Frat Pit, a fiery debate
by Kathleen Sprouse, posted Oct. 16, 2007
Students barbecuing and drinking were gone. Only posted signs and police were at the corner of Providence Road and Champions Drive Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007. "Frat pit," as MU students refer to it, was officially closed. Campus officials and the athletic department made the decision final this year.
“Frat pit is not a tasteful tradition and the administration of MU certainly does not want ‘frat pit’ to reflect the University,” said Alan Brandt, social chair of Alpha Gamma Rho. “It was an eyesore to the general public and there was a huge amount of underage drinking going on there.”
Other Greek students see frat pit leaving as a lost tailgating tradition.
“It was a new tradition,” said Danny Jonas, rush chairman of Pi Kappa Alpha. “The Pike fraternity was the first to set up a tent in that area back in 2002, and then six more followed. Frat pit was well on its way to becoming a great Greek tradition.”
Tailgating has changed, and students are noticing.
“This is the worst year for tailgating I have seen,” said Jules Czechorski, a junior in Kappa Kappa Gamma. “Frat pit was a way for all of us to have fun and celebrate Mizzou school spirit, and taking it away has caused a major decline in spirit in Greek town.”
MU’s Greek community is disappointed with the administration’s decision and feels underappreciated.
“The largest homecoming in the nation is completely run by Greeks,” Jonas said. “Without us there would be no house decorations for alumni to bring their children to, there would be no floats at the parade for people to look at on homecoming Saturday, the biggest blood drive in the nation would dissipate and there would be no homecoming community service.”
To some MU students, frat pit was more than just tailgating.
“It was one of the rare times that the entire community could come together and have fun, without the competition of homecoming or Greek Week,” Czechorski said.
With frat pit shut down, fraternities struggle to find a new tailgating area.
“We've tried to tailgate,” Jonas said. “We aren't allowed to set up our expensive tent, we aren’t allowed to have the size of grill that we have and we aren't allowed to reserve spots with multiple cars. Tailgates in frat pit had the size and organization equal or greater to the businesses or alumni associations that set up large tents up by the Hearnes Center.”
Most fraternities have moved their tents to Reactor Field.
“It’s more dangerous now students have to cross over Providence,” said Brett Christie, a freshman in Kappa Alpha Order.
“Frat pit; there is no such thing, there never has been,” said Brian Weimer, captain of the MU Police Department. “Look at any source, there is no documentation of a ‘frat pit.’ If you are talking about the area off Providence, there was a large group of people who were creating dangerous conditions for cars and other people on the pathways, so immediate action was taken."
While frat pit may have been a tailgating tradition for students, the MU Athletic Department, police and the University are relieved to see it gone.
“Frat pit has not left, it has only moved,” Brandt said. “The idea of frat pit will probably never leave tailgating here at Mizzou.”
