Badger gameday is pretty straightforward: you go with your friends, you wear red, you scream until your lungs give out, etc. And while it does not take long to learn the student section's etiquette, there are certainly a few insider tips any Wisconsin fan would wish they had for their first gameday.
So as a public service to all of those first-year fans who cannot wait for their first chance to join the students at Camp Randall or the Kohl Center, here is a simple guide to make your first few Badger games as fun as possible.
DO: Know the cheers
This might seem simple - you should know the words to On, Wisconsin!"" and be ready to shout ""Let's Go Red"" at a moment's notice, but the wide variety of Badger cheers can be tough to master.
""If You Want to Be a Badger"" and ""Tequila"" can trip up first-time visitors to the student section, so we recommend doing some research on YouTube to watch the pros. This way, you can impress your friends with a perfect execution of the ""Time Warp"" dance. Trust us, they will be impressed.
DON'T: Be late
This might not be what an experienced fan will tell you, but as someone who wants the university to maintain a good image and cannot stand watching the student section take two quarters to fill up, I have to make this plea to first-year students: Show up on time.
Every year, countless students miss out on season tickets just so that some of those lucky enough to get them can spend an extra half hour pre-gaming. At game time against Marshall and Ohio State last year the student section still had rows of empty seats - something that does not exactly look great on ESPN.
So to those first-year students who will pass through the gates of Camp Randall Stadium or the Kohl Center this fall, know it is perfectly acceptable to have a brat and a beer, but please try not to make our fans look bad by showing up halfway through the second quarter.
DO: Stay for the Fifth Quarter
There is no better way to savor a Badger victory than to stay for the Wisconsin band's ""Fifth Quarter"" concert after every home football game. Once the game ends, the band takes the field to perform countless classic songs, from ""When You Say Wisconsin"" to ""Hey Baby"" to the infamous ""Swingtown"" and finishing it all off with our time-honored ""Varsity.""
The Fifth Quarter is another proud Wisconsin tradition, and one that can be a ton of fun for Badger fans looking to have a great time after the game.
DON'T: Think your life is over if you cannot get tickets
Sure, it is rough to watch thousands of fans stream into Camp Randall Stadium on a Saturday afternoon if you do not have tickets, but there are plenty of other ways to enjoy Badger sports without a ticket.
First, you do not need a ticket to take in the pre-game atmosphere around Camp Randall. Walk around anywhere near the stadium and you are bound to have a great time. Even if you do not have a ticket, standing with thousands of other Badger fans on a crisp fall afternoon is always a great time. Once the game starts, you can always get together with a group of fellow fans to watch the game - oeven if you are not in the student section, gameday is still a great time.
DO: Go to non-revenue Sports
Badger football, men's basketball and men's hockey are always fun, but going with a group of friends to soccer or women's hockey games can be a less expensive way to enjoy Wisconsin sports. Buying a Red Card from the athletic department gets you season tickets to seven different Badger sports for $25.
Going to those games lets you enjoy a slice of Wisconsin sports for a fraction of the cost, and you are basically guaranteed to be on the Jumbotron if you are enthusiastic - it's a win-win situation.
So there you have it. It is hardly a comprehensive list of gameday rules, but one that we hope will help first-year students get used to our unique traditions. After a few games, you will be experts at every cheer, but until then remember these tips as you step into Camp Randall Stadium or the Kohl Center for the first time.
