The Dino Babers era has the Eastern football program reenergized and the rest of the community anticipating the start of the 2012 season. The new era of Eastern football also has the university planning a more memorable and exciting game day experience as Eastern’s Athletic Marketing and Promotions department will be debuting a new student tailgate for the upcoming season.

The tailgate section will be located near O’Brien Field and will be purely reserved for Eastern students.

“The tailgate opens three hours prior to kickoff and ends 15 minutes prior to the start of the game,” Director of Athletic Marketing and Promotions Anthony Orlando said. “Students can bring their cars, their grills, their beer and they can blare music. We are trying to bring that Division 1 tailgate atmosphere here and we are really trying to enhance the game day experience at Eastern.”

Along with the newly enhanced tailgate section the Panthers are trying to appeal to the student fan base and attract a passionate following for Eastern athletics.

“Last year, to be completely honest, we had no student presence in our pre game,” Orlando said. “We are trying get the word out to the Greek life, students on campus and the surrounding community to come out, bring your vehicle, bring a grill, bring some music and just have a good time. The more people we have the more fun it will be.”

The tailgate section will also feature giveaways and live music throughout the season to enhance the game day experience and appeal to students.

“We are going to try and have a DJ out there or have a live band for each game,” Orlando said. “I think we will have a live band for the home opener and the four other home games.”

The tailgate section does have restrictions, limiting students to cans or plastic bottles for their alcoholic beverages and will restrict the use of drinking paraphernalia on game day.

“The tailgate policy lists specifications on drinking games and drinking paraphernalia, but at the end of the day there is a place for students to go and have a good pre-game experience,” Orlando said.

The Athletic Marketing and Promotions department is also planning giveaways to get the students to go to the game and support the Panthers following tailgating.

“If you go to the student tailgate we will give you a brown bag at the entrance that has a certificate for a free popcorn at the concessions,” Orlando said. “That’s just a way to get people into the gate. Go grab some popcorn and watch the game.”

Eastern is also hoping that the newly enhanced student tailgate will attract students who have written off Panther athletics in the past to come out and watch them as they open up a new era of Panther football.

“For students who haven’t given us a chance in the past, it’s our way to say come on and give us a chance,” Orlando said. “We are providing a real nice tailgate and hopefully that will encourage some students to come out and watch the games.”

To spread the word on the newly enhanced student tailgate section, the Athletic Marketing and Promotions department will be promoting the tailgate section at the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union from Aug. 20-24.

“I don’t think most students are aware of the student tailgate because we haven’t had one the last two years,” Orlando said. “So now, its brand new and the students need to know where it’s at, what time it starts and what the rules are. I think this will put us ahead of our counterparts in the Ohio Valley Conference, and we really want to publicize the new era of Eastern Illinois football.”

The Panthers and the new student tailgate will open up the 2012 season on Aug. 30 against in-state opponent Southern Illinois. Kick off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at O’Brien Field.

Jordan Pottorff can be reached at 581-2812 or at jbpottorff@eiu.edu.