Bag policy updated for Preds game entry – Nashville Post

The Nashville Predators will kick off the new season in less than a month with a preseason game against the Florida Panthers on Sept. 16 at Bridgestone Arena —  with some slight security changes in the mix.

Bridgestone Arena’s main bag policy remains in place from last season, but entrance to the stadium is expected to be easier for those who follow a new protocol, according to a release.

Simply referred to as “clear or clutch,” fans who bring small clutches or bags made of transparent material will not have to pass through X-ray scanners and, instead, will enter via so-called express lanes.

More technically, any clear plastic bag is welcomed, provided it is smaller than 12 inches by 12 inches by 6 inches. Clear plastic gallon freezer bags and clear drawstring bags are also permitted. Small clutches with no inside pockets also qualify for the “clear or clutch” policy.

Fans are still allowed to bring other bags — purses, fanny packs or drawstring bags made of non-clear material — but they will have to walk through x-ray machines. The new machines are not expected to create an excessively time-consuming process for game attendees, but they also are a reminder that leaving bags at home will allow for the quickest entrance.

Backpacks, oversized purses and totes, duffel bags, cooler bags, and suitcases remain prohibited at Bridgestone.

The five new X-ray machines will be implemented during the Sept. 4 Chris Brown concert and will be used for other non-Preds events, the release notes.

Arena safety remains an evolving science for professional sports teams. The Predators first introduced metal detectors in 2015. Some franchises have far stricter bag policies, charging fans to hold bags in lockers outside the stadiums, for example.