Whether you’re a die-hard fan, just looking for the college experience or couldn’t care less, sports impact every student at MSU.

Here’s a breakdown of everything in Spartan athletics, from tickets, lines, traditions and how to get the most out of the fan experience as a student. 

And if you’re not interested in being a fan, here are a couple of tips for navigating a campus dominated by Big Ten sports culture. 

Ticketed sports vs. free admission with student ID

MSU requires tickets for three sports: football, men’s basketball and ice hockey. Football, lower bowl men's basketball tickets and hockey tickets are general admission. Seats are first-come first served, leading to lengthy lines. 

The rest of MSU’s sports — women's basketball, volleyball, men's and women's soccer, baseball, softball, field hockey, wrestling, gymnastics, men's and women's tennis, rowing, men's and women's golf, track and field and cross country — are general admission and free to watch with a student ID. 

Football – tickets, lines, tailgates and traditions 

Student football tickets went on sale in late April and are still available for purchase. 

But when game day arrives, one of the biggest challenges is knowing when to hop in line.

"No one warned me of the line and how early you may get there for the first game," said civil engineering senior Kailee Chambers. "We got there, and we were in the nosebleeds. Like that ramp, I think you have to go through that ramp at least once at your time at State to really know."

Getting in line at least two hours before the gates open is recommended for a regular football game, according to public relations senior Madison Vollmer. 

Joining the football traditions was another learning curve for Vollmer. Aside from just "Go Green" and "Go White," you can expect Spartan fans to jingle their keys when the opponent reaches third down, chant first down (and an expletive) when MSU crosses the line to gain, and, of course, sing the MSU Fight Song.

Civil engineering senior Porter Holden said the best way to learn the fight song is to attend sports of any kind and participate, adding that no one will look at you weird for not knowing the words.

Other football tips include screenshotting your ticket or pulling it up early (because the cell reception at Spartan Stadium can become virtually nonexistent on game days) and finding clubs and friends that host tailgates. 

The Izzone – membership, lines and camping

The Izzone, the men's basketball's student section, is twofold as students must purchase a membership and individual tickets. Memberships were $75 last year and went on sale in July. Tickets to games are sold in early October, following the Izzone Campout. 

The section has a seniority system, in which members are awarded points for attending games and the campout. Members with more points receive earlier access to tickets and are more likely to get lower bowl tickets rather than upper bowl tickets. 

"They would sell so fast," recalled John Morrison, a recent graduate who spent three years as the mascot Sparty. "Everybody would be sitting at their computers right at the second that the tickets were released, and if you weren't ready to buy it ASAP, then you were going to have to buy it later off of somebody."

The Izzone Campout provides the most opportunities for a member to earn points and climb the seniority ranks to better seats; there are multiple check-ins for points throughout the night. Additionally, it’s something you can only do while you’re a student. 

"It's a rite of passage to be a true Izzone fan," Morrison said. "You've got to have this experience and suffer a little bit through it with your fellow Spartans."

The campout includes speeches from coach Tom Izzo and a chance to hang out with the players on the night of an away football game. 

Bringing blankets, food and energy are the biggest tips from Morrison and Vollmer. The Izzone Campout is known for rainy nights, so it helps to be prepared. It also helps to check your tent size as the campout includes over 1,000 campsites and space is limited. 

When men’s basketball games actually start, you can expect long lines regardless of the weather. Students line up the night before for ranked nonconference matchups, rivalry games and any other contest that’s headlining that season. For a typical game, fans will line up four to five hours before gates open for close-to-court seats.

"I've waited in line for games for over 24 hours, and just make sure that you're dressed appropriately," Holden said. "That's where it's really nice if you can start going with friends or know people there, because people will save your spot in line, and you're able to go out and use the bathroom, get a quick bite to eat."

Chambers and Vollmer recommend living in South neighborhood if possible because the dorms are closer to every major sporting venue.

The Izzone also includes its own traditions — blowing a paper bag in the air, swaying side to side and bouncing during the game. You can learn everything from your section leaders and the newspapers placed at your seat.

Most basketball games, especially Big Ten contests, are on Tuesday and Thursday nights, which is helpful for planning your class schedule in the spring semester. 

The Munnsters – tickets and lines

The trickiest part about MSU hockey’s student section is getting the tickets. 

Munn Ice Arena is one of the smaller rinks in college hockey, and MSU has captured five (three regular-season, two tournament) Big Ten titles in the last three years. This year’s roster will hold 17 draft picks, including nine first-rounders, so a packed barn is expected. 

Munnsters’ tickets go on sale in early to mid September and both Chambers and Vollmer – who are Munnsters’ student-section leaders — call getting the tickets a "hope and a prayer."  

