It’s Blue Raider football time in Middle Tennessee!! Is there any better place to be besides Floyd Stadium on game day? 

If I estimate correctly, half of you are ready to read the rest of the article. To the other half, I know where you’re coming from. If you aren’t a sports fan, why should you spend an afternoon watching sports? In typical Student Voice fashion, I have an answer for you!

By the end of this article, I hope that you visit BlueZooTix.com, sign up, and claim your tickets for the next game. At least read the article and let me try to convince you.

The Blue Zoo isn’t a section of bleachers, it’s an experience

Members of the Blue Zoo holding up their infamous banner in section 1F.

If you’re a student and go to a Blue Raider football or basketball game, you shouldn’t expect to sit and watch a game quietly. But if you’re on the fence about attending a sporting event, why would you want to?

The Blue Zoo student section was relaunched in 2019, completely changing the experience for students at games. Complete with a massive banner raised after touchdowns and wins, the goal of the Blue Zoo is provide an environment where any student can feel welcome to get rowdy for our Blue Raiders.

You can join the student organization by clicking here, and be sure to follow their Twitter and Instagram accounts!

You are supporting your classmates

MTSU golfer Hanley Long, left, and mother Lisa Long share proud moment Tuesday, April 23, at a special commencement ceremony for student athletes who have upcoming competition commitments and will be unable to attend the regular May 4 commencement at Murphy Center. The special ceremony was held in the second floor atrium of the Miller Education Center on Bell Street. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

One of the coolest things about college is watching your school being represented on a national stage, and then seeing those same players in your 8 a.m. class.

The student-athletes at MTSU work extremely hard to balance classes, practices, and travel for games and matches. Cheering on your classmates is something they’ll always appreciate. 

In a similar vein, the Blue Zoo is all about supporting each other on the field, in the classrooms, and in our daily lives. The organization donated $1,000 to the student emergency fund in response to the COVID-19 crisis, allowing impacted student workers to meet their needs.

Being a student and supporting our teams is a special thing to be a part of. Don’t take it for granted!

You add value to your degree

MTSU men’s basketball players Reggie Upshaw, left, and Perrin Buford were key members of the team that pulled an historic upset over Michigan State in 2016. (MTSU photo illustration)

Remember what I said about that national stage? What if I told you that success on the field, court, and course led to success in our classrooms and research opportunities?

After the historic upset over Michigan State in the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, MTSU became a top-trending subject on social media. The estimated reach was over 100 million people!

That sort of exposure for a university is priceless. Being successful with such a huge audience makes people take notice of Middle Tennessee State University and attracts prospective students from around the world.

It sounds sort of crazy, but your support of our teams helps the players perform better, their good performances bring more exposure, and more exposure adds to the value of your degree. Got it?

Bottom line, you should go to games. At the very least, you’ll meet new people, score some sweet giveaways, and support the people you’re going through college with. It is easy to take college life for granted, and this is a free way to make sure that doesn’t happen!

Author Kobe Hermann is a senior at MTSU, majoring in management in the Jones College of Business and minoring in economics and business administration. The views and opinions expressed above are his own.