EMPORIA STATE FOOTBALL GAME DAY PRIMER 2023

• Emporia State begins its 125th season of football against Lincoln. The Hornets are 71-48-5 all-time in season openers. 

• Coach Garin Higgins is 12-3 in season openers with the Hornets and 17-3 in his career in season openers. 

• Emporia State returns six starters on offense, seven on defense and both of their kickers from last year’s Live United Bowl Championship team that went 9-3. The three losses were by a combined 15 points. 

• Emporia State opened last season with a 38-7 victory at Northeastern State after leading 28-0 at the half. 

• The Blue Tigers are competing as an independent in football this season, their final year of membership in the MIAA.

• Hornet Walk takes place three hours before kickoff and begins the Hornet Football Game Day experience.  Join the Hornets, ESU Cheer, and the Marching Hornets as they leave the team meal in the Memorial Union, walk down the pedestrian mall to Morse Drive and then into Welch Stadium.

• The Live at the Hive: VIP Experience, presented by Busch Light will be located in the Visser Hall parking lot and open two and a half hours before kickoff. Live at the Hive will feature live music by Bound & Determined, cash bar, tailgate games, appearances by ESU Cheer, the Marching Hornets, Alumni, ESU Coaches and, of course, Corky. 

• To use the tailgating space as effectively as possible while creating a safe pedestrian experience, the parking area on Morse Drive between 15th and 18th avenues will be closed to public traffic on football game days.

• Only ESU Students tailgating in front of Kossover Family Tennis Complex and those fans with football game day parking passes will be allowed in the Morse Drive lot.  ESU students must show their valid student ID to park in the student tailgating area. For the general public, a limited number of parking passes for the permitted parking area on the west side of Welch Stadium are available for purchase online. The cost for a slot is $120 for the full season, with three tiers of parking – Reserved Numbered, Reserved General, Public General. A donation of at least $1,000 is required for the Reserved Numbered slot with a donation of between $500 and $999 for the Reserved General spots.  Deadline to purchase is 24 hours before each game.  Passes must be pre-purchased. 

• As of Monday afternoon, there are only 66 parking spaces remaining – 32 numbered, 12 reserved and 22 general spaces.

• Non-permitted parking for fans is available in the lot on the west side of campus along Merchant Street by Cramer Hall and the parking lot on the north end of campus by the Student Recreation Center.

• Visitor parking and tailgating is allowed in the lot northeast of Welch Stadium north of Wilson Park.

Tailgating Info

Live at the Hive

ESU Student Info

• Emporia State is transitioning away from in-person ticket sales. Fans are advised to get their tickets early by going to esuhornets.com/tickets to avoid waiting in lines at the ticket window. There will also be signs with QR codes around the stadium to direct fans to the ticket site.

• Although admission to regular season home games is included as part of their student fees, Emporia State students will need to sign up at the ticket site to get a code for entry into the stadium.
• Ticket sales at Welch Stadium will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the gates to the stadium set to open at 6:00 p.m.

• All fans will need to get a ticket (either electronic or printed out) scanned in order to enter Welch Stadium.  

• Silverson Security will assist with security at Welch Stadium during home football games.  The local firm will help provide a safe and enjoyable atmosphere at Hornet games.  As part of this process, Silverson staff will be at entrance gates to assist fans with what they can and cannot bring into the stadium.  No outside food or drinks other than water in clear containers may be brought into the stadium.  Random bags may be subject to search as fans enter the stadium.

•Pregame festivities begin in the stadium 20 minutes before kickoff with the Marching Hornets pregame show. 

Ticket Info

ESU Student Ticket Info

• Reserved seating is available in the gold seats on the west side of Welch Stadium.
• Section B and C on the east side of Welch Stadium are the designated Emporia State student sections. 
• Section A on the east side of Welch Stadium are the designated visiting sections. 
• The remainder of the stadium is general admission.
• The Marching Hornets are stationed in the bleachers along the south end zone.
• Sideline access is restricted to media and team personnel only. There is a special end zone access pass that is available to select individuals.

ESU Student Info

• There are four active concession stands in Welch Stadium with two on the upper west concourse and two located beneath the east stands.  They serve Coca Cola products and have a variety of food items.
• For the third year beer sales will be available inside Welch Stadium. Alcoholic beverages from the Budweiser family of products supplied by Flint Hills Beverage will be sold out of the south concession stand to those 21 or older. There will be security in the area of this concession stand to help enforce the legal drinking age. 

• Restrooms are located at the north end of the concourse on the west side of Welch Stadium and underneath the stands on the east side.

• Thursday’s game is presented by Dynamic Discs. Emporia State’s collegiate disc golf national runners-up team will be featured during the halftime show. Head coach and 2010 World Champion Eric McCabe will lead the team through a series of exhibition throws following the Marching Hornets Halftime show. Halftime festivities will wrap up with the Billy Sims BBQ Kick for Cash.

• Other promotions scheduled for Thursday are the Sweet Granada Chariot Race in the first quarter, the ESU Memorial Union’s Hometown Hero recognition between the first and second quarters, Nex-Tech Wireless Helmet Shuffle in the third quarter, and Gambino’s Trivia in fourth quarter.   

• Fans are asked to remain in the stands at the conclusion of the game until the opposing team has left the field to help ensure the health and safety of the players.

• Once again the ESU Marching Hornets will perform the Emporia State alma mater after every game and fans are encouraged to sing along with the words on the Shogren Family Videoboard.

• Following the alma mater, the lights in Welch Stadium will be turned off for a post game fireworks show provided by pyrotechnician Bernie Toso.

• Heading to the game and after the game KDOT encourages all individuals of age to Protect the Hive – Don’t Drink and Drive.

• The weather forecast for Thursday night is for a warm and dry night of football.  The forecast calls for a day time high temperature of 92 degrees, dropping to an overnight low of 61 with winds out of the southeast from 10-15 mph and a 4% chance of rain.

• If for some reason you can't make it to Welch Stadium the game will be available on radio at Mix 104.9 KFFX-FM with the new Voice of the Hornets Blake Cripps making his first call.  He will be joined in the broadcast booth by former Hornet Dan Courtwright and Tagan Trahoon on the sideline.  

• The game will be video streamed through The MIAA Network with both single game and season long options for purchase.  

• Live stats will be available through Emporia State's website at esuhornets.com with updates being posted to the Hornets Twitter account at @ESUSports.