University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Saturday Football Promotions, Home Game Features Announced
9/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Southern Miss athletics department has announced further promotion details regarding Saturday's football game against Savannah State, as well as the unveiling of many new fan experience features for the entire 2016 home slate.
Saturday's 6 p.m. home opener will serve as Law Enforcement Appreciation Day at The Rock, an event that was announced in August. The football team will don blue ribbons on their helmets in honor of the event, and the families of Officers Liquori Tate and Benjamin Deen will be honorary captains after the two were tragically taken from the world a year and a half ago.
As part of Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, presentations will be held during pregame and halftime to showcase appreciation for the men and women who serve our communities as law enforcement officers. For Halftime, all officers are asked to meet by Gate 1 with eight minutes remaining in the 2nd Quarter to gather for a special presentation recognizing all law enforcement officers. Officers may be in uniform or in plain clothes for this presentation. Prior to kickoff, Hattiesburg Chief of Police Stoney Parker ('79) will be the honorary coin tosser for this matchup. The former Southern Miss football star is also an M-Club Hall of Fame member.
Another exciting feature for fans to enjoy this season will be the pregame fireworks display as the Golden Eagles take the field for all six home games this season. Additionally, the skyline of M.M. Roberts will have a golden glow following this Saturday's contest against Savannah State as all fans will be treated to an incredible postgame fireworks display.
Other pregame events include the 2016 debut of Junior Eagle Funland on Pride Field, opening at 2 p.m. for all children. All Seymour's Sidekicks will receive their 2016 shirts and membership packets at Junior Eagle Funland and non-members are welcome to join in the fun as well with several exciting inflatables. The traditional Eagle Walk will begin at 4 p.m., including a brand-new black and gold Southern Miss Humvee that will pull the cannon used by the Southern Miss Army ROTC. Two radio shows will be held in Spirit Park, beginning with Tom Colt's Rock 104 Countdown to Kickoff at 2:30 p.m. John Cox will then host the Golden Eagle Tailgate Show and Southern Miss Gameday at 4:30 p.m. before heading to the booth for his Countdown to Kickoff.
Southern Miss has also continued to elevate its technology presence. Upgrades to the Gameday App were recently announced (including push notification and geofencing features), and fans are asked to follow @USMGameday for all update information on game days and also an effective and easy way to communicate during the game to athletic personnel. Also, the scanned ticket feature will allow for several great options to improve the fan experience as fans will be able to use print-at-home ticket options and mobile delivery for tickets.
Food will also continue to be a major component of fan service. A new stadium cup featuring the Southern Miss fight song will premier Saturday, and the continuation of the premium food items that debuted last athletic season will rotate throughout the football campaign. For the Savannah State contest, fans can enjoy a Chili Cheese Bacon Ranch Footlong Hotdog or a Chicken and Waffle Cone for $8 each at the premium item stands throughout M.M. Roberts Stadium.
Two new websites will also make their first public plunge. SouthernMiss.com/gameday provides all the detailed information fans are looking for such as maps, directions, weather, tailgating, tickets, parking, stadiums, and timelines. There is also the Gameday Live site that will include everything from head-to-head analysis, videos, pictures, and opponent information.
Fans still have time to purchase season as well as single-game tickets by either going to SouthernMissTickets.com, visiting the Pat Ferlise Center on campus during business hours (8 to 5 p.m.) or by calling 1-800-844-TICK.
