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Upgrade the Pregame Hype

Amazing! WAAAAH! ENTERTAIN ME! Like a bunch of spoiled brat kids. Just because you pay through the nose for the privilege of sitting on aluminum seats(during hot days and cold days), or pay some more for the padded seats, you think you have the God given right to bitch about the non-football game aspects of your experience. Bitch about the concessions, the beer quality and waiting lines. Sheesh, some of you would probably bitch about winning the 50/50 pot at a soldout game.
Wait! Maybe I'm on to something here. You pay as much as for a concert, but the concert sucked. Hmm.
Never mind!
“It just goes to show ya, it's always somethin'!”-- Roseanne Roseannadanna, of Saturday Night Live fame(Gilda Radner).
 
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Da Boyz Mom said:
And copy the Cats? No way. They copy us, we don't copy them.
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Well then maybe we should find some classic rock anthem and add fanbase unifying lyrics that mock or degrade our rival...That would do it.

Look at the suggestions...they are either things that have been done before by someone else (thus we are coping somebody) or things we have done in the past that possibly got stale...or maybe too dangerous. The only original thought is this one, which I kinda like:
ResilientGriz said:
How about we have the entire student body run to the M, do an upside down keg hit, then run back and playing "Enter Sandman" as they come back into the stadium? We could finish it off by playing "Jump Around" between the third and fourth quarters.
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The only people I ever see complaining about it are people on message boards and it is likely because they dont care as much about the actual sport as they love to think they do. I have never run into a person in real life that doesn't praise the atmosphere of UMs gameday. Being bored with the pregame hype because you attend 10 games a year doesn't mean the football program has a problem. The games are routinely sold out. The average attendance is 26,464 which is second (sort of) in the FCS. It would have been 82nd in the FBS between Washington State and San Diego State University for the 2025 season. Let that sink in.
 
GrizNut said:
Well then maybe we should find some classic rock anthem and add fanbase unifying lyrics that mock or degrade our rival...That would do it.

Look at the suggestions...they are either things that have been done before by someone else (thus we are coping somebody) or things we have done in the past that possibly got stale...or maybe too dangerous. The only original thought is this one, which I kinda like:


The only people I ever see complaining about it are people on message boards and it is likely because they dont care as much about the actual sport as they love to think they do. I have never run into a person in real life that doesn't praise the atmosphere of UMs gameday. Being bored with the pregame hype because you attend 10 games a year doesn't mean the football program has a problem. The games are routinely sold out. The average attendance is 26,464 which is second (sort of) in the FCS. It would have been 82nd in the FBS between Washington State and San Diego State University for the 2025 season. Let that sink in.
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Your first paragraph just points out exactly how bitter cat fans have become and how reticent they are to let go of their bitterness even though they're clearly in the driver's seat these days. Crazy.

I don't really mind us copying the big schools. Like you say, everybody copies everybody. But I'm not okay with copying the cats, ever.

I agree with your third paragraph. I'm there to watch football. Good music is a bonus but not a necessity. I haven't loved the DJ or the music he plays, but it's not really worth complaining about. I only get to attend one or two games a year so I'm always grateful when I'm there and just focus on enjoying the experience.

I will keep continuing to complain about late night game start times, however, because I'm getting old and crotchety lol.
 
Here is Gemini's suggested pre-game. Some of the suggested is unique. Some isn't.

To create a truly unique, never-done-before pre-game experience for the University of Montana Grizzlies, you have to lean heavily into two things: the raw, untamed majesty of Montana’s wilderness and the ferocious loyalty of Griz nation.


Washington-Grizzly Stadium is already one of the best atmospheres in the FCS. To take it to an unprecedented level, we need to move beyond standard tailgating and create an immersive, mythical pre-game ritual.

Here is the blueprint for "The Midnight Ridge & The Great Griz March."

1. The Night Before: "Lighting the M" on Mount Sentinel​

Instead of starting on game day, the ritual begins the night before.
  • The Sentinel Beacon: Utilizing high-powered, synchronized LED drone swarms, the famous "M" on Mount Sentinel is illuminated in a pulsing maroon and silver.
  • The Crimson Aurora: The drones expand to create a simulated Northern Lights effect (the "Crimson Aurora") over the entire valley, signaling to Missoula that game day has arrived.

2. Morning of: The "Smokejumper" Delivery​

Missoula is home to the aerial fire depot and the historic smokejumpers. We weave this deep local history into the pre-game tailgate.
  • The Bear Drop: Exactly two hours before kickoff, a siren sounds across the Clark Fork River. A team of precision skydivers (in collaboration with local smokejumpers) drops from the sky.
  • The Game Ball & Game Axe: The lead jumper lands on a designated target in the middle of the tailgate lot, delivering the official game ball and a massive, custom-forged Griz Battle Axe to the team captains.

3. The Main Event: "The Clark Fork Confluence"​

Most teams walk through a crowd of fans on concrete. The Grizzlies should arrive by water.

  • The Flotilla Arrival: The entire Montana football team arrives at the stadium via the Clark Fork River on a fleet of black and maroon, heavy-duty tactical rafts.
  • The Riverbank Roar: Fans line the Brennan’s Wave area and the riverbanks, creating a mile-long wall of sound.

