Camping at the O’Dome: Florida Students Camp Out for Basketball

By Lauren Correia

The Texas A&M men’s basketball team came to Gainesville to face off against the Gators on March 1. This game was highly anticipated for multiple reasons, as the Gators were ranked No. 3 and the Aggies not too far behind at No. 12. ESPN GameDay, a pre-game show broadcast hosted by ESPN, was also present. With Gator fans’ spirits at an all-time high, students might have started a new tradition. 

Students had always waited hours to secure a seat in the student section of the O’Dome on basketball game days, but these Rowdy Reptiles took their dedication to another level by camping through the night. The gymnastics meet on Friday, February 28, ended around 7:30 p.m. that night, and within just over an hour, the 500 seats in the student section were filled.

Freshman Ashley Butler and freshman Elizabeth Dixon were two students who participated in this revolutionary day.

 “We began camping out around 7:40 [p.m.] right after the gymnastics game ended,” Butler said. 

The actual game did not start until 8:30 p.m. the following day, meaning students waited over 24 hours to get good seats. Even though Butler and Dixon arrived 25 hours before tipoff, they were still about 180th in line, illustrating the immense dedication of Gator students to their team.

Elizabeth Dixon, Ashley Butler and Sophie Leyda camp outside the O’Connell Center for the Gators men's basketball game. (Photo courtesy of Ashley Butler)

Every minute was crucial.

“My group got wristbands 495-498 out of 500,” freshman Grace Tucceri said. Arriving only an hour later than Butler and Dixon at 8:45 p.m., Tucceri and her friends barely secured their spots in the student section. 

“ESPN College Gameday was definitely the main draw, but it was also bound to be an exciting game since we were facing another highly ranked team,” Tucceri said. 

And the game certainly delivered. 

The score was close, with the Aggies and the Gators going head-to-head. The Aggies were the first to take the lead, but by the end of the first half, the Gators had an 11-point lead—a lead they would carry through the end of the game. By the final buzzer, the Gators had won 89-70.

“We had second-row seats for game day and third row for the actual game,” Butler said. “The energy in the stadium is electric in the student section.”

Gators student fans cheer during the game. (Photo courtesy of the Gators men's basketball Instagram)

As to be expected, camping on the side of the road with hundreds of other college students was not all sunshine and rainbows. There was a lot of noise, making it hard to sleep, according to Dixon. 

But students’ love of being a Gator was much stronger than one sleepless night. Many students were very happy with their decision to camp out, creating a weekend they will never forget. Butler, Dixon and Tucceri all agreed that camping out for the Texas A&M game was worth their time and commitment. 

“Camping out was 100% worth it,” Tucceri said. “I’m so proud to be a part of a school where we have so much pride in our Gator identity.”