What to Prepare for When Attending Fall Sports -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME...

All of us have been to a sporting event at some point in our lives and probably everyone who reads this site has been to some UofL sporting event. Perhaps some of the smaller sports have been on your list to attend and you've never been to one before. All five of us who write regularly on here are pros when it comes to game day atmospheres and how to prep and handle for each event and facility.

Different sports have different elements involved, handle the ticket situations differently, and deal with other varying factors.

We're here to help you prepare for whatever game you choose to attend. Of course, Louisville Cardinals attire and positive attitude are expected at games, but let's break down more of what else you should expect and bring or don't bring. As a reminder, all sports have a clear bag policy in effect. I've seen hundreds of unhappy folks turned away at the gate for sports because they were not aware or had forgotten.

Volleyball

Of the fall women's sports, this is the only one that's played indoors. Not dealing with the weather can make preparing for the event easier. You don't need sunscreen or a rain jacket. You also don't have to deal with the event of extreme temperatures outside...except for the walk from the parking to the front doors of L&N FCU Arena.

However, the arena tends to get toasty. When looking at packing 1000+ people into a small arena that did not see its HVAC units updated during the renovations a few years ago, a t-shirt and shorts are probably the best way to go. Jeff can give you firsthand experience of how warm in can get at matches.

Volleyball is also the only fall sport that requires actual tickets. Season tickets are always your best bet if you want bang for your buck, but committing to an entire season of matches can be tough. Purchasing single game tickets in advance is always a smart plan because there's rarely tickets available at the front door and those that are available go quick.

The concession stand is immediately inside the front doors and the lobby/atrium area is often packed. You might be waiting in a thick crowd if wanting to grab a snack at the concession stand or use the restroom.

There is no plexiglass or net separating the court from the crowd so a loose ball sometimes makes its way into the crowd. Keeping one eye on the ball at all times is a good way to prevent taking a volleyball to the face.

Masks were required last year, but I believe the University of Louisville has lifted its mandate on masks inside any building on campus. It's probably a good idea to carry one -- just in case. 

Field Hockey

Free admission is always nice and field hockey offers that for everyone. When you include the lower level and upper level seating, I have never seen a max capacity in Trager Stadium,  so you can be running late and not stress over being permitted inside.

Field hockey is played during the day and is often played from August-October. The sun can get pretty hot when bearing down on the concrete-like turf. Staying hydrated, wearing sunscreen, and bringing sunglasses are a good way to prep for a game.

If you're down near the field make sure to take a few steps back during halftime. The playing surface gets sprayed down from the water cannons during the break and they pack a punch if you fall victim to being too close.

Also, being too close to the field can offer other risks. Field hockey balls are hard and can travel at high speeds. The ball rarely gets higher than a few inches above the ground, but without having a full fence around the field, balls do make their way towards the concourse a few times per game. It's best not to turn your back to the field.

There is a concession stand inside the complex, but they have not served hot foods in the past. Drinks and snacks such as chips and candy are usually available but you might want to grab lunch or dinner beforehand. Beer is usually available, but "hard drinks" are not. 

Soccer

When designing Dr Mark and Cindy Lynn Stadium, nearly everything was accounted for. There is a decent sized concession stand that can handle an average sized crowd. There's multiple restrooms. An awning sits over the main grandstand to provide shade or shelter from sun and rain. You can fully walk around the field inside the stadium.

Soccer used to be a ticketed event but switched to free admission last season. We have heard no information on women's soccer moving back to charging admission so we anticipate free admission again this year.

We've seen soccer played as early as noon (weekends) and start as late as 8:00 in the evenings. Soccer also runs fairly long and we've seen both extremely hot and extremely cold matches. This is a good sport to check the forecast before heading to campus.

The stadium isn't as wheelchair friendly as other stadiums with only one elevator on the Floyd Street entrance side and a lot of stairs everywhere else. It's open seating so finding chairbacks near the top of the concourse (the elevator drop off point) can save your knees quite a bit of trouble. There's also plenty of seating to go around. You'll have lots of elbow and leg room.

There is no net or fence separating the pitch from the seating so it's best to avoid sitting behind either goal. A spilled beer of soft drink would be the least of your concerns. The sideline seating sees much less action, but does deal with the occasional errant kick.

We all love making it out to UofL games and being prepared can help make the visit a better experience. Feel free to reach out to us if you ever have questions on event venues and we are happy to offer our insight and expertise! If you're comfortable enough to get out in public during the pandemic we'd love to get our Cardinal Couple readers and followers out to some games.

Happy Tuesday and Go Cards!

Jared