UK/IU Men's Basketball Game (Moved to Rupp)

[WildcatRick]

Dear UK Fan,

As you know, since the 1991-92 basketball season, the site of the annual University of Kentucky - Indiana University game has alternated between Louisville and Indianapolis. This has been a great arrangement, with the crowds split down the middle helping create a tremendous college basketball atmosphere.

For the last five seasons, this matchup has been played on a Saturday in December and televised by CBS. UK, Indiana and CBS had planned to play this year's game on Saturday, December 9, at Freedom Hall. However, because of existing contracts with other entities, Freedom Hall is not going to be available to host this year's UK-IU game.

Freedom Hall management first told us of a potential conflict this past February. Unfortunately, by that time, both schools had already filled in other non-conference Saturday games around the December 9 date. In our case, we have a December 2 game at North Carolina and December 16 contest at Louisville. We asked Freedom Hall if Friday, December 8 or Sunday, December 10 were available, but we were told those dates were booked. Working with CBS, we also pursued an earlier start time for Freedom Hall on December 9, hoping to get in and out of the way before any other scheduled events occurred, but were once again told no.

We felt our only viable option was to host this year's UK-IU game at Rupp Arena in Lexington. Tickets for this year's game will be part of UK's season-ticket package.

The management group at Freedom Hall is always a pleasure to work with, but finding a date for UK to play at the State Fairgrounds has become increasingly difficult. Our team has been forced to play on less-than-desirable dates in recent years. UK played Austin Peay on the afternoon of December 31, 2003. Last year, UK played Iona two nights before Christmas. We know these dates have been difficult for our fans and we understand your frustration.

Kentucky has played at Freedom Hall every year since the facility opened in 1958. Although our December 16 road game at the University of Louisville provides us an opportunity to improve upon our 117-31 record in Jefferson County, it is not a UK home game. Given the historical significance of the Wildcats playing in Louisville, and our desire to continue giving Big Blue fans in the Commonwealth's largest city an opportunity to see the Cats play, we asked a non-conference opponent previously scheduled for Rupp Arena if it would be willing to move its game to Freedom Hall. Thus, UK will be playing Chattanooga in Louisville on Tuesday, December 5.

I, along with our friends at Indiana and television partners at CBS, am very disappointed that circumstances will prevent Kentucky and Indiana from playing at Freedom Hall this season. We will work toward a solution to this issue in the future, with a goal of returning this rivalry to Louisville and Indianapolis on a rotating basis as soon as possible.

GO CATS!

[RP_McMurphy]

Wow if this is true as it appears that Kentucky is tiring quickly of Freedom Hall. Would be sad to see Kentucky not play a game there on a annual basis (however the Louisville UK fan base has not performed well at all lately in the attendance catagory).

[ukcat1]

Send Mitch emails to release all of the BB schedule. If they know this much, they can give us the rest.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lost Highway]

Once upon a time the University of Kentucky was the biggest draw for Freedom Hall and they would bend over back wards to do anything to accommodate the Cats.

I see this as a lack of respect for our program. The Indiana - UK game is a tradition that has always been one of the most respected match ups in college basketball. The fact the management at Freedom Hall can not "squeeze" this game in tells me more than we are reading in Mitch's e-mail.

Kentucky should not be in a position of having to beg for a date at Freedom Hall. That is unacceptable.

[cumberlandredskin]

Sometimes tradition become outdated or inadequate. I think this tradition of playing in Louisville one game year should end. It's become inconvienant for both parties. Plus UK could always use the extra game at home.

Interesting schedule shaping up. Chattanooga is normally a pretty good mid-major like Charleston. Doesn't look like too many true cupcakes will beontap this season.

[Dwight Schrute]

Lost Highway wrote:
Once upon a time the University of Kentucky was the biggest draw for Freedom Hall and they would bend over back wards to do anything to accommodate the Cats.

I see this as a lack of respect for our program.Â* The Indiana - UK game is a tradition that has always been one of the most respected match ups in college basketball.Â*Â* The fact the management at Freedom Hall can not "squeeze" this game in tells me more than we are reading in Mitch's e-mail.

Kentucky should not be in a position of having to beg for a date at Freedom Hall.Â* That is unacceptable.

Â*


If there's a conflict, there's a conflict. I'm sure they were working hard, but they can't just kick someone out. Especially if one of those conflicts is U of L. :rolleyes:

[Lost Highway]

Dwight Schrute wrote: Lost Highway wrote:
Once upon a time the University of Kentucky was the biggest draw for Freedom Hall and they would bend over back wards to do anything to accommodate the Cats.

I see this as a lack of respect for our program. The Indiana - UK game is a tradition that has always been one of the most respected match ups in college basketball. The fact the management at Freedom Hall can not "squeeze" this game in tells me more than we are reading in Mitch's e-mail.

Kentucky should not be in a position of having to beg for a date at Freedom Hall. That is unacceptable.




If there's a conflict, there's a conflict. I'm sure they were working hard, but they can't just kick someone out. Especially if one of those conflicts is U of L. :rolleyes:

I understand UL gets top billing but my point is, in times past Freedom Hall would make sure UK got a spot without the hassel we go through now.

