University Southern California Trojans
2026 USC Football Game Day Enhancements
August 26, 2026 | Football
LOS ANGELES — Following the most significant listening effort in department history, USC Athletics and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum are excited to announce several enhancements to the 2026 USC Football game day experience ahead of Saturday's season opener vs. San Jose State.
Featuring a new in-venue host, pregame fireworks, new concessions items, a rebuilt GameDay app, the return of Game Day Experiences, a family ticket package, championship recognitions, and promotions attached to all seven home dates, these enhancements are informed by more than 8,000 survey responses, as USC continues to prioritize engaging the Trojan Family and improving the fan experience.
Listening to the Trojan Family
USC's 2026 game day plan was shaped by the most extensive fan feedback effort in department history.
Following each of the seven home games in 2025, Trojan fans were surveyed on every element of their experience — arrival, entry, seating, concessions, staff, technology, and atmosphere — generating more than 6,000 responses, a 291% increase year over year.
Overall, more than eight in 10 rated their overall game day experience as satisfied or very satisfied, and USC's net promoter score – an industry-standard measurement of overall fan experience – improved by nearly 25 points.
This summer, a preseason survey drew nearly 2,000 responses and asked what an ideal Saturday at the Coliseum looks like. Fans pointed to team performance, stadium atmosphere, and unique traditions like the Trojan Marching Band and spirit groups.
USC will continue surveying fans during the 2026 season, with three planned surveys following Louisiana, Washington, and Maryland. Feedback from these will be utilized to make in-season adjustments where possible and inform future planning.
In-Stadium Host
Hayley Elwood joins USC as in-stadium host for the 2026 season and will work all seven home games at the Coliseum.
A reporter and anchor at KTLA, Elwood brings more than a decade of live event and broadcast experience to the Coliseum. She previously served as on-air talent, sideline reporter and writer for the Los Angeles Chargers, where she created the first female-focused podcast at the NFL club level, and from 2018 to 2023 was the only team talent selected to host multiple Super Bowls and NFL Drafts. She also spent three seasons as in-arena host for the Los Angeles Lakers. Additionally, she works as a sideline reporter for the National Lacrosse League and Varsity Spirit, and a gameday correspondent for SiriusXM NFL Radio. Elwood is a graduate of UC San Diego
New at the Coliseum: Food & Fireworks
Concessions remain a priority area for fan experience improvement, and their importance is clear based on both last season's survey data and this year's preseason survey.
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New signature items: A rotating Dog of the Game debuts alongside Coliseum staples, including the All-American Burger, The #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 is the Kimchi Dog — an all-beef Hoffy hot dog on a potato bun with kimchichurri and gochujang aioli.
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Sweets & Treats: A new dessert stand on the Heritage Concourse offers a full lineup of sweets.
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In-seat service for club members: Club seat members can order food and beverages from their seats for the first time, with ordering instructions available in seat cup holders and delivery direct to the seat.
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Collectibles only at the Coliseum: New exclusive souvenir items are available in-venue only, including the Carne Asada Fries Drum Bucket, a commemorative Popcorn Bucket, a beverage jug and a sword-style beer vessel.
Also new for 2026, pregame fireworks will light the Coliseum 90 minutes and 60 minutes before kickoff. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to improve ingress, minimize traffic impacts, and enjoy the pregame fireworks.
Additionally, fans arriving this season may notice ongoing work around portions of the Coliseum exterior. This is continued work from the 2025 season, and the improvements are part of the venue's continued investment in preserving the historic stadium, including concrete restoration and upgrades to fire, life-safety and emergency systems.
The work will not impact seating or concessions and is expected to have minimal effect on the game day experience.
New USC GameDay App
USC's official mobile app has been rebuilt for 2026-27 in partnership with Sidearm Sports, giving Trojan fans a single home for scores, content, tickets, and gear. New features include:
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A redesigned home screen with news, videos, promotions, and the latest gear
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Enhanced in-game experiences for all sports, including live scores, stats, and clips
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Push notifications and exclusive updates for ticketholders
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A streamlined menu with easier access to game day information
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Increased personalization around fans' favorite USC teams
Fans who don't yet have the app can download it at usctrojans.com/app.