4. The Stadium Entry: "The Gauntlet of Sound"​

Once the team steps off the rafts, they don't just walk to the locker room—they march through an interactive, sensory experience.
  • The Bear Trap Tunnel: A custom-built, open-air tunnel lined with actual Montana timber. As the players walk through, motion sensors trigger the deep, rumbling sound of roaring grizzly bears vibrating through the ground.
  • The Axe Awakening: The team captains take the smokejumper-delivered Battle Axe and slam it into a massive, larch or pine log anchored at the stadium entrance. This "wakes the bear," triggering the stadium smoke machines and signaling fans to take their seats.

5. The Fan Experience: "The Bear’s Den" Tailgate​

To replace standard tent tailgating, UM establishes an eco-friendly, hyper-local fan village.
  • The Lumberjack Games: A fan zone featuring safe, interactive axe-throwing, log-rolling, and chainsaw ice/wood carving (making ice sculptures of the week's opponent).
  • Local Flavor: A partnership with Missoula’s world-class brewery scene to create a rotating, game-day-only "Grizzly Brew" served out of a converted vintage train car (reminiscent of the old Montana railroads).
By anchoring the pre-game in Missoula's actual geography (Mount Sentinel and the Clark Fork River) and its rugged identity (smokejumpers and grizzly lore), this wouldn't just be a football entrance—it would be a bucket-list sporting pilgrimage.
 
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the noise that comes out of the speakers before and during griz games is 90% annoying, 10% meh. i'd rather just watch a football game without all the distraction. just announce the games and show the replays and stats.
 
I think the Griz should incorporate Kings of Leon song Back Down South into game day. At least while the championship is in Tennessee.

 
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ResilientGriz said:
Here is Gemini's suggested pre-game. Some of the suggested is unique. Some isn't.

To create a truly unique, never-done-before pre-game experience for the University of Montana Grizzlies, you have to lean heavily into two things: the raw, untamed majesty of Montana’s wilderness and the ferocious loyalty of Griz nation.


Washington-Grizzly Stadium is already one of the best atmospheres in the FCS. To take it to an unprecedented level, we need to move beyond standard tailgating and create an immersive, mythical pre-game ritual.

Here is the blueprint for "The Midnight Ridge & The Great Griz March."

1. The Night Before: "Lighting the M" on Mount Sentinel​

Instead of starting on game day, the ritual begins the night before.
  • The Sentinel Beacon: Utilizing high-powered, synchronized LED drone swarms, the famous "M" on Mount Sentinel is illuminated in a pulsing maroon and silver.
  • The Crimson Aurora: The drones expand to create a simulated Northern Lights effect (the "Crimson Aurora") over the entire valley, signaling to Missoula that game day has arrived.

2. Morning of: The "Smokejumper" Delivery​

Missoula is home to the aerial fire depot and the historic smokejumpers. We weave this deep local history into the pre-game tailgate.
  • The Bear Drop: Exactly two hours before kickoff, a siren sounds across the Clark Fork River. A team of precision skydivers (in collaboration with local smokejumpers) drops from the sky.
  • The Game Ball & Game Axe: The lead jumper lands on a designated target in the middle of the tailgate lot, delivering the official game ball and a massive, custom-forged Griz Battle Axe to the team captains.

3. The Main Event: "The Clark Fork Confluence"​

Most teams walk through a crowd of fans on concrete. The Grizzlies should arrive by water.

  • The Flotilla Arrival: The entire Montana football team arrives at the stadium via the Clark Fork River on a fleet of black and maroon, heavy-duty tactical rafts.
  • The Riverbank Roar: Fans line the Brennan’s Wave area and the riverbanks, creating a mile-long wall of sound.

4. The Stadium Entry: "The Gauntlet of Sound"​

Once the team steps off the rafts, they don't just walk to the locker room—they march through an interactive, sensory experience.
  • The Bear Trap Tunnel: A custom-built, open-air tunnel lined with actual Montana timber. As the players walk through, motion sensors trigger the deep, rumbling sound of roaring grizzly bears vibrating through the ground.
  • The Axe Awakening: The team captains take the smokejumper-delivered Battle Axe and slam it into a massive, larch or pine log anchored at the stadium entrance. This "wakes the bear," triggering the stadium smoke machines and signaling fans to take their seats.

5. The Fan Experience: "The Bear’s Den" Tailgate​

To replace standard tent tailgating, UM establishes an eco-friendly, hyper-local fan village.
  • The Lumberjack Games: A fan zone featuring safe, interactive axe-throwing, log-rolling, and chainsaw ice/wood carving (making ice sculptures of the week's opponent).
  • Local Flavor: A partnership with Missoula’s world-class brewery scene to create a rotating, game-day-only "Grizzly Brew" served out of a converted vintage train car (reminiscent of the old Montana railroads).
By anchoring the pre-game in Missoula's actual geography (Mount Sentinel and the Clark Fork River) and its rugged identity (smokejumpers and grizzly lore), this wouldn't just be a football entrance—it would be a bucket-list sporting pilgrimage.
Click to expand...
I can’t tell if you are serious with this or if it’s a joke.
 
I remember being like 5 years old, going to my first game and watching them run out to “Bring em out” I’ve always personally loved it. I mean the title of the song is pretty fitting. The intro plays for like 5 seconds and it turns into the fight song anyway. I don’t need any pregame theatrics to get me hyped for a Griz football game. Also attendance and student engagement has never been higher so the pregame and in game (DJ, especially for students) must be just fine for the majority of attendees. Why change what is clearly working.
 
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