With the college football season finally kicking off, it’s time to get your game face on.
Being an expert tailgater at Michigan State takes time and practice. If you want to know the ABCs of tailgating as well as some helpful tips on how to enjoy Saturdays at East Lansing, Metromix has worked damn hard doing double-sessions all summer long and feel we can make the play.
Parking
You can park on-campus, but expect to pay $10-$15 depending on proximity to the stadium. There is also free off-campus parking in the residential areas, too, but pay attention to any parking rules that apply to avoid a ticket (or getting towed – ouch). Parking off-campus means you will have to walk a bit further, so make sure to kill that keg; you wouldn't want to hike that heavy load.
Tailgating times
(Of course you can wake up earlier and crack one open, but) Tailgating begins at 7 a.m. for any noon or 1 p.m. games.
For all 3:30 p.m. games, tailgating kicks off at 9 a.m.
Tailgating usually begins around 1 p.m. for most evening games.
Tailgating around Spartan Stadium
Students may associate the tailgating crowd around Spartan Stadium as old or more family-oriented, but do your homework kids: They may look geeky and crusty on the outside, but they were knocking back drinks at the Peanut Barrel before you were even conceived, son. These older, professional tailgaters -- with their tents, music, grills, and large supplies of food and drink -- can go as hard as you can and should be respected for their contributions to the sacred college football tradition.
Seek out friends whose parents go to the game; be sure to hit up their spot solely for taking advantage of the free beverages and food (you broke-ass students can thank us later for this one). Don't worry if you don't know any of the tailgaters hanging around the grill -- as long as you are wearing green and white and are friendly, a long kielbasa and frosty beer should be passed your within minutes.
Tailgating at the tennis courts
The tennis courts are the general alternative to private house parties. Think of the tennis courts as the area where fun-loving crowds, drinking games and the time-old tradition of public drunkenness unite. Always a good time, the tennis courts are popular among students and alumni back for a visit. The crowds here tend to be younger than around the stadium, with a less formal feel. There are always plenty of drinks to go around and people tend to be friendly enough to allow anyone the opportunity to join in on all the festivities and games. Now that's teamwork.
How to get a tailgating spot at the tennis courts
Having a tailgating spot at the tennis courts requires students to visit the asmsu.msu.edu Web site. Once there, fill out a tailgate parking pass form; passes are $15 for single games and $105 for the season. If you have any tailgating questions (what you can bring? Drinking games? Parking? Rules?) visit the site: homefootball.msu.edu/.
Drinking games
Get your game face on because drinking games are a big part of the tailgating agenda.
Usually played with beer (not that Metromix condones this type of behavior), popular games include beer pong, flip cup, Edward 40-Hands and Power Hour. Don’t know how to play? Click this for a briefing on two popular tailgating games played in teams:
Tickets
There is still a chance to go to games if you haven't ordered season tickets. You can buy same-day tickets at Spartan Stadium between gates G and H. Don't count on buying tickets from students because you need to have a picture ID to match the student section ticket. What you can do is ask the fellow tailgaters around the stadium if they have extra tickets; you will be surprised that most do. Also try Web sites like StubHub.com and you should be able to land tix for a fair price.
Bar Information
On game day it is best to get to the (sports) bars early to guarantee yourself seats throughout the day. This is especially true for Homecoming and when hated rivals like the University of Michigan rolls through town (the amount of people in the crowds reach insane levels). Most bars will open around 10 a.m. during home football games with a noon start time, but you should definitely call earlier in the week to get the official stats.
If looking for the best bar to watch the game at, there are several options on the table. B Dubs a.k.a Buffalo Wild Wings may be the most obvious choice for the good food and abundance of televisions that will show multiple games around the country.
The Landshark and Rick's both offer great environments and special game-day menus for their customers, but there are a ton of great options all around Spartan Country. Take caution if you visit the two aforementioned as both are basement bars, and it may be easy to spend the whole day down there without realizing it.
