Marbeck Center Board has decided to expand its golden ticket concept that grants students special access at home athletic events to now include tailgating for football games. White said the competition, which was introduced in 2018 for basketball games, is an attempt to get more students and alumni involved with sports events.
“Students can find [the golden ticket] and get an opportunity to join us in the Marbeck Center Board tent for the tailgating for every home football game,” said Kevin White, coordinator of student involvement.
According to White, the reward for the golden ticket is the biggest change. For basketball games, the reward was the student who found the ticket could invite three friends and pizza was ordered. While students will still be allowed to invite three friends, White said the food choice at the tailgate is more flexible, with White himself grilling what the winner decides on.
“It helps us stick to that tailgating theme, so to speak,” said White.
From left, Aubrey Bartel, Nick Hoffman, Hans Houshower, Robin Bowlus, Evan Burden and Caroline Schultz, photo courtesy Kevin White
Evan Burden, a sophomore music education major who got the reward for the Sept. 21 football game, said he had White grill hamburgers with cookies and chips as sides for the meal.
“It was probably one of the best burgers I’ve had in a long time,” said Burden.
White also said that, while the Fan Zone was already very popular, he has seen more people looking for the ticket during the football season. White attributed this to him putting more effort into promotion, as well as the publicity of tailgating itself.
“I know now that the word is spreading about the Fan Zone, people are seeing the special T-shirts we give out for it, and they’re getting kind of jealous of the others,” said White. “So I think the exclusivity and the reward part itself is definitely helping out.”
Burden agrees and said he heard about the return of the ticket from White himself.
Evan Burden, sophomore music education major. Photo credit Nathan Heinze
“I know they did it a lot for basketball games last year,” said Burden. “I wasn’t sure if they were going to do it this year for, like, football and everything, but [White] mentioned that he hid the first golden ticket.”
Burden, who said he participated in the search since last year, said he was never able to find a ticket until the week of the Sept. 21 football game when he found it under one of the trees in the Kiva Room in the Marbeck Center. Burden said he was able to locate the ticket due to hints posted on the Marbeck Center Board Snapchat.
“They do riddles sometimes, they also take pictures of, like, the floor or the walls around where the ticket would be found,” said Burden.
Burden said the hint that tipped him off was a picture of the floor outside the Kiva, leading him to look on the second floor of the Marbeck Center.
Burden invited Aubrey Bartel, Caroline Schutz, and Nicholas Hoffman to join him in the Fan Zone tent. In a unique turn of events, Burden’s family also attended due to serendipitous circumstances.
“They came up that morning to take me out to breakfast and kind of visit with my brother and sister, because I haven’t seen them since I moved in,” said Burden. “I invited them to come to the football game and kind of experience what the tailgate is like, because my sister… just recently applied to Bluffton.”
Burden said his family was allowed at the tent with no issue, though they were not allowed to eat the food White had grilled unless there were leftovers. In fact, Burden said White seemed to appreciate the extra attendance. As for the experience, Burden said it was worth the effort to find the ticket.
“It was a really cool experience to have our own kind of tent,” said Burden. “It was a really good time to catch up with friends, too, because we live on opposite sides of the campus and we’re all busy with sports and music stuff.”
White said that those who want to look for the ticket should follow the Marbeck Center Board Snapchat at “Bluffton.MCB.” Any student is eligible to win.
