Ohio State is revamping the entire game-day atmosphere at the Horseshoe for the upcoming season. It's a huge overhaul for the program.
COLUMBUS — Ohio State is revamping the entire game-day atmosphere at the Horseshoe for the upcoming season. It’s a huge overhaul for the program, which hopes to update its game-day experience and enhance what the Horseshoe brings for fans — and for opponents.
They’re calling it Tradition Evolved, and it’s going to feature changes to the Victory Bell ringing, the ramp entrance for the Best Damn Band In The Land and other factors to make Ohio Stadium better for fans and more intimidating for the opposition.
Here are some of the plans the Ohio State athletic department has in store for the Horseshoe this season:
+ First, the Victory Bell tradition is improving. It will sound before the Buckeyes take the field, and in celebration of the 50th anniversary of his second Heisman Trophy, Archie Griffin will serve as the first pregame Victory Bell “ringer” on Aug. 30 when the Buckeyes take on Texas.
+ For that Texas matchup, Ohio State is unveiling a fan giveaway: THE Towel. Close to 100,000 fans will receive THE Towel for free at the season-opening game against Texas and will be reminded to bring it with them to all future games. The color combo for THE Towel will be scarlet and gray.
+ Ohio State has three color-combination games planned for this season. The theme for fans at the Teas game will be “Scarlet the ‘Shoe.” For the Sept. 13 game against Ohio, a primetime matchup, the theme for fans is a helmet stripe stadium. And the matchup against Penn State on Nov. 1, which could be a top-five showdown, will be a call for Ohio State fans to wear black.
+ Brutus Buckeye will have a different entrance into the stadium each week of the season. That’s designed to get fans loud and energetic ahead of kickoff.
+ Ohio State fans will now have a chance to earn Buckeye Leaves. From an athletic department release: In an effort to make Ohio Stadium even more intimidating, every time a visiting team’s offense commits a false start penalty or burns a timeout because of crowd noise, Buckeye Nation will be awarded with a Buckeye leaf. A visual representation of the stadium receiving a Buckeye leaf will be shown on the video boards displays, along with fixed signage in front of the Block O section to keep track of the number of Buckeye leaves earned throughout the season.
+ TBDBITL is moving to the North End Zone. The athletic department release says “the band’s new location sits on a concrete foundation, rather than the metal south stands, allowing for stronger sound projection and creating an even more intense environment for opposing teams. To amplify that impact, there will be new microphone placements and temporary on-field speakers will be added.”
+ Ohio State is reimagining the content on the video boards: “Videoboard content will be what Buckeye fans want: real-time stats, scores, and replays, with a presentation style that feels distinctly Ohio State. The use of full-board takeovers will be expanded, like those witnessed during the Tennessee CFP game, to enhance impactful moments. Whether it’s a critical third down, an intro video, or a crowd-fueled touchdown celebration, the video board will bring the intensity and pride of Buckeye Nation to the forefront.”
+ Ohio State is planning fewer on-field presentations during timeouts, keeping the energy in the stadium high.
Category: General Sports
