Big Blue Madness, Kentucky?s annual beginning of the men?s and women?s basketball seasons, will remain at 8,500-seat Memorial Coliseum this year with an eye towards moving the event to 23,000-seat Rupp Arena in 2005. This year?s event is Oct. 15, with tickets to be distributed on Oct. 9.
The athletic department was approached this summer by Van Florence, Director of the UK Basketball Museum, about the possibility of moving Big Blue Madness to Rupp Arena in conjunction with a Museum fundraiser. After thoroughly looking into the proposal, the decision was reached to keep Madness at Memorial this year while exploring the possibility of moving it to Rupp in 2005, when UK will be celebrating its 30th year in the downtown venue.
?There were a myriad of factors considered in making this decision and questions that need to be answered,? Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said. ?Would tickets be distributed the same way they have been in the past? Would fans have to be charged to cover the expenses associated with moving the event to Rupp? How do you handle the contractual obligations with concession and licensing vendors who have the rights at Memorial but not at Rupp? How do you handle the contractual issues involved with Pepsi sponsoring Big Blue Madness and Rupp having a contract with a competing soft drink?
?I believe answers can be found for all those questions, but with basketball practice starting in two months, we would be rushed to find those answers for this year. Madness is too special an event in the Commonwealth for us to move it to Rupp without having a rock-solid plan.
?There appears to be a majority of our fans who would like to see Madness at Rupp. We are going to work towards that and see if we can make it happen for next year. Bill Owen at Rupp Arena has graciously offered the facility to us at no charge for this event. However, our event costs would go up because of the need for increased security and other ancillary costs. My preference would be, if we move it to Rupp for a year, to keep it free of charge to the public like it has been for 22 years.?
?University of Kentucky basketball is very important to us, and we understand the athletic department?s concerns,? Owen, the President of the Lexington Center, said. ?Our offer still stands and hopefully it will work out to bring Madness to Rupp next year.?
?We want to work with Van and the UK Basketball Museum to help him find additional revenue streams to fund that project in addition to the $100,000 annual contribution the athletic department already makes,? UK?s Executive Associate Athletic Director Rob Mullens said.
?I appreciate the athletic department?s willingness to work with us to make the UK Basketball Museum a showplace of the great history of Wildcat basketball,? Florence said. ?The Museum wouldn?t exist without the support of the athletic department.?
