Kentucky Football Gameday 2023 Information
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ahead of the 2023 Kentucky Football season, Kentucky Athletics is announcing important reminders and new features in the gameday experience.
The Big Blue Nation will return to Kroger Field for the first of seven home games in 2023 when Kentucky Football hosts Ball State on Saturday, Sept. 2 at noon ET.
New for 2023:
Alcohol and concessions
Having begun sales of alcoholic beverages at home games in spring 2023, those offerings will continue and be expanded across University of Kentucky Athletics home events in 2023-24.
In Kroger Field, beverage offerings will include beer and seltzer products. Sales will have a limit of two (2) per transaction. Identification checks will take place at each transaction. For football, alcohol sales will conclude at the end of the third quarter.
Click here for more information as well as to view beverage and concessions offerings maps.
New features for entry to Kroger Field
UK Athletics will implement new ticket features intended to improve fan safety and make entry to Kroger Field easier.
New this year, but familiar to fans who attended games in Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center last year, self-service pedestal scanners will be added to most Kroger Field entrances to help ease fan entry.
When fans arrive at their designated gate, the scanner will invite them to scan their ticket. There are two ways for fans to scan their tickets at a pedestal ticket scanner:
- For tickets saved in your mobile wallet without a barcode (“tap & go” tickets), tap the back of your phone to the icon on the top of the pedestal scanner.
- For tickets with a dynamic barcode, scan the barcode below the screen on the pedestal.
Click here to learn more about the self-service pedestal scanners.
Alongside Ticketmaster, SafeTix™, which was first implemented for winter sports last year, will be expanded to Kroger Field, helping ensure fans’ mobile tickets remain secure when attending Kentucky events.
As a reminder, screenshots and screen recordings of tickets cannot be used, as they will not scan.
If you have any questions, please visit UKathletics.com/mobiletickets.
Parking
UK Athletics has partnered with Waze to provide interactive directions to your permitted parking lot. Please download the Waze App and utilize the QR Code that will be sent on Friday prior to gameday in your parking email.
RV Parking Update
On-board generators are permitted. Exterior or pull-along generators must have an exhaust extension.
For safety reasons, all motor homes/RVs are required to utilize exhaust extensions or “smoke stacks” to channel exhaust fumes to the top of the motor home/RV.
New locations and names
The suite level has a new naming rights partner – The Winner’s Circle Suite Level presented by Clark’s Pump-N-Shop.
“As a family-owned business from eastern Kentucky, we at Clark’s Pump-N-Shop know the value and passion our customers have for the University of Kentucky & UK Athletics,” Rick Clark, owner of Clark’s Pump-N-Shop said. “The opportunity to partner with UK at Kroger Field for the foreseeable future is something we take great pride in. We look forward to representing our local brand with UK Athletics in this long-term naming rights partnership.”
The Big Blue Zone, located outside Gate Four, opens three hours prior to kickoff with the Don Franklin Auto Countdown to Kickoff radio show featuring Christi Thomas, Dusty Bonner and Jeremy Jarmon. The Big Blue Zone is the go-to place for food trucks, fun activities and giveaways for fans.
Additionally, the UK Bookstore location within the Big Blue Zone has shifted a bit.
Key Reminders
Fans are encouraged to arrive early.
With unprecedented excitement for the 2023 season, illustrated by record season-ticket sales, large crowds are expected throughout the season. Fans are encouraged to leave plenty of time getting to Kroger Field to avoid late rushes to get into the stadium just before the game starts.
Mobile Ticketing & Parking
UK Athletics has fully transitioned to mobile ticketing at all venues. All tickets will be mobile and no physical season ticket books will be printed. Season ticket holders and individual game 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.
Season parking permits will also be issued via mobile delivery, and ticket holders with parking will access and display parking permits on a smartphone for entry into the stadium lots.
To avoid game day issues, UK Athletics encourages all fans to view tickets and parking permits and save them to a smartphone’s digital wallet (Apple Wallet or Google Pay) in advance of arriving at Kroger Field.
Parking permits will be scanned at lot entry, so fans should have the mobile permit ready prior to leaving home. Fans may also be asked to show the permit on a phone prior to arriving at the lot entrance. This will assist traffic personnel to efficiently sort and direct vehicles approaching the complex.
Fans should enter the stadium at the assigned gate that will be listed on their mobile ticket.
For more information, helpful tips, and FAQs, visit UKathletics.com/MobileTickets.
