So, walking through security yesterday into the game, wife and I are told we can no longer bring the 2 Cal seat cushions upon which she sits. "Huh, says I?" "Today is the last game you will be able to take those into the stadium" says our friendly security checkpoint person. Bizarre. My wife says a bomb could be placed in the zippered opening of the cushion... Ours have no zippers. Looking in the season ticket booklet at list of prohibited items, no mention. Online calbears.org/gameday, no mention. Hmm. Was anyone else told this yesterday?

No. Walked in with mine and no one said a word, in fact they barely checked the string bag I had.

I have an inflatable seat cushion, like a Therma-rest sleeping pad. Folds up easily and doesn't take much room. Could even stick it in a jacket. If the ban is real, no way they can see that. I kinda don't believe the ban.

We were told the same thing. I looked at the Cal football web site just now and seat cushions are specifically permitted.

On the radio show they had commercials for cushioned seat rentals. $52 for the season I think, or can rent by the game. $ign up in advance and they will be installed for you.

I don't understand the fuss about checking bags when they don't have people walk through metal detectors. Couldn't someone easily walk in with a concealed handgun on their person, or components to a bomb that would be assembled inside the stadium?

And yeah, you can rent cushions per-game inside the stadium at $6 each. It's usually student groups or athletic teams hawking them, so I imagine they get a cut.

Many of these posts have been forwarded by the NSA to the Department of Homeland Security.

Yeah, the wife and I were told the same thing when we entered the stadium with our seat cushions yesterday. Seems like prohibiting seat cushions is a little extreme. Next thing they'll be doing is strip searching all of us.

bearister;842355341 said:

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Many of these posts have been forwarded by the NSA to the Department of Homeland Security.

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No need to forward, they're all reading this RIGHT NOW.

Did you get the memo? Big Brother isn't watching you...you're watching Big Brother because it is the internet.

Have a nice day...and Bearister, put some freakin' clothes on. They can see you damn it.

beelzebear;842355364 said:

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No need to forward, they're all reading this RIGHT NOW.

Did you get the memo? Big Brother isn't watching you...you're watching Big Brother because it is the internet.

Have a nice day...and Bearister, put some freakin' clothes on. They can see you damn it.

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The list of things Cal is doing to encourage fans to forget going to the games in person and instead just watch the games at home on a big screen TV just keeps getting longer and longer.

According to Cal Bears Ath Dept website their is a section on permitted and banned items, they said seat cushions are permitted, backpacks are not this year. Season ticket holders were given one clear vinyl bag sponsored by Bank of the West and a T shirt , per each acct holders, and $10 gift card for each Gold Zone seats sold in your acct. I plan to bring a copy of the website page to the next game in case they say no seat cushions and contact the dept to email season tx holders for new clarification of this policy

With regard to prohibited items:

Much of it is not enforced.
Much of it is to get you to buy things and has nothing to do with security.

Almost everything that was prohibited I've been able to get in.
Just be smart and don't advertise it.
They rarely check 2 bags so I bring a cooler and a bag and hide stuff in the bottom of one and unzip the other bag for them to search.
Works every time.
Keep in mind that they do not want to cause delays. If they were to check everything to the degree specified, it would take hours for folks to enter the stadium.

Shove your cushion inside your windbreaker and put it under your arm...easy.

BearBones;842355403 said:

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The list of things Cal is doing to encourage fans to forget going to the games in person and instead just watch the games at home on a big screen TV just keeps getting longer and longer.

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If they don't allow my wife's seat cushion in 2 weeks I won't renew my season tickets...EVER. The new stadium's configuration is already uncomfortable enough: metal bench that has less room than before. This would be the final straw. And I know, I'm funny and impractical about **** like this. And I also know that no one will miss me. But stuff like this just drives me bat-**** crazy.

82gradDLSdad;842355439 said:

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If they don't allow my wife's seat cushion in 2 weeks I won't renew my season tickets...EVER. The new stadium's configuration is already uncomfortable enough: metal bench that has less room than before. This would be the final straw. And I know, I'm funny and impractical about **** like this. And I also know that no one will miss me. But stuff like this just drives me bat-**** crazy.

