Central Michigan University Athletics is rolling out a new Fan Fest experience on the North Side of Kelly/Shorts Stadium for Saturday’s game day, giving fans a new gathering spot before kickoff. The change comes as Central Michigan prepares to mark Family & Friends Weekend, Extra Yard for Teachers and Football Alumni Day.
The new setup matters because Saturday is not just another home date. Members First Credit Union will serve as the game day sponsor, and the stadium will operate as a cashless venue in all areas, including parking, concessions and ticketing, which means fans need to be ready to pay without cash from the moment they arrive.
The Fan Fest detail is the main addition in the game-day guide, but the guide is just as much about how the day will run as what will be happening. Central Michigan Athletics is using the North Side to add a pregame experience at a time when the schedule is already crowded with themed observances, turning the day into a fuller event around the game itself.
That is also where the practical side comes in. A cashless stadium can speed lines and simplify transactions, but it also leaves no room for a last-minute cash payment at parking, the concession stand or the ticket window. For fans heading to Kelly/Shorts Stadium, the message is simple: the celebration is expanding, and the payment setup is fixed.
What is still not spelled out is the content of the new Fan Fest itself. The guide makes clear that it will debut on the stadium’s North Side, but the draw will be measured by what fans find there on Saturday, when Central Michigan’s themed game day and the sponsor’s presence arrive together.
