NASHVILLE, Tenn. – An array of family-friendly events are planned in conjunction with the Black and Gold Spring Game, scheduled for March 30 in Vanderbilt Stadium.
Activities for Commodore fans of all ages — from kids’ attractions and student-athlete autographs to food truck vendors and a surplus sale of Vanderbilt Athletics gear and merchandise — will be offered in association with the event.
The Black and Gold Spring Game represents a great opportunity for fans to see the progress of head coach Derek Mason’s Commodore squad that is coming off an appearance in the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl and a third consecutive victory over Tennessee.
Admission and parking are free for the Black and Gold Spring Game, which starts at 11 a.m. The team’s Star Walk entrance into Vanderbilt Stadium will take place at 10:15 a.m. Fans can enter the stadium starting at 10 a.m. at Gate 3 (Hawkins Field entrance). Posters available to be signed during a 20-minute postgame autograph session will be distributed at Gate 3.
The spring game is part of a big week of on-campus Commodore events. Tim Corbin’s baseball squad also will face Tennessee in the second of a three-game series, with first pitch slated for 8 p.m.
Exclusive Season Ticket Holder Experiences
The Golden Ticket
Football season ticket holders will have a “golden ticket” placed in their account on March 25. Season ticket holders will have the option to load the ticket onto their phone or print it out to take advantage of several exclusive offers on gameday, including 50% off of purchases at the Vanderbilt Athletics surplus sale, pregame field access and reserved seating access.
Vanderbilt Athletics Surplus Sale
The surplus sale, scheduled from 8-10 a.m., will take place in the Memorial Gym practice court. Proceeds will benefit Vanderbilt Athletics scholarships. Season ticket holders who bring their golden ticket to the sale will receive 50% off of their purchase. Fans will enter via the southeast entrance “rollup door” that leads into the practice facility.
Season Ticket Holder On-Field Access and Reserved Seating Area
Season ticket holders can use their golden ticket to gain pregame on-field access from 10-11 a.m. to enjoy warmups on the west sideline. Fans will enter and exit the field via the team tunnel located off of Jess Neely Drive. Season ticket holders can also use their golden ticket to gain access to a reserved seating area located at midfield (Sections R, S and T). This exclusive offer will be available to all season ticket holders and their guests from 10-11 a.m.
Exclusive Suiteholder Experience
Suiteholder On-Field Access
Football suite holders will be given on-field access to enjoy the game from the southeast corner of the endzone. There will be cabana-like seating options for attendees, as well as a catered meal.
General Fan Experiences
Kids Zone
The kids zone will open at 9 a.m. and will be located on the grassy area on either side of the team entrance tunnel located on Jess Neely Drive. The area will have inflatables, games, a cotton candy machine and other carnival snacks. The kids zone will remain open throughout the day until the start of the baseball game versus Tennessee (8 p.m.)
Promotional Giveaway Items
All fans will have the opportunity to pick up a copy of the 2019 Vanderbilt Football schedule poster at the Gate 3 marketing table as they enter. Posters will also be available on the field during the postgame autograph session. Fans will also have the opportunity to pick up a roster card at the Gate 3 marketing table and at each of the concessions stands located on the East concourse.
Black and Gold Lounge
All fans will be able to enjoy alcoholic beverages, including local offerings, in the Black and Gold Lounge located on the north end zone grass berm between Gates 1 and 4. The lounge will be open from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. All fans must be 21 years or older to enter and will need to purchase a $20 wristband in order to enter the lounge. The $20 admission fee will include two drinks and access to the Black and Gold Lounge. Children accompanied with parents will be permitted. Fans will enter and exit the Black and Gold Lounge via the ramp located in the northeast corner of the stadium by Gate 4.
Food Trucks
There will be food trucks inside Gate 4 of the stadium. The first 250 fans who enter the stadium will receive a free food voucher to be used at one of the trucks of their choosing.
Postgame Stretching and Autographs
Children ages 12 and under will be invited down to the field to join the team during their postgame stretching exercises. Immediately following the team’s postgame stretching exercises, all fans are invited onto the field for a 20-minute informal autograph and photo session with the student-athletes.
Enter to Win Fan Experiences
All fans will be given a chance to enter to win the following experiences during the game — sound the admiral’s horn the first two times the Commodores score, on-field sideline access and the opportunity to be our junior announcer of the game for one series.
Little Commodore Combine
Immediately following the on-field autographs, the marketing and football staffs will setup activities on the field for children to participate. Activities will include an obstacle course, kicking contest, 40-yard dash and a target throw. Participants will be required to sign a waiver prior to participating in the on-field activities. The first 500 participants will receive a t-shirt and a certificate for completing the combine. Participants will sign up in the Gate 3 stadium entrance lobby.
Ticket Sales
Season ticket information and purchasing abilities will be available inside of Vanderbilt Stadium’s Gate 3.
Black and Gold Game Format
The football team will be staged on the east sideline.
All student-athletes will be wearing black helmets and black pants. The offense will be wearing white jerseys and the defense will be wearing gold jerseys.
Order of events: Individual drills, group work, special teams, scrimmage.
