Winter is coming, and with it means basketball season at Long Beach State.
At LBSU, attending a basketball game is like an initiation to truly becoming a 49er. You won’t find better student spirit than at a basketball game, especially when the school is playing rival team Cal State Fullerton, or better known as “Foolerton” in the Pyramid.
Not only does our team play in one of three pyramids in the United States, it also has the largest on campus screen in the nation with a 60-foot wide display.
If it is your first time attending a basketball game, here some simple tips so you can get the most out of your time in the pyramid.
- Sit in the student section
Every school has a student section for a reason. That is where the party is really at on game day. At LBSU, we have a special student section group known as the Maniacs. There is no better group to sit with at a basketball game than with the Maniacs.
The student section gets so rowdy during the second half of the game that when the team is shooting free throws towards the student section, the percentage is far lower than the first half.
You can sign up to be a Maniac and receive a membership shirt, bus trips to various road games and free food at certain home game events.
- Go with friends
Sure if you sit in the student section you can make friends, but if you all have a night off from work and want to do something that is fun and free, go to a basketball game. Even if you don’t watch basketball, the atmosphere inside the pyramid is like no other and is one that you and your friends won’t soon forget.
- Get spirited
A basketball game is the perfect time to show off all the school spirit you have. Go all out wearing your best black and yellow gear and paint your face. You can even create your own silly sign to distract the opposing school when they are shooting free throws towards the student section.
- Go early for the free stuff
This one is pretty self-explanatory. The marketing team often does theme nights for the games and will hand out free gifts to all the students, such as t-shirts or cups. Kirsten Makowiec, the director of marketing and fan experience, said that giveaways and theme nights are the games with the highest student attendance.
“We always try to do creative theme nights for the games and promote that to bring in the students,” Makowiec said. “Our Mario theme night and shirt was the big, popular thing this past year.”
Just make sure to go early so you are guaranteed a proper size shirt. Wait until tip off and you run the risk of missing on LBSU swag altogether.
- Attend Homecoming
Not only is Homecoming the first basketball game of the season, but it is also an unforgettable college experience that you should have at least once.
Homecoming is one of the only games where there will be a tailgate party and pre-game festivities such as face painting, caricature, inflatable playpens and various food vendors.
The 49ers kick off the season with the Homecoming game against BYU-Hawaii on Nov. 14.