Ask and you shall receive. USC requested feedback on how it could make game days better at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and now plans to implement a number of changes.
The athletics department asked fans following the 2025 season and this summer about different elements of their experience following USC’s undefeated 7-0 home slate last season. More than 6,000 responses on arrival, entry, seating, concessions, staff, technology, and atmosphere and more than 2,000 responses on the ideal game day experience in the Coliseum gave the program new ideas for how to improve Saturdays.
The Trojans will have a new in-stadium host, new food items in the concession stands, promotions and a new family ticket package for entry into the games.
USC will also honor Trojan teams and student-athletes who won championships in the 2025-26 season during three home games. It will honor the women’s tennis team during the season opener Saturday for a Big Ten regular-season title (the program’s first Big Ten championship and its first conference title since 2015). It will be honoring the women’s water polo team (an NCAA championship), men’s water polo team (MPSF Tournament champions) and the men’s and women’s track and field teams (NCAA championship in the women’s 4×100-meter relay and Big Ten event titles indoors and outdoors with sprinters and throwers) during the Trojans’ game against Louisiana on Sept. 12. They will honor the women’s golf team on Nov. 21 during the game against Maryland for a Big Ten Tournament championship and NCAA regional championship.
Here are five changes that affect your game day experience.
New to the Coliseum
The Coliseum will have a new pregame fireworks shows at the 90-minute mark and the 60-minute mark before kickoff, and the athletic department is encouraging fans to arrive early to avoid normal Los Angeles traffic issues and some ongoing construction on the exterior of the venue.
In addition to the new shows, USC is bringing new foods to concession stands. There will be a rotating “Dog of the Game” to go with the existing All-American Burger, The No. 39, Asada Fries, Fight On Fries, the Fight On Sandwich, Chicken & Waffles, Coach’s Chili Fries, and a Mushroom Torta. The Dog of the Game for the home opener Saturday against San Jose State (12 p.m. PDT; NBC) is the Kimchi Dog, an “all-beef Hoffy hot dog on a potato bun with kimchichurri and gochujang aioli,” according to the school’s news release. There will also be a new dessert stand on the Heritage Concourse, new in-seat service for club members and souvenir items, including the Carne Asada Fries Drum Bucket, a commemorative Popcorn Bucket, a beverage jug and a sword-style beer vessel.
Hayley Elwood will join the in-stadium production as the Trojans’ in-stadium host for the 2026 season. She is a reporter and anchor at KTLA with more than a decade of live event and broadcast experience with the Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Lakers and more.
It is unclear if USC will continue to have DJ Mal-Ski in the stadium for live music.
The Fight On Family Plan
The Trojans have a new bundle. You can pair four game tickets with four hot dogs and four soft drinks starting at $199 per game for the Louisiana matchup Sept. 12 and the Maryland game on Nov. 21. The limit is two packages per account per game, and the first 100 purchasers for each game are entered into a drawing to win on-field family photos, pregame field passes and a family shoutout on the videoboard.
New opportunities on game day
USC is also offering new game day experiences on a per-game basis with all proceeds supporting the Trojan Athletic Fund and USC student-athletes.
You can have a personalized message displayed on the Coliseum video board, you can get field-level access to take photos and hang out on the field, you can get exclusive sideline access an hour before kickoff, you can run out of the tunnel with the team and you can experience the fourth quarter from the sideline.
(One note: USC’s release states “all participants must be in USC apparel.”)
Promotions and campaigns
The Trojans will have new promotions or campaigns for each home game. Saturday’s game is the Sustainability game focused on Zero Waste, and a video board message will highlight how fans can take part in it. The matchup with Fresno State Sept. 4 will feature a drone show at halftime. The matchup with Louisiana on Sept. 12 is Joint Forces Day and High School Band Day where USC gives more than 5,000 service members and their families complimentary tickets for the game, and students from more than 40 high schools will join the Trojan Marching Band at halftime.
The matchup with Oregon on Sept. 26 will be a Cardinal Out where 40,000 towels will be distributed to fans upon entry. The matchup with Washington on Oct. 3 is USC’s homecoming. It will be Trojan Family Weekend on Halloween when Ohio State comes to visit. Families are welcomed to campus and the Coliseum, and 40,000 towels will be distributed to fans upon entry. The matchup with Maryland on Nov. 21 is Senior Day, Fan Appreciation Day and the Los Troyanos theme with ticket packages for the theme to be announced in October.
The GameDay App
USC’s official mobile app has been rebuilt for the upcoming season in partnership with Sidearm Sports. It’s a one-stop-shop for scores, content, tickets and USC gear.
The new upgrades includes a redesign home screen, a better look for live scores, stats and clips, push notifications and exclusive updates for ticketholders, easier access to game day information and personalization for your favorite USC sports teams.
