Impacts to game day and campus operations

As part of the Sun Belt Conference’s media rights agreement with ESPN, select football games can be scheduled in midweek primetime television slots as an opportunity to highlight the league on a national stage with increased visibility. James Madison will host its first such game as a member of the Sun Belt when it welcomes Coastal Carolina on Thursday, Oct. 10, with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN2. 

The nature of a Thursday night game impacts campus operations for the university in a significantly different manner than the typical Saturday contest. As such, James Madison University developed operational plans that best prioritize the university’s core mission of the educational experience of its students while also maximizing the opportunity to showcase the university on a national stage. 

The full campus announcement is available at jmu.edu. Highlights of the announcement with impact for those attending the football game include:

• Game day parking (reserved and general lots) begins at 4:30 p.m., including the R1 designated student lot.
• Administrative offices will close at 3 p.m. to allow time for staff to exit campus and reduce vehicular traffic of staff exiting campus overlapping with game attendees entering.
• Access for faculty, staff and students to reserved football parking lots (staff, commuter and residential) will be restricted starting at 1 p.m. and must be cleared by 3 p.m.
• General game day parking lots remain accessible to faculty, staff and students throughout the day with no restrictions. Beginning at 4:30 p.m., these lots are also available for general game day parking.
• Shuttles from Ballard Parking Deck to central campus will begin at 7 a.m. and continue throughout the day for any staff looking to park and not have to move a vehicle during the afternoon.
• RV Parking (R10 Lot) will not begin until Thursday, Oct. 10 unlike most games when RVs can arrive the day before. However, RVs are permitted to stay in R10 following the game.
• All parking lots must be cleared one hour postgame. (typical policy is two hours)
• In line with typical game day operation, the breezeway between Bridgeforth Stadium and Godwin Hall will close to pedestrian traffic four hours prior to kickoff (3:30 p.m.).
• Stadium gates open the typical 90 minutes prior to kickoff (6 p.m.).

Kevin A. Warner
Associate A.D. for Communications and Strategic Initiatives
James Madison University