To an outsider, the sight is perplexing. Why are thousands of students camped out in tents in October in near freezing temperatures? To a Michigan State basketball fan, it’s just the Izzone campout. Each year, members of the MSU men’s basketball student section, the Izzone, named after head coach Tom Izzo, camp out overnight in order to retain their Izzone points. These points determine where they sit in the Breslin Center during the basketball season. More points mean better seats. Izzone section leaders perform random check-ins throughout the night. Miss a check in? All previous points are lost and you start back at zero.

You might be thinking to yourself, “This sounds super fun! But when does it end? It can’t possibly go on all night!” The campout does not end until Tom Izzo wakes up and says it’s time to go home. You read that right: the Hall of Famer himself camps out with the Izzone as well. In recent years, the campout has ended anywhere from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m.

For this year's campout, which took place Oct. 4-5, Izzone section leader Reese Carlson takes us behind-the-scenes for a unique perspective on this MSU tradition. Photos by Jonah Brown.

The sea of tents

With over 1,500 campsites, this year’s campout was record-breaking. Thousands of students gathered to show their support for MSU basketball. And the campout is not just about that — but also about interacting with the general Spartan community.

Izzone campers hurry to set up their tent in their designated campsite. Each site is 10-by-10 feet, leaving enough room for the average 4-person tent. Some of the fun is in making your campsite homey, even if it is just for about 12 hours.

Camping and other fun

The campout is not just about sleeping in a field on the Michigan State campus. Members of the basketball team make sure to stop by to get pictures taken with campers, play games, and hang out with the Izzone.

Once students set up their tents, the fun begins. Some stay at their sites for a quick breather before a night of nonstop activity, while others venture out to explore the opportunities around Munn Field.

Photo-ops, meetings with Hooper — the Detroit Pistons mascot — free snacks and dancing at the main stage with a live DJ are just some of the activities for those who wish to get right into the swing of the campout.

MSU Madness and Izzone Campout combined for first time

At Michigan State Madness, the official start of the men's and women's 2024-25 basketball seasons, the basketball team gathers for an introduction. This is often the public’s first look at the team before the season. Many were excited for it to be combined with the Izzone campout this year. The event also began a bit earlier than previous years, starting at 6 p.m., which made it a perfect way to get excited for the season and energized before the long night ahead.

 

Izzone uses MSU Madness as cheering trial run before basketball season

Izzone members filed into the Breslin Center for MSU Madness. They clapped along to the fight song, played by both the Spartan Marching Band and the MSU Brass Band, and cheered for performances by the Spartan Spirit Squad. Some students even dressed up in fun costumes, poking fun at costumes Coach Tom Izzo has worn in past years at MSU Madness.

An event shared among many generations

Men’s basketball Head Coach Tom Izzo stands holding his granddaughter, Izzy, as they look up at the Breslin Center video board. MSU Madness is a family-friendly event open to all members of the MSU community, and is often an opportunity for kids to meet members of the men’s and women’s basketball teams.

At this event, alumni, community members, students and fans all converge to celebrate the basketball teams before their seasons start.

Night under the stars

As the campout continues further into the night, students settle to hang out at their campsites with friends. The lack of rain — ask any senior, this is a unique phenomenon — allowed for Izzone members to stay outside their tents and enjoy the weather. Many students brought games to play with friends, football or spike ball, and played games well into the night.

At exactly 6 a.m. Saturday morning, Coach Tom Izzo declared the campout was officially done. By this point in the night, Munn Field had quieted down as people slowly went to bed. In true campout fashion, Izzo shattered that peace by driving up and down the aisles in his golf cart, holding down the horn and continually blowing on his whistle. It is safe to say that everyone was awake quickly after that.

Each year, the Izzone tradition of the campout continues to grow as more and more people join in on the fun. After all, who would say no to a night spent under the stars, camping with the best basketball student section in the country?