“We have long wanted some sponsorship, some money coming in to help offset the actually massive cost of running the game every year, which usually our volunteer staff on the planning team just shoulders itself,” Spartans vs. Zombies head administrator Travis Root said.

Media Sandbox Project Manager Payal Ravani said Spartans vs. Zombies is one of the most creative things the Sandbox has seen happening on campus, and that they will be spearheading promotion of the game.

“It’s a really awesome opportunity for students across campus to break through their comfort zones a little bit and get involved with other people on campus, and also to explore the different parts of campus that they might not be going to normally,” Ravani said.

Root said Spartans vs. Zombies has been in talks with MSU Federal Credit Union and ASMSU in the past for potential sponsorships, but these opportunities fell through. ASMSU in particular could not cover the game’s cost because Spartans vs. Zombies is not a registered student organization, or RSO, and MSU is adamantly against them becoming one because of their use of Nerf guns, Root said.

Also a member of Media Sandbox, Root eventually discussed sponsorship with Media Sandbox Director Karl Gude, who showed interest in sponsoring Spartans vs. Zombies, Root said.

“He wanted me to come in and make a pitch basically for how much money we would want and what kind of collaborations we could promise, he was really looking at it from a symbiotic perspective that they could help us and we could help promote Media Sandbox and what they were doing,” Root said.

Root presented his ideas to Ravani, and Media Sandbox decided to give him more funding than he asked for, Root said. Root, an advertising senior, said most graphic design duties had fallen on him prior to the collaboration and he hopes to use the partnership to recruit more trained creatives.

“The luxury of having a budget is something that we’ve never had before,” Root said. “I can’t say for sure how many years SvZ has been running, but I can say for sure that we’ve never been in such a prosperous position.”

International relations senior Aaron Rozin, a former head administrator with Spartans vs. Zombies said he will be participating in the game for the first time in four years.

“We’ve had offers for sponsorships in the past, but they haven’t really panned out for more logistical reasons, but it’s good that Travis has a perfect connection with Media Sandbox because they’re into new things and something unique like us will definitely attract media attention and it will definitely open up a new form of exposure for them for sure,” Rozin said.

Still active in the planning of the game, Rozin said Spartans vs. Zombies has a lot more activities planned out for 2017 than they usually do.

“I think everybody will be more surprised with what we have in store in terms of freedom of a budget,” Rozin said.

Root said he is elated to begin working with Media Sandbox.

“It wasn’t until now that we’ve been working with a group that we feel shares our passion for zany fun … unusual creativity and passion for getting people out of their comfort zone,” Root said. “I can’t shake the feeling that our match with Media Sandbox is a match made in heaven.”