EMPORIA STATE FOOTBALL GAME DAY PRIMER 2025

Hornets open 127th season of football on Thursday

Football | 8/21/2025 7:00:00 PM

For the third straight year Emporia State will open the season with a Thursday night home game when they take on Minot State University. The Hornets will play host to the Beavers on August 28 on Jones Field at Welch Stadium on the Emporia State campus. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. It will be a full afternoon and evening on the ESU campus from the Hornet Walk at 4 p.m. until fireworks after the game.

• Emporia State begins its 127th season of football against Minot State. The Hornets are 73-48-5 all-time in season openers.
• Coach Garin Higgins is 14-3 in season openers with the Hornets and 19-3 in his career in season openers.
• Emporia State opened last season with a 30-14 victory over Washburn.
• Minot State is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

Live at the Hive Highlights Hornet Walk With Tuba Player

• 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 will be located in the Visser Hall parking lot and open two and a half hours before kickoff. Live at the Hive will feature DJ Rusty Turner keeping the lot bumping with party hits, 80s throwbacks, country favorites and more; a cash bar; tailgate games including a mechanical bull; 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 the evening of August 21, there are eight numbered and 16 reserved and spaces available.
• 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.

• As part of Emporia State's Year of Celebration all general admission seating is FREE of charge this year. Fans can still purchase a reserved chairback to guarantee their seat for the game.
• 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.
• Silverson Security and stadium ushers will help maintain the reserved chairback sections for paying fans. All fans purchasing a reserved ticket will be given a credential for easy identification.
• Ticket sales will begin and the gates to Welch Stadium open at 6:00 p.m.
•Pregame festivities begin in the stadium 30 minutes before kickoff with the Marching Hornets pregame show.
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 D 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 east side stands of Welch Stadium.
• Sideline access is restricted to media and team personnel only. There is a special end zone access pass that is available to select individuals.
• 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 fifth year beer sales will be available inside Welch Stadium. 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.
• Men's Basketball Coach Tom Billeter will be recognized for his 500th career win at the first media timeout of the game
• A lucky fan will have a chance to win $10,000 with a football toss during halftime.
• Other promotions include Gambino's Pizza Trivia, the Longbine Automotive T-Shirt Cannon, the Mitchell Markowitz Legacy Seat, and the Helmet Shuffle Contest

Welch Stadium Seating

• 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 cool night of football. The forecast calls for a day time high temperature of 72 degrees, dropping to an overnight low of 57 with winds out of the east from 10-15 mph and a 60% chance of showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon.

• 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 Voice of the Hornets Blake Cripps on the call. He will be joined in the broadcast booth by former Hornet Athletic Director Kent Weiser and Tagan Trahoon on the sideline. The trio won the KAB Award for Best Sports Play by Play last season.
• This is the first MIAA TV Game of the Week for 2025 and will be available in the Kansas City area on 38 The Spot. ESU Hall of Honor broadcaster Greg Rahe will handle play by play with former Hornet Dan Courtwright providing commentary.
• The game will be video streamed through TheMIAANetwork.com 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.