I vote to stop playing in Freedom Hall. We have a hard time selling it out and we can make more money in Rupp. Traditions come and go, this one has just about gone. cumberlandredskin makes a good point and I agree with it.

[Athens2005]

All you season ticket holders are












LUCKY!



Good to see this game back in Rupp Arena. The last time the game was played in Rupp was in '88-89 and IU drilled us.

Time to right the UK-IU ship in Rupp Arena.

[Doug Hardin]

It's kind of a chicken-and-egg thing with UK fans at Freedom Hall. Do we not show up well because they schedule UK games at the worst possible times, like 4:00 on New Year's Eve or two nights before Christmas like it has been the last two years? Or is UK getting bad timeslots because the fans don't show up like they used to?

Of course, there are other factors, like how U of L has started scheduling a lot more of its women's games at Freedom Hall and how UK never schedules a big-name opponent in the non-IU years for the Freedom Hall game.

I also think the IU fans might feel slighted by this deal. I remember hearing discussion in the past about moving the IU game to Rupp, but only if IU fans still got half the tickets. Apparently that's not happening this year, so I wonder if IU will now insist that the game be played in Assembly Hall next year. (Or maybe they get more revenue from playing in the Dome, so they wouldn't care, I don't know).

[trublue4life]

ukcat1 wrote: Send Mitch emails to release all of the BB schedule. If they know this much, they can give us the rest.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually, I get just the opposite from this. His e-mail seems to be a pretty good indication that they are still finalizing the schedule with the IU game being a major piece of the puzzle. I'm sure they'll release it when they have it. Why would you think otherwise?

[Cincy110]

They should just go back to home and home games. It would be that much better

[Will Lavender]

Lost Highway wrote: Once upon a time the University of Kentucky was the biggest draw for Freedom Hall and they would bend over back wards to do anything to accommodate the Cats.

I see this as a lack of respect for our program. The Indiana - UK game is a tradition that has always been one of the most respected match ups in college basketball. The fact the management at Freedom Hall can not "squeeze" this game in tells me more than we are reading in Mitch's e-mail.

Kentucky should not be in a position of having to beg for a date at Freedom Hall. That is unacceptable.



There have been problems booking Freedom Hall for the last 20 years.

This is why they don't play the high school state basketball tournament, which is also a pretty big draw, at Freedom Hall anymore.

The University of Louisville goes through the same thing, and they normally sell out the place. This is why Pitino is constantly ticked about the arena. In their two NIT appearances since 2002, they have almost had to play on the road because they couldn't get in Freedom Hall.

It's been a running joke in Louisville for years.

[lighthouse]

One of the problems with getting UK fans to Freedom Hall has been the dates available. Like Mitch mentioned, 2 days before Christmas, and New Years Eve. If we could get better dates, the fans will be there. The attendance problem is the scheduling, not fan loyalty. IMHO.

[MurphyLee]

Good the game is back where it belongs.Now next years game needs to be in Bloomington.Put them back where they were at before Knight became afraid of playing in Rupp.

[KWICD]

They need to trade the Chattanoga game with IU. This is why the attendance sucks. They give us bad games. Brilliant move on Mitch's part. Using the excuse of scheduling conflicts to force the game to Rupp.

[ukwebfan]

I didn't need to remind him that another annual game in a larger market has been cancelled recently. But I ask him to please put forth a similar effort to renew the game in Cincinnati anyway.:thumbup

[bleedbluelady]

MurphyLee wrote: Good the game is back where it belongs.Now next years game needs to be in Bloomington.Put them back where they were at before Knight became afraid of playing in Rupp.
:thumbupExactly. I was beginning to think I was the only fan who felt this way.

[CurlyCat]

Doug Hardin wrote: I also think the IU fans might feel slighted by this deal. I remember hearing discussion in the past about moving the IU game to Rupp, but only if IU fans still got half the tickets. Apparently that's not happening this year, so I wonder if IU will now insist that the game be played in Assembly Hall next year. (Or maybe they get more revenue from playing in the Dome, so they wouldn't care, I don't know).

Doug, you're exactly right and this is the thing that ticked me off so much today that I had to call Bill Keightley to vent.

Why the heck would they eliminate the possibility of non-season ticket holders to see a game they have traditionally had the right to purchase? Plus, this is a HUGE rivalry game to boot. I wrote Mitch myself today, told him I appreciate the problem he has encounatered and know that he's doing the best he can in a bad situation. BUT, he didn't have to compound the problem by making this game part of the regular season package!

There are so few games we "common folk" have a chance to attend. Mitch just made that opportunity decrease by one more game. And as Doug said, it's a total slap in the face to the gentleman's agreement Kentucky has with Indiana University. I'm sure the IU fans are a ticked off as I am. (Not that I REALLY care what they think, but fair is fair and I want Kentucky to live up to their word.)

What a bonehead move. :dmad:

[jccuk1]

Thank you 'Curly Cat" you are on the mark as always. We fans in Louisville LOVE this game even it is at an akward date sometimes. Louisville is 50% UK if not more and the oppurtunity to play in their hometown gives us that much more of an oppurtunity to be heard. Us non season ticket holders need this game so that we can show the support for UK that we need to since we don't have the convinious of having season tickets.

let's get the game back to freedon Hall so that the local crowd can be heard.

