Hurd committee to host watch party for USU football game vs. Wisconsin

The Utah State University Hurd committee will be hosting a watch party on Friday at 7 p.m. on the Legacy turf fields for all students who want to be a part of the Aggies’ road football game against Wisconsin but — like any good college student — don’t have the money or time to get there.

“I hope to create a culture, whether we win or lose, that compels fans to come to games,” said Jakob Ambuehl, the USUSA Athletics Vice President. “You’re supporting your school and you’re having fun with your friends [rather] than [asking] ‘Are we good or bad?’ or ‘Who are we playing?’”

The watch party is one way Ambuehl hopes to accomplish that. The game will be projected onto a large LED screen and hot dogs, chips and drinks will be provided. There will also be games, such as spikeball and volleyball, and interested students can move to the Quad immediately after the game for the first True Aggie Night of the year.

Ambuehl said he hopes to have other student athletes attend the watch party so students have an opportunity to mingle with them.

“I think that makes people want to go to the games more,” Ambuehl said. “If you personally know athletes and you’re invested in them — like, I know them, I talked to them — it’ll compel you to go again.”

Driving fan interest in sports beyond football and basketball is an added benefit of developing the Hurd culture, Ambuehl said.

The committee is expecting around 500 students to attend the watch party, Ambuehl said. And even if the Aggies lose the game, he expects students to have a good time because they’ll “be watching the game some part but they’ll also be socializing and playing.”

“That’s why one of my campaign platforms is, whether we win or lose, they’re fun to attend,” Ambuehl said, referring to the Hurd events.

Ambuehl hasn’t given up hope for the football team, though. “I think we’re going to do a lot better than the predictions,” he said. “Either way it’s going to be a great show for the Aggies.”

The Hurd committee will be hosting another watch party for the road game against Wake Forest on Sept. 16 and is considering a party for the first conference game, against San Jose State the following week.

The first home game for the Aggies will be Sept. 7 against Idaho State University.