LEXINGTON, Ky. – With the countdown to the kickoff of the 2016 Kentucky football season in its final days, UK Athletics has announced the following reminders and changes to game-day operations on Saturdays at Commonwealth Stadium this fall.
The headquarters for information about game day at Commonwealth Stadium is http://ukathleticsgameday.com/football/. Fans are strongly encouraged to visit the site prior to attending games this fall for complete information about all game-day operations, including the reminders and changes listed below.
For questions and feedback about game day, please email BBNfirst@uky.edu. The UK Athletics Event Management Staff will respond to your inquiries in a timely manner.
Season tickets for UK’s seven home games and single-game tickets for both home and away games are available at UKFootballTix.com.
WHAT UK FOOTBALL FANS NEED TO KNOW FOR HOME GAMES IN 2016:
Concessions
– New specialty concession items will be offered at stands throughout Commonwealth Stadium.
– Items include a Chicken and Waffle Cone, Pulled Pork Nachos, Pork Chop Sandwich, Hot Brown Nachos and Bourbon Ice Cream.
– A diagram with pricing and locations of all items offered at Commonwealth Stadium can be found here.
– Water fountains are located throughout the stadium and complimentary 10-ounce cups of water available to guests at concession stands. Fans are also encouraged to take advantage of the one unopened bottle of water smaller than a liter they are permitted to bring into the stadium.
Traffic Routes and Parking
– Suggested pregame and postgame traffic routes have changed for many of the parking areas surrounding Commonwealth Stadium.
– Fans are encouraged to review the suggested routes listed on their parking passes or at http://ukathleticsgameday.com/football/directions-traffic/.
– An interactive map with directions to each parking area can be found at http://ukgamedayparking.io-media.com/.
– Fans are encouraged to display their parking permit when they leave their homes, enabling traffic personnel to efficiently sort and direct vehicles approaching the complex.
– Non-permit parking is available on Cooper Drive on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at noon ET on Fridays. Additional non-permit parking is available in Parking Structures #2, #3 and #6.
Food Trucks
– For each game, two food trucks will be located outside Gate 11 near the newly constructed stage that will host pregame concerts.
– The food trucks for this Saturday’s game will be Bradford BBQ and Mad Mike’s and will serve as long as supplies last.
– Food and drink items from the food trucks cannot be brought into Commonwealth Stadium.
Ride Sharing
– UK Athletics has worked with Lyft and Uber to establish a ride-sharing pickup and drop-off point on football game days.
– The loading and unloading zone is located on Sports Center Drive near the Woodland Glen dorms.
– Lyft and Uber drivers should proceed down Huguelet Drive, right on University Drive, left on Complex Drive and left on Sports Center Drive to pick up passengers, then right on Woodland Avenue after pickup.
Student Entry
– In an effort to allow as many students to attend games and sit in the lower-level student section, while maintaining capacity restrictions, UK has implemented a voucher system for student seating.
– Vouchers will be exchanged on a first-come, first-served basis on game days at the student entrance (Gate 15) of Commonwealth Stadium, as long as seating remains. By overselling the student section by a reasonable amount (based on historical data), the purchase of a voucher does not necessarily guarantee admittance into the stadium.
– Kentucky has reserved approximately 5,000 student seats per game, including approximately 4,000 in the lower-level student section and 1,000 in the upper level. Up to 6,250 vouchers will be sold. Thus, admission into Commonwealth Stadium is only guaranteed for the first 5,000 students that enter with a voucher.
– The first 4,000 students to enter with a voucher will receive a wristband for the lower level student section. Wristbands are valid for general admission seating in sections 34-40. Once all lower level wristbands have been distributed, remaining students will exchange their voucher for an upper-level assigned seat, while supplies last.
– Purchasing a season voucher allows students the opportunity to attend all seven home football games, but admission into the stadium is not guaranteed and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Students will be able to sit with their friends by entering the stadium together, since seating locations will be determined when entering the stadium.
Early Tailgating Move-in Policy
– In recent years, there has been a surge in fans staking early claim to tailgating space in grass areas surrounding Commonwealth Stadium by setting up tents and trailers well in advance of game day.
– This year, UK Athletics is asking fans to not set up tents or trailers in the Commonwealth Stadium complex prior to noon on Friday leading up to game day in order to facilitate midweek preparations.
– As a reminder, all vehicles, tents and trailers must be removed by noon on Sundays following game day.
Game Day Assistance
– The Game Day Assistance program enables fans to start a conversation with UK Athletics staff.
