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  • Kentucky announces Rupp Arena renovations

    UK Media Relations

    LEXINGTON, Ky. – Originally announced when UK agreed to a new lease in December 2016 and formalized the agreement earlier this year, upper-level chair-back seating and new club areas are coming to Rupp Arena starting with the 2019-20 season. On Friday, UK announced initial details on the upcoming renovations.

    This next phase of Rupp renovations comes on the heels of the addition of a new center-hung scoreboard, ribbon boards, new sound system and lighting that have created a more dynamic game experience at Rupp.

    “Rupp Arena has long been hallowed ground, home to the greatest tradition in college basketball and the best fans in the world,” Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said. “We are in the midst of an effort to make one of the most special venues in all of sports even better with chair-back seating in the upper level and new club areas, answering feedback we have heard often from our fans. We are excited share preliminary details about these upgrades and look forward to providing more information as we move forward.”

    Chair-back seating in the upper-level sideline will be installed in sections 211-217 and 228-234 through a project that will be completed in the coming seasons. This project is being undertaken in response to years of feedback from fans asking for more comfortable seating in the upper level. Construction will begin after the upcoming 2018-19 season, meaning season ticket locations will not be affected this season. A new seat selection process for all upper-level season ticket holders will begin with the 2019-2020 season.

    In addition to new chair-back seating in the upper level, the renovation will bring new club areas to Rupp Arena for the first time. Fans in these new clubs will be able to enjoy first-class amenities before, during and after games. These new clubs are crucial to providing the funds necessary for both the new lease agreement and the ongoing renovation of Rupp Arena.

    Two clubs available to season ticket holders will open for the 2019-20 season, with another to follow in 2020-21. Club membership does not include a ticketed seat and club members may have seats throughout Rupp Arena. Season ticket holders may purchase club memberships to accompany their season ticket package. Club membership pricing and amenities will be announced as soon as details are finalized, and sales will begin shortly thereafter. Memberships will initially be offered to season ticket holders based on K Fund priority ranking.

    After renovations, Rupp Arena will seat approximately 20,500. The top priority is ensuring that all current season ticket holders will maintain seats in the newly renovated Rupp Arena and UK fully anticipates being able to do so.
    Comments 31 Comments
    1. Terry Blue's Avatar
      Terry Blue -
      In this financial and political climate especially, a new arena is a non starter
    1. KentuckyWildcat's Avatar
      KentuckyWildcat -
      Quote Originally Posted by Darrell KSR View Post
      Very smart.

      No college program, pro team or arena can win the battle with the 70-inch flat screen, 11-step commute to the bathroom and beer fridge inside the recliner. It's impossible.
      Yep...I'd love to go back to a game. Not been in several years now. But it is hard to justify going now.



      Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN -
      Quote Originally Posted by dtalbersjr View Post
      This has nothing to do with Jurich.

      We’re the best basketball program in the country with the most rabid fan base, but we play in a 42 year old arena that is not up to standards, has insufficient amenities and does not maximize revenue. AND WE’RE LOCKED IN FOR ANOTHER 15 YEARS.

      That’s just not acceptable.
      What does "up to standards" mean here? Duke, our chief rival and one of the best in the nation, plays in a crackerbox older than Memorial, much less Rupp. Kansas plays in Lawrence Fieldhouse, which is more like Memorial. UNC and the Dean Dome is not much off from Rupp. UCLA? Same.

      Clearly on court success has little to do with the venue or the amenities therein.

      "42 years" doesn't mention the massive upgrades done during that time. What amenities is it missing? It's a basketball game, you need a seat where you can see, a bathroom and concessions. The seats in the lower deck are perfectly fine, and the upper will soon be the same. They have done a huge concessions upgrade.

      No there aren't "luxury suites" but pardon me for not getting too worked up that rich donors and state representatives don't have a place to sit around and not watch the game.

      Do we want to have the university steer a good $300-$400 million away from something silly like a hospital and build a 2nd 24,000 seat venue in Lexington? How is that good overall planning for the city or for UK?

      I'm all for upgrading Rupp, and those upgrades are getting done, but it was UK itself and Capiluto that pulled the plug on the MAJOR upgrade of Rupp. Not the City, not LCC and not Mitch. It came straight from the top.

      He wanted to use UK's money and political might to get funding for other things, and some of them I agree are questionable, like the new student center. So I agree with you on that part I think.

      But Rupp is far from a dump or sub-standard compared to our competition. It's not a shiny new venue like Yum, which is about the only program with such a gig, but it's bankrupting the downtown of the city and was a dirty deal to get it done.

