TRAVERSE CITY -- Downtown Traverse City was nearly empty.
The green carpet in front of the State Theatre was nearly the sidewalk's only inhabitant.
Inside, a raucous crowd packed the venue to watch Michigan State play North Carolina in the NCAA basketball national championship.
The mood was more subdued by the end of Michigan State's 89-72 loss, as the Tar Heels jumped out to a 31-11 early lead.
The doors opened early -- at about 8:10 p.m. instead of 8:30 -- and the crowd didn't wait to get at the prime seats.
"They ran up here when the doors opened and were like a stream," said State Theatre volunteer Cyndi Gaudette, an usher in the balcony. "It was a mad rush."
"We did rush up here," said Traverse City resident Carol Taberski. "A lot of the seats were taken and we were hoping to get in the front row."
She did find a front-row seat, a few down from Bear Lake retirees Bob and Alice Wangbichler.
"Neither of us (went to MSU)," Alice Wangbichler said. "We're just big fans."
The pair have been Michigan State football season-ticket holders since 1968.
"We used to call ourselves the 'Board of Directors' because we'd sometimes have four generations tailgating at the same time."
The building's marquee boasted "We're all Spartans" and the sidewalk in front of the theater was adorned with green carpet.
"It's wonderful," said Traverse City resident Marge Forgione before the game started. "Typical Michael Moore -- he did it with some flair."
Forgione was one of many at the game sporting MSU apparel. Wearing a green and white pullover hat and green shirt, the inside of the theater looked like St. Patrick's day. Forgione -- a 1957 MSU grad and retired Cherry Knoll Elementary teacher -- even had a battery-powered fan that lit up and said, "Go Spartans" in red lights.
The game brought Elk Rapids residents Jim Edwardson and his son Korey to the renovated theater for the first time.
Jim Edwardson called the State Monday afternoon and was told the tickets were all gone. But while he was still on the phone, he was told two tickets had just been returned.
"I was excited standing in line, getting cold," he said. "There was just an energy.
"I have a North Carolina sweatshirt that somebody gave me, but I thought I better not wear it."
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