Mizzou Game Day: packed stands, traffic challenges, and enhanced safety measures

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Tens of thousands of fans filled the stands Saturday afternoon for one of the University of Missouri’s most anticipated football games of the season.

The large crowd brought significant traffic congestion around campus and near the football stadium. While game day at Mizzou is always notable, fans described today’s turnout as extraordinary.

"It's pretty packed. I mean literally everybody wants to be here," Aleasia Shive, a Mizzou fan said. "Honestly, it's bigger than homecoming."

This week, Mizzou Athletics announced that ticket scanners will no longer allow fans to enter through the wrong gate. Event staff will now direct attendees to their assigned entry points.

"I just walked in and tapped my phone. It was pretty simple for me." Christina Mills, a Mizzou fan, said.

Staff from Mizzou Athletics and event management tell ABC 17 News that the new entry procedure operated smoothly for the majority of fans. A supervisor at Gate 3E said that most attendees entered without issue, though a few with west side tickets were redirected to their proper gates.

While entry went smoothly, some fans reported difficulty navigating the stadium to reach their seats.

"It was really confusing trying to get up to our seats. Everywhere we went it was like oh you have to go back down. So that was a little confusing, a little hard." Carmen Brassel, a Mizzou fan, said.

State troopers were on hand throughout the day, directing pedestrian traffic and managing roadways. Once the game started, troopers moved inside the stadium to patrol and enforce rules. An ABC 17 reporter witnessed a few fans being ejected for violations.

Some fans said they liked the increase police presence.

"I feel like it helps everyone be more safe and secure, especially because there’s a lot of underage drinking going on." Mills said.

Within a two-mile radius of the stadium, traffic was heavy, with vehicles lining Providence Rd. and parked from Stadium Blvd. to Old Highway 63 South.

Local cyclist Andre Timberrok has been providing rides for fans to nearby destinations throughout the day.

"It's just priced based on how far they want to go, pretty much anywhere. I just took somebody the furthest I have so far is down to some apartments, but just pretty much anywhere. It depends on how many people are getting in and how far they want to go," Timberrok said.

After the game, troopers returned to the streets to direct traffic, and post-game congestion persisted until around 7:20 p.m.