GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Saturdays in The Swamp are back. Before heading into the stadium to watch the latest rendition of Two Bits and cheer on the No. 9 Gators, fans and visitors should be aware of cooling and hydration initiatives in place for Saturday's 12 p.m. ET rivalry matchup with Tennessee.
Prior to all the pregame festivities, everyone is encouraged to download their digital tickets from the official Florida Gators app into either Appel Wallet or Google Pay, in an effort to streamline entrance into the stadium. Gator Nation should also make sure to
WEAR BLUE for Saturday's game against the Vols.
Once fans' digital tickets are saved, they can join family and friends in enjoying live music and the Official Swamp Head Tailgate in Gator Walk Village. In addition to the variety of food truck options on University Avenue, once Gator Nation arrives inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, fans will have the option of new concessions options, a revamped Gators Food Patio outside Gate 1 and an improved fan experience during the game.
Some of the most important initiatives for this Saturday's noon game are:
- Cooling and Hydration Initiatives
- Downloading your digital tickets from the official Florida Gators app into either Apple Wallet or Google Pay prior to arrival
- Wear Blue!
- Florida's first-ever Champions Parade
- Express Pickup at six concession stands (Sections 4 and 14 - Gator Bites; Sections F, 25 and 65 - Concessions; Section 323 - Domino's)
- Parking information
Here is a detailed look at some of the new information that was released this summer, as well as what is back from last season to ensure Gators fans and visitors enjoy a unique, fun-filled gameday experience.
Cooling and Hydration Initiatives
With high temperatures expected during the early part of the season, cooling and hydration initiatives will be in place for the first four home games including misting stations located throughout Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Gate 9, Gate 16, Upper North Endzone), free cups of ice and cooling busses outside Gates 2 and 13. Fans are also encouraged to stop by the Comfort Temp Chill Zone at Alligator Alley (west concourse between Gates 1 and 4) to cool down. There will also be 3,000 cooling towels distributed at the Gators Fan Fest prior to the game.
Empty Water Bottle
Fans are permitted to bring one (1) commercially branded (i.e. Aquafina)
EMPTY plastic water bottle, no larger than 20 oz. There are several water bottle filling stations inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Non-disposable water bottles, sport bottles, Nalgene-type bottles, cans, heavy plastic, glass bottles, and thermoses are NOT permitted in the Stadium. There are 12 water bottle refill stations throughout Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Hydration Stations
There are eight large Hydration Stations located inside and just outside the stadium, which offer
FREE filtered water for fans and visitors to drink. Cups are provided, and inside the stadium fans can also fill their empty water bottle (see policy above).
Hydration Stations are located inside the stadium at Gate 2, 7, 12, and 16, as well as behind Section 1 and 45, along with the upper north end zone behind Section 322. The two locations outside the stadium—which were purchased and sponsored by UF Student Government are outside Gate 8 and 16.
Complimentary Sunscreen
There will be free sunscreen for fans attending football games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium available at the Guest Service Kiosks at Gates 1, 7 and 16.
Official Florida Gators App **NEW FOR 2019**
In the continued effort to create a championship experience for Gator Nation, the University Athletic Association has partnered with
VenueNext to design and build an app that augments and enhances the fan experience at all its events.
After the fan downloads the app, it can be connected to their Ticketmaster account so tickets (season, package, or single-game) can be stored inside it for entry into Ben Hill Griffin Stadium using their phone. This feature will be available for all fans this fall.
Students also will have the ability to access their tickets via the mobile app. This is the first time in school history that UF students will not have to go to the student ticket-office outside Gate 13 during the week of a game to pick up his or her tickets. Their tickets, with seat locations, will be sent directly to them on their phone during the week of a home game.
Student tickets will be exclusively digital this fall with the goal for all tickets being digital in 2020.
Once in the stadium, fans will be able to make in-app concessions purchases (i.e. purchase an item in the app and pick up their order at an express pick up line) and store credit card information on the app so cash or a physical credit card won't be necessary if a fan desires a cashless experience.
