LEXINGTON, Ky. – With Kentucky men’s basketball home games set to begin this week, UK Athletics and Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center are announcing important game-day reminders ahead of the 2022-23 season.
UK officials continue to work to enhance the fan experience, while providing a safe environment within Rupp Arena.
With the completion of the renovation project at Rupp Arena bringing new entrances, fans are encouraged to arrive early and plan for possible entry delays. Renovations included upgrades to the upper seating bowl, approximately 50,000 square feet of UK hospitality club space and expanded concourses, among other upgrades.
Head coach John Calipari and the team are eager to have the Big Blue Nation back in Rupp Arena to form the best home-court advantage in college basketball.
Now open, the spectacular new entrances on High Street (next to the Hyatt) and Vine Street (across from Triangle Park) will serve as the main Rupp Arena entry and exit points.
The student entrance has moved to High Street, across from the Gate Two parking lot.
Fans are reminded to follow the wayfinding signage through the spine to enter Rupp Arena.
Additionally, a new Kroger Store by Section 40 is open.
Rupp Arena has gone cash-less!
Rupp Arena will not accept cash as payment for parking and concessions. Customers can use all major credit cards (American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa) and mobile payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay) to make purchases within the arena.
Listed below is additional information to help answer anticipated questions from fans this season:
Mobile ticketing
UK Athletics has fully transitioned to mobile ticketing at all venues. You’ll be able to avoid will call lines and waiting for tickets to arrive in the mail, enjoy quick and contactless entry into venues and easily access and transfer tickets to friends or family, all from your mobile device.
Beginning with the 2022-23 Men’s & Women’s Basketball seasons, UK Athletics will implement SafeTix™ as an additional feature on mobile tickets. Be sure to review the SafeTix™ information for important details about this security enhancement. With SafeTix™, screenshots will not be accepted for entry.
Season ticket holders and individual buyers will use the UK Athletics App to access and manage tickets. Season ticket holders may also manage tickets by visiting UKathletics.com/MyUKAccount from a mobile device’s web browser.
UK Athletics released a brand-new mobile app in July 2022. iPhone users will need to check that their app is updated. Fans can check for updates in the App Store. Android users will need to delete the original UK Athletics app and then download the new UK Athletics app from the Google Play Store. The new app icon will look identical to the original app. When using the new app for the first time, fans may be prompted to set up an ‘app profile’. The app profile is optional and is separate from a fan’s ticketing account.
Parking
Parking lots will open three hours before tipoff.With a valid state-issued disabled hang tag fans can park in the non-reserved ADA lot located at Gate 1 of Rupp Arena. This lot will operate on a first-come, first-served basis at a cost of $20/vehicle (no cash accepted).
Those without parking permits can take advantage of more than 10,000 convenient parking spaces located within a 10-minute walk of Rupp Arena. Visit the Rupp Arena Parking page to learn about additional parking options.
Game-day parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis through the Central Bank Center in their West High Street Lots. A parking fee will be in effect for most all Rupp Arena events.
For additional downtown parking information please visit LexPark.org or click here to view the LexPark Downtown Parking Map.
Ride share vehicles are instructed to drop-off and pick-up along Main Street. Please utilize the curb cut in front of the Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center that allows easy, safe drop-off/pick-up.
Box Office Operations
The UK Ticket Office will utilize a temporary box office area inside the main lobby of Rupp Arena, off High Street. This location opens 90 minutes prior to tip-off and will be the primary location for ticket resolution, will call, and sales (based on availability).
Fans may visit this location at the arena if they require assistance with accessing their mobile tickets once they arrive.
Fans may contact the UK Ticket Office for assistance in advance of game day by calling (800) 928-2287. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entering Rupp Arena
Now open, entrances on High Street (next to the Hyatt) and Vine Street (across from Triangle Park) will support the main entry and exit of fans to and from Rupp Arena.
The student entrance has moved to High Street, across from the Gate Two parking lot.
Fans are reminded to follow the wayfinding signage through the spine to enter Rupp Arena.
Doors will open 90 minutes prior to tip-off.
Ticket holders are encouraged to arrive early.
All bags must adhere to the UK Athletics Clear Bag policy. All bags and items will be searched. To avoid additional touch points, fans are strongly encouraged to not bring unnecessary bags to Rupp Arena.
The security posture at all Rupp Arena entrances will remain the same as in the past with the security check taking place prior to tickets being scanned.
Walkthrough metal detectors are in place.
Upon arrival, fans will be requested to remove items like cell phones, keys, bags/purses, and large metal objects that may set off the alarm, thus requiring further inspection. Although these units are more effective and faster than handheld metal detectors, patrons should still plan to arrive early to events in order to avoid standing in long lines.
The following items are not permitted inside Rupp Arena:
Bags (see Bags)
Weapons of Any Type*
Banners
Illegal substances
Outside Food and Beverage
Pets / animals**
Beach Balls
Laser Pointers/pens
Baby Seats or Carriers
Video or Audio Recorders
Cameras with detachable lenses
Selfie Sticks
Unauthorized noisemakers
Stadium seats in excess of 18″ wide or stadium seats with hard plastic or metal parts.
Fireworks
Frisbees
Hoverboards
Helium Balloons
Electronic Cigarettes
Flasks
Mace
Signs larger than 24” x 24”
Tablets and Laptops
Clear bag policy – As a reminder, the Southeastern Conference’s clear bag policy remains in place at Rupp Arena as an additional safety measure and to facilitate entry. Each fan will be permitted to carry one large clear bag – either a one-gallon Ziploc-style bag or a 12” x 6” x 12” clear bag – plus a small clutch that does not exceed 4.5” x 6.5”. The small clutch allows privacy for small personal items and is also easily searched. The clear bag policy improves public safety by making bags easily searched and significantly reducing faulty bag searches. Fans are encouraged not to bring bags to reduce touch points.
All bags and jackets are subject to inspection at all Rupp Arena entrances.
The following items are welcome inside Rupp Arena:
Camera lenses – maximum length six inches; no detachable lenses
Service animals – as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act
Seat cushions – maximum width 18 inches and cannot have any hard plastic or metal parts or backs
Strollers – small collapsible style
UK Athletics also reminds fans of the following important information for game day this season:
Game-day info online – The official online home for Kentucky men’s basketball game-day information is ukathletics.com/sports/gameday. Visit that website for everything to know about attending games at Rupp Arena this season
The Gameday Assistance program enables fans to start a conversation with UK Athletics staff. Fans can text UK MESSAGE & SEAT LOCATION to 69050.
Email questions – Fans with questions or feedback about basketball game day can contact UK Athletics by emailing BBNfirst@uky.edu.
Doors open 90 minutes prior to tipoff
Resale and authorized purchase
UK Athletics cautions against purchasing tickets through unauthorized sellers. Only tickets purchased directly through the following outlets are guaranteed to be valid:
Fans interested in acquiring new season tickets are encouraged to enter the men’s basketball season ticket lottery online. For more information on lower-level seating that is currently available with a K Fund pledge commitment, please reach out to the UK Athletics K Fund staff at (859) 257-6300.
Single-game tickets Kentucky’s first nine home games are on sale now exclusively online at Ticketmaster.com or through the Ticketmaster app. Tickets for Kentucky’s final 11 home games, including all Southeastern Conference games and matchups with Louisville and Kansas, will go on sale at a later date to be determined, based on availability.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
