Imagine going to an extra home game surrounded by fans in maroon and white five hours away from Starkville. This is something the Mississippi State University Student Association is trying to accomplish with a fan bus for Mississippi State University’s football game against the University of Georgia game on Sept. 23.
Will Maxwell, co-director of Athletic Affairs for the SA, helps coordinate the fan bus and said a ride on the bus cost $90. This cost does not include a meal but he said there were alternatives to finding food.
“You can go into Athens and find a restaurant, or the alumni association will have a tent there and will be offering $15 plates,” Maxwell said.
Tickets are still available for the game kicking off at 6 p.m., but officials said they will probably sell out after MSU’s football game against LSU on Saturday.
There is only one bus for this game and it will leave before noon for Athens, Georgia.
“They announced a 7 p.m. Eastern Time zone kick off, so I’m still in touch with the Charter Bus people about when exactly we will be leaving, but I plan on getting to Athens about two hours before kickoff,” Maxwell said.
Joy Lee, co-director of athletic affairs, said she started planning for the fan bus in May. The process was long for several reasons as the SA attempts to make this the best experience possible.
“All of this is very extensive you have to get with the bus company and get contracts, you also have to get insurance policies just to make sure people are safe,” Lee said. “We are just trying to make sure that we cover every possible outcome that can happen.”
This opportunity is a chance for students like Grant Farmer, a junior business administration major from Starkville, to go to an away game they may not normally be able to.
“The Fan Bus is a great way for MSU students to travel to opposing SEC football stadiums,” Farmer said. “I used the Fan Bus to travel to Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium two years ago, and I plan to use it to go to Georgia’s Sanford Stadium next week.”
For students who are unable to go to the football game by the fan bus, the SA plans to have a watch party for the game.
“We are going to have just one bus and we are hoping to just get that one filled, and this year we are actually going to do more watch parties,” Lee said. “So just in case someone isn’t able to go to this they will still be able to join the other students and go to a watch party.”
Lee said there is a chance for basketball to have a fan bus although details are being finalized. The hope is for it to raise the excitement of students for the basketball season.
“We are trying to do a basketball road dog, I don’t think that’s actually been done before for Mississippi State,” Lee said. “Just trying to put more emphasis and enthusiasm on the basketball season, I’m not promising anything but we’ll see.”