New program keeps students in stands

At last weekend's home football game the athletic department kicked off the fourth quarter frenzy, a new program designed to keep students in the stands for the entire game.

The fourth quarter frenzy is run by the athletic department, but each week a different student organization will sponsor a game and offer prizes for attending students, said Jana Ross, assistant director of athletic marketing and fan development.

The Richmond Rowdies were the first organization to sponsor the event and one student won a colored nook, said Sarah Huang, president of the Richmond Rowdies.

Unifying Events will sponsor this weekend's coming game against VMI and one student will win four tickets to the family weekend football game, Ross said. In addition to the grand prize the athletic department has drafted a schedule that will be the outline for each game, she said.

The details are as follows.

The break between the third and fourth quarter will include:

* A Ukrop's fourth quarter frenzy video to excite the crowd (some of these videos throughout the season will be made by Richmond students)

* A relay race between students running toward the student section

* Free food thrown into the student section after the relay

* One student in attendance will win a Ukrop's tailgating package courtesy of IMG College to use for a future game during the first timeout of the fourth quarter

* One student in attendance will win a grand prize provided by the sponsoring student organization during the second timeout of the fourth quarter

Last weekend 1,562 students attended the game and a large portion of those students remained in the stands until the clock ran out, Huang said. Although she said she attributed the packed stands to more than just the fourth quarter frenzy, she said she had been happy with the energy created by the new program.

Ross said she had been pleased with the fourth quarter frenzy, as well, and the athletic department was creating a buzz about the program.

"We are working on keeping it fun and fresh for the students," she said. One of the solutions to keeping it fresh is the Ukrop's fourth quarter frenzy video, she said.

The athletic department will debut the first student video picked at this weekend's game against VMI, she said.

Junior Calum Mackay did not go to the football game this weekend, but said the program showed a definite effort to keep students excited about the game. He also said the new location of the stands and a better team are big factors, too.

"Last year the sun was in everyone's face and it wasn't a good time," he said. "Everything the fourth quarter frenzy is offering in combination with a few other things creates more reasons for students to stay."

Junior Rachel McMullan agreed with Mackay, but said the program needed more advertising. "The fourth quarter frenzy is a great idea for maintaining student attendance," she said. "But it needs greater attention so students know about it."

Overall Ross said she had been pleased with the program's debut last week.

"Last weekend the student body was great," she said. "But I realize we had nice weather and a tight game and it wasn't all because of the fourth quarter frenzy. We just want to do what we can so the students enjoy the game."

Contact reporter Rachael Bilney at rachael.bilney@richmond.edu