In addition to tickets and concessions, other in-stadium benefits for fans in the app include purchasing 'Swamp Moments,' which is an assortment of experiential opportunities for all Gators fans to take their game-day experience to the next level.
Fans will also be able to store and log their experiences with their Swamp Stats. This feature is a digital scrapbook for recording Gators Football games attended in The Swamp and at other venues. The app has schedules, records and game information dating back to 1990, so fans can click on the games they have attended and see their own records and information from their history with the Gators.
The Florida Gators App will have five pages upon its release that will feature Gators news and team information, gameday information, tickets, personal account details and Swamp Stats.
Whether or not the users opts into having push notifications, there will be an inbox inside the app that will allows fans to see ticket details, news about an upcoming game or other beneficial information.
As previously mentioned, this app will be fully functional inside BHG Stadium this fall. With that said, the UAA plans to expand the capability of this app to Exactech Arena in 2020 and the new Florida Ballpark in 2021.
Champions Parade
The University Athletic Association has found a new way to honor its former conference champions who are back in Gainesville for a reunion.
For the first time, fans can look forward to a "Champions Parade" following Gator Walk, in addition to formal recognitions at the end of the first quarter (1994 football) and at halftime (all other reunion champions, as well as 2018-19 conference champions) this Saturday. Fans are encouraged to make their way to Gator Walk Village about 2.5 hours before kickoff for the parade.
Here are the complete list of teams being honored:
- 1969 Men's Tennis - 50 Years
- 1994 Men's Tennis - 25 Years
- 1994 Football - 25 Years
- 1994 Men's Golf - 25 Years
- 1994 Women's Swimming & Diving - 25 Years
- 1994 Volleyball - 25 Years
- 2009 Women's Swimming & Diving - 10 Years
- 2009 Women's Cross Country - 10 Years
- 2009 Soccer - 10 Years
- 2009 Softball - 10 Years
- 2009 Women's Track & Field - 10 Years
Four of the five Gators conference championship teams from 2018-19 -- Men's Swimming and Diving, Gymnastics, Lacrosse, Men's Tennis are being recognized with the reunion champions as well. Men's Indoor Track and Field's conference and national championship teams from 2019 will be recognized at a game later this season.
Gameday Parking / RTS Bus / Ridesharing / Traffic Information
Why Drive?
For the majority of fans, unless you have a specific parking pass or have been to games for many years and are a veteran at where to go, the University Athletic Association would like to encourage all fans to use a ridesharing app or ride the RTS to and from the hotel, home or Oaks Mall parking lot to the game.
There are a total of 24,000 parking spots on campus, which do not start empty on a fall Saturday, and around 7,000 passes are issued for a given game. In addition, public parking lots are very limited around the stadium so it behooves most fans to catch another ride into the heart of Gator Nation.
Not to mention, if less fans drive their own car to the game then postgame traffic and pedestrian walkers will be safer and quicker.
Waze App:
All drivers are encouraged to download and use the
Waze Directions app to help them find parking or fastest routes to pickup/drop-off points (for ridesharing drivers) on gameday. UAA Staff updates that app with road closures and parking lot entrances.
In addition,
FloridaGators.com contains links using Waze that will take fans to a specific parking lot where their pass allows them.
Ridesharing (UBER / Lyft):
Fans using ridesharing apps are encouraged to leave their cars at their hotel, or park somewhere outside of campus in the direction they are headed postgame.
For drivers and riders, the most popular pickup and drop-off locations are…
- West of Flavet Field on Woodlawn Dr.
- West University Ave. North of the main O'Connell Center Parking lot
- McCarty Drive at the Reitz Union
There are additional spots located in the map above.
RTS Buses:
Fans are encouraged to utilize the
RTS Shuttle Service to avoid the limited parking on campus and to move quicker through traffic than in an UBER or Lyft ride on gameday.
