Ball State Cardinals · College · MAC

Tailgating at Scheumann Stadium

Lots open
4 hrs before kickoff
Grills
Yes · no flames under tents
Alcohol
21+ · cans or plastic only

Checked Oct 29, 2026

Scheumann Stadium in Muncie during a sunny Ball State game, seen from the east stands toward the press box
Photo: Temathews1, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

At homecoming the tents ran across the Scheumann lot, across the street and for dozens of acres farther back, with grill smoke over all of it. A visiting fan who wrote it up in 2026 called it a sea of cardinal and watched students carry 30-packs in from their cars, and an hour before kickoff the cheer squad and band march through the tents in a pep rally. On opponents' third downs students are told to "Start Chirping," a tradition that began in 2004, modeled on Purdue and Indiana, with a hand signal: index finger and thumb squeezed, the other three fingers up.

The lot answer

Ball State tailgates in the four color lots that hug the stadium, Gold, White, Cardinal and Purple, all reached through the McGalliard entrance, or in the big Green lot across Tillotson Ave, the general option with its own entrance. Free parking is near Worthen Arena and at the Foster Adams Family Complex. RVs, buses and vehicles pulling large grills go to the lot near the baseball field.

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tailgating stops, then runs 2 hrs after the game
Kickoff
Green lot on game day
Cash
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Rules checked Oct 29, 2026
Sources

Rules last verified Oct 29, 2026 against ballstatesports.com (Sept. 4, 2025 and Sept. 7, 2026 releases) and bsu.edu.

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Quick answers

What time do the Ball State lots open?

All parking lots open 4 hours before kickoff for 2026 home games. The tailgate area is cleared at the start of the game and again 2 hours after it ends, and overnight parking isn't allowed.

Can you grill at Ball State tailgates?

Ball State's posted rules don't ban grills. Open flames aren't allowed under canopies, and vehicles pulling large grills are sent to the RV lot near the baseball field.

Can you drink at Ball State tailgates?

Fans 21 and over can drink responsibly in designated locations and must show ID when asked. Cans, plastic bottles and cups only: no glass, no kegs, no hard liquor and no drinking games.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate at Ball State?

Ball State doesn't post a ticket rule for the lots, but every lot needs a valid parking pass: no pass, no entry. Everyone needs a ticket to get into the stadium.

How do you buy parking at Ball State?

Gold, White, Cardinal and Purple lot passes come from the Ball State Athletics Ticket Office at 765-285-1474. The general Green lot is cash only on game day, or buy a mobile pass ahead by phone. Free parking is near Worthen Arena.

The game-day timeline

  1. 4 hrs beforeAll parking lots open
  2. 3 hrs beforeTicket Center at the stadium opens
  3. 2 hrs 30 min beforeCharlieTown opens on the Alumni Center lawn (select games)
  4. 2 hrs 15 min beforeThe Cardinal Walk on Cardinal Way, next to CharlieTown
  5. 90 min beforeGates open
  6. KickoffTailgate area clears
  7. 2 hrs afterTailgate area clears again

Where to park

Every stadium lot needs a pass in 2026: the four color lots hug the stadium, and the Green lot is the general option. No pass? Park free near Worthen Arena or at the Foster Adams Family Complex and walk in.

Color lots
Gold, White, Cardinal and Purple, sold by the Athletics Ticket Office (765-285-1474). The McGalliard entrance serves all of them.
Green lot
General parking west of Tillotson Ave, with its own entrance. Cash only on game day, or a mobile pass in advance by phone.
Free parking
Near Worthen Arena and at the Foster Adams Family Complex by the Bill Richards Tennis Courts.
RV and oversize
RVs, buses, oversized vehicles and vehicles pulling large grills go to a lot near the baseball field. No overnight parking.
Accessible
Easternmost rows of the Gold and Cardinal lots, with a handicap permit plus a pass. Ask the lot attendant for a shuttle to the gates.
Drop-off
At Bethel Ave and Bahlmann Way. Bahlmann Way is closed to through traffic.
Scheumann Stadium game-day parking at Ball State, simplified
Scheumann Stadium game-day parking at Ball State, simplified
 See the official Scheumann Stadium parking map

Bethel Ave no longer gets you to the stadium. Cars use the entrances on Tillotson Ave and McGalliard Rd.
Tillotson Ave can close to through traffic 2 to 3 hours before kickoff, so Ball State recommends McGalliard for the color lots.
No car? Get dropped off at Bethel Ave and Bahlmann Way. Traffic gets heavy on Bethel and McGalliard, so leave early.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 29, 2026 against ballstatesports.com (Sept. 4, 2025 and Sept. 7, 2026 releases) and bsu.edu.

