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Game Week Fan Information Presented by Utah 360: Get Ready for Thursday’s Football Season Opener
8/23/2024 2:44 PM | Football, General
No. 12 Utes welcome Southern Utah to Rice-Eccles Stadium to kick off 2024 season
SALT LAKE CITY — The preseason 12th-ranked Utah Utes open the 2024 football season—the first as members of the Big 12 Conference—at home against Southern Utah on Thursday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. Fans returning to Rice-Eccles Stadium for this historic and highly-anticipated season-opener will find a number of enhancements have been implemented to make the game-day experience even more enjoyable. Fans can find everything they need to plan their game day on the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah 360.
Utah Athletics will unveil its new Football Ring of Honor at halftime by welcoming Utah great Alex Smith back to campus for a special ceremony to introduce Smith as the first inductee into the Ring of Honor. A complete game preview can be found here.
Thursday's game will be televised on ESPN+. ESPN+ is a subscription service separate from cable, satellite and streaming television services. To subscribe please click here. As always, fans are encouraged to be early, be loud, and arrive with your digital tickets and parking passes already downloaded to your smartphone, which can be done conveniently through the Utah 360 app.
OFFICIAL MOBILE APP OF UTAH ATHLETICS – UTAH 360
The official mobile app of Utah Athletics is Utah 360. Download it today to unlock a refreshed game-day experience that offers access to news and information, schedules, rosters, stats and behind-the-scenes videos, and allows fans to buy and manage game tickets and order concessions straight from their mobile device. The app is available in both the Apple Store (download) and Google Play (download). Add it today, access your game tickets and download them to your smartphone's wallet to make yourself game-day ready!
GAMEDAY FAN INFORMATION
With a 7 p.m. weeknight kickoff on Aug. 29, make your plans to get to campus as early as possible to help ease last-minute congestion at the gates just before game time. Specific campus parking impacts for Aug. 29 are outlined here. Be in your seats early to enjoy pregame entertainment, counting down to kickoff, including a performance by the "Pride of Utah," the University of Utah Marching Band, and a flyover of F-35A jets from Hill Air Force Base before the team's run-out onto the field showered by the roar of the sellout crowd—Utah's 84th consecutive sellout, dating back to 2010.
Whether you park in an assigned lot with a pass, tailgate all afternoon, or arrive via public transportation, you'll find on this page everything you need to know to help plan an enjoyable and successful night at Rice-Eccles Stadium cheering on your Utes.
To help fans prepare for game day and enjoy the best experience possible at our home athletics contests, Utah Athletics provides a comprehensive Gameday Information page that provides links to information on tickets, parking, stadium entry, stadium policies, concessions options and fan behavior expectations. It can be found here.
WHAT'S NEW FOR 2024
Several significant improvements to stadium infrastructure and procedures are being implemented in 2024 at Rice-Eccles Stadium to enhance the fan experience on game days. Most significant among these are the addition of a Wi-Fi network, processes to improve efficiency with concessions sales and reduce congestion on the concourses, and the addition of a second Red Zone Store.
Gather outside Gate L on 500 South by 4:45 p.m. to greet the team as they step off the bus. The Arrival makes Utes fans the official welcome party for the team before each home game. Enjoy food, live music and exclusive t-shirts for each of Utah's six home games that will only be available when the team arrives at Rice-Eccles Stadium prior to the games.
Tickets and parking passes will be scanned on game day using the ticket holder's mobile device. They also may be transferred to others via email or text message.
Stadium gates open 90 minutes hours before kickoff, at 5:30 p.m., on Thursday. To speed the process for entry into Rice-Eccles Stadium, fans are encouraged to arrive early and to review the most efficient route from their parking lot or the Trax station, and determine the most appropriate stadium gate for entry. All main stadium gates also feature a no-bag line for express entry. See a gate map here.
STADIUM POLICIES
FAN BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS -- WELCOME TO UTAH
The safety of student-athletes and spectators is a top priority for all Utah Athletics home events. We ask all fans to extend a sincere "Welcome to Utah" to all by being respectful and responsible when attending our events, and create a home-field advantage for our teams in a way that also shows class and sportsmanship toward visiting teams. The The FanUP initiative exists to define the expected fan behavior at our home venues and is centered around:
To learn more about FanUP, please visit: fanup.utah.edu.
PARKING LOTS
Parking lots open five hours before kickoff, with the exception of the Signature and tailgate lots, which open at 6 a.m. A parking map can be found here (PDF). Tailgating is only allowed is designated lots. Alcohol, RVs, trailers and tailgating are not permitted in Lots 15, 18 or 19.