For those interested in riding the RTS Bus, fans can park their car at one of six convenient locations around Gainesville:
- The Oaks Mall
- Hilton University of Florida Conference Center
- The Village Center in Haile Plantation
- Tioga Town Center
- Celebration Pointe
- Downtown Parking Garage
Post-game pick-up buses are located near the intersection of Stadium Road and Gale Lemerand Drive.
The RTS Shuttle service costs $10/game or $50/season. Service is offered from 3 hours before the game until kickoff, with return shuttles beginning in the fourth quarter. For more information, call 352-334-2600 or visit
go-rts.com.
Signage:
The UAA is committed to making our campus more sign friendly, so be on the lookout for information on where certain lots are on gameday when entering campus!
**NEW FOR 2019**
Gator Walk Village & Official Swamp Head Tailgate
The Gator Walk Village is host to a premium tailgate setup, along with Gator Walk and a designation spot for all Gators Fans with music, drinks, fun & food trucks. The Village, which opens at 9 a.m. on Sept. 21, is located on the North Lawn in between University Ave. and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will once again expand this season, adding to the lively pregame atmosphere and entertainment surrounding the stadium. The North Lawn will now feature the
Official Swamp Head Tailgate, where any Gators fans over the age of 21 will be able to purchase beverages prior to the game. The Official Swamp Head Tailgate will open between three-four hours prior to kickoff (depending on kickoff time) and close 45 minutes before kickoff. Fans of all ages can stop by the Official Swamp Head Tailgate for shade, tailgate games, live music and more. A water station featuring 2,500 12-ounce water bottles, priced at one dollar each, will be near and inside the tailgate.
In addition, fans can expect to hear live music from various local bands on a stage adjacent to the Swamp Head Tailgate. The local bands that Gator Nation will listen to include
Driveaway (Sept. 21, Tennessee at 9:15 a.m.),
Savants of Soul (Sept. 28, Towson) and
Austin Hunter (Oct. 5, Auburn). The bands playing for the Gators final home games against Vanderbilt and FSU will be announced at a later date.
Fans will once again be able to enjoy a number of food truck options on University Ave., including Soup To Nuts , Mayflower Cellars, Cilantro Tacos, Kona Ice, Monsta Lobsta, B'z Gelati, Rollin Smoke BBQ, Churros & Cream, Fat Tiki Island Flair, Huck's Grill Shack, Big Lee's Barbecue, Eim Thai Food, Cora's Kitchen and Papa Pineapple.
On Sept. 21, B'z Gelati, Churros & Cream, Cilantro Taco, Eim Thai, Huck's Grill Shack, Kona Ice, Mayflower Cellars, Monsta Lobsta, Papa Pineapple, and Rollin' Smoke BBQ, will be open roughly two-and-a-half hours before kickoff.
Partnering with Tailgate Guys for a seventh season, 18 shaded tents will be set up by Gator Walk on University Avenue, providing a unique, exciting, all-encompassing tailgating experience.
Gators Food Patio
Located by Gate 1, just outside the main concourse, the Gators Food Patio is back this fall to provide fans and visitors with additional food options inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Gator BTW, Jersey Mike's, Sonny's BBQ, Chick-fil-A and a Moe's Southwest Grill stand compose the Gators Food Patio's options. Stands will remain open until midway through the third quarter.
Between Gates 1 and 4 in the outer west concourse, Gator Nation will see multiple activities for fans of all ages with face-painters and balloon artists and potential green screen photo imaging.
This entire area is meant for families to provide a different experience for them during an exciting for Saturday inside The Swamp.
$0.49 Refills at Circle K
Circle K is proud to be a part of Gator Nation! After the game, fans can score an extra point with their favorite local convenience store and bring their souvenir cup to Circle K for Polar Pop refills for just 49¢ at participating stores.
Game Weekend Experience
Together.
