Where does College Gameday/Big Noon Kickoff set up?
I will be surprising my 2 son's at Thanksgiving dinner, with tickets to THE GAME. We will be making the trek from just south of Columbus to AA Thursday after dinner. We are tailgating at Pioneer, and I see that both College Gameday & Big Noon Kickoff are going to be live in AA.
My question is-Where do they traditionally set up? Has anyone attended both, which one is better--Or are we better foo just skipping out and staying put at our tailgate spot.
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:01 AM ^
Personally I have no idea where they set up but I wouldn't go to either. Enjoy your tailgate.
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:48 PM ^
I've been to Gameday 5 or 6 times...it's fun. It's not like you have to stay there the whole time or be in the mix.
Just find a good vantage point where you can have a couple of beers and watch some of the show.
Trying to be in the fray with the signs is overrated, but hanging out on the fringe, watching the big screens and just taking in the atmosphere, that's awesome. They have speakers so you can hear everything.
Watching the monitors is better than staring at the back of their heads anyway.
The last 3 times I've been, we've had our dogs with us...so we just get our tailgating chairs out, and a little cooler and just watch the last two hours. Dogs just lay on their beds and we just chill, I love it.
That said, I've never done Gameday for a noon game. Every time I've done it, you just go back to your tailgate when it's over and start watching the noon games while making lunch.
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:02 AM ^
In 2017 it was just outside the north gates. Oldest son was ‘on’ TV at the game, in the pan out shot
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:05 AM ^
Thanks. The boys are 10 and 11, I think they'd like to check out one or the other, but if its going to be a pain we may avoid it!
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:03 AM ^
It used to always seem to be north of the diag on or just south of Ingalls Mall, but I dont know if it's been that way recently.
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:08 AM ^
If I recall correctly, I think they moved the Gameday set to inside the stadium after some folks in the crowd tried throwing debris at Herbstreit when they put the set on the Diag.
November 22nd, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
The set includes a screen behind the stage now that prevents any projectiles from reaching the commentators.
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:08 AM ^
All the time that I can think of in the past, going back to the 90s when ESPN began to do this sort of thing and long before Fox Sports, they have at least some crew somewhere within site of the gates - north usually because there is a nice, wide parking lot there and all the distribution terminals for broadcasts happen to be over there too (I know this because I designed one of the services). Gameday also has been on Ingalls Mall a few times too. I imagine Big Noon Kickoff will set up in Los Angeles and have someone at least reporting live from the top of the Main / William lot - at a minimum.
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:10 AM ^
With it being a 12 PM kick both will be at/near the stadium (and the 11 am-12 pm hour will be on the field). I think Big Noon has been on the north side near the student ticket entrance in the past and Gameday has used the golf course.
Gameday has done the Diag/Ingalls Mall for later kicks (2015 MSU was 3:30/2018 Wisconsin was a night game).
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:28 AM ^
From what I've heard, it will likely be Pioneer High School right on the corner of Stadium and Main which sounds like it will be perfect for you. You can scoot over there and check out the crowd without wasting valuable tailgating time trying to get to where it is
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:39 AM ^
Thank you! This would be awesome! I have heard that Charles Woodson's dad tailgates at Pioneer? Maybe CW will mingle with the tailgating crowd a bit?
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:45 AM ^
I wouldn’t count on meeting anyone specific. Just have fun where you are.
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:31 AM ^
are they both going to be in town again?
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:39 AM ^
Don’t care about game day, they should stay in the sec love fest and fk off
Big Noon, I’ll be watching
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:43 AM ^
Wow, that’s awesome. Have a great time.
This seems more pertinent this week, but it’s actually true of any event like this with family: focus on having a good experience, and don’t make the goodness dependent on the result. Enjoy the tailgating and the atmosphere. Get in early enough to see both marching bands and the electricity before kickoff—pregame of UM-OSU is one of the great experiences of sports anywhere in the world. Sure, catch a bit of Gameday, but maybe just do 15-30 minutes of it.
No idea how old your kids are. But whether they’re 5 or 50, this is chance to make a memory you will all treasure for a lifetime, win or lose. Enjoy it.
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:49 AM ^
Thanks for the advice. The boys are 10 and 11. This will be all of our first time going to the OSU/Mich game. We are planning on getting down to pioneer around 7am-(I hope that is early enough to get a decent spot and set up.) Their mom and I always enjoy watching the band over on hoover, and then follow them into the stadium. I never got to have these experiences as a kid, so i cant wait to give this to give this memory to them!
November 22nd, 2021 at 1:14 PM ^
Maybe you and your family can help reverse this curse. I will be there as well. Go blue!
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:49 AM ^
Thanks for the advice. The boys are 10 and 11. This will be all of our first time going to the OSU/Mich game. We are planning on getting down to pioneer around 7am-(I hope that is early enough to get a decent spot and set up.) Their mom and I always enjoy watching the band over on hoover, and then follow them into the stadium. I never got to have these experiences as a kid, so i cant wait to give this to give this memory to them!
November 22nd, 2021 at 11:24 AM ^
...see my comment below; better make it 6:30 because Ann Arbor/Saline Road will be backed up from the I-94 exit to the Pioneer parking lot by 7:00 and it will take more than 30 min to drive that last mile. This is first hand info because of where I live.
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:56 AM ^
Hey Justin, my dad took me to the 1969 OSU game and I was 10 years old at the time. I still remember the fans rushing the field as the clock hit zero. I didn’t fully appreciate how big an upset that was at the time, and that it would usher in the 10 year war with Bo and Woody. It was a thrill that has stayed with me since and I hope this Saturday’s game results in similar memories for your sons. Go Blue!
November 22nd, 2021 at 11:19 AM ^
Have a safe trip, Justin. Get to AA Pioneer very early, as in before 7 AM. The roads inbound to the stadium get backed up in very long lines even by then. This always happens when OSU comes to play in Ann Arbor.
November 22nd, 2021 at 3:37 PM ^
Adding to the game day festivity questions, does anyone know if the team still stays at the Campus Inn (now Graduate hotel)? Not going to the game but planning to be out and about town with the kid that morning and thought catching them getting on the bus would be a neat start to the day.
November 22nd, 2021 at 7:58 PM ^
Your boys will love it. Our high school senior and freshman headed over to Big Noon Kickoff while we were tailgating in EL. Here’s a shot of our 14-year old getting a fist bump from #2.
November 23rd, 2021 at 1:47 PM ^
Looks like the show is setting up at the Pioneer High corner of Main and Stadium. Probably won't get a huge student crowd with that location choice but will guarantee plenty of people in the background and nice shots of the stadium.