Please note that due to classes being in session on Thursday, all lots except those immediately surrounding the stadium (see map here) will be in regular operation, and may not fully clear in time to provide full capacity for pass-holders arriving for the football game. Alternative transportation methods below are strongly encouraged for Thursday's game.
TRANSIT
In addition, rides on UTA buses, TRAX and FrontRunner trains are free for ticketholders by displaying a valid game ticket, including the new postgame bus service from the stadium to the Court House TRAX station. For more information please visit UTA.com.
OTHER TRANSPORTATION MODES
Utah Athletics will unveil its new Football Ring of Honor at halftime by welcoming Utah great Alex Smith back to campus for a special ceremony to introduce Smith as the first inductee into the Ring of Honor. A complete game preview can be found here.
Thursday's game will be televised on ESPN+. ESPN+ is a subscription service separate from cable, satellite and streaming television services. To subscribe please click here. As always, fans are encouraged to be early, be loud, and arrive with your digital tickets and parking passes already downloaded to your smartphone, which can be done conveniently through the Utah 360 app.
OFFICIAL MOBILE APP OF UTAH ATHLETICS – UTAH 360
The official mobile app of Utah Athletics is Utah 360. Download it today to unlock a refreshed game-day experience that offers access to news and information, schedules, rosters, stats and behind-the-scenes videos, and allows fans to buy and manage game tickets and order concessions straight from their mobile device. The app is available in both the Apple Store (download) and Google Play (download). Add it today, access your game tickets and download them to your smartphone's wallet to make yourself game-day ready!
GAMEDAY FAN INFORMATION
With a 7 p.m. weeknight kickoff on Aug. 29, make your plans to get to campus as early as possible to help ease last-minute congestion at the gates just before game time. Specific campus parking impacts for Aug. 29 are outlined here. Be in your seats early to enjoy pregame entertainment, counting down to kickoff, including a performance by the "Pride of Utah," the University of Utah Marching Band, and a flyover of F-35A jets from Hill Air Force Base before the team's run-out onto the field showered by the roar of the sellout crowd—Utah's 84th consecutive sellout, dating back to 2010.
Whether you park in an assigned lot with a pass, tailgate all afternoon, or arrive via public transportation, you'll find on this page everything you need to know to help plan an enjoyable and successful night at Rice-Eccles Stadium cheering on your Utes.
To help fans prepare for game day and enjoy the best experience possible at our home athletics contests, Utah Athletics provides a comprehensive Gameday Information page that provides links to information on tickets, parking, stadium entry, stadium policies, concessions options and fan behavior expectations. It can be found here.
WHAT'S NEW FOR 2024
Several significant improvements to stadium infrastructure and procedures are being implemented in 2024 at Rice-Eccles Stadium to enhance the fan experience on game days. Most significant among these are the addition of a Wi-Fi network, processes to improve efficiency with concessions sales and reduce congestion on the concourses, and the addition of a second Red Zone Store.
- WI-FI NETWORK
- The University of Utah installed a public Wi-Fi network over the summer to improve fans' ability to enjoy a better online and mobile experience in the stadium on game day. Fans can locate the network "RiceEcclesWiFi" in their available networks, and connect for free without registration.
- CONCESSIONS UPGRADES
- Rice-Eccles Stadium offers a wide variety of concessions options, spread around the entire stadium concourse including the food truck alley, East Eats, on the east side of the stadium. A full concessions map and other stadium services can be found here.
- New this year is the ability to order concessions on your mobile device! Mobile concessions ordering for pickup is a new feature at all concessions stands at Rice-Eccles Stadium, and will be enhanced by the improved connectivity provided by the new WiFi network, and the Utah 360 app.
- Fans may order ahead on their mobile device and then pick up their order at the dedicated mobile ordering pick-up lane at the selected concessions stand.
- Also new this year at all concessions stands is the ability to purchase a refillable souvenir fountain drink cup. Customers may fill it once after their purchase and come back again to the separate fountain drink refill lane, as free refills are included in the purchase price.
- RED ZONE STORE
- Make sure to stop by Red Zone stores within Rice-Eccles Stadium to pick up your officially licensed Utes apparel. Check out the new Red Zone store on the southeast corner of Rice-Eccles Stadium near Gate L.
- ENHANCED STADIUM SECURITY SCREENING
- In line with the University of Utah's commitment to providing a safe atmosphere for spectators, student-athletes, coaches and visitors within Rice-Eccles Stadium, beginning this season walk-through detector technology will be implemented at all entry gates. Please follow the instructions of the security staff at the entry gates.
