Huskies announce statue of legendary coach Don James to be unveiled this season

As part of their “Let Purple Reign Again” campaign that launched on Tuesday, the Washington Huskies announced they will unveil a statue of Don James prior to their Oct. 28 homecoming game against UCLA. The statue will stand alongside the statue of former coach Jim Owens on the northwest plaza outside Husky Stadium.

Funds for the statue were raised by former UW players. James, who died in October 2013, coached the Huskies to a share of the 1991 national championship and won 153 games in 18 seasons as UW’s head coach.

UW also announced it will honor longtime play-by-play man Bob Rondeau during the Apple Cup game against Washington State on Nov. 25. Rondeau, the voice of Huskies football for 37 years, announced in April that he will retire after this season.

Additionally, UW is adding a tailgate option this season: The Husky Tailgate Club at Rainier Vista. Here’s how the school describes it: “The Husky Tailgate Club at Rainier Vista will feature premium, turnkey tailgating solutions operated by UW’s new hospitality partner, IMG Live. The new tailgate packages, which require no setup or clean up for fans, are offered in three different sizes, accommodating groups of either 10, 20 or 40. Reservations can now be made at www.tailgateclub.com/husky.”

There are several options with different prices, but the most comprehensive of the choices -- the “VIP package” -- can accomodate up to 40 people, with a 20-foot-by-20-foot UW tent, 15 chairs, three folding tables, two coolers with ice and a media package for a total $14,962.50 for the season. Single-game prices for the tailgate packages range from $375 to $2,675, depending on which game and which package you choose.

This story was originally published August 1, 2017 at 1:53 PM with the headline "Huskies announce statue of legendary coach Don James to be unveiled this season."