First home football game of 2024: What you need to know
By IU Bloomington Today
August 20, 2024
The Indiana University football team will play its first home game of the season, under new head coach Curt Cignetti, at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at Memorial Stadium. The Hoosiers host the Florida International University Panthers.
The season brings some additional changes for football games. Here’s what you need to know:
New food partner, options
IU Athletics chose Levy food group to partner on an elevated food and beverage experience for fans at IU athletic venues. Menu items will include custom-crafted sausages from Indiana Sausage Haus, the Footlong Hoosier Dog and the B-Town BBQ Chip Stack.
Levy will offer traditional person-to-person concession options plus new grab-and-go destinations for convenience.
New food options will also include a series of local favorites, including BuffaLouie’s, Aver’s Pizza, Yogi’s, The Chocolate Moose and Social Cantina.
Enjoy discounted football tickets, B-Town Boulevard
Before home football games, meet with fellow Hoosiers fans at the new B-Town Boulevard on the south lawn of Memorial Stadium. It opens to the public 2 1/2 hours before kickoff and features a concert stage and live bands; food trucks; outdoor bar; family-friendly games and attractions; and special performances by the Marching Hundred, RedSteppers and cheerleaders. Gameday apparel and merchandise will be available at the IU Team Store location inside B-Town Boulevard.
Tailgate party and ticket packages are also available for purchase, as well as group tents for rent inside B-Town Boulevard.
The Rock has moved
Hep’s Rock, a 3-ton limestone remnant from the original Memorial Stadium construction, has been relocated from the north end zone to the east concourse of Memorial Stadium to make it an even larger part of the IU gameday fan experience.
In 2005, then-first-year head coach Terry Hoeppner brought two great traditions to the Bloomington campus in The Walk and The Rock, which the team touched before every game of his tenure. After his death from brain cancer in June 2007, that year’s team dedicated it as Hep’s Rock on its way to the Insight Bowl, its first bowl appearance since 1993.
The Rock sat in the north end zone from 2005 through the 2023 season, and changes to the structure of Memorial Stadium limited fan access over time.
In its new location, Hep’s Rock will now be a formal part of The Walk, with players, coaches and staff interacting with the touchstone before entering the stadium. Its location also makes Hep’s Rock accessible to students, alumni and fans at any time.
New student section
An enhanced student section has been relocated to the north end of the stadium between Sections 13 and 24. This enables all students to sit together and be seated closer to the field.
All seats in the section remain general admission.
Safety notifications
IU Emergency Management is offering fans and guests the opportunity to opt-in to receive IU emergency alerts while they’re on campus for IU football games. Text SafeIU to 77295.
Alerts may include information on traffic and parking, severe weather or other emergencies on campus. Those who opt-in will automatically be unsubscribed the day following the game. This is a free service.