Fan Jam will have free parking available, and there is currently no rain date set. For more information, visit ballstatesports.com/fanjam
The event will feature free food and drinks, interactive fan stations and tours of the football locker room in addition to other activities and booths from community partners.
Shawn Sullivan, assistant athletics director for marketing and fan engagement, said his office believes the event is a terrific way to allow students and the community to meet student-athletes and get acquainted with Ball State athletics.
“Fans are going to be welcomed by one of our spirit squad members. They’ll have a chance to meet Charlie Cardinal … grab some free stuff while supplies last, same goes for free food from our great corporate partners,” Sullivan said. “New this year is us working with the Office of Community Engagement here on campus to try to expand outreach into Delaware County and the Muncie community … so you’ll see more of our local community partners on hand to promote all the good things they’re doing in the community.”
Representatives from all fall sports will be available for meet-and-greets and autographs.
Second year emerging media design and development graduate student and volleyball player Mackenzie Kitchel has attended three Fan Jams previously and looks forward to engaging with younger kids who are excited to play volleyball with Ball State athletes.
“One of the best parts of being a Ball State athlete is just kind of being known and close with the community. I think a lot of us athletes have really good relationships with a lot of people in the community, so that’s kind of a cool thing to have with the people who are up in the stands cheering for you every day,” Kitchel said. “Students would be awesome to come just to meet the athletes and us form a relationship with them … for them to look down at us and us look up at them in the stands and kind of have that relationship … I think that would be so awesome if we got a lot of students out.”
Sean Wiggins, a senior marketing major and football player, said Fan Jam is an opportunity to hang out with the fans who watch him play, which is not an opportunity he gets often.
“The first year I realized how cool [Fan Jam] is … we’ll be out here in our jerseys so people get to know us by the face or the number,” Wiggins said. “Come out here and learn more about the individual player, meet us and learn some football drills and stuff, and get to know the team and the new coaching staff.”
First year football coach Mike Neu is excited to attend Fan Jam and have the opportunity to talk to students and community members at the event.
“I try to take advantage of any opportunity to be around the people in the Muncie community [and] a chance to be around the students here at Ball State and just try to show them how excited we are here about our football program and we want their support, we need their support in order to get where we want to go,” Neu said.
Junior public relations major and volleyball player Jessica Lindsey said said Fan Jam is the highlight of her preseason.
“Our preseason is sometimes very intense and very serious because we’re trying to get on the ball before the season starts and Fan Jam kinda lightens the mood and gets us interacting,” Lindsey said. “We love having fans, we love having people come watch us and so Fan Jam just helps us that much more.”
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