If you went to Kroger Field the last couple of years, you probably left with a sour taste in your mouth. Kentucky was just 1-8 over the last 2 seasons against Power 5 schools at home. But it wasn’t just the on-field performance that left a lot to be desired.
Fans saw places like Bryant-Denny and Williams-Brice come alive with lights, music, and great sound. The pregame atmosphere was electric. For Kentucky, everything had seemed a little stale. There was Grove Street but not much else. And a lot of
fans complained about the speaker system that felt like it was only being played on one end of the stadium. And the stadium itself needed a good, deep cleaning after a couple of years of grime had built up on the outside.
Will Stein heard those comments.
The new head coach said he wanted new traditions; he talked about how he would love to extend the Wildcat walk and have different songs and an electric atmosphere. He and new AD J Batt even delivered pizzas to fans who wanted to set up their tailgating spots.
They power-washed the stadium and cleaned up the inside and out. It was announced that they have now put in field-level speakers to help boost the sound, and they will have a new game-day host to help keep the atmosphere rocking all night long.
And it’s not just the sound and look of the stadium that has fans excited. The administration has worked with a new vendor to try to make it a little more budget-friendly to use the concessions at Kroger Field. Beer goes from $10 to $5, sodas from $7 to $4, and hot dogs from $5 to $3.
There will be more fan engagement, and themes were announced well ahead of game time. Gone are the “it’s a blue out this week” messages on Tuesday night.
Things will look different this year in Kroger Field, and I can’t wait for it to start. Kentucky opens the season against Youngstown State next Saturday at 1 PM.
NCAA Reacts
We had a pair of surveys this week, the first being on who would win the SEC. 54% of voters went with Georgia, while 31% went with LSU, and 7% went with Texas.
In the second survey, fans were asked how high the ceiling was for Kentucky Basketball after adding Missouri transfer Mark Mitchell. 37% went with title No. 9 as the ceiling, while 34% said it’s making the Final Four, and 23% said it’s the Elite Eight.
This survey was brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook.
