Memorial Stadium, home of Indiana University’s football team. Photo by Chris Meyer, Indiana University
Photo by Chris Meyer, Indiana University
There’s no reason to be quiet anymore; the sleeping giant is awake and ready to welcome fans back into its home.
After a magical 6-2 2020 campaign played in empty stadiums, the Indiana Hoosiers football team is looking to capitalize on the program’s momentum with a raucous and full Memorial Stadium this season.
For the first time in 53 years, the Hoosiers were ranked in the preseason USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches Poll after knocking off three ranked teams last year.
Before fans get an up-close look at the powerhouse that head coach Tom Allen is building this season, IU Today previews what game day will be like at Memorial Stadium in 2021.
Home schedule/tickets
The Hoosiers kick off their six-game home schedule with Big Sky Conference opponent Idaho at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. IU Athletics is recommending that fans attending the home opener plan ahead and arrive early due to high ticket sales and the I-69 construction project between Indianapolis and Martinsville.
The second home game of the season brings Cincinnati on Sept. 18 for a sold-out noon start. Fans still interested in securing tickets to the game can visit StubHub, the official secondary ticket marketplace of IU Athletics. Tickets purchased through Stubhub are 100% verified, meaning the IU Ticket Office can provide full customer support.
October welcomes Big Ten rivals Michigan State on Oct. 16 and No. 4 Ohio State on Oct. 23 to Bloomington. In November, the Hoosiers host Rutgers on Nov. 13 and Minnesota on Nov. 20 at Memorial Stadium.
Single-game tickets remain on sale for five of IU’s home games, including the home-opener against Idaho. Limited inventory remains for several games, most notably the Oct. 23 game against Ohio State. Because of the possibility of additional sellouts, IU Athletics strongly recommends Hoosier fans purchase their tickets in advance through IUHoosiers.com.
Health and safety
Following the guidance of local and university health officials, Indiana University requires anyone who is in a campus building to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status. Until further notice, IU will operate under the following guidelines for home football games played at Memorial Stadium:
Seating bowl/general outdoor spectator areas:
Fans are encouraged, but not required, to wear a mask in all outdoor areas. This includes in the seating bowl, concourses, entry gates, etc.
Fans are required to wear masks in all indoor settings, including restrooms, elevators, etc.
Premium indoor spaces and suites:
Unless actively eating or drinking, fans are required to wear a mask.
The health and safety of fans, students, staff and the community are of utmost importance to IU Athletics. They are encouraging guests to stay home if sick and transfer tickets to someone else or list them on StubHub.
Located on the Sample Terrace in the south end zone, Rooftop at the Rock presented by Indiana Kitchen offers a new premium experience for Hoosier fans this season. Ticketholders to the space have access to amenities including:
All-inclusive game-day menu.
Big-screen TVs showcasing the IU football game and other college football action.
A dedicated covered beer and wine cash bar featuring draft beer from Bloomington’s own Upland Brewery.
Additional covered lounge-style and outdoor seating.
Unlimited entry-and-exit privileges throughout the game.
If needed, elevator access to the space.
Capacity is limited to 500 tickets per game, and prices begin for the all-ages space at $60.
Six locations around the stadium will offer activities such as Hoosier Hot Shots, FB QB Challenge, Soccer Kick, Hoosier Game Face and Caricature around the concourse to improve access to the games and provide the ability to socially distance. Additionally, all participants will win a prize for playing the games and automatically be entered into a grand prize contest sponsored by IU Health Riley Physicians that will be announced on the video board during the game.
Also making a return to the game-day experience this season will be the Marching Hundred. New director Eric M. Smedley will oversee a new assortment of songs and themed musical offerings to liven up the homefield advantage for the Hoosiers. The Sept. 18 game against Cincinnati will feature a “Hamilton”-themed performance from the Marching Hundred.
Parking
In an effort to improve traffic flow into the IU Athletics campus and its surrounding parking areas, all parking passes for all surface lots (Gates 2-14) are reserved for those who have prepaid for their parking.
Parking passes to the grass lots south of Memorial Stadium can be pre-purchased as well. Limited availability remains. Please note that all IU Athletics campus parking (surface lots and grass lots) are sold out for the Cincinnati, Michigan State and Ohio State games.
For those using mobile tickets, it is highly recommended to download your tickets to your phone’s digital wallet in advance of arrival at Memorial Stadium. Do not print them out; printed mobile tickets will not be accepted at the gate.
The IU Hoosiers mobile app is the simplest way to manage mobile tickets. Download the app before game day to manage season and single-game tickets, shop for official IU Athletics merchandise, and receive breaking news and score notifications. For more information, review the IU Athletics mobile app Ticket Guide.
Cashless and contactless concessions
In an effort to provide contactless transactions, fans may now order at concession stands in Memorial Stadium via the IU Hoosiers mobile app. These cashless transactions will improve the fan experience by increasing the speed of service and decreasing wait times. Simply open the app and look for “Order Food” in the menu options sidebar. Purchases can be made with debit or credit cards or mobile payment services such as Google Pay and Apple Pay.
For addition information about game-day policies and procedures at Memorial Stadium, visit the Memorial Stadium Game-Day Guide.