UF's head coach
Dan Mullen is in his second season this fall, and he has made Gator Nation aware that their support is just as integral to the program's success as the players on the field.
Fans those traveling to a home game and staying at participating hotels in Gainesville or Ocala, free tickets and/or vouchers for promotions will be given out to guests for home volleyball, women's basketball, soccer and men's basketball games that are happening the same weekend.
In addition, the University Athletic Association is beginning a program called 'Florida Football Kickoff Lunch with
Dan Mullen Presented by Felipe's' on Friday's before select home football games. The event will take place at noon inside the Gator Room, which is at the corner of Gale Lemerand Dr. and Stadium Rd.
Fans can purchase tickets for this weekend's event via
this link.
Attendees at these lunches will hear from Coach Mullen and other guest speakers from various departments in the UAA. Parking information will be emailed to those that purchase tickets to the event.
In-Game Experience
#SwampMoment:
Continuing with the trend that began during spring football, Gator Nation is encouraged to use
#SwampMoment to capture all the fun moments and lasting memories that happen on a gameday inside The Swamp.
In-Game Fan Experience:
Upon arrival inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gator Nation should be set to
Stand Up & Holler as the 'Pride of the Sunshine' enters the field along with Albert & Alberta. Fans can expect more exciting entrances from those two groups as the crowd leads up to the famous 'Two Bits' cheer and the team running out of the tunnel.
No moment has more anticipation inside The Swamp than when the public address announcer begins the "Here Come The Gators!" call following the 'Swamp Intro' on the video board.
Fans should notice a difference in the environment during introductions, as the UAA has had the sound system inside the stadium tuned in various areas to have the most even coverage possible throughout the venue. With this adjustment and the deafening noise Gator Nation creates, The Swamp should be "rocking" throughout the entire game.
Thanks to #GatorsWiFi additions over the past year, fans and visitors will be able to save their valuable mobile data while sharing their game day experience online. Give it a test and let us know how it works for you!
Tweet using #GatorsWiFi to submit feedback to our staff. The use of the in-stadium Wi-Fi will assist fans when using the new
Florida Gators app as well.
All of these additions and augmentations to the gameday experience listed before support the program's efforts to create the most exciting home environment in college football. However, none of it is possible without the passion and enthusiasm from Gator Nation.
Check out
Florida's social media channels each week too, as information about what color to wear in the stands will be shared prior to each game. With that said, always remember to
Stand Up & Holler in support of the Gators each and every fall Saturday.
Also, thanks to Vizrt, fans will be able to see down and distance, yellow first-down, and blue line-of-scrimmage markers on the videoboards. More information about the Down & Distance software can be found via
this story from Front Office Sports.
Tickets
The UAA continues to be committed to providing unique opportunities to all fans who want to attend a game inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. With that said, all-inclusive tickets are now available for purchase in the Bull Gator Deck (second) & Zone (seventh) in the suite levels for all fans.
Gator Nation can purchase single game tickets in the Zone and season tickets in the Deck.
The renovation of the Zone features new flooring, lighting, televisions, drink rails, Shuffleboard tables, and Xbox stations. Overall, there will be nine new televisions (65" & 55") and each Xbox will be equipped with two controllers and Madden NFL 20 installed. Fans can purchase tickets that include an all-inclusive experience (food, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks included) for any game this fall.
Single game ticket prices for the Zone range from $450 (Tennessee, Towson, Vanderbilt) to $500 (Auburn, FSU). Also, fans can get a group (10 or more) rate of $375 (Tennessee, Towson, Vanderbilt) or $400 (Auburn, FSU). Meanwhile, fans can purchase season tickets in this area for $380 apiece with a $3,000 per seat contribution.
Meanwhile, the renovation of the Deck has added an additional 32 new loge box seats and 12 new club seats. These will be located in the current ADA section and associated center ramps. With new flooring, televisions, drink rails and spacious club furniture, the Gators Ticket Office is selling only season tickets in this location at the aforementioned prices above.
