UT To Host Gridiron Bash This Spring
The University of Tennessee and New York City-based MSL Sports and Entertainment today announced that the university will host Gridiron Bash™ The Ultimate Fan Competition™ the day before the Spring Game.
The event -- the first of its kind at Neyland Stadium -- will take place during the afternoon and evening of April 18 and include live performances by Grammy® Award nominees Taylor Swift and Montgomery Gentry, as well as a giant pep rally introducing the team, appearances by coaches and former team legends, and a shortened practice, among other festive fan activities. University of Tennessee football season ticket-holders have first opportunity to purchase tickets, now through Feb. 8 at the Tennessee box office or online at www.gridironbash.com. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Feb. 11.
“Similar to the excitement surrounding Midnight Madness, there’s also excitement around football in the spring,” says Mike Hamilton, men’s athletic director at University of Tennessee, which is one of about 20 Division I universities nationwide selected by MSL (the event’s creator and producer) to serve as a Gridiron Bash host site. “Tens of thousands of spectators come out each spring to watch our football scrimmages, but that’s typically where the ‘fan experience’ ends. Gridiron Bash extends the experience and enables fans to support their team, give back to their university and have a great time doing so.”
The University of Tennessee’s Spring Game attendance last year reached 17,409. With the first-ever Gridiron Bash™, attendance should go up. In total, Gridiron Bash™ is expected to bring participating universities in 2008 an estimated $12 million resulting from gate and merchandise revenue, as well as the opportunity to raise funds through parking, food and beverage sales.
At the core of Gridiron Bash™ is a fan contest --The USA TODAY Bash for Cash Series™ -- that will establish which of the participating schools has the most passionate and supportive fans. The USA TODAY Bash for Cash Series™ winners will be determined by adding up the total attendance at the Gridiron Bash™ event and combining that with the number of fans who text/call in to vote for their school. MSL projects total attendance to be about 1 million.
The USA TODAY Bash for Cash Series™ winning university will receive a $1 million contribution to their General Scholarship fund, with 2nd and 3rd place schools receiving $500,000 and $250,000 respectively. Presentation of the winning schools will be aired live in conjunction with a soon-to-be-announced national television partner.
“We’re thrilled to bring Gridiron Bash to University of Tennessee,” says Shawn Garrity, president of MSL Sports and Entertainment and a former linebacker at Syracuse. “The event will set a new tradition around spring football and feed the appetite of fans looking to be involved with the program beyond the season. Gridiron Bash truly is the ultimate fan competition. It offers fans the ideal opportunity to give back to the universities.”
In addition to Tennessee, other schools participating in Gridiron Bash include: Penn State, Colorado, Texas A&M, Utah, Iowa, Arizona State, Kansas State, West Virginia, Rutgers, Washington and South Carolina. MSL is finalizing partnerships with the following schools: Maryland, Kentucky, UTEP, Auburn, Alabama and Boston College. Among the artists participating (in addition to Taylor Swift & Montgomery Gentry) are Fergie, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, ZZ Top, Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls, Dwight Yoakam, Fall Out Boy, Good Charlotte, O.A.R., and Black Crowes.
Gridiron Bash™ will mark the second time that University of Tennessee has opened up Neyland Stadium for a live performance.
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