Kentucky Wildcats Football: Commonwealth Stadium the Place to Be

Nov 17, 2012; Lexington , KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Jalen Whitlow (13) runs the ball for a touchdown against Samford Bulldogs cornerback Alvin Hines (21) at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

After months of anticipation the Kentucky Blue/White Spring Game is here this weekend at Commonwealth Stadium. The latest reports have 48, 000 tickets pre-ordered and plenty of fans planning to pick up tickets on game day.

And despite what numerous UK football haters of various stripes (UL, UT, basketball fans etc) and former quarterback Morgan Newton say, there is a very real chance to break the 50,000 mark on Saturday.

Fans have undoubtedly noticed an increased marketing presence around the Spring Game and the football program in general, which is a welcome change. UK has let loose a blitz on social media, internet advertisement and TV/radio commercials. Making it a ticketed event and allowing for pre-orders was a stroke of genius. Then add in the shuttle between the stadium and Keeneland to bring in those tertiary fans who wouldn’t attend otherwise. They will also be passing out free posters to fans again this year.

So, with that being said, I know you will be attending the game Saturday unless you live at least two states away or have a medical emergency. Kentucky fans have often expressed how badly they want a good football program and this is a chance to help build that. A Spring Game won’t mean any extra wins this fall, but the support it shows means a lot to the players and to recruits. There will be upwards of 50 recruits in attendance this weekend and this is a chance to show them the kind of support UK fans can provide. Hopefully they remember that when other coaches show them the pictures of empty games at CWS last year. Fixing Kentucky football is going to take a culture change and this is a big step in the right direction. Football needs to be fun, be a passion for fans like basketball is, in order to rise. As fans we can’t take a wait-and-see approach. That’s essentially the definition of being a bandwagon fan. So come out of Saturday, it won’t cost you a thing.

So, hopping off of the soapbox, here are some essential details regarding the game day experience for this weekend:

The Cat Walk is at 5:15pm near Gate 1, like usual.
The parking lots open to the general public at 8 a.m. and is first-come, first-serve. The RV parking lots open at 7 a.m. on Friday and are also first-come, first-serve.
The Wildcat Refuge, with large inflatable games for children, will be open outside gate 9 as long as weather permits. Bring the kids.
As mentioned earlier, UK will be giving away posters again. They will be available at the program stands inside the stadium. No word yet of how many posters will be available but they will be first-come first served.
Commonwealth Stadium concession stands have been updated to accept credit/debit cards. This should excite some people.
There is a Kentucky baseball game against Tennessee at 2pm. It should provide a nice break from tailgating for those interested.
The weather always plays a big part in these things, and so far it’s looking good for Saturday. Temperatures will be between 50 to 60 degrees and almost no chance of rain.
The shuttle service between the stadium and Keeneland will cost just $1 to ride. Below is the schedule for Saturday.

Outbound

Inbound

University @ Cooper

Keeneland

University @ Cooper

11:30

12:00

12:30

12:00

12:30

1:00

12:30

1:00

1:30

1:00

1:30

2:00

1:30

2:00

2:30

2:00

2:30

—

4:25

4:30

5:05

4:35

5:00

5:05

5:40

5:05

5:30

5:35

6:10

5:40

6:05

6:10

6:45

6:10

6:40

6:45

7:20

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