Sports

UMass Football Returning to Foxborough in 2013

Six college football games will be played at Gillette Stadium this fall.

UMass football is returning to Foxborough this fall for the second year of a three-year commitment to use Gillette Stadium while the Minutemen's new stadium is constructed in Amherst. 

Foxborough's Board of Selectmen approved the stadium license request at Tuesday's meeting subject to the following conditions:

  1. Applicant shall by June 30, 2013 execute and provide to the town of Foxborough an indemnification agreement approved by the Board of Selectmen.
  2. Applicant shall by June 30, 2013 obtain and place liability insurance for said events; insuring both the applicant and the town of Foxborough.
  3. The license of said events shall be retained by the Board of Selectmen or its representative and held in escrow pending applicant's compliance with conditions one and two.

UMass is scheduled to play six home games at Gillette Stadium in 2013, up from five games last season. Games will be held on Saturdays from September to November with the home opener slated for Sept. 7th against Maine.

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The Minutemen's home schedule for the 2013 season is as follows:

  • Saturday, Sept. 7 vs. Maine (home opener)
  • Saturday, Sept. 21 vs. Vanderbilt 
  • Saturday, Oct. 12 vs. Miami (Homecoming) 
  • Saturday, Oct. 26 vs. Western Michigan 
  • Saturday, Nov. 2 vs. Northern Illinois
  • Saturday, Nov. 16 vs. Akron

Games are scheduled to begin at noon or 3:30 p.m. and anticipated attendance is around 15,000. Dan Murphy, vice president of Kraft Group’s Business Development and External Affairs, said attendance is expected to be higher for the Sept. 7 home opener and the Oct. 12 homecoming game.

Find out what's happening in Foxboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We are hoping [with the home opener on Sept. 7] that we will get a lot of people from Maine to come down," Murphy said. "And then the homecoming game in the middle of October [will attract student buses and alumni to the stadium and Patriot Place]."

Ticket prices range from $10 to $50 and parking is included in the ticket price. Additional parking will be provided in the P10 lot across from Patriot Place for games that exceed crowds of 10,500.

Parking lots will open four hours prior to kick-off and gates will open two hours prior to the game.

UMass Football Team Rallies Fans at Community Events

The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) Football Team will kick off the spring with a host of events and initiatives planned for the Greater Boston area and beyond.

Throughout late May and into June, the UMass Minutemen and coaching staff, led by energetic head coach Charley Molnar, will connect with the Massachusetts community through a host of events with alumni, youth and civic organizations, local players and coaches, and even an outreach to female fans of the game.

The Greater Boston region, home to a high concentration of UMass alumni, will be the focal point for the month long campaign, which will introduce the 2013 coaching staff and team. The Minutemen will look to prepare area fans and community organizations for the upcoming season and integrate them into coaching clinics, football camps, and meet-and-greets; as well as discuss the vision and future of the UMass football program with area alumni and business leaders.

“The UMass Football Team is excited to be back in the Boston area, for the second season, where so many of our loyal fans and UMass alumni live,” said Molnar. “We’ve planned a jam packed month of fun and interactive events in Boston to meet with our fans – kids, teens and adults – so they can get to know their team, in their city, and grow as energized about the 2013 UMass Football Team as we are.”

A highlight event from this outreach includes a “Charley Molnar Football School Women’s Clinic” being held on June 14 at Gillette Stadium.

The UMass football coaching staff invites female fans to come out for a day of football excitement. The aim of the event is to have some fun and teach women about the X’s and O’s of football, both physically on the field and when watching the sport from the sidelines.

The day will include a cocktail hour in Gillette's own Putnam club, "Football 101" meetings with the coaches in the official UMass locker room, and on field skills and drills led by each position coach. All proceeds from registrations and accompanying silent auction will go to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

In addition to the June 14 event, UMass football will host several other events in the Greater Boston area aimed to connect with their alumni base, local community leaders and organizations, youth sports programs, and business leaders.

For the football minded, UMass will host a series of “Charley Molnar Football School” clinics for high school football players, coaches of all levels, and even a clinic for “Mini Minutemen” ages K-8.

Season tickets for the 2013 UMass football season are now on sale and available online at www.umassathletics.com/tickets/umas-ticket-prices. Group tickets are just $10 and available by contacting Jason Blanchette at jlblanch@admin.umass.edu or by phone at (413) 577-0340.

ALL IN! TOUR EVENTS

Wednesday, June 5

Area Band Directors Reception

  • Cost: Free
  • Location: Gillette Stadium

Youth Football and Cheerleading Presidents Reception

  • Cost: Free
  • Location: Gillette Stadium

Thursday, June 6

Community Group Organizers Reception

  • Cost: Free
  • Location: Gillette Stadium

Thursday, June 14

Football 101 Women’s Clinic

  • Cost: $45 – All proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen For The Cure
  • Location: Gillette Stadium

Saturday, June 22

Youth Football Coaches Clinic

  • Cost: Free
  • Location: Gillette Stadium


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