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The day we've all worked toward and looked forward to is almost here. Record ticket sales (see below), heightened optimism and an enthused campus community are ready to kickoff the 2010 Mississippi State football season.

Our goal is to create a great experience for everyone coming to Davis Wade Stadium this weekend. As issues arise (they always do, right?) we'll address them as quickly as possible. But I wanted you to understand how important we take your visit to campus, and we value the fact that you want to spend time and resources coming to Starkville and being a part of gameday at Mississippi State.

I can't wait!

LESS THAN 300 SEASON TICKETS REMAIN

Today, we announced that less than 250 season tickets remain available for the 2010 football season, none in the lower level.  We can also announce that about 1,200 individual game tickets for the Memphis contest are all that remain available for purchase.  It is conceivable the season opener could be sold out before game day…and quite possibly our first-ever non-conference sellout.

We have now sold more than 43,000 season tickets, selling nearly 350 season tickets last week.  There are still more than 300 partially paid season tickets in our Bryan Athletic Administration ticket office which are not included in that total, so we have every reason to believe that our number will still grow as we near Saturday’s home opener with Memphis.  

Less than 500 individual game tickets remain for the Auburn (Sept. 9) and Georgia (Sept. 25) SEC home games.  Call 1-888-GO-DAWGS or log on to MStateAthletics.com/tickets to order your tickets today.

SHOW UP EARLY TO AVOID TRAFFIC

A big part of the game-day atmosphere from last season was born out of your willingness to come to the campus early, get parked in your assigned lot, and enjoy the day on campus.  Everyone was in a great mood.  The weather is expected to be great Saturday, so beat the crowd, reduce the traffic jams, and have fun with us near and in our stadium.

As a precautionary note:  Our friends in West Point will be hosting the Prairie Arts Festival this weekend, about the same time as we open our home football season.  History tells us that ball-game traffic mixed with Festival traffic makes for a very busy and congested Highway 45 Alternate just 20 minutes from campus.  So, if you are coming from North Mississippi or Memphis, please build a little extra travel time into your schedule so that you are not detained around West Point.

Take advantage of the fact that the Cellular South FanFair opens at 3 p.m. near the Junction.  The pre-game show, featuring Bart Gregory and Matt Wyatt, broadcasts live under the large tent, at that location.  Davis Wade Stadium gates open at 4 p.m.                                                         

…AND ALTERED ON CAMPUS THIS SEASON

We have sent multiple notifications out to the fan base during the off-season, but it bears repeating that Stone, Creelman and Barr Streets (all adjacent to the Junction) will be closed to all vehicular traffic beginning three hours before game time.  In each case, pedestrian safety around those streets was cited as the rationale by the university’s gameday committee.  When the decision was made, the committee realized that the closures would cause an inconvenience for some of our fans attending games, but fan safety was the over-riding concern.  Plan ahead and make accommodations to arrive on the campus early enough to enjoy the experience and not be caught off-guard by these closures.

To take full advantage of the game-day experience, you might want to follow a couple of customer service twitter feeds we have established for this season.  Follow @MStateGameDay for in-game updates (scores, stats, etc.) and @MSUGameOps for pre-game concerns (traffic, parking, etc.).  For in-stadium security or guest service concerns text “MState” with your message and seat location to 69050.

SOFTBALL TEAM EARNS NCAA AWARD

It is my great pleasure to announce that our softball team, under the direction of head coach Jay Miller, has earned the NCAA Public Recognition Award for achieving an academic progress rate in the top 10 percent of the nation’s collegiate softball programs.

The award demonstrates the commitment we make as an institution to our student-athletes on the field as well as in the classroom.

DAWGTALK WITH DAN MULLEN DEBUTS THURSDAY

I wanted to make sure that our fans knew that the season debut of DawgTalk with head football coach Dan Mullen airs tomorrow night across the state of Mississippi.  If you are in the Starkville area, drop by Harvey’s Restaurant here in town.  The show starts at 7 p.m.  If you are in the Golden Triangle but unable to get to Harvey’s, the show will air on WKBB (100.9 FM) in West Point.

CONCESSIONAIRE BRINGS EXPANDED MENU TO STADIUM

We had the pleasure of receiving an advance tour of all permanent and portable concession stands, thanks to Aramark, who won the university’s bid for stadium food and beverage this off-season.  And I really think fans will like the expanded areas and increased options.

