Fans who plan to attend the Ohio State Buckeyes’ upcoming game against Central Florida are getting a little help deciding what to wear for game day.
The Ohio State University’s Department of Athletics has encouraged fans to dress in either scarlet or gray based on their seats in the ‘Shoe. The plan is to have five sections that alternate between three scarlet and two gray sections.
Fans in sections 1-19, in the northwest corner of Ohio Stadium, and in sections 20-30, located in the southeast side, are asked to wear gray. Spectators with seats in the northeast corner in sections 2-18, as well as fans sitting on the southwest side in sections 21-29, and in the south stands from sections 31-39 are asked to wear scarlet.
Carlos Oseguera, director of fan experience and promotion, said in an email that attempts have been made to do a promotion like this in the past.
“There have been attempts but, to my knowledge, the layout of the actual promotion is a first,” Oseguera said.
The reason for the promotion was that the upcoming game would also be the scarlet and gray game, where more than 100 student-athletes will be presented on the field during halftime, Oseguera said.
Associate athletic director Diana Sabau said the fans “always do so well in supporting the Buckeyes” and thinks the promotion will be a new way for them to show Buckeye pride.
“By having a scarlet and gray game, our hope is to take that enthusiasm one notch higher by creating a remarkable experience,” Sabau said.
To alert fans, the athletic department has been advertising the promotion on its website and emailed students Tuesday with game day instructions. It is not, however, providing free T-shirts at the game.
For that very reason, Zach Wilson, director of football operations for Block “O,” said he is cautiously optimistic that the sections will look like they’re intended to.
“When done right, it makes the stadium look cool,” Wilson said. “People generally wear red to games, so we will see how the gray sections turn out. It’s doable, but if they do this again, they might have to at least purchase the gray T-shirts for it to be super successful.”
“Our goal is to enhance the game-day atmosphere and have a feeling of inclusion for our fan base,” Oseguera said.
The promotion has been mostly well received by students.
Alex Dulin, a third-year in biology, voiced her agreement with the promotion. Dulin said she is a member of Block “O” South and heard about the promotion from the organization.
“I think it’s a good idea because it will help us embrace our traditions and school colors,” Dulin said. “It will look really great if it’s executed properly.”
However, Dulin said she thinks the promotion should have been announced sooner, and felt there has not been enough publicity, which might lead to confusion.
Oseguera said a press release was sent out on Sept. 3 alerting local media of the game day dress code, along with announcements made on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Dulin agreed and said the promotion will help “engage the student body.”
“It’s a fun way to really become part of the game,” Dulin said. “Doing one extra thing really does make a difference.”