Video: MSU announces new tailgating company

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s time to tailgate! When the football season kicks off Saturday for the Bulldogs, there’ll be just one company pitching tents on campus. It comes as the university strike a new deal with a local company.

In June, MSU decided to select a sole tailgating service provider. After a competitive process, the university chose Southern Traditions Tailgating. Their black canvas tents will take the place of the usual event services tents, and the vendor is excited to start service to MSU fans.

Back in March, Mississippi State decided to use only one company for game day tailgating.

“Our goal at Mississippi State is to make sure that we do all we can to ensure that our fans do have an excellent game day experience, and to make sure that we work very hard to provide a safe environment for our fans,” said VP of Campus Services, Amy Tuck.

On June 12th, after a competitive selection process, university officials made a decision.

“An RFP was issued, a committee did look at those applications and submittals, and Southern Traditions Tailgating was chosen as the company to use,” said Tuck.

“Mississippi State informed us that we were going to use an exclusive tailgating provider, so we submitted about a 65 page proposal including all of our aims and goals for establishing a great tailgating environment on campus. We were the one that they went with,” said owner of Southern Traditions, Brad Vickers.

Fans who bring their own tents will still be able to setup anywhere on campus. Southern Traditions tents will be in a designated area.

“Primarily around the amphitheater, in front of Newell Grissom, those area our fans saw last year. It will be very similar to that landscape that they saw last year. So, there are certainly many areas on campus so that our fans will have adequate space to tailgate and have fun with their family and friends as well,” said Tuck.

University officials hope this new deal will be a more convenient set-up for fans, one that will include tents, tables, even tv’s.

“In the past, they just went through event services, and electronics were not included with those,” said Tuck.

People may not have the time to setup a tailgate, but the services Brad Vickers and Southern Traditions Tailgating provide gives tailgaters the full game day experience for future football seasons.

“We’re providing basically a living room, you know, in the amphitheater and in the junction for them to just come and tailgate and hang out, do their day festivities, and then go into the game. Then they can come out a celebrate a big win afterwards,” said Vickers.

The agreement doubles Southern Traditions setups from around 90 to about 160. MSU looks to use the extra proceeds to improve campus by getting new signs, recycling areas, and improved walkways.