Nick Kendall
Staff Writer
nkendall1@murraystate.edu
The Murray State athletic department has partnered with Racer Dining to improve gameday for students.
Athletic Director Kevin Saal wants to bring convenience to students who attend games.
“Collectively, Racer Dining and Murray State Athletics want to provide a first-class gameday experience,” Saal said. “Convenience is one small way we can do so… in this particular case, we have the technology and infrastructure available to provide this service to our students and made the decision to proceed forward.”
Currently, students can only use Flex at Roy Stewart Stadium and the CFSB Center, but Saal and the respective departments are working to expand that to other locations.
“As we work toward our other events, doing so requires necessary equipment and infrastructure that doesn’t currently exist at all athletics venues,” Saal said. “However, in our comprehensive facility master planning process, we will work to prioritize and provide this equipment and infrastructure at all our events, in an effort to make it convenient and accommodating for students.”
Saal wants to make the gameday atmosphere better not only for students, but the student-athletes as well.
“Our student-athletes feed off the great environments and crowds we experience in all our venues and the students are critically important to that effort,” Saal said. “Student-athletes enjoy performing well in front of their peers and our goal is to make it more convenient and accommodating for students to attend athletics events.”
Saal expects many more promotions similar to this to help bring not only student attendance up but overall attendance up in every sport.
“Collaboratively between Racer Dining and Murray State Athletics, we are providing high-volume hawking service and concessions delivery program to the new 600+ Racer Reserve seats in Stewart Stadium,” Saal said. “In addition, we offer a catered food menu for the Racer Reserve Infield Boxes. Highly efficient and good quality food and beverage service is a critical component of our gameday experience and between Racer Dining and Murray State Athletics we will continue to explore new initiatives to further improve our service framework at events.”