Ball State posts a long list. These are the ones that change what you pack.

Alcohol
21 and over, in designated locations, with ID on request. Cans, plastic bottles or cups only.
Not allowed
Glass, kegs, hard liquor, drinking games, couches and indoor furniture, stages or platforms.
Sound
No amplified music, DJs or voice amplification.
Tents
10 x 10 max, fire-retardant, at least 20 lbs of weight per leg. No stakes, and no tying to cars.
Grills
No open flames under canopies. Vehicles pulling large grills park in the RV lot.
Your space
One vehicle per parking space.
When it ends
The tailgate area clears at kickoff and 2 hours after the game.
Bags at the gate
Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, a clutch up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches, or a 1-gallon clear bag.
Gates open
90 minutes before kickoff. Weapon detection at every entrance.
Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

Ball State Football A to Z Guide (2026)Ball State unveils enhanced game day experience (Sept 2026)Ball State 2026 football parking lot diagram

Official pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.

Pack for Muncie

What we'd bring.

  • Ultralight Tall-Back Camp Chair

    $45

    Ships free

  • Sampler, 8 Rubs

    $47.99

    Ships free

    Eight rubs in one box, so the grill gets a new one every Saturday. It's the seasoning we use.

More for this lot

  • Revo Dubler HEAT Chafer and Cooler$198.89 · Ships free

  • Monument G22 Tabletop Gas Grill, 2 Burners$199 · Ships free

  • The Game Day Starter, $582American Flag cornhole boards, a Taiga 27 qt hard cooler and a Scorezit scorekeeper, in one cart. Shop the kit

November in the MAC means weeknight football: the last two home games are a Wednesday night and Thanksgiving weekend, both after dark in Muncie.

Shipping and returns

Get the Pregame for the Cardinals. Your lot, your game and what to cook, every week. Free.Get the Pregame for the Cardinals

Where the party is

Ball State packs its color-coded lots into one block between Tillotson Ave and the stadium, with the big Green lot across the street. The rules lean quiet: no amplified music, no couches, no stages. Bring a grill and a 10 x 10. New in 2026, Ball State's own release says the band rallies students before every game in a "March to the Nest" and leads them into the stadium.

The alumni stop

CharlieTown

The Alumni Association and Athletics host CharlieTown on the Alumni Center front lawn 2.5 hours before kickoff at select games, with food trucks and a pep rally 1 hour out.

The moment

The Cardinal Walk

The team buses pull up on Cardinal Way next to CharlieTown, and players walk past the crowd into the stadium 2 hours 15 minutes before kickoff.

The sponsor zone

Tailgate Town

Ball State lists Tailgate Town, with activations from corporate partners, as part of the tailgating scene.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

On the games it runs, CharlieTown on the Alumni Center lawn is the food stop, with trucks and WMUN broadcasting live outside the stadium. Inside, Ball State's 2025 release promised at least eight food trucks circling the stadium every game, from doughnuts to barbecue and chicken to ice cream, so you don't have to eat before you go in.

Cook thisGreek chicken thighs

Getting out

Tillotson Ave closes again in the 4th quarter until exiting traffic clears. Your options, best first:

  1. Stay and tailgate. Ball State lets the tailgate area run 2 hours after the game. Let the roads empty while you pack up.
  2. Park free and walk. The free lots near Worthen Arena keep you out of the Tillotson closure entirely.
  3. Exit the way you came. The color lots load from McGalliard Rd. Follow the attendants and police.

  4. Skip this

    Floor it at the final whistle. Into a closed Tillotson Ave and a line that isn't moving.

First time here?

  • Families: the Cardinal Family Tent in the northeast corner is a dedicated space to feed babies and take a break.
  • Kids: the Family Fun Zone has a bounce house, face painting, balloon artists, a mini football field behind the east stands and stroller parking.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Get there in time to hear the Pride of Mid-America, Ball State's marching band, and make CharlieTown your first stop on the games it runs.

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