Kentucky Schedule Next Year
UK was taken aback by the fact that Indiana abruptly announced the end of the UK-IU series today. The Cats still thought that there were negotiations ongoing and were hoping to finish a verbal agreement with IU to continue the series on the neutral court. Two options were on the table:
1. Play in Indianapolis and Louisville, with IU helping to secure the rights to the Yum Center (and the subsequent Louisville waiver of its priority rights for one game) for a neutral site game.
2. Both games at Lucas Oil Stadium, seating between 40,000-50,000.
UK was going to offer their season ticket holders rights to the game under the second scenario, including allowing a student section, etc. The same setup would have been offered by Indiana as well. However Indiana, likely worried about Kentucky outdrawing the Hoosiers in their own state, apparently decided that option wasn’t sustainable.
Now the question is, who does Kentucky play now? Here is the schedule as it stands:
Louisville
Duke in Atlanta
Maryland in Brooklyn
Road game at Big East opponent
Kentucky is looking to add one more neutral site game against a power opponent (Texas or UCLA?), with locations for the game to be determined. Nashville is a strong possibility depending on the team. In addition, the possibility of a Home and Home series is still being looked into as well (Kansas is a team that has been discussed), although it can only be done if the first game is in Rupp Arena.
The UNC and Indiana series seem to be ending (although with UNC, it might start back again next year), which is a shame…but Calipari believes that with the way he recruits and the quick turnover of players, he needs flexibility in scheduling strength. The neutral site game would have given it and when Indiana refused, the series took a temporary end.
At least we won the last one….
28 Comments for Kentucky Schedule Next Year
How about Syracuse, they’re in the ACC now.
Texas …neutral site…..Dallas Stadium and Lucas Oil.
Or Arizona…..YUM first tyear and what ever they call the Phoenix Suns arena in the second year and a middle ground game in Dallas Stadium as the 3rd year
#2, I love your idea!!!!!!! That would be sick!!!!
The only problem i have is that there are NO GOOD GAMES at Rupp next year. Lil Brother is at the chicken palace, no UNC, now no IU. All that’s left are the SEC games. Ugh.
This whole thing stinks. I really don’t blame for wanting a good home game every other year. We should want a good one too, our home schedule stinks. If our fans weren’t so loyal, why would anyone want to buy a season BBall package with such a crappy schedule? The UK administration is taking advantage of fan loyalty.
Why can’t they still do a home and home and agree to split total attendance revenue?
#2 and 3–Would love to play AZ. There are only two teams I truly hate–AZ and Ohio State. Living in AZ, I want them to play here. As for Suns Arena, it is too small. Rupp is larger and they would get most of the money where neutral site they split even. They would have to play where the Cardinals or Dbacks play to make it work.
Sucks to be a season ticket holder @ Rupp next year…
Cal,I just sent you a text.
Ohio State.
Make it happen, Cal.
Is anyone else confused by the accompanying picture?
As a NKY resident I say play home/home with UC or XU. The game in Cincy could be at US Bank Arena. How about BOTH?
#6 I could see them playing in UofP Stadium!!! That would be a great atmosphere!!!
Why not Illinois…..give another border state some run since Indiana pussed out.
I say go for a series with West by gawd Virginia. They have a competitive team every year. It is close. Cal and Hugs are buddies.
ArizonaChris-Sorry, but I really hate it when UK and UofA play because UofA is my alma mater. No matter how much I try to tell myself that I can’t lose, I always feel worse for the team that loses than I feel happy for the team that wins. I’d be relieved if they never have to play each other again.
Lets get somethin goin with ohio state!
Thoughts: Offer Purdue the same deal we gave Indiana, i.e. back-to-back in Lucas Oil. If they don’t agree then try Michigan in the Palace and YUM Center. Or UCLA in YUM/Staples Center.
I guess Cal is not the white knight/angelical saint you all believe him to be. Dare any of you chumps to say something to him on his meet and greets.
Wow. Our home schedule is going to SUCK next year!
Can’t believe anyone thinks a game in the Yum! is an actual “legit” option. You don’t have to actually follow CBB that closely to realize UoL is going to make it near impossible for that to occur. That’s why UK is still playing in old Freedom Hall.
Let’s play Murray State for the Freedom Hall game.
Ohio State, please. I need some bragging rights with my family and friends back in the Buckeye State.
I would like to see UK play nuetral site or home and home with UC, the would be great for fans, as there are alot of fans that like both schools,and probably more fans that despise one school or the other. I remember when UK played Michigain St. sometime in the early 2000s at the superdome and it set a new attendance record at the time. Something like that would be cool.
I hope the end of the iu series is not temporary. Better to make the end permanent. iu does not deserve the honor of getting to play Kentucky.
Adding TWO games with Missouri (top 25 preseason ranking BEFORE Alex Oriakhi transferred there) is being OVERLOOKED by most posters/fans!
Sorry, but I disagree with Cal on having a weaker schedule. If you are going to have a 15 team that will contend to be one of the Top 4 seeds in the tournament than it is important to improve your strength of schedule for multiple reasons. First, UK only gets tested in the SEC by quality teams a couple times a season. Second, the RPI and SOS are two huge consideratinos when it comes time for seeding. Selection committees of past have shown that they penalize teams more for their SOS than they do for losses. In other words, playing a Top 10-20 team usually never makes you fall in the RPI even if you lose because just playing that game is considered more valuable than losing that game.
10 yes it looks like a couple of young prom goers. not sure why they used that picture with this post.
26. It has nothing to do with wanting a weaker schedule. It’s money mostly. That and by playing IU in Louisville we could get rid of the cupcake Freedom Hall game. He wanted to play IU, but why should we have to play by their terms when there are other decent teams that would like to play us. Scheduling in OOC is more about money than anything.