Gameday Environment, Stadium, etc.

[ukalumni00]

Went the my first UK home game in a few years this past weekend. Overall, very impressed with everything UK has done to make the fan experience much better than in the past.

First, the stadium. Wow is all I can say. Job well done UK! Absolutely puts UK into the conversation of best stadiums in the country. Not the biggest, but serves its purpose. I compared it to a mini pro stadium. Not near the quality and amenities a pro stadium has, but several facets of it compare to one.

Next, music. Just a complete 180 from the past. Great music selections, kept the environment upbeat, saw old folks liking it, etc. One person in my group hates hip hop, etc. (big country music fan). Even he was liking the music.

Sound system, excellent. Remember a time when it was hard to hear, very distorted, etc. Now, it was actually too loud on occasions. KY got their money's worth. Have heard some folks complain its not loud enough. Those folks must be deaf.

Video Boards are very clear. Ribbon Boards were great as well. UK has really stepped up their game showing other scores, etc. Only complaint is they are really slow with replays. I honestly do not remember if they had advertising banners showing on the screens or not. if they did it did not bother me.

Traffic control was fine. Yes, there was a little congestion, but compared to other places in the SEC and other conferences KY does a good job.

Parking, not good. Was surprised that everything requires a pass now. Remember being able to park in several spots that were free and first come basis. We managed to setup our tailgate and parked relatively close to the stadium, but we got there early. Folks who do not have passes who want to tailgate and show up late, good luck.

Tailgating was not as good as I have seen at other places, but I liked the concert they had setup and the Catwalk was the best I have seen.

Overall, it was a great experience and I am jealous of all of you who live much closer than I do and get to go to all the home games. UK has done a great job listening to the fans to enhance the experience and did an incredible job with the renovations.

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

Went the my first UK home game in a few years this past weekend. Overall, very impressed with everything UK has done to make the fan experience much better than in the past.

First, the stadium. Wow is all I can say. Job well done UK! Absolutely puts UK into the conversation of best stadiums in the country. Not the biggest, but serves its purpose. I compared it to a mini pro stadium. Not near the quality and amenities a pro stadium has, but several facets of it compare to one.

Next, music. Just a complete 180 from the past. Great music selections, kept the environment upbeat, saw old folks liking it, etc. One person in my group hates hip hop, etc. (big country music fan). Even he was liking the music.

Sound system, excellent. Remember a time when it was hard to hear, very distorted, etc. Now, it was actually too loud on occasions. KY got their money's worth. Have heard some folks complain its not loud enough. Those folks must be deaf.

Video Boards are very clear. Ribbon Boards were great as well. UK has really stepped up their game showing other scores, etc. Only complaint is they are really slow with replays. I honestly do not remember if they had advertising banners showing on the screens or not. if they did it did not bother me.

Traffic control was fine. Yes, there was a little congestion, but compared to other places in the SEC and other conferences KY does a good job.

Parking, not good. Was surprised that everything requires a pass now. Remember being able to park in several spots that were free and first come basis. We managed to setup our tailgate and parked relatively close to the stadium, but we got there early. Folks who do not have passes who want to tailgate and show up late, good luck.

Tailgating was not as good as I have seen at other places, but I liked the concert they had setup and the Catwalk was the best I have seen.

Overall, it was a great experience and I am jealous of all of you who live much closer than I do and get to go to all the home games. UK has done a great job listening to the fans to enhance the experience and did an incredible job with the renovations.

Good notes, I agree. I especially agree with your comment about failing to show replays. We got jobbed on a host of calls, but they don't show it on the big screen. One thing that UK football fans do well is to get on the refs. Could have been a way to get the crowd more involved in the game when things weren't going well.

Also, I'd like to see them scroll all of the scores and not just top 25. At least show every power 5 conference score.

 

[RS73CAT]

Took my grandson to the game. Went down at half to the concession stand. 7th in line, took 18 minutes to get waited on. People were getting out of line to go back to their seats. UK losing money by having volunteer group working concessions.

 

[ukalumni00]

Took my grandson to the game. Went down at half to the concession stand. 7th in line, took 18 minutes to get waited on. People were getting out of line to go back to their seats. UK losing money by having volunteer group working concessions.

I took the advice of folks from the last home game and got my concessions when we first got into the stadium. Although the lady messed up my order it only took me 2 minutes to place the order and she was very nice and fixed it quick.

 

[m080470]

I thought the stadium looked great but parking and traffic were the worst it has ever been. Some of the places we had paid and parked before like Central Baptist have disallowed gameday parking. There are absolutely no signs for where you can park except for the pass lots and no one directing traffic knows where you can park. Finally decided to go to Rupp and take shuttle to stadium. A few times in years past we've done this and it makes it a fast drive down Versailles Road to get on the BG to go home to Hodgenville. A few years ago it was two or three dollars per person for roundtrip. I had my wife, my 2 kids, one of my kids friends and myself. Fifteen friggin dollars per person. With the five dollars I paid to actually park, it cost me $80.

Then the traffic leaving the stadium, from the time we got to where the shuttle picks up (a good half a mile from the stadium entrance) it was still a good hour if not longer to get back to Rupp. And then, even though it 12:45, Versailles Road at the Woodford co. line traffic came to dead stop and was stop and go until I got to BG parkway.