August 10. 2012 11:58AM

Browns fans: Might want to cut that tailgate a little short

By JOEL HAMMOND

The NFL, starting with its preseason games on Thursday night, kicked off a new security policy at all stadiums this year, through which each team must screen entrants with hand-held metal detectors prior to allowing them to enter.

From Browns PR man Neal Gulkis, detailing the team's communications efforts about this policy before their home preseason opener on Aug. 24:

We will have signage at the gates informing people of the new procedures and asking them to hold their phones, keys, etc. in their hands. We will no longer need to have male/female screening lines since it eliminates the need for “pat downs.”

So while those pat downs will eliminate some of the time needed to enter the stadium, chances are it's going to take longer. How long? Well, consider that the Oakland Raiders, in an email forwarded to me by a season ticket holder, are advising fans to enter their stadium two hours early to allow “ample time for this new security procedure.”

That could severely cut into tailgating time — or drive crazy Browns fans to head to the parking lots even earlier.

Corporate challenge grows, but Crain's performance drops

Hermes Cleveland's Cleveland Corporate Challenge ended last Saturday, and the company — which I profiled last summer — reports that the summer-long competition set new participation records this year, with 117 companies in 14 events; that included 30 new companies.

Last summer, 105 companies participated, marking an 11% jump in 2012.

Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Crain's did not have a particularly good showing this year, finishing 10th in Division I. Our performance was marred by last-place finishes in skeeball and mini golf, and highlighted by a third-place finish in volleyball. (I, of course, was quite disappointed that our basketball team didn't fare better; we went 1-2 after advancing through what I'd call a much more difficult independent division field last summer.)

Football season's upon us

Think Northeast Ohio is passionate about high school football? Check out these 10 crazy stadiums from across the country. Not surprisingly, there's quite a few in Texas.

I do some freelance work for The (Elyria) Chronicle-Telegram, and some of the best stadiums I've seen in the area are in Avon, Avon Lake, Lakewood and Rocky River. Byers Field in Parma obviously is a big one, along with the state game hosts, Fawcett in Canton and Tiger Stadium in Massillon. Bedford has a nice stadium, as well.

Midview, in Lorain County, will join that group now that it's getting turf and avoiding late-season mud piles.

If you're not following me on Twitter, what are you waiting for? And, I trust you're listening to Crain's podcasts?

And, of course, email me with any news tips you see fit for this space.