On football game days at SMU, Bishop Boulevard and Dallas Hall lawn are filled with white tents, fans, music and cookouts. Known as “the Boulevard,” the pregame celebration for the Mustangs is one of the university’s most iconic traditions. This fall marks its 25th anniversary.

While today’s Boulevard scene is full of elaborate setups and hundreds of families, its origins trace back to 2000, when newly built Gerald J. Ford Stadium hosted its first Mustang football game.

In 1999, former President R. Gerald Turner challenged faculty to “create the best gameday experience in the land.”

Before coming to SMU, Turner served as the University of Mississippi’s Chancellor from 1984 to 1995. The Grove, the nickname for the 10-acre tailgating area at Ole Miss, was Turner’s inspiration for bringing something of a similar nature to SMU.

Judith Banes, an SMU alum, joined SMU’s staff in 1986, serving as director of recreational sports and spirit at the Dedman Center for 21 years.

Banes chaired the committee that turned Turner’s vision into reality, with help of Clyde Sigler of the athletic department.

“Clyde and I got together, and he took care of some things, while I took care of more of the students, faculty, staff, trying to include all of them in what was going to happen,” Banes said.

That involved holding town hall meetings and gathering input from students, faculty, staff and the Mustang Band. The community shared their opinions on how the upcoming celebration was going to play out.

“The worst thing you can do is just tell some of those people that this is going to happen,” Banes said. “We wanted them to feel like their voice was heard.”

The first Boulevard took place on Sept. 2, 2000. It was the first game of the season at Ford Stadium, and the Mustangs faced off against the University of Kansas Jayhawks.

“If you went to the very first one, you probably wouldn’t be that excited,” Banes said. “Everybody just brought their own tables or chairs. You just paid for a space, and that’s all you got. Maybe a trash can, but everybody was having fun.”

Despite the minimal setup, the first Boulevard still drew energy and excitement from the SMU community.

“After that first one, Clyde and I were up sitting on the steps of Dallas Hall, just toasting,” Banes said. “It’s going.”

For alumni like Lance Etcheverry ‘90, the Boulevard felt like a revelation. He had experienced football in three eras: the pre-death penalty years, the suspension years and football’s return.

“Our class was unique,” Etcheverry said. “We had football, then no football and then football again. It was a gut punch to lose it, but when we got it back, even playing in little Ownby Stadium against [University of] Texas, it was unbelievable.”

When he returned to Dallas in 2000, he saw the Boulevard begin to take shape.

“I just remember they said, ‘We’re going to do this Boulevard tailgating, and you can get a spot on the Boulevard,’” Etcheverry recalled. “We didn’t initially have a specific reserved spot. It was just bringing a grill, flipping burgers, drinking beer out of a cooler.”

Banes remembers those early years as being simple and inexpensive.

“I think we paid 60 bucks for our place. I mean, it was really about trying to get people in,” Banes said.

Banes recalls challenges ranging from strict regulations on alcohol to concerns about blocking events at Perkins Chapel. A group of volunteers called “The Mustang Partners” acted as informal security, ensuring people followed the rules.

As the years went on, setups grew more elaborate. From chandeliers hanging in tents, to live bands performing across campus, the Boulevard became high-energy and luxurious.

“Now it’s a big waiting list to get a spot. When the Boulevard first started, it was just on the Boulevard. Now there are spots all over campus, even over by Hughes-Trigg,” Etcheverry said. “We’ve gone from flipping burgers to having about 30 families, three bartenders, a caterer and probably 150 to 200 people at our tent per game.”

The Boulevard is more than a tailgate. For Banes, it was about combining elements of the tradition to build spirit groups into a family.

“Peruna would always be down at our tailgate, and that’s where he started his trip up the Boulevard,” Banes said. “It made it more fun, really. I got to know the handlers better, and it was a family thing.”

For Etcheverry, the Boulevard has become a community hub beyond alumni.

“Now the Boulevard is crowded with people from Park Cities who may not even go to the game. They just come because it’s a Saturday afternoon party,” Etcheverry said. “I think that’s helped SMU, because it’s built our brand amongst non-SMU graduates who live in the community.”

That sense of community has traveled generations into the student experience today. SMU senior Sophie Jaynes’ father, John Jaynes ‘94, hosts a tent on the Boulevard every year. Now, as a student, she gets to enjoy the tradition alongside her family.

“Sharing the experience of attending the same university has been something very special between my dad and I,” Sophie said. “Having a place where our friends, families and loved ones can gather and celebrate has made the best memories, and I have looked forward to family weekend every year.”

At the 2025 season opener, SMU’s 11th President Jay Hartzell joined former President R. Gerald Turner on the Boulevard to celebrate, a reminder of how the tradition has grown since Turner first challenged staff to “create the best game day experience in the land.”

It’s clear Turner’s vision stuck 25 years later.

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Campus, Hartzell didn’t hold back his praise.

“The Boulevards are really exceptional. I come from a place with a big football culture, but not a big tailgate culture,” Hartzell said. “Just having a spot where people hang out, mix and mingle, wander around and get to be around each other was really neat and lived up to the expectations.”