickets and can’t make it to the game, please consider sharing them with or selling them to other Bearcat fans!