Ticket holders will enter through a private entrance in the West Premium Lobby to access the suites.
Fans are reminded that general
season tickets,
mini-plan options and
single-game tickets are on sale now.
The quickest and most efficient way to order any or all types of tickets is to go
online by visiting "My Account" under the Gators Ticket Office tab on FloridaGators.com. Fans may also call the Gators Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683 or visit the Ticket Office on the west side of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Follow the
Gator Ticket Office on twitter at
@GatorsTix for all the latest information on Gator tickets.
**BACK FOR 2019**
University Avenue Road Closure
Public safety officials with the City of Gainesville and University of Florida are expected to ensure the safety of all Gainesville-area residents and visitors, especially on UF Football Game Days. For each home football game—starting with UT Martin on Sept. 7—officials will make changes to the traffic flow of West University Avenue to ensure the highest level of safety to everyone in the area. The complete release with maps is available via the
full release from GPD.
Beginning three hours before kickoff, West University Avenue will be
CLOSED between Gale Lemerand Drive and NW 17th Street. West University Avenue will remain closed until up to two hours after the conclusion of the game. Fans with parking passes to enter the O'Connell Center parking lot will be able to access those areas from the west on University Avenue.
Clear Bag Policy
In the interest of fan safety, the University of Florida Athletic Association will continue to implement a clear bag policy for the 2019 football season. In addition, the
Southeastern Conference implemented this security policy for all stadiums in the league last season.
Approved Bags
- Clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags that do not exceed 12"x6"x12"
- A logo no larger than 4.5"x 3.4" can be displayed on one side of a permissible clear bag.
- One-gallon clear, re-sealable plastic storage bag
- Small clutch bags no larger than 4.5"x6.5", approximately the size of a hand, with or without a handle or strap
- Medically necessary items (after proper inspection)
Limited number of clear bags will be available at the Gators Fan Fest.
Reminders for the 2019 season:
Personal seatbacks will not be permitted inside the stadium. Seat cushions that are no larger than 16", do not have pockets, and do not have a back are permitted.
Fans will still be able to utilize Gators Seatbacks while inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida Football season ticket holders can purchase a seatback for the entire season, while non-season ticket holders can rent a seatback the day of the game.
For information about Gators Seatbacks, please visit
UFGatorSeats.com or call 1-866-910-9287. For day of game rentals, Gators Seatbacks are available at kiosks located at Gates 3, 7, 16, and 18.
Charging Stations
In various locations throughout the stadium, fans will be able to plug in and recharge their mobile devices courtesy of the Gators charging stations.
Nursing Suite Information
Nursing mothers will have an exclusive space inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to tend to their children in privacy. The Nursing Suite is located behind between Gates 15 and 16, and is a female-only space for nursing mothers or women bottle-feeding children. Men, affiliated with a nursing woman, or need to bottle-feed a child, are permitted in the lobby of the suite, where there will be two chairs available for them.
The suite will be staffed with an attendant from the UF Pharmacy School or a Gator Guest Services Game Day Ambassador at all times.
Parents can access the Nursing Suite 90 minutes prior to kickoff, in line with regular stadium entry, and will close 20 minutes after the conclusion of a game. Guests still actively utilizing the space are welcomed to stay until finished.
Attendees can store express/pumped milk in a refrigerator conveniently located inside the suite. All stored milk must be labeled with the individual's first and last name, with a phone number than can be reached on game day.
Game day storage for a 'pump bag' will also be available for patrons. These bags will be held behind the reception desk, but will not be in locked spaces.
Nursing mothers are still welcome to nurse their child in any public space inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, but can visit the Nursing Suite or any First Aid Room for a more private location.
Gator Walk
Scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Saturday, the Gators will be dropped off at the corner of University and Gale Lemerand Drive and make their way into the North end of the stadium. Come join the band, cheerleaders, mascots and dazzlers to welcome the Gators as they prepare to kick off the Tennessee game!
