UK releases plans for Kroger Field renovations to strengthen long-term revenue

The University of Kentucky is planning new ways to generate revenue going into the Will Stein era of Kentucky football.

During a Champions Blue (the LLC that now manages the UK Athletics Department) Board of Governors meeting on Thursday morning, seven targeted upgrades were announced for Kroger Field over the coming years. The total cost of these projects is expected to be $25 million, with an annual revenue generation of $4 million from home football games before debt service. UK also intends to bring in more concerts and events to create additional revenue through Kroger Field.

Below are the seven announced upgrades:

1. North Upper Deck Seatbacks
2. South Upper Deck Seatbacks
3. Loge Club Infill
4. Club Seat Infill
5. New Terrace-Style “Back of Bowl” Seating (flexible, social viewing areas)
6. Scoreboard Patio Clubs (standing-room-only premium space and new sponsorship inventory)
7. West End Zone Field Club (a modern membership-driven experience with year-round potential)

UK’s goal with these enhancements is to “expand premium areas in Kroger Field, improve fan amenities, and create new year-round revenue opportunities across the athletics complex”. These projects were originally authorized by the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees in 2025.

“We can’t be stagnant in terms of our thoughtfulness and how we’re trying to create revenue,” Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart told reporters.

This offseason, the seat backs will be added to the first several rows of the north upper deck, with the remaining six projects expected to begin the following offseason. The west end zone field club was originally set to cost $50 million, but that number has been dropped to $10 million in an effort to use those savings in other areas. It is estimated that a little over 300 seats will be removed from Kroger Field’s capacity due to these renovations, with the expectation that it will generate more revenue long-term.

With Stein taking over as Kentucky’s new head football coach, there is increased season ticket interest in the program going into the 2026 season. UK is looking to capitalize on that as it continues to find ways to help fund the new revenue-sharing era of college athletics.

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