Ensuring a great game-day experience for all fans attending sporting events at Mississippi State is a goal of the university and of the designated Game Day Committee, especially in the new Junction tailgating area.
After last Thursday's game against South Carolina, the committee received many e-mails and phone calls from fans who were appreciative of the picnic areas and the atmosphere generated by all who had come out to use it. The committee welcomed the comments, and especially appreciates fans who took time to clean up and bag garbage before leaving, said Game Day chairman Jim Jones, executive director of facilities.
"They were a tremendous help," he said.
He reports that others left the Junction and failed to take tailgating supplies such as tents, grills, coolers, and other items. "We received reports that some items may have been removed by folks other than campus personnel," he said. "We regret that some of our fans may have had items removed before they could gather them up."
Jones recommends that tailgaters take all personal items when leaving the area. "Items left overnight are not monitored, and we can't guarantee they'll still be there," he said.
The university will continue to monitor Junction usage, adjusting as necessary to ensure sensitivity to fan concerns and the ability to maximize enjoyment of the area, he added. "Based on fan feedback, we will expand our tailgating area in the Junction for our next home game, this Saturday.
" While almost all of our fans respected their neighbors and followed the rules, a very few did not and as a result may not have enjoyed the game as much as they could have. We regret this, but will continue to monitor and take appropriate action when necessary," he said.
He encourages fans to pay attention to signage to determine appropriate boundaries for setting up tents and other tailgating needs.
"We thank our fans for their continued patronage and support of our university," he concluded.