TCU launched “Sonny-dogs” at Saturday’s game against Abilene Christian University. 

In an initiative to get students to stay at football games longer, TCU athletics partnered with the Student Government Association (SGA) and concessions to give away free hot dogs to remaining students in the fourth quarter. 

Julie Austin, TCU’s senior associate athletic director, said the energy of the student section can make a difference late in games. She recalled a game last season when the Horned Frogs led by a small margin heading into the fourth quarter, but lost momentum after much of the student section emptied.

Many students stayed in the student section late into Saturday’s game to enjoy the treat. Ainsley Wiegand, a sophomore psychology major and regular attendee of TCU football games, said that while she didn’t come to the game with the intent of getting the free hot dog, it influenced her decision to stay until the final whistle. 

“What a lot of people don’t know is that Sonny Dykes has a hot dog during the halftime of every football game,” Austin said. “He really is the force behind this initiative and that is why we decided to name them Sonny-dogs.”

Coach Dykes entered his fourth season with the Frogs this fall and secured his 100th career win as a head coach Saturday during the program’s second-largest home opener. 

TCU athletics, alongside Dykes, has made student section involvement a priority this year, viewing it as a way to strengthen the team’s performance. To better understand what students wanted, the department organized a 50-student focus group and held an open forum.  

“The students told us they wanted hot dogs, so that’s what we gave them,” Austin said.

The initiative will continue throughout the semester, with athletics planning more student-driven promotions. 

The “Purple Korean Corn Dog” also made its debut on Saturday.