BEAUMONT, Texas – With the start of a new preseason camp underway, Lamar University has announced some changes to its tailgating for the 2023 campaign. Debuting as Big Red's Boomtown tailgate this season, the tailgate will feature live music and entertainment on the Showmobile Stage, food trucks, inflatables, corporate and vendor tailgates, the Beaumont Children's Museum and tailgate games.
 
Big Red's Boomtown Tailgate will also include a preferred tailgating spot in Lot E-5, while Cardinal Lane will move to Lot E-3. Student tailgate will be located in the grassy areas next to the Plummer Administration Building and Subway. Virginia Avenue will also close eight hours prior to kick on gamedays, with all lots opening six hours prior to kick and all tailgating festivities beginning four hours prior to game time.
 
All current A-5 tailgate pass holders have the opportunity to move into the E-5 Preferred lots at no additional charge for the 2023 campaign. Fans wishing to purchase a season tailgate pass and be apart of the excitement of Big Red's Boomtown Tailgate can do so by calling the LU Athletics Ticket Office at (409) 880-1715.
 
The new tailgating experience for the 2023 season only adds to the excitement surrounding the program that has been building since the hiring of Pete Rossomando last December. The program's fourth head coach since its rebirth, Rossomando comes to Lamar with a strong track record of building programs into conference and national contenders.
 
With nearly three decades of conference experience under his belt, which includes stops in the Big 10 and SEC, Rossomando will look to build a Lamar team which has seen just two above .500 seasons since 2010 (the year football returned to varsity status) and only one NCAA FCS playoff berth (2018).
 
Halfway through their first week of preseason camp, the Cardinals will open the 2023 campaign at home against Idaho Thursday, Aug. 31. The game against the Vandals – a former FBS opponent – will serve as the program's White Out Kick Off game. The rest of the season's promotions will be 409 Day and Centennial Game (Sept. 23 vs. Lincoln (Calif.) University), Letterwinners Day and Pink Game (Oct. 7 vs. Northwestern State), Black Out and Hall of Honor Game (Oct. 28 vs. UIW), Military Appreciation and Homecoming (Nov. 4 vs. Texas A&M-Commerce) and Senior Day and High School Band Day (Nov. 18 vs. McNeese).