[TrueblueCATfan]

lighthouse wrote: One of the problems with getting UK fans to Freedom Hall has been the dates available. Like Mitch mentioned, 2 days before Christmas, and New Years Eve. If we could get better dates, the fans will be there. The attendance problem is the scheduling, not fan loyalty. IMHO.
I agree...........I was a the game last year and it was the night before Christmas EVe.....still a very good crowd considering it is not reaaly a home game........how mnay other schools would have that many fans at a game not on the home turf...

[catlovercardhater]

Those LOOSIERS are going down this year! Only thing is we are going to have to go play in Bloomington in 2 years....UGHHH!

[Athens2005]

CurlyCat wrote: Doug Hardin wrote: I also think the IU fans might feel slighted by this deal. I remember hearing discussion in the past about moving the IU game to Rupp, but only if IU fans still got half the tickets. Apparently that's not happening this year, so I wonder if IU will now insist that the game be played in Assembly Hall next year. (Or maybe they get more revenue from playing in the Dome, so they wouldn't care, I don't know).

Doug, you're exactly right and this is the thing that ticked me off so much today that I had to call Bill Keightley to vent.

Why the heck would they eliminate the possibility of non-season ticket holders to see a game they have traditionally had the right to purchase? Plus, this is a HUGE rivalry game to boot. I wrote Mitch myself today, told him I appreciate the problem he has encounatered and know that he's doing the best he can in a bad situation. BUT, he didn't have to compound the problem by making this game part of the regular season package!

There are so few games we "common folk" have a chance to attend. Mitch just made that opportunity decrease by one more game. And as Doug said, it's a total slap in the face to the gentleman's agreement Kentucky has with Indiana University. I'm sure the IU fans are a ticked off as I am. (Not that I REALLY care what they think, but fair is fair and I want Kentucky to live up to their word.)

What a bonehead move. :dmad:


I believe that students and season ticket holders deserve to get to see the best games.

I would be sorely disappointed if I was a life-long season ticket holder, and began to see the best games pulled away to neutral sites.

It cheats the fans, it cheats the students, it cheats the players, and it cheats the University when you start playing your biggest games on neutral sites.

Ever wonder why Duke-UNC gets so much attention? Granted, it is 2x a year home and home; but nonetheless, the flavor the home fans bring to those games enhances the excitement.

Meanwhile, we head off to red&black Freedom Hall & to the RCA Dome to play one of our biggest rivalries.

Welcome back home, UK-IU. :thumbup

[CurlyCat]

Athens2005 wrote: I would be sorely disappointed if I was a life-long season ticket holder, and began to see the best games pulled away to neutral sites.

It cheats the fans, it cheats the students, it cheats the players, and it cheats the University when you start playing your biggest games on neutral sites.

But the season ticket holders have not had anything "pulled away". This has never been a game that was part of their package to begin with. Moving this game back just added a game to their season ticket set.

That move didn't cheat the students, the players or the university, You can't mourn what you never had. But it did cheat the common folk who get a rare few chances to see the Wildcats in person.

If you want to make an arguement that the game itself, without the scheduling conflict, should be moved, go for it. But you can't say that anyone was cheated with this slap a band-aid on the problem move except for the common fans of the Commonwealth.

[SamKat]

Hey curly and bleedbluelady. I know there are many northern Kentucky UK fans, butI believe Dayton's Arena would be the preferred venue for our Wildcats, whomever they play. Dayton would be fine for a home and home. There are many UK fans in Dayton and it isn't far from northern Kentucky or Columbus (close to Jeanie and me). There is no problem with northern Kentucky, but Cincinnati took advantage of the Kentucky fans at their place in my opinion- very high prices and poor media coverage in Cincy.

Sam

[MurphyLee]

CurlyCat wrote: Athens2005 wrote: I would be sorely disappointed if I was a life-long season ticket holder, and began to see the best games pulled away to neutral sites.

It cheats the fans, it cheats the students, it cheats the players, and it cheats the University when you start playing your biggest games on neutral sites.

But the season ticket holders have not had anything "pulled away". This has never been a game that was part of their package to begin with. Moving this game back just added a game to their season ticket set.

That move didn't cheat the students, the players or the university, You can't mourn what you never had. But it did cheat the common folk who get a rare few chances to see the Wildcats in person.

If you want to make an arguement that the game itself, without the scheduling conflict, should be moved, go for it. But you can't say that anyone was cheated with this slap a band-aid on the problem move except for the common fans of the Commonwealth.

This game was a part of the package.It got pulled away after the 12/20/1988 game.It was played in '89 in Indy,and '90 in Bloomington.After the game in '90 it rotated between Indy and Louisville.This game would never have been moved had Bobby Knight not gotten afraid to play in Rupp after Pitino was hired.

All of the "marquee" games on the schedule should be in Rupp putting it on display for the College BB world instead of giving any added publicity to Freedom Hall/UL.

Freedom Hall can still geta game I just don't think it deserves this one.