Sept. 7, 2017
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When the 2017 home schedule opens September 9 on West End, Commodore fans will notice several new enhancements and improvements to the gameday atmosphere in and around Vanderbilt Stadium.
Vanderbilt Athletics is actively upgrading the gameday experience for Commodore fans in many ways, including providing pre-game and in-game activities, bringing better technology alternatives to ticketing and cellular service, and attracting a nationally regarded concessionaire to manage food and beverage enhancements.
Here’s just some of the enhancements awaiting Vanderbilt fans when the Commodores kick off their 2017 home schedule against Alabama A&M this Saturday.
VANDERBILT ATHLETICS APP
Customize Your Gameday Experience — Vanderbilt Athletics has launched a new gameday app for mobile consumers. The VU Commodores app is packed with special features to enhance the gameday experience, delivering in-depth roster and player bio info, live game audio, real-time Twitter feeds, scores and stats, interactive stadium maps, personalized notifications and exclusive offers.
The VU Commodores app is a free download. Search “Vanderbilt Commodores” in both Apple iTunes and Google Play stores. The app will be designated with a Star V logo as the thumbnail.
SPECTRA TO MANAGE FOOD, BEVERAGE IN STADIUM
Vanderbilt Athletics is proud to announce its new partnership with Spectra by Comcast Spectacor, one of the nation’s leading food services and hospitality firms. Starting this fall, Spectra will begin managing food and beverage operations for all Commodore athletic venues, including Vanderbilt Stadium.
Spectra will enhance fan experiences in Vanderbilt Stadium by offering an expanded variety of high quality food and beverage offerings that can be quickly delivered, enabling fans to spend more time cheering on the Commodores.
Spectra, which also manages food services and hospitality at college stadiums in the Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference and American Athletic Conference, will rebrand several stands in Vanderbilt Stadium, dedicating them to specifically themed food items. Spectra officials also plan to reposition partners Dreamland BBQ and Papa John’s Pizza into higher visibility locales in the stadium.
Additionally, the Spectra’s Vanderbilt Stadium menu will include a Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich, tasty wraps and salads. They plan to continue adding new items through the season.
VANDYVILLE UPGRADES
LIVE MUSIC STAGE — Vandyville is the best location for tailgating prior to Commodore home games. This year, Vandyville also will feature the Carl Black Chevy Stage, a live entertainment venue to be located at the intersection of Jess Neely Drive and Natchez Trace.
Some of Music City’s top rising acts will be featured, including Kasey Tyndall (Alabama A&M, Sept. 9), Andy Velo (Kansas State, Sept. 16), Austin Burke (Alabama, Sept. 23) and Justin Adams (Georgia, Oct. 7).
NEW CATERING OPTIONS FOR VANDYVILLE TAILGATERS — Chick-Fil-A, Dreamland BBQ, Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches and Moe’s Southwest Grill can now cater to Vandyville tent holders. Orders must be placed by noon on Wednesday prior to gameday. Food will be delivered three hours before kickoff. Click here for full menus and details.
UPGRADE YOUR GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE
This year, fans truly can become part of the Vanderbilt gameday with a variety of new experience upgrades, including joining the team at Star Walk and Mr. Commodore on the field, delivering the game ball to officials at the 50-yard line, sounding the Admiral’s Horn after a Commodore score, and having a personal message on the end-zone video board. For more details, click here.
ENTERING THE STADIUM
CLEAR BAG POLICY — In compliance with Southeastern Conference guidelines, Vanderbilt Athletics will enforce a clear bag policy for all home games. Clear tote bags (plastic, vinyl, PVC) that are 12″x6″x12″ in size, one-gallon clear re-sealable bags, as well as small clutches no larger than 4.5″x6.5″ will be permitted into Vanderbilt Stadium. For more info, click here.
NEW FOR STUDENTS
EASY-TO-ACCESS DIGITAL TICKETING PLAN — Vanderbilt Athletics and the Vanderbilt Dean of Students Office have created an easy-to-access digital procedure for undergraduate and graduate students to claim tickets. Once registered into the mobile Ticketmaster account, Vanderbilt students can start claiming available tickets starting at 5 p.m. CT on Mondays prior to home games.
STUDENT BODY MIC MAN — Starting this year, three student leaders will be pumping up the Vanderbilt student section, leading cheers and helping create new traditions.
FRIDAY NIGHT PEP RALLY AT THE COMMONS — Every Friday night before home games, a pep rally will be staged at the Commons, which houses Vanderbilt’s entire first-year student population. The Spirit of Gold Marching Band, Mic Men, Commodore spirit squads and select Vanderbilt student-athletes will be on hand. Special student giveaways are planned at each rally.
EXPANDED KIDS ZONE
The Max Nance Kids Zone presented by Ingram Industries will feature more activities than ever before in its second year conveniently located at the McGugin Athletics Center parking lot. Opening three hours before the game and closing just before kickoff, the Kids Zone will feature several inflatables, basketball pop-a-shots, Giant Jenga, poster making station, face painters, balloon artists and more.
ENHANCED VERIZON CELLULAR SERVICE
Those new Star V-decorated instruments located around the top of Vanderbilt Stadium are part of an elaborate Distributed Antenna System (DAS) installed this summer to greatly enhance in-game service for Verizon mobile customers. Crews have installed DAS antenna portals throughout the stadium in an extensive upgrade.
HEALTH/SAFETY
PROHIBITION OF OPEN FIRE PITS – In an effort to make Vandyville compliant with all fire safety codes and make pre-game tailgating safer and more enjoyable for Commodore fans, new reconfigurations on Natchez Trace will create fire breaks between tents. The use of open flame fire pits is no longer permitted during all tailgate activities on campus, including Vandyville. Please use these guidelines for Vandyville this season:
• Grill/cooking devices shall be used on level ground and should not be used under a tent or membrane structure.
• All manufacturer guidelines must be followed at all times.
• Each tent is responsible for having a means to extinguish fire readily available at all times (this includes a grease fire, gas, charcoal or wood fire).
NEW LOCATION FOR GAMEDAY LOST & FOUND — This year, the new location for Lost & Found is conveniently located near Gate 3 of Vanderbilt Stadium, just outside the main entrance into Hawkins Baseball Field. It was formerly located at the Vanderbilt Police Department. Patrons seeking lost items can access the location during and immediate after home games.
