GRID IRON BASH THE ULTIMATE FAN COMPETITION

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CENTRE DAILY

Centre Daily Times

February 15, 2008

STATE COLLEGE -- As a Syracuse University football player in the mid-1980s, Shawn Garrity knew one stadium -- just one -- where he and his teammates could never hold a Friday practice.

That would be Beaver Stadium.

Yes, Garrity remembered, Penn State told the Orangemen to hold pre-game Friday practice in another field somewhere, well away from the cherished stadium turf.

These days, Garrity leads the New York-based company that will bring the inaugural Gridiron Bash and pop star Fergie to Beaver Stadium on April 18. It will be the first conventional concert in the 107,232-seat stadium.

'We take it as a big honor that we're able to do this with your facilities team,' Garrity said in an interview. 'We understand we're on hallowed ground' and will honor and respect it.

Garrity is president of MSL Sports and Entertainment, which has launched the Gridiron Bash plans on 20 university campuses across the country.

On April 18, all will host simultaneous concerts, contests and other spirit-driven events leading up to more traditional football scrimmages on April 19. At Penn State, it's the annual Blue-White game.

A planned cornerstone on April 18 is a contest -- driven by event attendance and votes cast by text message -- that will pit each university against all the others. The top three will split $1.75 million for their respective general scholarship funds.

Garrity, in State College this week for a promotional tour, said the multi-dimensional elements of the bash haven't yet won much attention. He emphasized plans to have cheerleaders, the Blue Band and football players and other athletes incorporated into the April 18 attraction.

The whole concept, Garrity said, is a mega-event designed to build tradition and spirit, raise money for universities and deliver an economic impact.

He estimated that the 20-venue bash will raise at least $13 million to $15 million combined for the hosting universities, including through parking fees and vendor sales.

The economic impact on surrounding communities, Garrity said, may be as significant as three times the benefit for the schools. He said the endeavor is two-and-a-half times the size of Live Earth -- an eleven-location concert series held last year -- and ranks as the largest multi-venue concert event in history.

'We think it's good business for everybody,' he said.

And while MSL may not turn a profit on the Gridiron Bash this year, Garrity said, he expects that the event finances will grow in time. MSL already has inked tentative multi-year agreements for future bashes, including a tentative four-year deal at Penn State.

So far, Garrity said, ticket sales here -- at roughly $40 a head -- have kept pace with other universities, though he did not mention specific numbers. He said Beaver Stadium will be prepared to seat as many as 80,000 spectators on April 18.

The performance stage will be situated toward the middle of the field, but all spectators will be seated off the turf, according to organizers.

Hillary Lewis, the president of the University Park Undergraduate Association, has been a bash advocate. She called it a strong way to demonstrate school spirit, emphasizing the fan contest for scholarship dollars.

'People always say (Penn State) fans are the best in the nation and the world,' she said. 'This the chance to prove it.'

As for the concert performer, Fergie, Garrity and Lewis conceded she is an unconventional choice for Penn State. Greg Myford, an associate athletic director, said last month that the university worked with MSL to identify a musician with a broad appeal who would also generate enthusiasm among students.

Adam Smeltz can be reached at 231-4631.