It was a beautiful fall, Sunday morning in Brookings, Oct. 20 to be exact, when I received a text message while in church that would have an enormous impact on our university, our community and even our state. I know I should not have looked at my phone in church, but this was “big.â€
Justin Sell, our athletic director, was texting me to say that ESPN’s College GameDay was coming to Brookings for the annual Dakota Marker football game. Two million people would be watching, seeing South Dakota State University and Brookings, maybe for the first time.
Opportunities like having a popular, nationally televised program broadcast from your campus are rare. Since ESPN College GameDay began in 1993, SDSU became only the sixth school at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level to host the talented crew from ESPN.
In the days leading up to the show, I watched out my office window as an incredible transformation of our College Green took place.
It went from a vast area of grass, trees and sidewalks to a robust television set with SDSU banners, Daktronics displays, staging, lighting, sound systems and flyover cameras. It became the center of Jackrabbit Nation and the home of college football Saturday throughout the country.
Creativity and excellence were on full display as our faculty, staff and students welcomed the opportunity to engage with the folks from ESPN. It was an incredible opportunity to embrace our commitment to be a supportive, inclusive and collaborative university that values people. Our core values were on full display for the entire week.
The process of putting on such a large-scale event in less than a week allowed us to be nimble and responsive. I was proud of how our students and staff responded. #BringTheBlue was initially a social media campaign to rally people to attend the broadcast, but it quickly became a sense of pride that engaged Jackrabbits near and far.
Students began getting in line late Friday afternoon to ensure the “pit†area closest to the set was full of Jackrabbit spirit. Justin and I greeted them that evening, handing out hand warmers and snacks for their overnight stay on the green. Vice President of Student Affairs Michaela Willis and her team came at 4 a.m. Saturday to provide doughnuts and hot chocolate to the students and others who had gathered. Parking services staff and community volunteers arrived at 5 a.m. to make sure people had access to lots and coffee shops were open in the University Student Union.
During that wonderful week, students in the School of Communication and Journalism toured the production trucks and met with the show’s director and producer. Faculty and students in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences brought their Barbeque Bootcamp program to a Friday cookout with ESPN staff. Students at the Dairy Farm taught an ESPN camera person to milk cows while working on a piece about the Dairy Bar and Cookies ‘n’ Cream for the show. Students in sports management assisted ESPN staff with setup during the week and logistics during the broadcast.
UPD staff members were commended by ESPN throughout the week for their work in providing security for ESPN talent and staff, as well as the millions of dollars of equipment placed on campus. Our athletic department staff and other supporting units worked tirelessly to ensure all logistics were handled and we were ready.
The Brookings community “painted the town blue†with signs in yards and businesses, outdoor blue lights being used on garages and porches, blue cars moved to the front of the auto dealership lots, business windows and buildings painted blue, workshops for making GameDay signs and elementary school pep rallies.
On Oct. 26, South Dakota State University, the Brookings community and the state of South Dakota celebrated College GameDay, showcasing Jackrabbit Nation and leaving an indelible, positive impression on our entire nation.
It showcased the best of us!
It was another great day to be a Jackrabbit!
Sincerely,
Barry H. Dunn.