Tailgate Guys
Entering its seventh year in Gainesville, Tailgate Guys continues to offer premium tailgating services for the Florida Gators through a multiyear extension of their partnership.
Fans have the option of choosing between two locations for the service – the Gator Walk Village or the Reitz Union lawn. For more information about reserving a tailgate for University of Florida home games, visit
https://tailgateguys.com/home/florida.
Fireworks
All home night games will have fireworks as the team runs out and after the Gators score.
Gators Fan Fest
Begins at 9 a.m. outside Gate 2 of Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Various corporate partners will provide games, samples, and giveaways for fans such as sunglasses, rally towels, posters, schedule cards, clear bags, and hand fans for the Tennessee game Sept. 21.
| Sponsor |
Giveaway |
| UF Health |
Cooling towels |
| Comfort Temp |
Face painter |
| Davis |
Yearbooks, towels, sunglasses, koozies |
| Lake Area Metal |
T-shirts, sunglasses, cell phone wallets, rally towels, clear bags |
| 76 Gasoline |
Koozies, hand sanitizers, 76® hats, retro t-Shirts, lip balm with SPF, cell phone wallet, 76® Sunglasses |
| Allstate |
Koozies; raffle for gift cards |
| FL Lottery |
Sunglasses, koozies/bottle bags, golf towels, clear bags, t-shirts. |
| Florida Dairy Farmers |
Hand fans |
| Polaris |
Sunglasses |
| Pepsi |
Bubbly samples (2 oz. cups) |
| Florida Resort Exchange |
N/A |
| Sports Mall |
Silent auction |
| Lazydays |
Grilling aprons (Lazydays hospitality guests only) |
| SunTrust |
TBD |
In addition, although no UF team will be signing autographs this weekend, fans can expect to see UF's men's and women's basketball teams in the future.
Stadium Chair Honors POW-MIA Soldiers
It is a tribute, a cause that has been done in several stadiums around the country. "It's great that it's finally getting done here," Randall Martin said. Martin, 33, is a veteran of the U.S. Marines. He did three tours of Iraq. He is now a UF student, but also has been a point player in the University of Florida's Collegiate Veterans Society's endeavor of putting a "Chair of Honor" in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to honor POW and MIA soldiers. His work and that of his colleagues at CVS officially came to fruition in UF's 2016 opener against UMass when a seat in the stadium concourse near Gate 16.
Experience Seat Upgrade
The UAA has partnered with a company called Experience. The UAA will be using Experience's Seat Upgrade Technology to enhance the fan experience for its football games this season. With the
Experience Seat Upgrade App, Gators fans will be able to complete a simple purchase for a better seat than what they are currently sitting in at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The process is simple and the transaction takes place prior to gameday exclusively through the app.
Fans are reminded that all other in-venue perks will be purchased through the new Florida Gators App.
Gators Text for Tix
The Gator Ticket Office and ReplyBuy have entered into a partnership that will enable Gator fans to instantly purchase tickets with a quick text message. The program, referred to as
Gators Text for Tix, will allow fans that sign up to receive exclusive access to limited, last-minute tickets.
Lost & Found
Lose something at a Gators sporting event? You can now go to
FloridaGators.com/lostandfound and submit a form with your contact information and description of the lost item.
UAA staff members will monitor submissions and contact you if we've received your item. Lost items can be picked up at the Ticket Office window at Gate 1 of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium during regular business hours, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. -- 5:00 p.m. ET.
Happy Birthday and First Gator Game Pins
Available for all fans at Gator Guest Services booths located around the stadium.
Stadium Closure
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium closes Thursday at 10 p.m. during each game week to prepare for Saturday's game. The Swamp will remain closed until 90 minutes prior to kickoff each week.
Gameday Policies
Feedback
As fans experience issues, positive or negatives, the UAA encourages you to email
ufirst@gators.ufl.edu with those thoughts.
