Want someone to set up your Michigan State football tailgate? Here's how to have it done

EAST LANSING – It's all the fun of tailgating — no clean up required. 

Michigan State University plans to partner this fall with Tailgate Guys, a company that provides tents, chairs, tables and coolers on game days. They do set up and tear down. Some packages include TVs and catering, though users can also bring their own food and alcohol. 

And they'll have access to the grassy area between MSU's softball, baseball and soccer stadiums and the Jenison Field House, which was previously off-limits for tailgating, said Tim Day, associate athletics director for Michigan State. 

Day said the partnership isn't meant to signal an end for traditional tailgating. Tailgate Guys simply give fans another option, he said. 

"It can get pretty cumbersome to put together your tailgate: the tent, the chairs, loading it into your car, preparing the food," he said. 

The company's goal is to take away the logistical challenges of tailgating, said Jimmy Fischer, vice president for East and Midwest regions for Tailgate Guys,

“It’s not easy to put on a tailgate together," he said.”The guy or gal putting it on is usually more focused on the operational details than on having fun.”

Fischer said the service is ideal for groups and out-of-town visitors who don't have the option to lug around tents and coolers. The service also means folks don't have to stake out the perfect tailgating spot. 

Krista Pulcini, regional sales manager for Tailgate Guys, said prices typically range from $295 to $1,950 for a game, depending on the size of the package and the expected appeal of the game.

A basic package for for MSU's Sept. 7 game against Western Michigan costs $295, for instance. The same package for the Oct. 26 game versus Penn State costs $550. Renting space by the season gives customers a 35% discount, Pulcini said. 

Tailgate Guys began in 2009 with Auburn University football in Alabama. The business expanded to colleges and universities throughout the South before moving north. 

The company has partnered with four other Big Ten schools: Purdue, Penn State, Michigan and Maryland. Between Michigan and Michigan State, the company will employ about 50 to 75 people to pull off the events.

Tailgate Guys reservations open April 23 and can be booked by calling 517-662-9107 or emailing msu@tailgateguys.com.

MORE: Banning tailgating on Munn Field ruined a tradition, some Spartans fans say

MORE: Everything you need to know for MSU tailgating

Contact reporter Haley Hansen at (517) 267-1344 or hhansen@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @halehansen.