Each spring downtown Toledo is inundated with visitors, as the area around Fifth Third Field overflows with revelers eager to celebrate the return of Mud Hens baseball and spring temperatures and to pay homage to their hometown.
The University of Toledo is trying to replicate that energy and community symmetry. And Bryan Blair believes the Rockets have the right formula.
“We live in the state of Ohio, where football is a main thing that we all can relate to,” the UT athletic director said. “Whether you’re a Toledo fan or not, you’re in this community. Celebrate that kickoff of football season. Spend that Thursday with us cheering on the Rockets. And then go home and watch another game or 20 other games on your TV like I will Labor Day weekend.”
The university has branded next Thursday’s season-opener against Duquense as the “Biggest Party in Toledo.” UT is heavily investing in fan experience, introducing a beer garden, live music, and big-screen TVs in Lot 10 outside the Glass Bowl.
A ticket to the beer garden is $35 and includes a game ticket on the east sideline, two drink vouchers, and a $5 food voucher. It’s the university’s latest attempt at enhancing the pregame atmosphere near the stadium, creating a big-game environment that’s the hallmark of college campuses across the country.
“The good thing at the University of Toledo, we deliver one heck of a product on the field, but our fans, whether they are young or old, they want the full experience,” interim president Matt Schroeder said. “You have to engage with fans, and that engagement starts prior to the game. The tailgating in Lot 10 and blending into the whole tailgating experience, the student factor, that is why people not only come back to the University of Toledo but to universities around the country.”
Schroeder is a lifelong Toledoan and UT graduate who has held leadership roles at the university in finance, administration, and fundraising. In a short stint as interim president, he has already made his mark on athletics, going all-in on its importance relating to the university’s overall health, acting as a sounding board for Blair, and earnestly taking an active role in transformational ideas.
Student involvement is paramount at athletic events. The introduction of Rowdy Row has added juice and increased participation in recent years. A DJ, inflatables, and the Splash Zone, complete with a hot tub and kiddie pools, will be unveiled Thursday. The designated tailgate space across from Lot 8, giving students a spot to call their own and congregate before the game, has amplified the pregame vibe.
“I’ve never been anywhere where the student body and the students don’t lead the energy and the atmosphere for a college game day,” deputy AD Al Tomlinson said. “In-game, if the students are there, if they are vibrant and highly engaged, usually the rest of the crowd will follow. And certainly the student-athletes feed off that energy from their student peers, probably more than they do their general fans. So the students are extremely important.”
The 2024 schedule is a potential landmark series of events for UT. There’s a Thursday night opener. The second game is at 3:30 p.m. on a Saturday. The homecoming game is against Miami (Ohio). And for the first time in six years, the Battle of I-75 will be played on a Saturday at the Glass Bowl. All four games will have near-capacity crowds.
The last time Toledo averaged 21,000 fans at home was 2018. It has been more than a decade since UT averaged 22,000 (2011). But the Rockets have led the Mid-American Conference in attendance since 2017. Back-to-back MAC championship appearances and the expectation to return this year further fuel the excitement — and opportunity.
“Recruits want to play in front of fans,” Blair said. “When we went through the women’s basketball search, there wasn’t a candidate that we talked to that wasn’t interested, and it was in large part because of the reputation of our fan base. I think the same thing is true for football. When you come on Saturday and there’s a packed stadium and an active student area and fans that show up two-and-a-half hours for the pregame walk, that speaks to them and says, ‘Hey, I’m going to a place that cares about my sport, that cares about whether I’m successful or not.’”
In recent years, college football attendance has surged nationwide. The sport’s popularity is tracking on a similar plane, as college football plants itself as No. 2 in America behind the NFL. Despite the acclaim, fans in 2024 are different than fans in 1984, 1994, and even 2014.
Ticket, concession, and parking costs are exorbitant. Attending games fills an entire day. And the process can be intimidating. Toledo, however, is an antidote to those headaches. Affordability and ease of movement are staples of UT football.
Still, fan experience is paramount when every game in the country is accessible on TV. A La-Z-Boy and your own refrigerator also provide competition. That’s why Toledo is welcoming four local bands (Skittle Bots, Three’s Kin, Pop’s Garage, and Unanimous Decision) to be part of the pregame festivities in August, September, and October.
Big screens in Lot 10 and the student section will allow fans to watch other games of interest. A kid zone at the soccer stadium and inside the Glass Bowl gives the entire family something to enjoy.
“Fan experience is a crucial part of what we do because there are so many things going on in this world for fans,” UT marketing director Heather Lutz said. “There’s a convenience of being home and watching the game, or there’s the Toledo football game but there are five other events going on in the community, so we treat every game like it’s someone’s first game. We truly believe that it’s more than a game. Yes, there’s football going on. But what did we have for little Sam, and what did we have for mom, and what did we have for dad? The cheerleaders, the band, on-field promotions, tailgating — you want to make sure there’s something for everyone.”
The Rocket Walk will return this season, with the UT football team traversing lot 10 on foot 2.5 hours before kickoff. The touchdown tank — the viral sensation from 2023 — is back. Someone will be dunked after each Toledo touchdown. Fireworks will be shot off when the Rockets take the field, after each touchdown, and at the conclusion of each win.
A new entrant is the Rocket Motorsports car, a high-powered automobile manufactured in a collaborative project with the College of Engineering and the UT Formula SAE racing team.
Toledo will have special “Rocket Hour” pregame pricing again this season, as well as mobile ordering, $5 or less concession areas, and specialty foods and desserts.
“Our games matter a great deal,” Blair said. “Not only to the team, but our fan base, others in the community, and, obviously, for a national spotlight opportunity with rankings and the College Football playoff. But if we market as if who we play doesn’t matter and we can fill out the Glass Bowl, the competition, the winning is a cherry on top.
“The more we incentivize people to get up off their couch, get off their phone, and come into the stadium, [the more they will return].”
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