Ball State University football fans have a tailgating alternative with the Alumni Association's Ball State Game Day buffet.
Ed Shipley, executive director of alumni programs, said President Jo Ann Gora and Athletic Director Tom Collins will be two of the expected hundreds in attendance when the Alumni Association kicks off the season on Aug. 30.
The event is two hours before every home game in the Ball State Alumni Center, Shipley said. The rally is free to attend, but buffet tickets cost $15, he said.
The buffet will provide a variety of foods including ice cream, popcorn and soda, he said. Tickets for the buffet must be purchased from the Alumni Center at least three days in advance, he said.
Joe Hernandez, associate athletic director for external affairs, said cheerleaders lead a rendition of the Ball State fight song an hour before each game, and the football team travels past the Alumni Center on their way to the locker rooms.
Shipley said hundreds of fans attend the event every home game, but on Homecoming the Alumni Association expects up to 800 people.
"We are trying to get people to the games," he said. "People tailgate and do their own things before the games. We're providing a service where people can park, eat and gather in very close proximity to the stadium."
Hernandez said the rally is a way to draw alumni back to the university.
"It's a great way to get the alumni back to campus, back to the games and get them involved with the university," he said. "We encourage all the athletic department to attend."
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