Student Tickets
UK students should visit UKStudentTix.com for information on season passes, including how and when pass holders can claim tickets for each game. Instructions are also available for how and when students can purchase single-game tickets.
Disabled Services
With a valid state-issued handicap hang tag fans can park in the non-reserved disabled lot located at the corner of University Drive and Farm Road. The capacity of lot is 120 vehicles. This lot will operate on a first come, first served basis. The cost per vehicle is $50, and we will only accept card payments.
Water Wipes Nursing Mothers Suite
The Water Wipes Nursing Mothers Room is located inside of Gate Two.
There are also six family restrooms located throughout the stadium that will accommodate nursing mothers. They are located on the lower concourse near section 4 and 24 and on the upper concourse near section 20, 40, 204 and 224.
Additionally, there are four first-aid locations that will accommodate nursing mothers.
During the two-hour period prior to kickoff, lots could be filled according to availability. If your designated lot is full upon arrival, you will be directed to the next available lot.
UK Athletics also reminds fans of the following important information for game day this season:
Text assistance
The Game Day 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 football game day can contact UK Athletics by emailing BBNfirst@uky.edu.
Game day ticket office hours
The Kroger Field ticket office, located between gates 9 and 10, opens four hours prior to kickoff and closes five minutes into the third quarter. Advance ticket sales are strongly encouraged, and payment cards are the preferred method of payment in order to limit handling of cash.
Clear bag policy
As a reminder, the SEC’s clear bag policy remains in place at Kroger Field 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. Any non-clear bags left unattended at the gates will be evaluated and disposed of.
Kroger Tailgating Experience
Kroger will host a VIP tailgate event, which will begin two hours prior to kickoff for each home game, in the lawn next to Bluegrass Technical and Community College. Kroger customers can enter the Kroger Tailgate Experience by showing a Kroger receipt(s) dated within 7 days of the event totaling $35 (or more) per person. Come join us at each home game for games, food, drinks, music and more! It’s fun for the whole family and a great place to fuel up before the game. ID required for entry.
Complimentary water
Complimentary water is available to fans throughout both the lower and upper concourse of Kroger Field. Four large water tanks are located on both the lower and upper concourse that fans will be able to use to fill cups that will be provided. Concession stands do not offer complimentary water.
Lap tickets for infants under 12 months
The policy that all fans regardless of age must have a ticket remains in place, but lap tickets will again be available this season for infants 12 months and under. Lap tickets are only available on game day and may be purchased at the Kroger Field ticket office (between gates 9 & 10) for $10 by an accompanying adult with a ticket. The lap ticket policy only applies to regular-season home football games.
Gate 12 congestion
Fans should be aware of expected congestion in the concourse inside gate 12 and the plaza outside gate 12 both pregame and postgame due to team movements and plan accordingly. With the completion of the Joe Craft Football Training Facility, the team locker room is now located there. Starting about 90 minutes prior to kickoff and lasting until approximately 40 minutes prior to kickoff, the team walks from the football facility to Kroger Field, restricting fan movement. The gate 12 area is also shut down postgame to allow the team to return to the locker room.
Permits for tow-behind trailers
In order to maintain the integrity of reserved parking lots for all guests, tow-behind trailers will not be permitted on paved surface lots within Kroger Field, unless they too have a permit. Guests bringing a tow-behind trailer, without an additional permit, will be directed to the nearest open grass lot.
Tailgate setup
Fans are asked to not set up tents or trailers in the Kroger Field complex prior to noon on Fridays leading up to game day in order to facilitate preparations. Also, all vehicles, tents and trailers must be removed by noon on Sundays following game day.
For purple lot holders, the green space around the Helipad is only available for setup after 6 p.m. on Fridays and will need to be broken down by 2 p.m. on Sundays. This is to assist Baptist Health Lexington Hospital, which is utilizing the UK helipad while its own is being renovated.
Ticket holders with parking permits should be sure to follow the outlined traffic routes to access their specific parking lot. Pre-game routes into each permitted lot are detailed in the Directions section below. Fans are strongly encouraged to view their mobile parking permits and save them in their phone’s digital wallet (Apple Wallet or Google Pay) in advance of arriving at Kroger Field. Parking permits will be scanned at lot entry, so be sure to have your mobile permit ready prior to leaving home. 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 and #6.
New for 2023, UK Athletics and Waze have partnered to provide interactive directions to your specific lot. Please download the Waze App and more information will be provided via our “Know Before You Go” email.
A variety of ticket options are still available for select games during the 2023 season. For more information, please visit ukathletics.com/ticketing/football/
