BLACKSBURG, Va. – Football fans are headed to Blacksburg for the spring game at Virginia Tech this weekend.
This year, the April 14 scrimmage falls a week earlier than usual. A handful of other events in town as well as nice weather mean we could see an increase in fans.
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The weekend all starts with Virginia Tech family weekend, which kicks off tonight and runs through Sunday.Â
Saturday morning is the 3.2 mile Race for Remembrance, which is expected to draw thousands of students, community members and former Hokies out to honor the victims of April 16. That starts at 9 a.m. and will run throughout Blacksburg.
At noon, the Hokie Village FanFest will kick off with a DJ, yard games and giveaways. The gates to Lane Stadium open at 1:30 p.m. with a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.
Pete Moris, with Virginia Tech Athletics, says the team has been practicing since mid-March and is ready to hit the field.
"Coach Fuente and the team have been working hard and they're looking forward to it," he says. "It's always one thing to practice, but when you've got 30 to 40 thousand fans in the stands, it brings the energy level up. I know the team is excited to welcome the fans back into Lane Stadium on Saturday."
Saturday also marks the grand opening for the new baseball facility, English Field at Union park. The University is encouraging spring game fans to check out the stadium Saturday night, as the Hokie baseball team takes on Louisville at 7 p.m.
With the excitement for this weekend's game comes an increase in season ticket sales. The newly announced BeamerBall Mobile Pass sold out less than two weeks after going on sale. Regular season tickets are still on sale as fans prepare for what some are calling the best home football schedule in school history.
"In addition to our regular ACC slate, I think everybody's kind of circled that Notre Dame game on October 6," says Moris. "We're going to stripe the stadium for the first time, orange and maroon, so it should be an electric atmosphere. The only way you can get in right now is to get that season ticket."
Other home games include William & Mary, East Carolina, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Miami and UVa.
For more information on the spring game and season tickets, click here.
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