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If they dont let you in, walk to another gate.

The folks checking bags and supervising the checking of bags are dumb as **** (thats why they are checking bags on a saturday) and have no clue what rules they are supposed to be enforcing. They hear someone say something, the next gate hears something else...

Phantomfan;842355441 said:

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If they dont let you in, walk to another gate.

The folks checking bags and supervising the checking of bags are dumb as **** (thats why they are checking bags on a saturday) and have no clue what rules they are supposed to be enforcing. They hear someone say something, the next gate hears something else...

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Yep. I've had lots of success with moving to other gates.

This has very little to do with getting the cushion into the stadium. It may not even be a rational reaction but I just hate actions like this. It feels like the folks who run Cal football are giving us the middle finger.

Phantomfan;842355441 said:

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If they dont let you in, walk to another gate.

The folks checking bags and supervising the checking of bags are dumb as **** (thats why they are checking bags on a saturday) and have no clue what rules they are supposed to be enforcing. They hear someone say something, the next gate hears something else...

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I just received an email from Gloria Kaci, Football Game Day Operations at CMS, and she said seat cushions are allowed!

It is my understanding umbrellas are banned.........
Yet row 1 section X or XX had one open on Saturday........
Red no less.

I was told I had to return my seat backs to the car, which I did. I guess they really wanted my six bucks. The security staff clearly had no clue. They almost wouldn't let a guy in with a simple foam cushion without a back. BTW this was on the north gate for the gold zone. Luckily I was really early and parked at foothill lot.

we were told the same thing..... just absurd.

We were also told that this (Saturday) would be the last game in which we would be allowed with seat cushions. Ours are blue and gold and say "Cal." The only explanation is that they want us to rent theirs. I looked around the stadium (North endzone) and only saw a couple of rented chair backs. I'm going to contact my "gold"-whatever representative today. The back pack ban is ridiculous (seriously, we have to hike a mile to the stadium and can use tote bags but not backpacks, even though we have to open up everything for "inspection") but banning cushion when we have to sit on hard, uncomfortable (and sometimes wet) metal benches crosses the line. Perhaps it's my anatomy, but I can't sit on those benches for 3 hours (let alone close to 4). I agree with 82gradDLSdad: this may be the final straw when it comes to renewal. I have no intention of driving 6 hours (one way), hike a mile, and then sit on metal bench without a cushion for 3-4 hours no matter how good our team becomes when I can have a comfortable seat with a fabulous view in my own living room.

Oh crap! My wife just banned me from placing an extra cushion on my chair at home. She says I fart on it and it smells for days after a game.Thanks a lot CMS police.

Phantomfan;842355441 said:

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If they dont let you in, walk to another gate.

The folks checking bags and supervising the checking of bags are dumb as **** (thats why they are checking bags on a saturday) and have no clue what rules they are supposed to be enforcing. They hear someone say something, the next gate hears something else...

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I waited 15 minutes in line only to be told at the gate that strollers are not allowed and they won't let me in with my daughters. I told them the website said strollers were allowed and they double checked with another employee who also agreed I couldn't enter.

I was completely perplexed and unsure what to do - so I went to another gate who let me in after checking with another employee there.

Once inside, I saw lots of people with strollers and there was even a stroller check at Section A.

Bottom line: Lots of employees are clueless on the rules, so keep trying other gates/employees.

It's really sad that the disorganization is this bad - you would think they would take simple steps to encourage attendance instead of discourage it.

The family atmosphere that the Gold Standard promotes was not running on all cylinders.

So the take away here is if one line rejects you for any reason...simply go try another line and you'll likely get in. Alrighty, good to go.

I was actually turned away with my seatback by a supervisor (different color jacket).
She said a soft cushion with a seatback was allowed but not mine with metal on it.
I said, I what's the difference? What is the rule?
Her response - that (pointing to my seatback is not allowed).

