JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Sept. 12, 2024) – With ETSU football gearing up for one if the biggest games in William B. Greene, Jr. Stadium history on Saturday as the Buccaneers host No. 2 North Dakota State, below are the "Things to Know" presented by Citizens Bank.
No. 1 – Kickoff - Saturday's game will kickoff at 5:32 p.m. ET at Bank of Tennessee Field at William B. Greene, Jr. Stadium. Saturday's game sponsor is Bank of Tennessee.
No. 2 – ThunderSticks Giveaway – The first 1,000 fans who enter Greene Stadium on Saturday will receive a Thunder Stick courtesy of Bank of Tennessee.
No. 3 – Moving the Food City Fan Zone – The Food City Fan Zone will have a new location this season as it is moving to the Lot 21 tailgate area.
Opening four hours before kickoff, the Food City Fan Zone will include weekly cornhole tournaments, the BrightRidge Media Zone and the Grill Talk Pregame Show with the Voice of the Bucs Jay Sandos.
Fans interested in participating in the cornhole tournaments can sign up the day of each Buccaneer football home game and have the chance to win prizes courtesy of Food City.
The BrightRidge Media Zone will include complimentary Pepsi products as well as a space for fans to hang out and watch college football games from across the country. Also, "Grill Talk" with Jay Sandos will take place in the BrightRidge Media Zone beginning at 2:15 p.m. and it will end as the BucWalk begins. Before leaving the Fan Zone, fans are encouraged to stop by the Food City tent and pick up a rally towel, as the Bucs start a new tradition this season at the start of the fourth quarter.
No. 4 – A New Tradition Begins – A new tradition will begin this fall as home Buccaneer football games as fans can pick up their gold rally towel at the Food City Fan Zone and sing Wagon Wheel prior to the start of the fourth quarter.
No. 5 – The Buc Walk – The Buc Walk will have a new time this season as it will begin two hours and thirty minutes prior to kickoff. On Saturday, the Buc Walk will begin approximately at 3 p.m.
No. 6 – Gates Open Two Hours Prior to Kickoff – Due to a sellout crowd expected on Saturday, games to the stadium will open two hours prior to kickoff. On Saturday, gates to the stadium will open at 3:30 p.m.
No. 7 – A New Look Inside Greene Stadium – Fans will notice a new addition inside Greene Stadium this season as a Beer Garden, presented by Cherokee Distributing, will be set up on the behind the press tower. Fans will be able to hang out and watch our game on the Ford SuperScreen, while prior to the ETSU game, games from around the country will be broadcast live.
No. 8 – In-game Promotions – Fans will have the opportunity to potentially participate in four different in-game promotions this 2024 season. Three of these make their return from last year in the Great Clips Kicking Challenge, Food City Quarterback Skills Competition, and the BrightRidge HiSpeed Race. New for 2024, however, will be the Johnny Brusco's Pizza Scream. The loudest fan in one randomly selected section will win a pizza courtesy of Johnny Brusco's.
For more information or to sign up for the chance to participate at a game contact Director of Marketing & Fan Experience Micah Beutell via email at
beutellm@etsu.edu or stop by the Guest Services Tent located on the concourse in the endzone.
No. 9 – Guest Services Location: The Guest Services tent is will once again be in the north end of Greene Stadium. Fans can stop by the tent to ask questions, pick up ETSU Athletics promotional materials and enter to win the Follett Gear of the Game giveaway (can enter up until the start of the second half).
No. 10 – Selfie Station: The Selfie Station returns for another season! The Selfie Station will be set up at the Food City Fan Zone and in Lot 21 pregame, while it'll be moved into the Club Room during the game.
No. 11 – Broadcast Information – The Buccaneer Sports Network (BSN) will provide ETSU fans with complete pregame, in-game and postgame coverage on the Bucs' flagship station WXSM-AM 640 and those with HD radio can listen on 101.5 WQUT HD-2.
Click here for live audio.
BSN begins its pregame programming one hour and 30 minutes prior to kickoff with the 30-minute Tennessee Lottery Tailgate Show, followed by the Pregame Show presented by Lafayette Heat & Air, which will lead up to 30 minutes prior to kickoff. The Appalachian Orthopedic Countdown to Kickoff will then lead into the final moments before kickoff.
The broadcast team of "Voice of the Bucs"
Jay Sandos, analyst
Matt Wilhjelm, sideline reporter
Robert Harper and Don Helman on stats will provide ETSU fans all the information they need to complement their game-day activities.
At halftime, the crew will have the Hometown Plumbing Halftime Show, while fans can tune into the Mullican Flooring Post Game Show for a full wrap up, with game statistics, players and coach interviews and other post-game information.
Saturday's game will also be broadcast on
ESPN+ with the team of
Keith Brake (play-by-play) and Buccaneer Hall of Fame member
Mark Hustell (analyst) on the call.
No. 12 – Ticket Information – A limited number of tickets are still available for Saturday's game. For more information, click
here. Students can pick up their tickets all week at the Carrier Center located on the second floor of the Culp Center or at the gate on gameday. Click
here for student ticket info.
No. 13 - Tailgating: Parking lots will open Saturday at 8 a.m. Click
here for the game day parking map.
No. 14 - Clear Bag Policy and Enhanced Security: ETSU has a clear bag policy for all home football games inside William B. Greene, Jr. Stadium. In addition, security procedures including metal detectors and security wands will be employed at entry gates. Prohibited items inside the stadium will include the following:
· Outside food and beverages (including alcoholic beverages)
· Illegal drugs
· Firearms
· Tobacco Products
· Strollers
· Backpacks
· Pets
· Umbrellas
· Camping/Tailgating chairs
No. 15 – LOUD NOISES: Fans are reminded the cannon will be utilized during Saturday's game.
No. 16 – BEST OPPONENT FOR ETSU IN JOHNSON CITY SINCE... North Dakota State will be ranked No. 2 in the national polls entering their clash with the Bucs in Johnson City this weekend. The Bison will be the highest ranked team to ever visit Greene Stadium (Previous was No. 4 Kennesaw State in 2021 FCS Playoffs). Furthermore, it'll be the highest ranked team to come to Johnson City for a game since No. 1 Georgia Southern came to the mini dome on October 27, 2001. In that game, the Bucs upset the top-ranked Eagles by a score of 19-16.
For more information on Buccaneer football, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the football page.