– Fans can text UK
LexTran Shuttles
– LexTran will operate the UK Football Express Campus and Downtown shuttle routes for the entirety of the 2016 season.
– The Campus route costs $2 per person, one-way and services Parking Structures #2, #3 and #6 and the Visitor RV lot.
– The Downtown route costs $5 roundtrip and services three locations: the Shops at Civic Center, the Lexington Transit Center and Chatham’s at Woodland/High/Maxwell.
– Complete information about shuttles, including maps can be found at http://ukathleticsgameday.com/football/shuttle-info/.
Lower-Level Bench Backs
– Bench-back seating has been added throughout the entire lower bowl of Commonwealth Stadium this offseason, with the exception of the student section in the East end zone.
Waze
– The University of Kentucky has partnered with Waze to assist drivers not attending the game in navigating away from the traffic surrounding Commonwealth Stadium.
– The Waze app is available on Apple and Android devices.
As a reminder, below is a detailed description of the changes continuing for the 2016 season:
Stadium Gates
– As you enter/exit Commonwealth Stadium gates, please be extremely cautious of vehicle traffic in surrounding lots and follow instructions of parking lot attendants.
– Gates 4, 9, 12 and suites will open two hours prior to kickoff.
– All other public gates will open 1 ½ hours prior to kickoff.
Guest Services
– Four Guest Services locations will be open 5 hours prior to kickoff, outside of Gates 1, 4, 9 & 12.
– There are five guest services locations on the lower concourse: near Gate 12 and inside Gates 2/3, 6/7, 10/11 and 14/15. On the upper concourse, guest service locations are behind sections 206 & 226 and near the Gate 12 ramp.
– Guests may obtain a complimentary 10-ounce cup of water from Commonwealth Stadium concession stands. With temperatures forecast in the 80s Saturday, guests are also reminded to stay hydrated.
Commonwealth Stadium Gate Security & Carry-In Policy
– The University of Kentucky is committed to our primary mission of providing safe and secure venues. Based in large part on industry standards regarding security at large assembly events, the University of Kentucky has implemented a bag policy at Commonwealth Stadium.
– Backpacks and large bags are prohibited from entering Commonwealth Stadium. Fans will be permitted to bring in one small bag, no larger than 13.5 inches x 10 inches x 7 inches. The bag must fit within sizing bins at all entrance gates. UK officials are encouraging fans to arrive early and bring as few items as possible into the stadium.
Sustainability/Recycling
– The University of Kentucky encourages all guests to recycle. As you tailgate around the stadium, we ask that you place all recyclables into any of the recycling receptacles stationed throughout the area.
– If you are parking in any of the colored reserved parking lots, you will be given recycling bags as you enter the parking lots. Please deposit aluminum cans, plastic or glass bottles. Please do not deposit food or paper in these bags. Before you leave the lots to enter the game, please leave your bags behind your vehicle so that bags are accessible for collectors.
– If you tailgate postgame, please locate the nearest recycling receptacle and deposit your recyclable beverage containers before you leave.
– During the game, while inside Commonwealth Stadium, please deposit any recyclable beverage containers into the designated blue receptacles.
Tow-Behind Trailer Policy
– Tow-behind trailers may not park on paved surface lots within the Commonwealth Stadium complex, unless they too have a parking permit.
– Guests bringing a tow-behind trailer on game day, without a parking permit for the trailer, will be directed to the nearest available grass lot. All tow-behind trailers will be directed to park in the nearest available grass lot.
Guest Golf Cart Use
– In the interest of safety for all guests, pedestrians, etc., guests’ golf carts are prohibited on the Commonwealth Stadium Complex to include all parking lots, sidewalks, streets, etc.
– This includes motorized scooters/coolers, etc.
– Scooters used by individuals with disabilities will be permitted.
Cooper Drive Tailgate & Parking
– Tailgate setups and vehicle parking may begin no earlier than noon ET on Fridays prior to game day.
Beginning at noon ET on Friday, two vehicles will be permitted to parallel park outside/along the painted 6’ restraining line, within each designated tailgate box/area. Vehicles will be restricted from parking in any water retention ditches, flood areas, sidewalks and any other marked areas.
Game day traffic on hospital drive – UK Medical Center Emergency Room
– Hospital Drive, connecting Limestone and University Drive, will be closed for Emergency Room traffic only on game day. Guests with Parking Structure #1 permits may access Parking Structure No. 1 via University Drive only.
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