Everything you need to know about ESPN College GameDay in Brookings
The party is coming to South Dakota.
ESPN's College GameDay is going to be in Brookings, and since they've never been here before, you've probably got some questions. We've answered as many as we can here, and throughout the week as we know more, we'll update this story.
What's happening?
ESPN's College GameDay is hosting their show in South Dakota for the first time ever, broadcasting from Brookings before No. 3 South Dakota State plays the top-ranked North Dakota State at 2 p.m. this Saturday. The game itself will be broadcast on Midco Sports Net or ESPN+. Confused about why it's a big deal? When the show rolls into town, it's a major event — and the showcased games are often of national interest between big-name schools. Thousands of spectators will be on hand — and that's just for the show, not the game.
When will they be here?
ESPN officials arrived in Brookings on Monday scouting locations for the weekend's show. Trucks started arriving on Wednesday, and the set will be built on Thursday. The crew will then broadcast on Friday for College Football Live (taped 2:30 p.m. and aired 3:30 p.m., Friday, ESPN2) in addition to Saturday's College GameDay (8 a.m. to 11 a.m. CT, ESPN). "SportsCenter" will air live "hits" from CollegeGameDay starting at 6 a.m.
Where will College GameDay broadcast from?
The hosts will be set up on College Green, in the southwest quadrant of the campus. Admission will be free all day.
What is the parking situation?
Fans planning to attend Friday's activities are asked to park in campus parking lots west of Medary Avenue or south of Eighth Street. Medary Avenue, which runs on the west side of College Green, will be closed to traffic between Eighth and 11th streets from 12:01 a.m. Saturday until noon.
Paid and priority parking lots surrounding Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium will open at 6 a.m. Saturday.
There is limited parking available around campus (see map) on Saturday. The light green lots (see map) are available for the ESPN GameDay broadcast on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is no fee to park in these lots. Parking restrictions will be enforced in these lots.
Street closures: Medary Avenue will be closed from midnight to noon Saturday between 8th Street and 11th Street. North Campus Drive will be closed five hours (9 a.m.) before kickoff, per normal football game-day procedures.
Park and ride: A shuttle service will begin at 5:30 a.m. from the Swiftel Center/Larson Ice Arena parking lots. Buses for drop-off will run until 9:30 a.m.
Drop-off will occur east of the University Student Union. Fans will have about a 5-minute walk from the drop-off area to the broadcast location. Volunteers and signage will be on-site to direct people to the broadcast area.
Buses will begin returning fans from campus to the Swiftel or downtown Brookings at 11 a.m. and continue until 12:30 p.m.
Where can I park if I'm also attending the game?
Normal game-day paid and priority lots (see map above) surrounding Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium will open at 6 a.m. Saturday. Game tickets will be required to enter the lots.
The university's normal tailgating policies will be in place. Tailgating will not be allowed in regard to alcohol consumption until 9 a.m.
I want to get into the pit (the area closest to the main Gameday set). How do I do that?
Students interested in watching the show from the College GameDay Pit will have access to the area at 5:30 a.m. No personal tents will be allowed on the College Green.
Bus drop off will only be allowed in the designated area east of the University Student Union. Bus drop off will not begin until 5:30 a.m.
People entering this area will be screened and must adhere to ESPN's rules, which include:
- Screening will include bag checks, wanding and inspection of all signs.
- No food or drink allowed in the area;
- Screening will include bag checks and inspection of all signs;
- Sign restrictions include: no vulgar, political or religious signs; also, signs cannot promote outside brands or websites;
- No signs or flags on a stick;
- No pens, pencils, markers or dry erase boards;
- Throwing of objects is prohibited; and
- Space will be limited in the pit area, but there will be plenty of other space to enjoy the show and come and go as they please.
Which road should I use to get to campus?
Fans coming to the Swiftel Center and Larson Ice Arena off I-29 are encouraged to take the Brookings/6th Street Exit (No. 132). Fans with tickets for the game are being encouraged to take the Highway 14 Bypass Exit (No. 133). The Swiftel Center and Larson Ice Arena has around 1,200 parking spaces. Carpooling is encouraged.
Buses will not be running from downtown to the Swiftel Center. Fans who travel downtown after the ESPN GameDay broadcast will need to find their own transportation back to the Swiftel Center. Lyft is a service available in Brookings.
No overnight parking will be permitted at the Swiftel Center. Cars must be out of the lot by midnight. The university will have additional bike racks available on the south side of the Campanile.
When should I get there?
We don't have all the info on that, but when GameDay was in Iowa in September, people started lining up around 5 a.m. You'll have to go through a security checkpoint, and if you've got a sign, it will be checked as well.
Speaking of signs, what should I put on mine?
If you want your sign to actually make it into the event, make sure it isn't derogatory, political or vulgar. Brands and website URLs are off-limits as well. Signs are checked by ESPN staff to make sure they are appropriate. If you need inspiration, a downtown business is hosting a sign-making booth on Thursday and Friday.
What else is going on that day?
ESPN will also have activities, lawn games and giveaways at College Green, with fans encouraged to visit the area throughout the day. No admission will be charged for any College GameDay activities.
Can I get tickets to the game?
Probably not. Tickets sold out on Monday morning, although info on student admission is expected to be announced soon. Of course, you can always get tickets on the secondary market if you are willing to pay more than $100.
Who will the celebrity picker be?
Former NFL kicker and current football analyst Pat McAfee announced Friday night that he has been selected as this week's celebrity guest picker and will be in Brookings tomorrow morning for the College GameDay festivities.
What will there be to eat?
The University Student Union will open at 5 a.m. Einstein's and Union Coffee will also open at 5 a.m. The university's Starbuck's location opens at 6 a.m. and the SDSU Dairy Bar opens at 8 a.m.
Food trucks will be available on the south end of the College Green. Food trucks will operate from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
What will the weather be like?
Cool, but it will be very nice for late October in South Dakota. There is no chance for rain or snow, and the temperatures will hover in the high 30s and low 40s until kickoff.
Can I drink alcohol on the College Green?
Alcohol will be prohibited on College Green during all College GameDay and ESPN-related events. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be available on site Saturday through a variety of local food vendors. Please note that no food or beverage of any kind will be allowed in the area designated as "The Pit."
How can I watch the game?
Of course, there is a game being played, and it kicks off at 2 p.m. You can watch it on TV on Midco SN or KVLY (Fargo) and NBC North Dakota. In Sioux Falls, Midco Sports Network is channel 26 and 622 (HD) on the Midco cable TV package.
Otherwise, you will have to have an ESPN+ subscription.
So how big of a deal is this, really?
ESPN coming to Brookings for a weekend to highlight a Jackrabbit football game is a landmark moment for the state of South Dakota, and an event no one would have dreamed possible back when SDSU left the Division II North Central Conference (along with NDSU) to jump to Division I. "If you love college football, College GameDay is on every Saturday. It’s hard to put into words what this means," athletic director Justin Sell said.
Is Brookings the smallest town Gameday has visited?
No. But it is definitely one of only a handful of small-town stops over the show's 26-year history.
I want to volunteer. How can I help?
The Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce is coordinating volunteers needed to help Saturday.
Volunteers are needed for two shifts: 5:30 - 8 a.m., as well as, from 8 - 11:00 a.m.
Volunteers on campus from 8 - 11 a.m. will be on site for the broadcast of GameDay.
If you can volunteer for one or both of these shifts, email Kelsey Doom at the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce at kelsey@brookingschamber.org for details.