Purdue spirit community contest kicks off
July 30, 2012
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Purdue coach Danny Hope (center) speaks during an event at the Tippecanoe County Courthouse with officials from Purdue, Tippecanoe County, and Lafayette and West Lafayette. (Purdue University photo/Andrew Hancock) |
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University and Greater Lafayette area leaders on Monday (July 30) unveiled a new initiative to help individuals and businesses show support for the football team in a way that will enable the team and community to prosper.
Purdue coach Danny Hope joined university and community leaders at the Tippecanoe County Courthouse to kick off Purdue SpiritMakers, a community-wide contest.
The initiative encourages individuals and businesses throughout the football season to create displays showing Purdue spirit, with the goal of creating a greater sense of community. Prizes will be offered to contest winners.
"As a football team, we aspire to be champions," Hope said. "We appreciate the tremendous support of Boilermaker Nation, and be assured that our players are motivated and inspired by the visible support shown from the community."
Several Purdue cheerleaders raised a flag at the courthouse to promote the initial Boilermaker Revelry, which will run Aug. 13 through Sept. 1. Additionally, individuals and businesses are encouraged to fly a Purdue flag on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of any home game.
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Purdue cheerleaders raise a university flag at the Tippecanoe County Courthouse. (Purdue University photo/Andrew Hancock) |
Purdue Acting President Timothy Sands, Athletics Director Morgan Burke, Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski, West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis and Tippecanoe County Commissioner Tom Murtaugh participated in the event.
People are encouraged to fly a Purdue flag through Sept. 1, and then on the Friday and Saturday of every home game weekend. As part of Purdue SpiritMakers, fans are encouraged to decorate homes or businesses to show their university spirit.
"What better way to display support than with Purdue flags flying all over campus, all over the community, at all Boilermaker farms, all over the state, and for that matter, the nation and the world," Burke said. "Boilermaker Flag Revelry will annually remind us of how our great community and our great university embrace 40,000 young people to help them as they grow and learn so they can impact and lead our future. It also will signal the return of a great American tradition - college football, which allows 60,000-plus fans to come together as family to enjoy a daylong experience focused on family and some fun."
A contest winner will be selected each week of a home football game decided by votes or "likes" through Facebook. A prize package consisting of tickets, food vouchers, a Follett's gift card and other prizes will be delivered to each winner on the Boilermaker Express, driven by the Purdue Reamer Club. Additionally, each winner will have a photo featured in a banner on the Purdue home page for four days surrounding the game.
Murtaugh spoke about the economic impact the football team has on the Lafayette-West Lafayette community. Each home football game brings roughly 40,000 out-of-town visitors to the Greater Lafayette area, leading to an approximately $2.5 million impact, he said.
The Purdue SpiritMakers contest is part of a greater effort to improve weekly buildup and overall fan experience at home football games.
Several new action items will be implemented this year to accompany familiar returning activities.
A pep rally will be held the Friday before each home game on the Purdue Memorial Union front lawn and will be open to students and the community.
On Wednesday (Aug. 1) a new social media partnership with Lodestone will offer a rewards program for fans' involvement on social media.
The Boiler Gold Rush Welcome Event will be Aug. 13 for incoming freshman and offer new students a chance to learn about school traditions and hear from coaches and administrators.
The Boilermaker Bridge Walk will return this season and will be on Friday before each home game on the John T. Meyers Pedestrian Bridge spanning the Wabash River from Lafayette to West Lafayette.
Also, fans can meet this year's Purdue team during a meet-and-greet event on Aug. 25 on the north end of the Ross-Ade Stadium plaza.
Purdue opens the 2012 season on Sept. 1 against Eastern Kentucky in Ross-Ade Stadium. The Boilermakers finished last season with a 7-6 record after winning the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in Detroit.
Other home games will be on Sept. 15 (vs. Eastern Michigan), Sept. 29 (vs. Marshall), Oct. 6 (vs. Michigan), Oct. 13 (vs. Wisconsin), Nov. 3 (vs. Penn State) and Nov. 24 (vs. Indiana).
Details on all of the Purdue SpiritMakers initiatives and game-week activities can be found at http://www.boilermakerdepot.com
Writer: Brian Peloza, 765-494-2096, bpeloza@purdue.edu
