September 22, 2004
TO: Fans, Friends, and Supporters of LSU Athletics
FROM: Skip Bertman, LSU Athletics Director
The LSU football team is back at home this week and we’re expecting another capacity crowd in Tiger Stadium. For one game every year, we ask that our fans wear the same color to make a big impact on television. For this week’s game we’re asking you to wear gold to the game. Let’s light up Tiger Stadium for the television audience.
Meanwhile, it’s also a big weekend for our soccer and volleyball teams. Friday night at 7 p.m. our soccer team is hosting “Cram the Complex” for our match against Kentucky, and we’re hoping to have the biggest soccer crowd in school history. The soccer team will also meet Vanderbilt on Sunday at 2 p.m.
The volleyball team will get its SEC season underway with two big matches against Georgia on Friday at 7 p.m. and Florida on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. We’re off to an 8-1 start in volleyball, and these are two matches that will be critical to deciding the SEC race.
I hope you’ll come out to campus and support our teams and student-athletes in all sports this year.
THE MISSISSIPPI STATE GAME
About two months ago I wrote to you about how and why LSU games are chosen for television, and I want to take this opportunity to address this topic again.
Our game against Mississippi State has been moved to 11:30 a.m. to be televised by Jefferson Pilot Sports. Like you, I am disappointed that we have to move the kickoff so far from our traditional night time start. We work hard every year to persuade ESPN to take as many night games as possible, and to play at 11:30 at home as seldom as we can.
Often our efforts pay off. We have been on JP Sports in Tiger Stadium only twice in the last seven years. But this time the schedule worked out such that our game fell into the hands of JP Sports. There are only three SEC games on September 25. CBS picked Alabama at Arkansas and then ESPN chose to take unranked Kentucky vs. Florida, leaving JP Sports to televise LSU vs. Mississippi State.
SEC policy dictates that a school has to move only one game per year from night to morning, so this will be our only appearance of the year on JP Sports in Tiger Stadium. In reviewing our schedule before the season, I felt pretty confident JP Sports would end up with at least one of our home games. But, frankly, I was hoping our Vanderbilt game would be in the morning because the weather will likely be more tolerable in late October than in late September.
With the anticipation that the weather may be hot, please prepare yourself before the game by drinking lots of nourishing fluids. We had already picked this game for our fans to wear gold, so wearing light colors should help you battle the heat as well.
WEST SIDE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: ARRIVE EARLY
The first two games showed some backups at Portal B on the southwest corner of the stadium. We continue to encourage those of you who sit on the west side of the stadium to arrive early. Don’t forget that there are two entrances to Portal B, and that the gates of the stadium open two and a half hours before game time.
BACKPACKS, BAGS, ETC.
For security reasons, we encourage fans to bring as little as possible into Tiger Stadium. To clarify our policy regarding items that are prohibited for security reasons:
- Backpacks are not allowed
- Coolers and containers of any kind are not allowed
- Any bags larger than 8.5 inches by 11 inches are not allowed
- All items brought into the stadium may be searched on a random basis
These policies were developed after security meetings with other schools in the Southeastern Conference and after consultation with local police and security personnel.
We realize that we have been inconsistent in the enforcement of these policies the first two games and we apologize for any confusion. Please be advised that this security policy will be enforced for the remainder of the season. During these periods of high security, it is imperative to exercise caution when gathering large numbers of people at a venue like Tiger Stadium. We have advised our police and security personnel to use good judgment in the enforcement of all matters concerning safety at LSU athletics events.
MOTOR HOMES
Please remember that there are designated areas for parking of motor homes. There are a very limited number of parking spots for motor homes available on a week to week basis in the X-175 lot located on Highland Road for $75 each beginning at 7 a.m. on the Friday prior to each game. All remaining motor homes will be directed to Farr Park, which is located approximately two miles south of campus on River Road. Motor homes are not permitted to park in the new Fairway parking lot.
ROAD SUPPORT
My thanks to all of the LSU fans who were able to follow the Tigers to Auburn for last weekend’s game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The late decision to play the game was a hardship on some of our fans who were juggling travel plans, and we are aware that some fans had trouble finding open gas stations between Mobile and Montgomery. In the end, we had a full LSU section of enthusiastic fans. Thanks for being there for the Tigers.
We welcome your comments, so write to us at LSUvision@etigers.net. Although we cannot promise a response to every e-mail we receive, please be assured that every letter will be read. Thank you for your continued support of Tiger Athletics.