UK notifies season ticket holders of reduced capacity at games

by:Mrs. Tyler Thompson10/27/20

@MrsTylerKSR

With less than one month until the season begins, UK is finally giving men’s and women’s basketball season ticket holders some information about their options.

KSR obtained an email that was sent out to men’s and women’s basketball season ticket holders this evening. In it, UK informs season ticket holders that capacity at both Rupp Arena and Memorial Coliseum will be significantly reduced this season to allow for social distancing. While the email doesn’t include a specific number, we know from Eli Capilouto’s letter to state legislators that the school is expecting 15% capacity at Rupp. Masks will be required at all times and additional distance will be created between the court and fans.

The pecking order has yet to be revealed. Season ticket holders who wish to renew their tickets for this season are asked to complete a survey expressing their intentions and those do not renew will be able to retain their previous seats for future seasons. With the 2020-21 schedule still incomplete, additional details will be provided later.

Here’s the email:

Dear [Season Ticket Holder],

On behalf of Kentucky Athletics, thank you for your continued and valued support of our student-athletes and programs during these challenging times. We hope that you and your family are staying safe.

As we all navigate the COVID-19 world, we continue to take steps every day to provide the best opportunities for our teams to compete. Our facilities and operations teams are hard at work formulating plans to allow our winter sports to return to competition. Our top priority is the health of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans and that principle will continue to drive our decision-making process.

At this time, we are continuing to work diligently with university, Southeastern Conference, and state officials on our plans for men’s and women’s basketball events at Rupp Arena and Memorial Coliseum. Full game schedules are expected to be released soon, as the NCAA Division I Council recently approved that games may begin Nov. 25. Southeastern Conference games may begin Dec. 29 or 30 (men’s basketball) and Dec. 31 (women’s basketball).

Our expectations for men’s and women’s basketball events at this point include, but are not limited to:

  • Significant reduction in capacity at both Rupp Arena and Memorial Coliseum to allow for physically distanced seating blocks spaced throughout the venue.
  • Additional physical distance requirements to create clear separation between the court/floor area and spectator seating.
  • Masks will be required to be worn at all times, including while seated in the bowl, except when actively eating or drinking.
  • All tickets will be issued via mobile delivery and accessed via smartphone

Our attendance protocols and ticketing plans will be informed by capacity decisions, and we will share additional information soon with all 2019-2020 season ticket holders. We encourage you to monitor your emails to ensure you receive important updates.

We also realize that some of you may have already determined that you do not wish to attend games this season but want to retain your season tickets for future years. It is important to know that all 2019-2020 season ticket holders will have the ability to renew their previously established seating locations for the 2021-2022 season, regardless of whether or not they receive tickets this year. Opting out will not affect any future seating priority, as your loyalty is important to us. We will also share further details soon about how you can continue to support your favorite teams and our 500+ student-athletes during these unprecedented times.

IMPORTANT: To assist with our planning, we ask that all current men’s and women’s basketball season ticket holders complete this brief survey of your intentions for the 2020-21 season by Friday, October 30 at 12:00 pm ET. You can also access the Basketball Intention Survey online through your My UK Account, under the ‘Contact Us’ heading once you have logged in to your account. Knowing your intentions is helpful for our planning.

We are grateful for each member of the Big Blue Nation and proud to have the best fans in America. Thank you for your continued patience, and we look forward to sharing more information soon. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our ticket office staff at (800) 928-2287 or our K Fund staff at (859) 257-6300. You may also reach us by email at [email protected].

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