More Value: The Fight On Family Plan
The Fight On Family Plan bundles four game tickets, four hot dogs and four soft drinks starting at $199 per game, available for the Louisiana (Sept. 12) and Maryland (Nov. 21) games.
More Access: Game Day Experiences
Game Day Experiences return for 2026, giving Trojan fans five ways to get closer to the action than a seat allows. Each experience is limited on a per-game basis, and all proceeds support the Trojan Athletic Fund and USC student-athletes. Game tickets are purchased separately.
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Video Board Message: A personalized message of up to 50 characters scrolls on the Coliseum videoboard twice during the game, once in each half.
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Photo on the Field: Fans and up to three guests enter the Coliseum roughly three hours before kickoff for a professional photo on the Coliseum field, with time to take their own as well.
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Ultimate Trojan Fan Experience: Exclusive sideline access for a fan and three guests one hour before kickoff, including a photo with the Song Girls.
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Run With the Team: A fan and one guest head to the field 30 minutes before kickoff for pregame warmups and the band performance, then run out of the tunnel with the Trojans.
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Experience the 4th: A fan and one guest watch the fourth quarter from the sideline, including the Lighting of the Torch, and can stay on the field through the postgame Trojan Marching Band performance.
All participants must be in USC apparel. Experiences are non-transferable and cannot be resold. Full pricing, availability by game and reservations are at usctrojans.com/gameday-experiences.
More Atmosphere: Promotions & Theme Nights
- Aug. 29 vs. San Jose State: Home Opener / Sustainability. USC opens the season with a spotlight on sustainability at the Coliseum, with in-game videoboard features highlighting the venue's Zero Waste record and how fans can take part.
- Sept. 4 vs. Fresno State: Drone Show. A halftime drone show lights up the Coliseum sky on Friday night, scored live by the Trojan Marching Band.
- Sept. 12 vs. Louisiana: Joint Forces Day / High School Band Day. USC honors the military community with complimentary tickets for more than 5,000 service members and their families. The Trojan Marching Band will be joined at halftime by students from more than 40 high school programs.
- Sept. 26 vs. Oregon: Beat The Ducks / Cardinal Out. The Coliseum goes Cardinal Out for the Ducks, with 40,000 towels distributed to fans upon entry while supplies last. Fans are encouraged to arrive early.
- Oct. 3 vs. Washington: Homecoming. The Trojan Family returns to the Coliseum for Homecoming, with the USC student section staging a card stunt in partnership with student spirit organizations.
- Oct. 31 vs. Ohio State: Trojan Family Weekend. USC welcomes families to campus and the Coliseum for Trojan Family Weekend, with 40,000 towels distributed to fans upon entry while supplies last.
- Nov. 21 vs. Maryland: Senior Day / Fan Appreciation / Los Troyanos. USC closes the home slate with Senior Day, Fan Appreciation and the Los Troyanos theme. Details on Los Troyanos ticket packages will be announced in October.
Committed to Sustainability
Trojan fans have helped the Coliseum achieve Zero Waste six consecutive years. Last season the venue diverted more than 101 tons of waste from landfills, with 90 percent of event-generated waste recycled or composted.
New for 2026, a reusable souvenir cup program gives fans a choice: take the cup home, or drop it in a marked yellow bin to be washed and reused at a future game. Fans can help by sorting correctly — black or green for compost, blue for recycling, yellow for reuse.
Celebrating USC's 2025-26 Champions
Three home dates will honor Trojan teams and student-athletes who won championships during the 2025-26 season.
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Aug. 29 vs. San Jose State: Women's tennis, which won the Big Ten regular season title, the program's first Big Ten championship and its first conference title since 2015.
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Sept. 12 vs. Louisiana: Women's water polo, 2026 NCAA champions, the program's eighth national title and first since 2021; men's water polo, MPSF Tournament champions; and men's and women's track and field, whose women's 4x100-meter relay won an NCAA championship and whose sprinters and throwers combined for a long list of Big Ten event titles indoors and out.
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Nov. 21 vs. Maryland: Women's golf, Big Ten Tournament champions and NCAA regional champions.
The Work Continues
USC will keep gathering fan input during the 2026 season, surveying fans following select home games and using what they say to shape the seasons ahead.
