The Tent Dawgs is making it possible for Mississippi State University football fans to enjoy tailgating without worrying about setup.
The Tent Dawgs is a student-run organization responsible for storing, setting up and taking down customers’ tailgating items during the MSU football season.
Braden Whitehead, Jeffrey Agre and Bryce Bean are the three MSU students who comprise the Tent Dawgs.
Whitehead and Agre, founders of the organization, were setting up tents before a game last season when the Tent Dawgs was born.
Whitehead, sophomore business marketing major, called himself the entrepreneur of the Tent Dawgs business.
“Last year we were setting up tents for a relative of mine at a tailgate. They paid us a little money, and after we walked off, I was like, ‘We really need to start setting up tents for people,'” he said.
Agre, sophomore kinesiology major, said he enjoys working as a Tent Dawg and giving back to the community.
“We don’t have to have a full-time job, and we only work seven weeks, so it’s pretty nice,” he said. “We wanted to give back to Mississippi State. We love the tailgating experience, and we wanted to provide service that’s affordable for people.”
According to TentDawgs.com, “The Tent Dawgs are dedicated to providing all Bulldog fans with the best tailgating experience.”
Its website was created by Bean, sophomore business information systems major.
The Tent Dawgs has since relocated to www.southerngent.com/tailgate.
Whitehead and Agre said their business has been able to expand even more this season because they now live in a house instead of a dorm. The two own a trailer in which their customers’ tents and accessories are stored during the football season.
The Tent Dawgs arrive at the Junction early on the Friday morning before a home game in order to make sure their clients get ideal tailgating locations.
“On Friday mornings we get there at 4:30 a.m.,” Whitehead said. “We lay out the tents and claim the spots. We don’t actually put up the tents until 4 o’clock in the afternoon.”
Agre said the work does not stop on Friday, as the group works thoughout game day to ensure customer satisfaction.
“We get there early on Saturday morning, too,” Agre said. “That’s when we bring the tables, chairs, satellites and TVs so they won’t be out there overnight. We don’t want anything to get damaged or stolen.”
Bean, does advertising for the group and is their website manager.
Bean said their prices are affordable for fans and create the perfect tailgate experience.
“40 dollars a tent, $30 for TV and satellite and $15 for tables and chairs,” Bean said.
Bean also said they receive about 10 hits per week on their website and are still in the process of getting it fully launched.
“I work (the site) though a guy that runs Bulldog Junction, Michael Wardlaw,” Bean said. “I’ve been working with him through our website. We still have some more stuff to put on there, but we have the basics down.”
The Tent Dawgs’ website has pricing and contact information and will soon feature recipes and tailgate tips. For more information on the Tent Dawgs, visit thesoutherngent.com/tailgate/ or follow them on Twitter @TentDawgs.
John Galatas contributed information to this article.