Need to make sure that me and Megadawgmaniac aren't going to be the only two wearing maroon. We'll be in Section 114, Row 38, unless better seating opportunities present themselves.
If you're going to Commonwealth Stadium for the first time, here's a few tips from an experienced pro.
1. Normal road cowbell rules apply. Sneak in your bell, hide it until after kickoff, and until it's obvious nobody cares. Typically they don't care. Laugh at the locals outside the stadium who tell you "You can't carry that into the stadium!"
2. Visiting section is the northwest corner of the stadium (Sections 113-117, roughly). You'll enter one of the gates on the west side.
3. Pack ALL your cold weather gear. If you don't have cold weather gear, go buy some. It's always freezing cold there, especially at night. Think layers, thermal underwear, wool socks, and gloves. Be prepared.
4. If you like seeing the team unload and load, Commonwealth Stadium is one of the better setups to do so. Team will unload and load the buses outside the west end of the stadium, right by where you come in.
5. If you're unfamiliar with Lexington, there's a big circle road that encircles the whole city. Fittingly, it's called Circle Road. The easiest way to get to/from the stadium is to take Circle Road to Nicholasville Road and go north toward the stadium. Nicholasville Road is a marvel of modern gameday design. It's seven lanes wide, and the middle three lanes can go either way depending on if it's before or after the game. It's the anti-Oxford of Southeastern Conference gameday accessibility.
Google Maps - Nicholasville Road
6. Pay Parking: If you don't mind paying to park, there's plenty of little lots on either side of Nicholasville Road south of the stadium. All the lots directly adjacent to the stadium are permit parking.
7. Free Parking: If you don't mind walking, there's a few parking garages that are a 10-15 minute walk from the stadium. UK has a helpful map of these here. Two years ago, we parked at Structure #3 on that map, and it wasn't too bad a walk. A long, long time ago we managed to park on the grass on the north side of Cooper Drive outside the tennis stadium, but I don't know if that's still a valid option or not.
That's about it. Be sure to get there early to see the team off the buses, and don't miss the opportunity to walk around the permit lots and marvel at the number of cornhole games you'll see in progress. I haven't researched this, but I'm pretty sure they invented that stupid bean bag game in Lexington. Talk to the locals, they're pretty friendly and fatalistic. 90% of them don't know much about football, they're just waiting for basketball to start.
If anybody wants to get together Friday night for food and beverage, name the place and we'll try to show up if we've made it there before midnight.
If you're going to Commonwealth Stadium for the first time, here's a few tips from an experienced pro.
1. Normal road cowbell rules apply. Sneak in your bell, hide it until after kickoff, and until it's obvious nobody cares. Typically they don't care. Laugh at the locals outside the stadium who tell you "You can't carry that into the stadium!"
2. Visiting section is the northwest corner of the stadium (Sections 113-117, roughly). You'll enter one of the gates on the west side.
3. Pack ALL your cold weather gear. If you don't have cold weather gear, go buy some. It's always freezing cold there, especially at night. Think layers, thermal underwear, wool socks, and gloves. Be prepared.
4. If you like seeing the team unload and load, Commonwealth Stadium is one of the better setups to do so. Team will unload and load the buses outside the west end of the stadium, right by where you come in.
5. If you're unfamiliar with Lexington, there's a big circle road that encircles the whole city. Fittingly, it's called Circle Road. The easiest way to get to/from the stadium is to take Circle Road to Nicholasville Road and go north toward the stadium. Nicholasville Road is a marvel of modern gameday design. It's seven lanes wide, and the middle three lanes can go either way depending on if it's before or after the game. It's the anti-Oxford of Southeastern Conference gameday accessibility.
Google Maps - Nicholasville Road
6. Pay Parking: If you don't mind paying to park, there's plenty of little lots on either side of Nicholasville Road south of the stadium. All the lots directly adjacent to the stadium are permit parking.
7. Free Parking: If you don't mind walking, there's a few parking garages that are a 10-15 minute walk from the stadium. UK has a helpful map of these here. Two years ago, we parked at Structure #3 on that map, and it wasn't too bad a walk. A long, long time ago we managed to park on the grass on the north side of Cooper Drive outside the tennis stadium, but I don't know if that's still a valid option or not.
That's about it. Be sure to get there early to see the team off the buses, and don't miss the opportunity to walk around the permit lots and marvel at the number of cornhole games you'll see in progress. I haven't researched this, but I'm pretty sure they invented that stupid bean bag game in Lexington. Talk to the locals, they're pretty friendly and fatalistic. 90% of them don't know much about football, they're just waiting for basketball to start.
If anybody wants to get together Friday night for food and beverage, name the place and we'll try to show up if we've made it there before midnight.