THE ARRIVALSeason opener is gonna be b-e-a-UTAHful ???#GoUtes | @kslweather pic.twitter.com/irdIsxqwxl
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) August 28, 2024
Gather outside Gate L on 500 South by 4:45 p.m. to greet the team as they step off the bus. The Arrival makes Utes fans the official welcome party for the team before each home game. Enjoy food, live music and exclusive t-shirts for each of Utah's six home games that will only be available when the team arrives at Rice-Eccles Stadium prior to the games.
DIGITAL TICKETS AND PARKING PASSESTHE ARRIVAL
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) August 27, 2024
Gather outside Gate L on 500 South by 4:45 PM MT to greet @Utah_Football as they step off the bus! The Arrival makes Utes fans the official welcome party for the team before each home game. Enjoy food, live music and exclusive t-shirts for each of Utah's six home… pic.twitter.com/DFVGt0ANYO
Tickets and parking passes will be scanned on game day using the ticket holder's mobile device. They also may be transferred to others via email or text message.
- To ensure a successful experience with digital ticketing, fans are encouraged to download their tickets and parking passes to the wallet on their smart phone (iPhone and Android) for presentation upon arrival at the parking lot and stadium gates to expedite the entry process.
- It is also recommended that fans plan to arrive early to allow extra time for the entry process.
- Single-game tickets for Utah Football home games may be purchased here.
Stadium gates open 90 minutes hours before kickoff, at 5:30 p.m., on Thursday. To speed the process for entry into Rice-Eccles Stadium, fans are encouraged to arrive early and to review the most efficient route from their parking lot or the Trax station, and determine the most appropriate stadium gate for entry. All main stadium gates also feature a no-bag line for express entry. See a gate map here.
STADIUM POLICIES
- CLEAR BAG POLICY AND NO-BAG EXPRESS LANES
Rice-Eccles Stadium operates on a clear-bag policy, and offers no-bag lanes at all main gates to help expedite entry for those not bringing a bag into the stadium. Only clear bags, up to 12"x18", will be allowed inside the stadium. No bags, purses or duffels may be brought into the stadium with the exception of small clutch bags no larger than 6.5" x 4.5". - WATER BOTTLES
- CASHLESS CONCESSIONS
To reduce touchpoints and increase efficiency with concessions sales, Rice-Eccles Stadium has implemented cashless transactions at all concessions stands. All sales will be completed using either credit cards or Apple Pay and Google Wallet mobile payment apps.
FAN BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS -- WELCOME TO UTAH
The safety of student-athletes and spectators is a top priority for all Utah Athletics home events. We ask all fans to extend a sincere "Welcome to Utah" to all by being respectful and responsible when attending our events, and create a home-field advantage for our teams in a way that also shows class and sportsmanship toward visiting teams. The The FanUP initiative exists to define the expected fan behavior at our home venues and is centered around:
- Supporting our Utes and welcoming visiting teams and their fans
- Promoting a family-friendly experience
- Enjoying the game responsibly
- Cheering loud and being Ute Proud!
- Reporting fan behavior issues by texting 'FANUP' to 69050
To learn more about FanUP, please visit: fanup.utah.edu.
We're excited to have another @utahathletics year underway, and we encourage all of our great fans to promote a positive environment in all of our venues through our FanUp initiative.#GoUtes https://t.co/dsyhuMBLA6
— Mark Harlan (@MarkHarlan_AD) August 27, 2024
PARKING LOTS
Parking lots open five hours before kickoff, with the exception of the Signature and tailgate lots, which open at 6 a.m. A parking map can be found here (PDF). Tailgating is only allowed is designated lots. Alcohol, RVs, trailers and tailgating are not permitted in Lots 15, 18 or 19.
Please note that due to classes being in session on Thursday, all lots except those immediately surrounding the stadium (see map here) will be in regular operation, and may not fully clear in time to provide full capacity for pass-holders arriving for the football game. Alternative transportation methods below are strongly encouraged for Thursday's game.
TRANSIT
In addition, rides on UTA buses, TRAX and FrontRunner trains are free for ticketholders by displaying a valid game ticket, including the new postgame bus service from the stadium to the Court House TRAX station. For more information please visit UTA.com.
OTHER TRANSPORTATION MODES
- SPIN Scooters are also available on campus.
- Ride-share (Uber/Lyft) drop/off and pickup location is along University Street, on the east side, between 250-400 South, just northwest of the stadium.
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