Student life hosted a basketball tailgate in lot 18 on Thursday night for very few students.

Student Body President Fassi said the that some tailgates may not be successful because this is the first year Student Government has hosted them on this scale.

The attendees consisted of an occasional group of students around the free food and a larger group from Kappa Alpha on the other side of the lot.

“If the university is going to do it, there needs to be more people,” said Computer Science Junior and first-time tailgate attender Musa Malik.

Fassi said he hopes the tailgates will be planned better with the knowledge of this year’s experiences when the Athletic Department takes control of the planning next year.

“We were expecting a few of the games to not have the attendance we were hoping for. [But some games] exceeded expectations.”

Fassi said that $25,000 went into promoting and hosting all of the tailgates this year. That equals out to about six cents per student. He said most of the money goes towards promotion, and the rest to free food offered at the events, t-shirts and promotional items like pom-poms for the games.

“You see a lot of Greek Life, and a few clubs, but not really anybody else,” said Criminal Justice Senior Kyle Schuck, who has been going to the tailgates for the past few years.

Student Government Director of Athletics & Wellness Anthony Hopkins said lots of clubs go out to the tailgates, but said he wants to see the common student out there.

Shuck said, “It’s a nice opportunity to have some school spirit once in awhile.”

Hopkins said this is what the tailgates are for, and it’s been working. With game attendance up and players and coaches more excited, he said he has never seen more Osprey pride.

Email Natalie Logan at reporter6@unfspinnaker.com