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***Football Spring Game: April 13, 7 pm***

  • Kentucky's Blue/White Spring Game will be Saturday, April 13 at 7 pm

    This post has been edited 2 times, most recently by Matt May on 1/16/2013 at 9:01 AM

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    Follow me on Twitter: '@TCPMattMay'

    Matt May

  • We're officially living in alternate universe. What next, a public signing day party?

    MinterWonderlnd

  • It will be interesting to see how big of an event they turn the spring game to. If they sink enough $ and promotion into it, I think they could attract 40k or more in attendance.

    Follow me on Twitter - @CMD_77

    CMD77

  • Anyone willing to bet that it will absolutely NOT be on the same day as Thunder?

    ShoesSwayedBlue

  • Hallelujah! We will find out before March.

    A Christmas card, the recruiting excitement, and now this! I'm a believer!

    KingsportKat

  • I think they should have a couple weekend scrimmages open to the public off site, one in Cincinnati, one in Louisville

    Farmy75

  • How about a wrestling match with Sting and a rock concert afterward.

    lleycat7304

  • Give me a:

    FULLY Marketed (State + major markets w/in 8hrs - Alumni Strongholds - via radio/press/internet barrage)... SAT night scrimmage, under the lights....built around a full day of events that doesn't conflict w/ Thunder..And I'm there all day long w/ 50K+ of BBN!

    RED / BLUE lots + University Dr grass open for 1st come-1st serve parking / tailgating.

    SEC "FB Experience" activity area for kids / would-be-athletes inside the Nutter. w/ Tours of ALL the FB facilites running until 1hr before kick-off (when CWS opens)

    Early day block of free concerts in the Green lot. (local KY musicians / college Indy bands)

    Meet & Greet Reps/Players/Coaches from all the Men's & Women's Spring Sports teams...(Huge recruiting opportunity/event!)
    W/ Mitch, Stoops&Co. having the last session, out front of CWS, just prior to opening the gates to let the BBN in, 1+ hr before kick-off.

    CWS: Fully staffed facility/concessions/team stores til 1hr AFTER game... including some fan friendly $1 Dogs / $1 Sodas stations...And PLENTY of fundraising/season ticket sales booths.

    Game: Played in 1st Team OFF / 2nd Team DEF vs 2nd Team OFF / 1st DEF format. Using traditional FB game scoring rules. (None of the BS scoring system that means nothing to the fans/recruits) ...

    Pre-game Low FlyOver by Ft.Campbell Choppers... UK Marching Band half-time performance w/ special guest performer...Free post game concert, inside CWS, by someone KNOWN to the team/students/recruits/most young BBN fans in attendance...Followed by the traditional fireworks display to close show.

    Make it an event on par w/ BigBlueMadness!!!

    This post has been edited 2 times, most recently by catcard202 on 1/15/2013 at 9:48 PM

    catcard202

  • Great post, a tour of facilities would be ideal for me and then in the years to come so fans can see first hand the transformations into the new and improved UK football.

    bravesfan32691

  • catcard202 said...

    Give me a:

    FULLY Marketed (State + major markets w/in 8hrs - Alumni Strongholds - via radio/press/internet barrage)... SAT night scrimmage, under the lights....built around a full day of events that doesn't conflict w/ Thunder..And I'm there all day long w/ 50K+ of BBN!

    RED / BLUE lots + University Dr grass open for 1st come-1st serve parking / tailgating.

    SEC "FB Experience" activity area for kids / would-be-athletes inside the Nutter. w/ Tours of ALL the FB facilites running until 1hr before kick-off (when CWS opens)

    Early day block of free concerts in the Green lot. (local KY musicians / college Indy bands)

    Meet & Greet Reps/Players/Coaches from all the Men's & Women's Spring Sports teams...(Huge recruiting opportunity/event!) W/ Mitch, Stoops&Co. having the last session, out front of CWS, just prior to opening the gates to let the BBN in, 1+ hr before kick-off.

    CWS: Fully staffed facility/concessions/team stores til 1hr AFTER game... including some fan friendly $1 Dogs / $1 Sodas stations...And PLENTY of fundraising/season ticket sales booths.