I just wanted to get into the stadium so didn't argue.

Looked today and here is what Calbears says:

Season ticket holders may lease a Cal Seat for the entire season. Click here for more information.
Fans are permitted to bring their own seatbacks that measure 14 inches or less in width


Hope security gets its act together.

Has anyone gotten through with a Camelback since the backpack ban went into effect?

I agree with those who say the prohibited items are becoming too much of a hassle, along with the aluminum benches on the sunny side. The glare off them is annoying. Also the speakers... and new porta-potties aren't much of an improvement for a rebuilt stadium.

gobears74;842355451 said:

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I just received an email from Gloria Kaci, Football Game Day Operations at CMS, and she said seat cushions are allowed!

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Yep- got same response from my "handler" for season tickets. They are "reviewing it," but the cushions are Ok for this season.

Very tricky these terrorists with their fake football stadium seat cushions with the Cal logo...

In response to my inquiry to the Gold Standard team today, I received an e-mail stating that there was a "miscommunication" between the AD and the security people, and that seat cushions will continue to be allowed into CMS.

91Gypo;842355635 said:

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I was actually turned away with my seatback by a supervisor (different color jacket).
She said a soft cushion with a seatback was allowed but not mine with metal on it.
I said, I what's the difference? What is the rule?
Her response - that (pointing to my seatback is not allowed).

I just wanted to get into the stadium so didn't argue.

Looked today and here is what Calbears says:

Season ticket holders may lease a Cal Seat for the entire season. Click here for more information.
Fans are permitted to bring their own seatbacks that measure 14 inches or less in width


Hope security gets its act together.

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Thanks for the discussion on portable stadium seats/cushions. We're excited to have season tickets for Cal Football this year! We'd like to be more comfortable on the metal bleacher benches and would appreciate some feedback on portable seats.

I called Cal Seats about the season lease of the fixed stadium seats. They said it's $55.01 for the season. If I had ordered before the first home game, "installation fees" would have been waived. Now that one home game has been played, there is a $10 installation fee. I asked if they pro-rate the fee. He said they'll offset the $10 installation fee with the games that have already been played so I wouldn't pay more than $55.01. So, then I asked later in the season, when two to three home games have already been played, how much would it cost? He said they'll offset the $10 installation fee with the games that have already been played so my total will be $55.01. I thought I misunderstood him; he confirmed my total would be $55.01 even if some games had been played already. Okay.... BTW, the fixed stadium seats are 17" wide.

On the bottom of the www.calbears.com webpage, there is a link for a live chat with a "Cal - The Gold Standard" rep. The rep I spoke to today said, "We had a bit of [a] miscommunication with our security staff at the first game who may have expressed that we were restricting the use of certain seat cushions. That was not true and we have communicated that personal seat cushions are allowed for the rest of the season and the foreseeable future to our security."

I told her I wasn't going to be renting the season stadium seats and asked about alternatives. She said that per game seat rentals are $7/game and can be found at the concourse level outside of section WW. These seats are similar to the season lease stadium seats.

She mentioned that portable seats must be 14" x 14" x 6" maximum and suggested the portable stadium seats that are sold at the Cal Student Store. I pointed out that the three seats offered on the website are greater than 14" wide. She checked and said, "I asked our service department [Cal Athletics Sales & Service Dept.] and seats that are similar dimensions to the seat backs we lease out, will be allowed. I was told that as long as they are within reason (less that 20" width) they will be allowed. The main issue we have and the reason there was discussion of putting more restrictions on the seat backs allowed to be brought in, was to ensure that all of our guests have enough leg space. As long as you feel you seat back will not interfere with the space around you should be okay.... Try to keep it no bigger than 17" though, I think that would be your safest bet."

I also confirmed that seats with a seat back that have METAL tubing but no legs are okay.

--> I'd appreciate any recommendations for specific models of portable seats or cushions that people have tried. On Amazon, there are lots of different seats/cushions of varying dimensions. I'd like to get portable seats that I can use for many years of Cal Football. Any feedback would be helpful!

Thank you!