The defensive staff might not be the only change when we meet up for another season of Georgia football in 2010. The editors of the Athens Banner-Herald have put their support behind the idea of charging a fee to tailgate on North Campus as a response to the ongoing trash problem.

In general outline, setting up some sort of fee for tailgating access to North Campus, presumably through some sort of permit system, seems to be the most workable option.

To be clear, there is currently no plan to implement such a fee. It’s just an idea floated as a possible solution to the problem that received much negative media coverage during the 2009 season. President Adams stated last week that he would “recoil a little bit” from the idea of a tailgating fee.

A fee/permit/registration system would have the benefit not only of keeping numbers down; it would also, in theory, help to identify those leaving the mess behind. Of course in practice that would also mean that some poor schmuck who holds a tailgating permit would be on the hook for trash left in their designated spot by friends-of-friends or passers-by on the heavily-traveled route from downtown. There’s also the question whether those who dump trash on North Campus would simply move to another area of campus or the surrounding town. Is it less of a problem if a less-scenic part of campus ends up looking like a landfill?

While a fee would bring certain obligations and responsibilities by tailgaters, tailgaters should also expect something for their money. Better access to portable restrooms, even more trash containers and dumpsters, and even things like access to electricity should be considered.

The idea isn’t without precedent. Auburn has implemented a fee to tailgate at a certain area, and their experience would be worth studying if UGA considers the idea. It’s not an exact analogue – Auburn’s space is prime real estate next to the stadium and carries a price tag to match.