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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Fans Advised To Arrive Early For BGSU-Northern Illinois Game
October 23, 2003 | Football
Oct. 23, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - With a sellout crowd of nearly 30,000 expected, fans with tickets to Saturday's Bowling Green State University-Northern Illinois University football game are advised to arrive early to allow sufficient time to park and enter Doyt L. Perry Stadium.
Stadium gates will open at 2:30 p.m. (Oct. 25) for the 4 p.m. game, which matches two nationally ranked Mid-American Conference rivals and will be televised nationwide on ESPN2. ESPN's pre-game show, College GameDay, will also broadcast live from a set just southeast of the stadium from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
In addition to arriving early, ticketholders are encouraged to enter the stadium earlier than normal, or to allow extra time to enter the stadium. Fans waiting until just before kickoff to enter the stadium likely will miss at least a portion of the game.
To avoid possible traffic congestion, ticket-holders coming to BGSU are encouraged not to take Interstate 75 to the Bowling Green exit. Suggested alternate routes involve U.S. Route 25, accessible from Ohio 582 off I-75 South and from U.S. Route 6 off I-75 North. Drivers on U.S. Route 25 can turn onto either Poe Road or Wooster Street and proceed to Mercer Road, then turn onto Stadium Drive to access stadium parking lots.
Complete directions are available byclicking on "GAMEDAY CENTRAL" on the bgsufalcons.com home page to reach Doyt L. Perry Stadium information. Directional signage with alternate routes will be posted along I-75 as well.
Bowling Green city police and Wood County Sheriff's deputies will help direct traffic into and out of the stadium, where parking lots will open at 7 a.m. Saturday. Parking charges are $5 for cars, $10 for RVs and $15 for buses.
Extra police officers will be on duty to provide security for the game. Officers will be stationed at all stadium gates and will perform security checks on all bags and packages. Large purses and backpacks are prohibited in the stadium, as are coolers, picnic baskets, glass bottles and alcohol.
To reduce the potential for injury and avoid obstructing others' views, fans are discouraged from bringing umbrellas into the stadium.
In the wake of incidents at other universities, BGSU students are being encouraged to use common sense and act responsibly while enjoying the game. Undergraduate Student Government has joined the effort through its president, Josh Kontak.
"People have sustained serious injuries at other universities as a result of fans rushing the field and taking down the goalposts," Kontak said. "We really want to avoid injuries to our students, fans and guests."
"We want to make sure everyone's safe. That's the bottom line," added Dr. Ron Zwierlein, senior associate vice president for student affairs at BGSU.
Saturday's game, the first Falcon football sellout in 20 years, coincides with the University's annual Family Weekend, which will bring more visitors onto campus for special activities.
(portions of this release courtesy BGSU Office of Marketing & Communications)
