Western Michigan University Athletic Director Kathy Beauregard says she would make the same deal to bring Michigan State to Waldo Stadium “in a minute” even if it didn’t look good on paper at the time.
The Broncos are opening their football season on Friday night at 7:00 against the Spartans. The home game against Michigan State came about as part of an agreement for a “celebrate the state” series between MSU and the Mid-American Conference schools in Michigan. In exchange, the Broncos are playing three games in East Lansing (the first was in 2013) but Western won’t receive as large a payout for those games. Beauregard sat down with WMUK’s Gordon Evans and Kalamazoo Gazette reporter David Drew to discuss the “magical dream” of Friday night’s game and other issues in college sports.
Michigan State is coming off an 11-2 season, including a win over Baylor in the Cotton Bowl in January. Western won eight games and played in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in December, a year after winning only one game in P.J. Fleck’s first season as head coach. Beauregard says this is one of the better teams in Michigan State history. But she says Fleck wants the program to take on big challenges.
“We do not believe we’re underdogs.”
Western is making preparations for larger crowds and more tailgating for the season opening game. Beauregard says there will be four hours of tailgating allowed before the game, and the university is urging all but essential staff to leave campus by 2:30 Friday afternoon. She says that will allow more parking lots to open up before the game. But Beauregard says people should plan on arriving early.
Friday’s game will be the first with a new video and sound system at Waldo Stadium. Beauregard says it’s part of an overall effort to upgrade facilities. She says the athletic department has been able to work with private donors to raise money for the improvements. Beauregard says the new video and sound system will help make for a “complete, unbelievable, enchanting, magical evening at Waldo.”
This season’sfootball schedule includes a Thursday night game and a Wednesday night game at Waldo Stadium. The Broncos also play three night games during the week on the road beginning in late October through November. Beauregard says the Mid-American Conference has committed to weeknight games so they can be televised by ESPN and the CBS Sports Network. She says that increases the national exposure of the MAC teams, including Western. But Beauregard says it does make it tough for families to attend home games. She says the good news this year is that Western’s home game against Central Michigan is on a Saturday (October 10th).
"My hope is that the game just goes exceptionally well...that there might be not just Michigan State, but maybe even some others that might be interested."
The University of Illinois fired their head coach Tim Beckman after an internal investigation about player safety (former Bronco coach Bill Cubit was named interim coach for the Illini). Asked about player safety, Beauregard said she can’t comment on Illinois. But she says the safety of student athletes is the top priority at Western Michigan University. Beauregard says four additional athletic trainers have been added to the department’s staff. She says that will give more “hands on” involvement with teams and better risk management. Beauregard says having additional people in the press box can help spot athletes who are hurt and should leave the game. She says it’s not up to coaches, but doctors to determine if an athlete should play.
Asked if there could be another deal with Michigan State that could bring the Spartans back to Waldo Stadium, Beauregard says there are not any official talks right now. “My hope is that the game just goes exceptionally well… that there might be not just Michigan State, but maybe even some others that might be interested" in scheduling a game at Western.