    Game: Played in 1st Team OFF / 2nd Team DEF vs 2nd Team OFF / 1st DEF format. Using traditional FB game scoring rules. (None of the BS scoring system that means nothing to the fans/recruits) ...

    Pre-game Low FlyOver by Ft.Campbell Choppers... UK Marching Band half-time performance w/ special guest performer...Free post game concert, inside CWS, by someone KNOWN to the team/students/recruits/most young BBN fans in attendance...Followed by the traditional fireworks display to close show.

    Make it an event on par w/ BigBlueMadness!!!

    Something tells me you will be very close...

    Inside Florida State Seminoles' spring game - ESPN

    What happens when you let two sportswriters off press row and onto a sideline? Florida State found out Saturday, when Ivan Maisel and Mark Schlabach were granted full access to the Noles' spring game -- from picking the teams to calling a few plays.

    espn.go.com

    Stambaugh13

  • Catcard you nailed it...I was going to post a bunch of what you said...No need now....How about sending that over to Mitch,but something tells me they are already working on something..

    wildcatdon

  • Announced...

    Kentucky's Blue/White Spring Game will be Saturday, April 13 at 7 pm

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    Follow me on Twitter: '@TCPMattMay'

    Matt May

  • Thunder over Louisville is the 20th so that reason for UK not drawing at its spring game won't be a factor this year.

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    Follow me on Twitter: '@TCPMattMay'

    Matt May

  • Wow! I like this. This is another thing that Kentucky football has needed to do, for a long time now.
    I don't know who's idea this was, but as far as I'm concerned it is right on point!

    suncat05

  • I hope they put the time and energy in and come up with some theatrics. Fireworks, smoke machine, the whole lot.

    signature image

    Twitter - @JEdwar247

    Josh Edwards

  • A note for those thinking about going to Keeneland that day - it's the Bluegrass Stakes, biggest crowd, allow extra time for driving and parking. Better yet, come tailgate Saturday afternoon, go to the game at night, and go to Keeneland on Friday or Sunday.

    KingsportKat

  • Never really bought the UK doesn't market it enough thing. Marketing and promotion can help you get from 15K to 25K, but when you're drawing 5K or fewer on a yearly basis, that's just flatout fan apathy. Everyone knows when the game is, they just do not choose to show up. There are a very hard core of about 5-6K UK fans that will show up every year - the rest of the 50-70K fans that show up in the the fall are the , "hey! Let's have an afternoon fall cocktail party" variety.

    They'll show up and they want a win, they want to be entertained, but it's not a matter of life or death to them, like UK basketball is. They're not going to show up for a glorified scrimmage, unlike basketball wit Midnight Madness.

    Hopefully, that is changing with the excitement being generated by CMS and this recruiting class. If they want 15-20K or more in CWS on 04/13/13, then Mark Stoops is going to have to be the straw that stirs the drink. Ultimately, they can spent $50K, $100K, $1M or whatever to promote the Spring Game, but it won't do a bit of good until the fans mindset changes. One of the biggest challenges facing CMS & staff is changing the culture of losing in the lockerroom. An even bigger challenge though, maybe changing the culture of complaceny in the stands. Even when we've won, goine to bowls and things have been looking up, little has changed with the fans in regards to the football program when it comes to non-gameday events like the Spring Game. Hopeully we have the man in palce to bring about that change.

    On another note - I'm all for a big event with a "big name" concert included, but is it as simple as just doing it? I know that they were planning to do something along those lines in concert with other schools, but IIRC it fell through because of fears that it violated NCAA policies.

    bluedynasty

  • I think it has more to do with building the excitement and giving the fans a reason to attend. A big reason why fans attend Big Blue Madness is because of the show that goes along with it.

    signature image

    Twitter - @JEdwar247

    Josh Edwards

  • I doubt we see the more entertaining version of spring games where they draft 2 equal teams. I'm thinking we'll see 1 vs 2's

    Farmy75

  • Is there any chance of the scrimmage being televised, even delayed or only via the web?

    DSSCat

  • bluedynasty said...