In addition to the permanent stands, which carry a consistent brand – Maroon and White Express – and boast the traditional stadium fare, portable serving stands will be located at various locations throughout the concourses on every level of the stadium.  Specific theme locations follow:

East side lower level – Little Caesar’s pizza, Dreamland BBQ, Dippin Dots ice cream, Bully’s Creole Café (Cajun), Cluckin’ Bulldogs (chicken), the State Fountain Bakery Express, Chill Zone (shaved ice), Boiled Peanuts, and Sushi on Main.

East side sky deck – Beverage kiosk, Gator Ice, Little Caesar’s, and Cluckin’ Bulldogs.

West side lower level – Chill Zone, Dreamland, Little Caesar’s, Cluckin’ Bulldogs, Boiled Peanuts, Beverage kiosk, the Creole Café, State Fountain, and Dippin’ Dots.

West side 100 level – Dreamland, Cluckin’ Bulldogs, Little Caesar’s, Gator Ice, and Beverage kiosk.

West side 300 level – Dreamland, Little Caesar’s, Sushi, and Beverage kiosk.

North End Zone – Dr. Pepper Trailer and State Fountain.

Hopefully, that will provide you advance notice of menu choices near your seating area.  Further, Aramark reports they will have double the number of in-stadium vendors working the isles.  The hope is that those hawkers will reduce the lines at concession stands while providing a service to fans in their seats.  Also aiding that effort will be posted menus at the permanent concession areas so that fans might have their order ready before reaching the window.  But even if you are stuck in line, new flat screens have been added to many concession areas, complete with the game telecast, and speakers have been added to the concourse area, delivering the radio broadcast.

HAVE PATIENCE AS CAMPUS ADJUSTS TO WEEKDAY GAME

As we have experienced many times through the years, a weekday televised football game, like the one next Thursday, puts extra stress on a college campus as the university blends a major televised sporting event with the university’s primary function – education.  We ask for your patience as the campus adjusts to that situation.  We are aware that gameday traffic and parking accommodations will place additional demands on those whose classes must continue as normal.  We all need to work together to transition from our normal workday operations to meet the heavy demands that gameday visitors place on available parking.

With that in mind, the university’s gameday committee has announced that the campus will begin the transition to gameday operations at noon on Thursday.  At that point, most campus lots are reserved for gameday operations. Parking staff will begin manning the lots at noon, and those entering after that time must have a reserved gameday parking pass.  Faculty and staff have been asked to vacate the reserved lots by that time.

The Junction will open for tent set-up at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

MISSISSIPPI STATE SPORTS HOME UPDATE

Saturday, Sept. 4 – Football vs. Memphis, 6 p.m.

RING RESPONSIBLY TAKES ON A WHOLE NEW MEANING

We received this email last week and wanted to share it with our folks:

“I wanted to let you know about the perfect engagement proposal.  I am a MSU 2003 graduate and my now-fiancé graduated in 2008.  We met last summer and the one thing that he knows is my passion for MSU and even more, MSU athletics…As most MSU fans would say, I bleed maroon and white!  It’s a good thing that I found someone who shares these same interests.

With all of that being said, he proposed last Wednesday night with a cowbell.  He purchased it at The Lodge and they said that no one had ever done that before.  My ring was tied to the bell and the cowbell read, “Sara Beth, will you marry me” in maroon writing and a dawg paw on the other side.  I wanted to share my/our love for MSU as well as this awesome proposal story.  See the attached pictures.”

Sara Stockton

WEAR MAROON ON FRIDAY, BUT WHITE ON SATURDAY!

I had the opportunity to visit with a young lady (Andie Bullock) recently whose mother (Lois Bullock) went on a mission trip to Nicaragua.  Apparently, it was a phenomenal trip.  The mission group provided medical and dental care for residents there.  Several of those team members were huge Mississippi State fans and they celebrated Maroon Friday in Nicaragua.

Are you in the maroon?

* * * 

We appreciate what you do for Mississippi State Athletics and want to encourage you to get others involved.  There are three things you can do to help the athletic department at Mississippi State reach its desired goals -

1.  Buy Season Tickets
2.  Financially Support the Bulldog Club
3.  Get Others To Do The Same

Thanks for taking the time to read this Update.           

Go Dawgs!

Scott Stricklin