FERRIS FOOTBALL FRENZY EVENT SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 28

Event Hopes To Establish A New Single-Game Attendance Mark

Ferris State University will be holding its first-ever Ferris Football Frenzy event Saturday, August 28, at Top Taggart Field on the FSU campus in conjunction with the Bulldog football team’s 2004 season opener versus archrival Grand Valley State. Huntington Bank is serving as the event’s primary sponsor along with the FSU Athletics and Alumni Relations Departments.

The inaugural Ferris Football Frenzy promises to be an exciting event for all as FSU attempts to set a new single-game attendance record.

The day’s festivities will commence at 3:30 p.m. (EDT) with a Ferris State/Grand Valley State Gridiron Alumni Flag Football Game at Top Taggart Field followed by the traditional Pigskin Cookout at 5 p.m. A concert featuring country music star Chris Cagle will also be held at 5 p.m. outside the south endzone of Top Taggart Field. Cagle, whose self-titled album debuted at number one on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, has sung several notable songs such as “Chicks Dig It”.

The Bulldog Experience, which will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m., is an interactive clinic and is sponsored by Coca-Cola. Activities include kicking, punting, passing and tackling drills where children receive an opportunity to have fun while learning some football fundamentals. The Party in the Dog Pound is slated to start at 6:30 p.m. and will involve a disc jockey playing music in the stadium’s north area. Sponsoring the event is WSNX Radio. Following the contest, the annual fireworks display will begin.

Tickets for the entire day are $7 for adults and $5 for non-Ferris State students. FSU students will be admitted free of charge with their student identification. Fans may also reserve tickets to the event by contacting Star Tickets Plus at 1-800-585-3737 and www.starticketsplus.com or calling the FSU Athletics Ticket Office at (231) 591-2888. Tickets are also available via online by going to Ferris State’s Athletics official website – www.ferris.edu/sports.

“We’re really excited about offering an event of this magnitude,” said FSU Assistant Athletics Director Brian Kegler. “We wanted to do something special in conjunction with our football season opener and having an event like this one was the best way. We’re trying to get alumni back to Ferris while also involving the entire community in hopes of establishing a new attendance record.”

“This (Football Frenzy) is one of the largest football events ever at Ferris State,” said FSU Alumni Relations Program Coordinator Ira Childress. “We’ve already received a lot of interest about the event and the football alumni game alone has drawn over 50 alumni participants. I’m hoping this new initiative will be highly successful and something we can continue doing on an annual basis.”

Organizers of the event hope to eclipse the Top Taggart Field record of 12,545 fans, who attended the Bulldogs’ Homecoming contest against Saginaw Valley State on Oct. 4, 1975. Ferris has had home crowds of at least 10,000 on 10 occasions, including the most recent back in 1983 (10/15) when 12,500 spectators were present for a homecoming encounter versus Hillsdale.

Ferris State will kickoff its 96th year of varsity competition August 28 against the two-time defending NCAA Division II National Champion Grand Valley State Lakers at FSU’s Top Taggart Field. A 7 p.m. (EDT) kickoff is scheduled for both the 2004 season and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) opener. The winner of the contest will be awarded the Anchor Bone Trophy, which is sponsored by Huntington Bank.

2004 Ferris Football Frenzy Events Schedule

3:30 p.m. – Ferris State/Grand Valley State Alumni Flag Football Game

4 p.m. – Tailgating Begins

5 p.m. – Pigskin Cookout

5 p.m. – Country Music concert featuring Chris Cagle

5 p.m. – The Bulldog Experience (Interactive Games)

6:30 p.m. – Party In The Dog Pound

7 p.m. – Ferris State/Grand Valley State Game Kickoff

10 p.m. – Fireworks