Sacramento State announces 3-day homecoming concert weekend after last year's chaotic football game
Sacramento State is planning its biggest homecoming celebration yet as the university begins its first football season in the Mid-American Conference, but this year's festivities come with a major change after a concert last season ended in chaos.
Freshly painted Mid-American Conference logos now line the Hornet Stadium field, marking the start of a new era for the university after Sacramento State paid an $18 million entrance fee to join the conference.
To celebrate, the university announced a partnership with live entertainment company NPU Live to host a three-day homecoming concert series. Country artist Dustin Lynch and DJ Diplo will headline performances before the football game, while electronic music DJ Deorro will close out the weekend.
Unlike last year, the concerts will not take place inside Hornet Stadium.
Instead, the events will be held on university-owned property along Ramona Avenue, near the future site of NPU Live's planned concert venue.
"We're doing homecoming weekend for the first time," said Michelle Willard, Sacramento State's chief of economic development. "They're leading and running the concerts, so they'll be paying for the artists, the production and everything associated with the shows."
The off-campus move follows a troubled concert during a Hornets football game last season.
Sacramento State paid rapper Lil Yachty $100,000 to perform inside Hornet Stadium during halftime, but the free concert was shut down within minutes after multiple fights broke out in the crowd, prompting a large law enforcement response.
An NPU Live spokesperson said organizers expect up to 10,000 people at each of the homecoming concerts and that the company will oversee event security.
The expanded celebration comes as Sacramento State looks to capitalize on increased national exposure in its new football conference while avoiding a repeat of last year's disruptions.
University officials said there are currently no plans to hold additional concerts inside Hornet Stadium during this football season.
