Big Blue Madness tickets distributed Oct. 2, campout details released

Get your tents ready, BBN. It’s time for Big Blue Madness Campout 2022.

Officially announced last week, details for the annual campout — returning for the first time since 2019 — and ticket distribution for Big Blue Madness were released Tuesday afternoon. Tickets for the first open practice opportunity for UK’s 2022-23 men’s and women’s basketball teams will be available at 9 a.m. ET on Oct. 2 at the Memorial Coliseum ticket windows on Avenue of Champions, online at Ticketmaster.com and through the Ticketmaster app.

Big Blue Madness 2022 is slated for 7 p.m. ET on Oct. 14.

As always, tickets are free for the annual spectacle in Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center, which will feature introductions of both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, practice drills, videos and more. All patrons will require a ticket to Big Blue Madness, regardless of age. There will be a limit of two tickets per control card at the Memorial Coliseum ticket distribution. Online orders will have a minimal service fee attached, and there will be a limit of two tickets per household. All duplicate orders will automatically be canceled. UK Athletics cannot guarantee fans will receive tickets by lining up or going online.

A limited number of control cards will be issued to those camped out at 6 p.m. on Oct. 1. All fans must be present to obtain their control card and wristband, and no more than four control cards will be distributed per tent.

Fans with control cards are encouraged to start lining up at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday for ticket distribution beginning at 9 a.m. Fans will receive a maximum of two tickets per control card Sunday morning, and only one control card per person will be accepted at distribution. All patrons with a control card must be in line by 9 a.m. on Oct. 2. 

Campout

At the request of campus public safety officials, fans wishing to line up ahead of time at Memorial Coliseum for ticket distribution are asked to do so no earlier than 5 a.m. on Oct. 1. Advanced setups and pre-staging will not be permitted. At that time, campers are expected to be courteous to their fellow Wildcat fans and use caution when crossing Avenue of Champions and Rose Street over to the Memorial Coliseum and Joe Craft Center blocks to occupy a spot in line. Public safety officials will be on-site to facilitate a safe move-in. Campers displaying unsafe or disorderly conduct risk being removed from the line.

To support regular campus operations and facilitate student pedestrian routes, this year’s camping area will be limited to the following areas:

• The southeastern portion of the main entrance of Memorial Coliseum
• Along the east side of Memorial Coliseum and the Joe Craft Center
• Along the east entrance of the main entry way of the Craft Center
• A designated section of the College View Lot (between Wildcat Coal Lodge and Rose Street)

A map of this year’s available camping sites can be found below:

Campers are expected to be respectful to fellow campers, students, faculty, staff, security officials and pedestrians (by keeping sidewalks and passageways clear) during the campout, and to abide by all university policies regulating on-campus behavior. Privately owned animals must be attended and restrained and, unless performing duties as a service animal or service animal in training, are not permitted in University buildings and structures. The university will be operating normally. Failure to abide by university policies may lead to immediate revoking of camping privilege.

UK Athletics cannot guarantee a spot for those wishing to line up ahead of time at 5 a.m. on Saturday. Once available space for fans has reached capacity, remaining fans will be directed to acquire tickets online at Ticketmaster.com and through the Ticketmaster app. As in past years, UK Athletics will inform fans when available space has reached capacity and they are unlikely to receive control cards for the in-person ticket distribution.   

The athletics department will provide portable restroom facilities, but the use of permanent, wooden-type structures, portable generators, and propane tanks or other combustible/open flames used in cooking/heating is prohibited due to safety concerns. Campers may not drive or drill stakes in the pavement to secure tents in the parking lot areas. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products are not permitted. Additionally, selling sports tickets in excess of face value is illegal in Kentucky.

Parking and Transportation

Fans camping out for the Big Blue Madness ticket distribution may utilize the College View or Lindenwalk lots, in addition to the Cornerstone garage beginning Sept. 30 after 5:00pm. Additional parking options include LexPark downtown locations, supported by one of the many LexTran shuttle routes to commute to and from campus. The Rupp Arena High Street lot will be open for their daily rate and will allow overnight parking. Parking will be turned back over to campus control on Oct. 2 at Noon.

The Coliseum Lot will be monitored by UK Transportation Services. Only UK employee-permitted vehicles will be allowed entry unless guests are using the metered spaces to access the UK Ticket Office. The Coliseum Lot will also be reserved on Saturday for Volleyball gameday parking. The student center lot will not be available. Violators will be relocated.

Campus safety officials request that campers not block bike lanes and/or sidewalks with their vehicles at any time. Vehicles left unattended or creating a traffic hazard will be cited and/or towed.

Fan and Sponsor Activities

The UK Sports Network will once again produce live video stream coverage of the Big Blue Madness Campout with the airing of “Tent City Live” presented by Kinetic by Windstream. Broadcasting outside the Joe Craft Center and Wildcat Coal Lodge, the live stream will air Saturday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET on UKathletics.com/tentcitylive and live on the Kentucky men’s basketball Facebook account.

UK Sports Network talent will be on stage for a night of interviews and roundtable discussions previewing the upcoming season. Fans are encouraged to submit questions and comments via Twitter at @UKSportsNetwork to be answered on the live stream broadcast.

Furthermore, UK Athletics will host a watch party for the UK-Ole Miss football game airing on ESPN at Noon. Campers will also be provided free admission to the 4 p.m. volleyball match inside Memorial Coliseum featuring the reigning five-time Southeastern Conference champions and Alabama.

UK Sports and Campus Marketing partners will also work with UK teams to share food and drinks with campers throughout their stay. While supplies last, LaRosa’s will provide pizza Saturday evening and Coca-Cola products will be available to all campers throughout the weekend. Additionally, Screamin’ Mimi’s will be on-site with salsa samples during the UK-Ole Miss football game.

We’ll see you there, BBN.