LSU: Fans should take heat precautions

• By CARL DUBOIS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Aug 27, 2008 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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LSU officials urge fans to begin hydrating early if they plan to attend the season-opening football game in Tiger Stadium, where the university is taking unprecedented steps to try to avoid heat-related problems.

Appalachian State and LSU kick off at 4 p.m. Saturday. An LSU team doctor said fans should begin drinking plenty of water and other hydrating beverages at least two days before the game.

“Don’t wait until you get out there Saturday and start trying to drink a lot of water and PowerAde,” Jeff Burnham said Tuesday. “Do that at least 48 hours ahead of time, 2 to 3 liters a day. It’s very healthy.”

LSU will open the Pete Maravich Assembly Center at kickoff for fans with tickets to the game who want to cool down and watch the game on big screens. Fans should use the southwest ramp and take note that SEC rules prohibit re-entry to Tiger Stadium after a ticket has been used, school officials said.

Fans, especially those with G-1 respiratory or cardiac disease, should be careful and go to a First Aid station immediately if they need help, Burnham said.

LSU announced plans to provide misting tents at five spots outside Tiger Stadium, to give the first 30,000 through the gates a hand-held fan, to provide free sunscreen at Tiger One Village (near the PMAC) and provide free PowerAde samples near the airplane on the south side of the stadium.

Officials said 12-ounce bottles of water will be available at a 2-for-1 price of $3 and that concession stands will have three times the usual amount of drinking water. LSU promised extra doctors at First Aid stations and said event staff, security personnel and EMS will be on site watching for fans in heat distress.

About that kickoff time
Verge Ausberry, the LSU senior associate athletic director in charge of football schedules, said ESPN had the final say on the kickoff time for the game.

“They came to us first and was talking about 12 o’clock,” Ausberry said. “We said that was too early. Then they said 2 or 2:30. We said no. Then they said 4 o’clock, and after a while it became, ‘Hey, you’re playing at 4 o’clock.’

“That’s it. They control it. Not us. We don’t ever say what time a game’s on TV.”

Ausberry pointed out that Florida played its first game last season as reigning national champion, a 49-3 victory against Western Kentucky, at 12:30 p.m. to accommodate televising on Lincoln Financial Sports.

“We have no voice in those decisions,” Ausberry said. “We just try to get it as late as possible because we’d like to play all our games at 7 o’clock if we could.”

Fashion statement
LSU officials said the Tigers will wear white jerseys Saturday. Senior associate athletic director Herb Vincent said a letter arrived Tuesday from Appalachian State granting LSU permission to wear white.