Welcome to Kyle Field, Home of the 12th Man. It's also home to thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats.
The creatures have infested the upper decks of Texas A&M's stadium, but officials don't seem to mind. They've actually designated the facility a bat-friendly zone. But there are problems.
"These bats help us by eating a lot of bugs around the stadium, but unfortunately, what goes in also comes out," athletic director Bill Byrne said.
In other words, bat guano, which has a strong smell of ammonia.
Crews spend hours each week power-washing the stadium for bat residue and have even tried a deodorizer. The primary concern is making sure bat guano doesn't get in vendors' food. Official have also taken steps to protect unsuspecting fans from droppings.
Announcements are made during games and there are signs to remind fans not to touch bats on the ground, Byrne said.
Night games are particularly interesting. "I've been to a few night games, and you can see them flying around," said Charles Bellomy, who has been attending games for 21 years.
During day games, the bats are often "squeaking up a storm" and can be heard over the roar of fans.
But officials have embraced the creatures. Michael Smotherman, a biology professor at A&M, has been studying the echolocation patterns of the bats to aide in the management of human speech. The free-tail bat species emits 10 to 20 pulses of sound a second, which is unique among bats in the region.
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