Kentucky fans may not have shown up in big numbers to camp out for Madness tickets but tickets available online went quickly Sunday. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Kentucky fans wasted no time gobbling up all the tickets to Big Blue Madness in almost no time Sunday morning — just like they always do.
However, the Big Blue Madness campout was not nearly as popular. Samantha Valentino of WKYT reported that UK officials told her only 319 control cards good for two tickets each were handed out to campers this year.
Compare that to some years when the areas around Memorial Coliseum were overloaded with fans. But that is when this was a three- or four-day event, not a one-night deal like it was this year.
“It was a very underwhelming turnout,” WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk producer Beau Robinson said.
He’s a long-time fan and veteran Big Blue Madness attendee. He’s also been to his share of campouts.
“In years past you had to run across Euclid Ave. to get a spot (to camp out),” Robinson said. “I heard this year it was just a casual stress across Euclid to get a spot.”
Former Cats’ Pause owner Oscar Combs said some places designated for campers were not even used.
“It’s usually very hard to get a spot for a tent. You could have come at 7:30 Saturday night and got a spot. The line did not stretch around the Coliseum like it usually does,” Robinson said.
Robinson said UK basketball players were very accessible during the one-day event. He said All-American center Oscar Tshiebwe was walking around giving pizza to fans.
“He could not give them all out. Everybody got pizza and there was still a ton left,” Robinson said. “It was a great year as a fan to be there. It was laid back, not intense at all. This was the year to get autographs, pictures and other freebies with no hassles. It was a pretty simple process.”
So does this mean interest in UK basketball has waned? No, I don’t think so.
The biggest reason for the low turnout I think is that those who have camped out in past years liked it being a week-long event. A one-night affair obviously just did not appeal to as many fans.
Also COVID got us all out of routines and everyone has found other things to do and ways to do things they did before.
But seeing how quickly the free Big Blue Madness tickets went Sunday morning — even though some likely will be sold online to the highest bidder — shows Kentucky fans are still passionate and should be with the team John Calipari has this year.
