Countdown to Kickoff Spartan Fan Fest

The first-ever Countdown to Kickoff tailgate will be held at 7 a.m. Saturday at Demonstration Field. It costs $2 to attend.

Source: MSU Sports Information

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MSU kicks off new pregame festivities

Spartan fans looking to live their sport fantasies will have an opportunity to do so at the first Countdown to Kickoff Spartan Fan Fest tailgate before Saturday’s game against Eastern Michigan.

Several events, including a field goal contest, 3-point shootout and slapshot speed test will be set up at Demonstration Field at 7 a.m. Along with fans and community members, 700 MSU student-athletes will attend the event.

“We’re going to try to turn this into an annual event,” said Scot Schlesinger, MSU athletics director of sales and marketing.

The event will only occur before the first game this season. However, Schlesinger said pieces of the event would still appear before the team’s remaining home games.

“At the next home game, there may be the hockey slapshot speed timing game, and then the following week, we might have the football field there,” he said.

Along with Sparty and the MSU Cheerleading squad, three local bands will perform before and after the game.

Schlesinger said the event will serve as a way for the athletics department to interact with the community.

“It’s kind of a goodwill thing for athletics and our student athletes to gather and engage our community,” Schlesinger said. “We’re hoping for a good crowd.”

Published on Thursday, September 4, 2008