OXFORD — To provide more in-game social opportunities for the student body, Ole Miss is testing party decks at the top of the student section in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the 2019 season.

The eight temporary party decks — four on each side of the videoboard — will feature awnings for shade, televisions, charging stations, fans and pub tables along with plenty of space for students to socialize and watch the game. Each platform has a capacity of 100 students.

Only those with an Ole Miss student ticket are eligible for the party deck credentials.

Two decks will be general admission for the first 200 fans in line on game day at the two marketing tables — one for each deck — outside the north end zone. The remaining available decks will be distributed to verified campus student groups through a weekly lottery.

The lottery will take place on Wednesday of each home game week to determine the student groups that receive a party deck for the game.

“As we have all seen firsthand at The Pavilion and Swayze Field, as well as throughout our fan research, the ability to socialize with friends is crucial to our students’ gameday experience, and the new party decks will provide a similar environment to those other venues,” said Keith Carter, Ole Miss interim athletics director. “There is no question that our students are absolutely critical to creating a home field advantage at the Vaught, and we look forward to giving them an experience that makes them want to get there early and stay until the end.”