Countdown to Monday Night Football: Fans ready for game between San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) — Time to get out the red and gold! We are counting down to Monday Night Football on ABC7!

The San Francisco 49ers are kicking off the new season at home Monday against the New York Jets.

Fans from all over the world made their way to Levi’s Stadium for the 49ers season opener against the Jets.

Niner fans are excited with high hopes for the season.

Parking lots opened at 1:45 p.m., but fans were already lined up around 11 a.m. on Monday.

Fans told ABC7’s Gloria Rodriguez they are normally out at the stadium early, but some are upset that no loud music is allowed.

And the stadium is enforcing directed parking where vehicles will be told where to park.

Levi’s Stadium’s website says it maximizes the use of available spaces and helps prevent congestion.

MORE: 49ers Faithful influencers from the Bay Area unite, celebrate new season of football

But some are worried that means they won’t be able to set up by their friends.

Some fans driving in are upset about tailgating rules.. lining up early in the morning to get their spot.

“They’re telling us exactly where we need to be, and I don’t think there’s gonna be enough space for everybody that is in early tailgate. So we can’t spread out much. We can’t, you know, I think they’re just limiting the joy, or limiting the joy on us,” said Marshal Ranger a fan from Roseville.

“We can’t choose where we can’t be at mostly, like I said, we would like to be in the front. But the only difficulty is not like this house, where to go. We can’t really choose,” said Fabian Escamilla from San Jose.

Patrick Garrison, a fan from San Jose said, “We can’t park where we used to park so nobody’s gonna know where we are. Now we’re all gonna be in one area. To put this all in one area. So, you know, kinda, kinda upsets a lot of people. And like a family, you know, a family wants to be together, and they’re saying, Well, you have to park here, you have to park here, you have to park here.”

Still, there’s a lot of excitement about the first game of the season!

Super fan John Munoz will be at the game even taking the day off work. He runs a 49ers fan club on Instagram.

“It’s good to turn the page. I mean, it’s new season. It’s new excitement going on. Everybody’s excited. The team is, you know, gelled from last year we have a lot of the same returning, you know, starters. So we’re super stoked and excited about this New Year coming up. We’re really hoping that this time we can, you know, take home the ultimate, you know, prize and win it all.”

MORE: Levi’s Stadium unveils new game day menu to Niners fans ahead of Monday Night Football

A 49ers spokesperson says:

“Safety is our top priority, and while we want to ensure all guests at Levi’s Stadium are able to enjoy themselves. Tailgating guidelines are in place to protect the safety of all guests and staff.”

So if you want to tailgate by your friends, you all need to arrive together.

Despite concerns, 49ers fans enjoy tailgate to kick off 2024 season

Despite a lot of talk about tailgating policies ahead of the opening Monday Night Football of the season, tailgating seemed to go off without a hitch at Levi’s Stadium.

From our vantage point, there was little enforcement to the rules that many fans worried would put a damper on the evening.

Once the grills were fired up and the fans arrived, the excitement of the new season took over.

The Levi’s Stadium parking lots were empty at 11 Monday morning, but the 49ers party had already started.

“I’ve been here since 4 o’clock in line,” 49ers fan Patrick Garrison said.

“Never too early! We started at 8:30 this morning,” another 49ers fan Jorge Davila said. “Going to go hard until 5:15 and kickoff.”

Concerns over new tailgating policies didn’t stop the fun in the South Bay, but some fans still weren’t happy.

“The whole part of having early tailgating is to get in, get your spot, set your stuff up get the food going and get everything ready,” 49ers fan Paul Velasco said. “Now, that’s a waste. We’re done.”

“A lot of our friends don’t have early tailgating and they’ll be directed away,” 49ers fan Dondel Bono said.

The 49ers say directed parking rules are not new – simply being enforced this year.

Also starting this year: loud music, taking up multiple spaces with tents and choosing where to park won’t be allowed.

It’s angered many, but some understand.

“Some groups come in and they have one parking pass and they put ten tents up,” Garrison said. “So that loses revenue for Niners, but somebody else paid for those parking spots.”

MORE: 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey out for season opener vs. Jets due to calf, Achilles injuries

The 49ers announced parking lots opened at 1:45 p.m., but we were there when cars filed in at 1pm.

Despite the changes, complaints and confusion, the feeling of football still took precedent.

It’s a new year with new hope for the Faithful.

The road to the Super Bowl starts now and it begins here at Levi’s Stadium.

“For me, it’s my first Monday Night Football game, so primetime, you can’t say much more than that,” 49ers fan Jacqueline Frederici said. “We’re going all the way, baby. This is gotta be our year. We’ve gone two times. I’m sorry, Kansas City has got to go, it’s time for the 49ers to shine, baby.”