      I'm all for rehabbing, but I don't see the current situation as nearly so dire.
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN -
      Quote Originally Posted by ETWNAPPEL View Post
      This was badly needed. I hate bench seating in Rupp. Guy behind me put his boot next to my rear and other guys knees were in my back. Ruined my game experience and made me not want to go back.

      I couldn’t give a rats azz about suites. I’ll never sit in one. Not worth all the seats we’d lose creating them. Don’t need the revenue. We seem to be doing just fine.

      Not sure why we need a new arena. Not worth the millions. Who’s going to pay for it? Don’t say “rich people” and don’t say raise taxes.

      Just improve the great arena we have and fix the uncomfortable seating.

      Rupp has gotten much much better.
      This. it's a good venue, the only real issue is the seating in the upper deck, and the people who have to get up 6 times a game to go to the concessions. Get your stuff, sit down and watch the game.
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN -
      Quote Originally Posted by UKRxman93 View Post
      Hmm, I almost sense you say that with glee Terry; BUT maybe I’m reading too much into your comment.
      I'll say it with glee, and IMO I have the bona fides to do it where Terry's motives are rightly very questionable. But even a blind squirrel finds a nut here and there....

      An on campus arena hasn't made sense since Pitino got all warmed up over it 20+ years ago. It has far too many problems versus committing to Rupp and making that work well, and that was before we got into an era where frankly ALL arenas and live attendance of ANY EVENT is now in long term doubt.

      The truth is building a big arena these days is like opening a brick an mortar store in the era of Amazon. Fans of all kinds are staying home and watching on TV, just like they are doing for consuming all forms of entertainment and really everything in their lives.

      In fact I think Capiluto's spending of money on the student center will turn out to be a poor investment due to the same basic trends. But at least that's just $100+ million, not $300-$400+ million.

      The city and LCC are putting tens of millions into upgrades and such for Rupp, but obviously they can't do that if UK would refuse to sign a long term lease so the city knows those investments will pay back.

      This is a smart move for all involved. UK gets a great venue with ongoing investment and upgrades without having to divert lots of economic and political resources, and the city gets an upgraded venue with the revenue stream to make it all work.

      And the city of Lexington gets to have a good venue for shows and basketball without what would be an economic debacle for both the city and UK were they to have two competing venues.
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN -
      Quote Originally Posted by MickintheHam View Post
      The renovations will require reseating everyone in the upper level. MB says they hope to learn from mistakes made in the reseating done at CWS. There were mistakes??
      I'll even move back a few rows to get a proper seat, but if they move me to row GG they can keep their tickets. We'll see how they play this thing.

      But I'm sure he was misquoted about mistakes with CWS, we all know that went great. lol
    1. StuBleedsBlue2's Avatar
      StuBleedsBlue2 -
      Quote Originally Posted by UKinLA View Post
      My client, who is a Syracuse grad, liked the news. Going to be more of a battle for that yearly attendance title.
      That makes sense. It's about all they can compete with UK about.


      As far as Rupp goes, isn't it all lipstick on a pig? It's not solving any real problems. IMO, eliminating 3,000 seats and focusing on the season ticket holders(the one's that have had seats for years and years and simply want to be entertained) just means that you're taking seats away from 3,000 people that probably only get to see a game once in a while.

      With attendance dropping, that's probably only about 1,000 fans less that actually cheer during the most boring games. I just see this as another nail in the coffin of a college basketball atmosphere. Of course, my opinion doesn't matter since I stopped going to games in Rupp almost 20 years ago, in favor for the road games.
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN -
      The way they are doing it I think I'm done w UK. Only sidelines get seats but I still have to go through re allocation, I'm on end zone , K fund gets priority. I think I'll tell them to f off.
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR -
      Quote Originally Posted by CitizenBBN View Post
      The way they are doing it I think I'm done w UK. Only sidelines get seats but I still have to go through re allocation, I'm on end zone , K fund gets priority. I think I'll tell them to f off.
      Reallocation for you but no chairback? That hardly seems fair.
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN -
      Quote Originally Posted by Darrell KSR View Post
      Reallocation for you but no chairback? That hardly seems fair.
      Sure doesn't. I go through the move, maybe get sides, maybe don't, maybe this maybe that.

      How about a definite "better things to do w my money?"

      More than 20 years buys zero. When bars do that I find a new place.
    1. MickintheHam's Avatar
      MickintheHam -
      Quote Originally Posted by Darrell KSR View Post
      Reallocation for you but no chairback? That hardly seems fair.
      It simply means folks who have sideline seats today will be pushed to the end zones displacing those who are there now. Schools use outside consultants to handle thes situations. The people have no understanding of the school or its traditions, much less the fans or their history with the program. For them it is a money making opportunity. God knows MB will go straight for the money.
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