Football players, cheerleaders, a marching band and hundreds of fans coming together on a Saturday afternoon sounds like a football game. Only, it’s not quite football season yet. It’s Fan Day!
Saturday, Aug. 2, from 3-5 p.m. Auburn will be hosting its annual Fan Day at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.
This event is free of charge to all Tiger fans and is presented by Golden Flake Snack Foods.
“On Fan Day, we have all the fans come out and watch us practice,” said Rodgeriqus Smith, Tigers’ senior wide receiver. “After that, we go to the coliseum and sign autographs. We just want to give back to all of the fans.”
The Auburn football team, coaches, cheerleaders, Tiger Paws and Aubie will be available for autographs.
Posters and autograph cards will be available for fans to pick up to be signed.
“I am most looking forward to feeling the rush you get when so many people form the common bond and family that is Auburn,” said cheerleader Kali Tucker, a sophomore in the College of Education. “It is a feeling like no other to be able to take a leadership role as a cheerleader and add to the excitement and spirit of Auburn.”
In what seems like a big pep rally for the city of Auburn, the Auburn football team hosts Fan Day to give back to the fans and to show the team does appreciate the support the fans give.
“Fan Day is just a wonderful experience because it’s really cool,” said Mike Blanc, sophomore defensive lineman. “We have all these hard practices where it’s hot out, and Coach is yelling at us, then Fan Day comes around, and it just shows that all the fans appreciate you.”
The football team may be the ones out in the heat practicing all year long, but it’s the fans that keep them encouraged to go out on the field and win each game. The team knows it, too. This is why Fan Day is an important event for the team.
“Being around all the fans and seeing them there, you know they care about us, and they care about the football team, and it’s just a wonderful thing being able to sign autographs on a ball and to see the amount of respect they have for us,” Blanc said. “They just enjoy it, so it’s just a wonderful experience all over.”
