Southern Lantern Entertainment Gives Rebel Fans A Reason To Watch The Game From The Grove

It has become a common sight on game days to see families and friends gathered in front of a television in their Grove tent to watch rival teams battle it out on the field. Some fans shake their heads at the idea of a television in the Grove, others stop to watch a few minutes of the game with them, but few guess the amount of planning and manpower it takes to make this viewing possible.

Nathan McCartney is a former Air Force communications officer who has transferred the skills he learned in the service into a new business that helps create a unique tailgating experience.

McCartney started his company, Southern Lantern Entertainment, this year to take advantage of the growing demand for televisions set up in the Grove and in the Circle.

Television installation begins as soon as the Grove opens for tailgating equipment on Friday night. McCartney and his crew of fourteen workers stay in the Grove and the Circle until the early morning hours setting up televisions and satellite dishes.

Leaving the televisions and other equipment unsupervised overnight until the tent owners arrive the next day can be a bit of a gamble, but McCartney and his workers have a system in place to keeps thefts to a minimum.

“We chain everything,” said McCartney. “We run a bolt through the back of the TV and chain everything together. We chain the tent, the TV, the table, the generator, the gas tank and anything else all together. So if you’re going to steal it, you have to take everything with it.”

The price to have a television and satellite installed for game day varies drastically based on many factors.

“It ranges between $1,200 and $2,000 depending on if it’s your equipment or my equipment,” McCartney said. “Your per game price goes down the more games you sign up for, and if you provide everything the price is a lot less.”

McCartney currently subcontracts out to SevenSouth Tailgating. With this one subcontract, he had 53 televisions in tents for the Homecoming game.

“Next year, I’d like to expand,” McCartney said. “We could double it and do 75 to 100 TVs next year. I also want to expand out and do more than just the Grove.”

The Grove has consistently been ranked the number one tailgating spot in the nation, and this is just one more item to add to the growing list that makes Ole Miss the premiere tailgating destination.

Amy Goodin is a writer for HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at argoodin12@gmail.com.

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