    Never really bought the UK doesn't market it enough thing. Marketing and promotion can help you get from 15K to 25K, but when you're drawing 5K or fewer on a yearly basis, that's just flatout fan apathy. Everyone knows when the game is, they just do not choose to show up. There are a very hard core of about 5-6K UK fans that will show up every year - the rest of the 50-70K fans that show up in the the fall are the , "hey! Let's have an afternoon fall cocktail party" variety.

    They'll show up and they want a win, they want to be entertained, but it's not a matter of life or death to them, like UK basketball is. They're not going to show up for a glorified scrimmage, unlike basketball wit Midnight Madness.

    Hopefully, that is changing with the excitement being generated by CMS and this recruiting class. If they want 15-20K or more in CWS on 04/13/13, then Mark Stoops is going to have to be the straw that stirs the drink. Ultimately, they can spent $50K, $100K, $1M or whatever to promote the Spring Game, but it won't do a bit of good until the fans mindset changes. One of the biggest challenges facing CMS & staff is changing the culture of losing in the lockerroom. An even bigger challenge though, maybe changing the culture of complaceny in the stands. Even when we've won, goine to bowls and things have been looking up, little has changed with the fans in regards to the football program when it comes to non-gameday events like the Spring Game. Hopeully we have the man in palce to bring about that change.

    On another note - I'm all for a big event with a "big name" concert included, but is it as simple as just doing it? I know that they were planning to do something along those lines in concert with other schools, but IIRC it fell through because of fears that it violated NCAA policies.

    A lot of truth in this.

    signature image

    Follow me on Twitter: '@TCPMattMay'

    Matt May

  • As I said before... this is our chance to bring BIG BLUE MADNESS to Wildcat Football. This should be a springtime event unlike anything known to the game of football... and we should have a welcome party so big, that even the Super Bowl looks like a peewee game.

    signature image signature image

    JawJacker

  • ShoesSwayedBlue said...

    Anyone willing to bet that it will absolutely NOT be on the same day as Thunder?

    Thunder is April 20 this year.

    jimlowe7

  • jimlowe7 said...

    Thunder is April 20 this year.

    I don't care if Thunder is moved to the same day, I will be in attendance of this Spring game. Its time to make some history folks. #4/13/13 #PackCommonwealth

    PvilleCat

  • bluedynasty said...

    Never really bought the UK doesn't market it enough thing. Marketing and promotion can help you get from 15K to 25K, but when you're drawing 5K or fewer on a yearly basis, that's just flatout fan apathy. Everyone knows when the game is, they just do not choose to show up. There are a very hard core of about 5-6K UK fans that will show up every year - the rest of the 50-70K fans that show up in the the fall are the , "hey! Let's have an afternoon fall cocktail party" variety.

    They'll show up and they want a win, they want to be entertained, but it's not a matter of life or death to them, like UK basketball is. They're not going to show up for a glorified scrimmage, unlike basketball wit Midnight Madness.

    Hopefully, that is changing with the excitement being generated by CMS and this recruiting class. If they want 15-20K or more in CWS on 04/13/13, then Mark Stoops is going to have to be the straw that stirs the drink. Ultimately, they can spent $50K, $100K, $1M or whatever to promote the Spring Game, but it won't do a bit of good until the fans mindset changes. One of the biggest challenges facing CMS & staff is changing the culture of losing in the lockerroom. An even bigger challenge though, maybe changing the culture of complaceny in the stands. Even when we've won, goine to bowls and things have been looking up, little has changed with the fans in regards to the football program when it comes to non-gameday events like the Spring Game. Hopeully we have the man in palce to bring about that change.

    On another note - I'm all for a big event with a "big name" concert included, but is it as simple as just doing it? I know that they were planning to do something along those lines in concert with other schools, but IIRC it fell through because of fears that it violated NCAA policies.

    Matt May said...

    A lot of truth in this.

    UK's idea of marketing in the past and the marketing catcard is talking about in his post above are as different as the recruiting philosophies of this staff and the last staff.

    In the past, UK sent out a release saying, "Spring game, 4 p.m. Be there (if you aren't going to Keeneland or Thunder or somewhere else)," and that was about it. The big entertainment every other year was having a yard sale of old uniforms in the parking lot on the way in.

    Midnight Madness or Big Blue Madness, whatever you want to call it, has always been an event. The spring game has never been an event. I think the new staff will change this.

    Beavis13

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