With the number of ASU students climbing to 66,000 this fall, you’re likely to see more Sun Devils than ever before out at the football games.

“We’ve never sold out of football tickets prior to the first game before,” Jason Bunger, Director of Ticket Operations at ASU, says.

Bunger says 10 percent of the stadium is reserved for student ticketing, and those tickets have been selling extremely well this season. The student season passes have completely sold out, Bunger says.

“It’s a good problem to have,” Bunger says.

So, this year, make game day (and night) all the more fun by starting out at any of these stadium-proximate destinations. We promise it’s going to be a lot more exciting than pre-gaming at the apartment complex or dorm.

The Tavern on Mill
404 S. Mill Ave.
Tempe, AZ 85281
(480) 967-5886

The Tavern, on Mill Avenue and Third Street, gets so packed on game day all of the tables are taken out to make way for partying ASU students and football fans, bartender Misty Maki says.

“It’s all Gold and Maroon in here,” Maki says.

Specials include $2 domestic bottles and $2 off most appetizers. Tacos are also a tasty choice and at less than $4, they won’t take away from the beer money. “We don’t jack up our prices on game day,” Maki says. Good prices, a flat-screen TV count of 25 and a Sun Devil party atmosphere prior to the kickoff make The Tavern an excellent game-day choice.

The Vine Tavern and Eatery
801 E. Apache Blvd.
Tempe, AZ 85282
(480) 894-2662

The Vine may look quiet from the outside, but opening the door on game day reveals a wealth of ASU fans pumping themselves up with cheap beer and reasonably priced favorites like cheese quesadillas, $3.99, and a basket chips and salsa, $2.50. You can also ogle at the giant wall flat screen or go shoot pool in the back. It may be on the south side of campus, but after a few drinks you probably won’t mind a trek down Palm Walk to the stadium.

Bison Witches
21 E. 6th St #146
Tempe, AZ 85281
(480) 894-9104

Tucked in behind the Borders at Mill Avenue and Sixth Street, Bison Witches is a spirited spot for game day — they even have a sandwich named Sundevil.

Watch the game on any of the 10 flat screen TVs, inside or out, while sipping down cold 24 oz. Bud Lite draft mugs for $3.75. Nosh on any of their delicious signature sandwiches — your search for an adult Grilled PBJ ends here. Don’t stress if you’re short game tickets or not of drinking age, Bison Witches welcomes those under 21 before 10 p.m. and will be packed with plenty of other ASU fans who prefer an air-conditioned setting over stadium viewing.

“I didn’t mind not getting a wristband for beer. It’s pretty even between people with wristbands and ASU kids who don’t have them,” business freshman Zak Phelan says.

Tailgating at ASU

The classic choice for pre-game partying at ASU is at any of the designated tailgating lots at ASU, including lot 59 and 5. Who wouldn’t want to drink beers and grill burgers out at this excruciatingly hot asphalt wasteland that heats up to temperatures rivaling those of the sun?

“The heat isn’t a factor if you have cold drinks and a fun crowd,” journalism senior Katie Crossman says.

Some students go beyond cold drinks to stay comfortable out in the late afternoon heat. Geology senior Ravi DeFilippo and his friends got inventive at the ASU vs. Standford game and used a basic tarp to make an ice-filled pool in the bed of his pickup. Genius.

So, if you can find ways to stay cool, tailgating at the designated lots may be a good bet — there’s plenty of partying Sun Devils to mingle with.

Before you go, there are some regulations that need to be followed in order to stay out of trouble. Beer and wine are welcomed beverages out at lots 59 and 5, but don’t be caught sipping a handle of Smirnoff. Hard liquor is not permitted, and ASU police enforce the law. Also, don’t show up at noon to start your tailgating party if the game starts at 7:00 p.m. — there’s no tailgating 3.5 hours prior to kickoff, a state policy of the Arizona Board of Regents. We’re slightly disappointed to learn that drinking games (Beer Pong, Flippy Cup, etc.,) are also not allowed for safety reasons. Sigh.

For more information on tailgating rules and ticketing, visit the Arizona State University Athletic Site online at http://thesundevils.cstv.com/index-main.html.

Reach the reporter at michelle.masek@asu.edu.