On our recent trip to Lexington, we visited the Rupp Arena for a basketball game of Tennessee Volunteers vs Kentucky Wildcats (#1 vs #5). We really enjoy catching ball games or shows while traveling because it gives you a chance to sit down and experience something that you can’t experience back home. We also enjoy visiting different arenas, stadiums, theaters and playhouses as each one has its own unique structure and offerings.
Rupp Arena is a beautiful arena that was built in 1976 but had a major facelift in 2018. Parking for Rupp Arena was not easy. We used the SpotHero app to help us find a parking spot. Despite the fact we were at a college game, alcoholic beverages were available for sale. Biggest complaint about food and drinks is that the line moved very very slow.
As far as seating, it is better to have a lower seat in a “bad” section than upper seat in a middle section. The way the arena is designed makes it very hard to watch the game if you are at the very top. There also aren’t any “club” seats or “luxury” seats like some modern arenas do. So if you are catching a game here, do your best to get a lower section seat.
The location of this arena is very good. It’s right in downtown Lexington, which makes it easy to walk around and visit some nearby sites before and after the game. Our team (Tennessee Volunteers) did lose, but we still enjoyed the experience very much.