Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice
Bakersfield College football is hosting leaders in the oil and agriculture industries at their home game this Saturday, with free admission for industry workers. All oil and agriculture-related businesses are welcome to join the Renegade community on Saturday — all industry workers that supply an employee ID or business card will be admitted along with one guest.
Tickets are $10 for non-industry workers.
According to Matt Riley, former President of the Bakersfield Condors turned managing and marketing professional at BC, home games at Memorial Stadium offer a variety of concessions, including pizza, nachos, hot dogs, funnel cakes, and kettle corn.
The Renegades also supply cookies from Wholy-Chip, specially decorated in BC colors. Riley explained that Oil & Ag Night is meant to celebrate both Kern County’s most established industries as well as its favorite local pastime.
“The oil and ag industries are the two main industries in Bakersfield and Kern County, so it’s just a good tie-in,” Riley said. “Bakersfield College has 30,000 students currently, and many of those students will be in the oil and ag industries upon graduation or at some point in their lives.”
Riley’s long-term goal is to restore attendance at BC football games to its former glory and hopes to expand the traditional stadium fare to include more vendors such as taco trucks. He noted that Renegade home games present an opportunity to tailgate, which is open all day during game days.
“Once upon a time, the football games at Memorial Stadium were the biggest thing going on in town…and you’d talk to anyone and the street, and you’d hear stories of when they used to go there, or they used to go with their parents,” Riley said. “So, we’re just trying to rejuvenate some of that interest and excitement and get folks up on the hill.”
Oil & Ag Night will take place on Saturday, Sept. 16, with the Renegades playing San Bernadino Valley College at 6 p.m. More information is available on the BC Athletics webpage.