"You can refresh as much as you want and think you're going to be quick enough to type," Chambers said. "If anything, save your card info on that website… but it's really just hope."

They recommend paying attention to social media for updates on ticket releases and buying tickets off other students if you are unable to get Munnsters’ tickets. 

However, Vollmer cautions against getting ripped off. People will charge upwards of $100 when reselling Munnsters’ tickets, and Vollmer recommends purchasing a regular-admission ticket instead of being overcharged. 

Hockey games are typically two nights in a row and scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays or the weekdays just prior.

Like the Izzone, the Munnsters are known for braving Michigan winter to wait outside for good seats. 

Chambers said rivalry and higher-ranked games see fans lining up at midnight the night before. She recommends getting in line four to five hours before gates open for prime seating, adding that joining the line two hours before doors open likely leads to standing room seats — which aren’t bad at all in the tight venue that Munn is. 

"Most of the time, it's not like you're bored in line,” Vollmer said. “You're usually finding other people to talk to who are excited by the game, or people are bringing games to play. The vibes are there, and people are definitely willing to talk and get to know others."

The Munnsters have their own chants and cheers, which can be learned from the student-section newspapers similar to the Izzone.

Free sports – friendships and standouts

"One of the things I really enjoy about the MSU student sections is you can kind of just show up for a lot of them that are free,” Holden said. “You can just go and be involved in the atmosphere."

While he attends all three ticketed sports, Holden is most invested in MSU soccer as a section leader for the Red Cedar Rowdies – a section that cheers on the men’s and women’s teams. He met his closest friends by attending soccer games alone his freshman year. 

"For a lot of the free events, I'd say less so for soccer, not very many people go," Holden said. "So you'll start to see the same people over and over again, which is really nice because if you're willing to have a conversation you'll start to get to know people."

Free sports are more accessible regarding cost and time, as you can often show up 10 minutes before a game and still grab a seat, with the exception of some rivalry matchups. And the environments can be just as lively as the ticketed sports.

"There's two that stand out to me," Morrison said, reflecting on his experiences as a mascot. "Women's volleyball; they have a lot of fun at those games, and it gets pretty heated. But I'll also say, women's soccer. They made a run into the playoffs the past two years and every time we've gone to a game there, it's felt so good. There has been such a good turnout. So many people, they're excited, they're into it."

Volleyball also stood out to Chambers as a great sports environment, especially since the team had its best start (10-0) in program history last season. 

MSU gymnastics has also been on the rise, which has been a personal favorite of Holden aside from soccer. 

Vollmer suggests catching a softball or baseball game when spring rolls around, especially because they include a lot of free food and activities that she helps coordinate. 

Attending solo

MSU sporting events can be intimidating for even lifelong fans when attending solo. 

Vollmer recommends reaching out to people on Snapchat since every class at MSU has an individual Snapchat story. She met Chambers through Snapchat and the two have been friends since freshman year. 

"It's a great way to find people, whether or not you're friends with them forever, or you're just friends with them for football or hockey or basketball," Vollmer said. "It's definitely a way to know you're not going by yourself, and it's a little less daunting."

"Freshman year is really like your year to find yourself and like your people, even if it doesn't fully happen," Chambers said. "While you're in class, don't be scared to talk to the people next to you in the dining hall. Just knock on your people on your floor's door. Go open your door. Don't be scared of that because you never know who you're going to find your freshman year."

And if you’re not a sports fan…

If sports aren’t your thing, there’s still plenty to know about gamedays and how they’ll impact your routine. 

Bus routes on a football or men’s basketball game day differ from the typical schedule, resulting in delays and changed stops entirely. Plan on walking if you have class or work the day of a Friday football game. 

Parking is limited for paid sports and traffic piles up between blocked-off streets and waves of people after a game ends. Off-campus parking or walking is your safest bet around campus and Grand River. 

If you’re still living on campus, know that the side/stairwall entrances to your dorm will be locked for football games and occasional basketball games as a safety measure. You can save time by walking straight to the main entrance.

Whether the Spartans are home or on the road, restaurants and bars are a hot ticket on game days. Know that many bars will increase cover for an away game and restaurants with TVs can fill up quickly. Check the schedule before you head to Buffalo Wild Wings; even if you’re not interested, the locals are. 

Game days will come with inconveniences. A Saturday run around campus will require dodging the crowds. You might wake up to tailgaters at 6:30 a.m. or neighbors stumbling home at 3 a.m. the next day. Don’t be surprised when campus, and your dorm, are littered after last horn. 

But they also have some perks – like empty laundry rooms, vacant gym sessions and easy trips to the dining hall. Chances are that the basketball court at IM East will be wide open for you and your friends to play pickup if you’re skipping a night out.