Oct. 31, 2011
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By Joe Hornstein
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - For the second year, UCF Athletics host the "Party on the Plaza", which includes student group tailgate tents lined up along the north lawn of IOA Plaza, right in front of Bright House Networks Stadium, and the Second Annual Hooters Hot Wing Challenge.
As part of this student initiative, all UCF students are eligible to attend the game for FREE. In addition, current registered students from UCF's Direct-Connect to UCF college partners, as well as other Central Florida area colleges, are invited to attend the game for FREE.
All non-UCF students will be able to either pick up a printed ticket at the student ticket pick-up tent in IOA Plaza on game day or can check with their respective institution in advance as to when they can pick up a printed ticket to the game on their campus. Non-UCF students must have a ticket to the game, and cannot enter just on a student ID card.
Last year, debuting for the midweek national TV affair vs. UAB, the Party on the Plaza and ancillary student events led to an approximate 20,000 students attending the big game, establishing a new national student attendance record and representing at least 50 percent of that night's crowd. That challenge to the students is on once again!
Tailgating at "Party on the Plaza": Fraternities and sororities are eligible to establish tailgate locations at IOA Plaza this Thursday. Groups can drop off their tents beginning 10 a.m. Drop-off will occur at the Victory Drive entrance to IOA Plaza. All 10X10 tents must be weighted down, with NO STAKING ALLOWED. Following drop-off, all cars must be moved back to permissible student parking areas. Tailgating will only be allowed starting at 2 p.m. across the UCF campus. Victory Drive will be closed for tent drop-off as well as all vehicle traffic beginning at 4 p.m. Tailgating on the Plaza utilizes the same policies effective on the UCF campus on a typical UCF game day. Anyone who consumes alcohol must be prepared to show proof that he or she is at least 21 years of age. All policies can be viewed at UCFGameday.com. Groups interested in establishing a tent location on IOA Plaza are encouraged to call UCF Athletics at (407) 823-2729.
All UCF students will be admitted with a valid UCF ID to the Tulsa game: Please visit KnightTickets.com and register your UCF ID for the game and get cleared for entry. You must sign up to activate your student ID for the game. Ticket sign up is currently open and will be through Wednesday, Nov. 2, at midnight. In addition to the standard general admission student section in the south end zone, overflow student seating will be allocated in other sections of the stadium based on availability. Overflow seating will be assigned when the student end zone reaches capacity.
Non-UCF students attending the Tulsa game: UCF Athletics will be attempting to establish another student attendance record at the game, and has already received tremendous support from UCF SGA, as well as the University of Central Florida's regional campuses and neighboring institutions, including Rollins College, Valencia College, Seminole State College of Florida, Full Sail University, Strayer University, the University of Phoenix, Daytona State College, Lake Sumter Community College and Brevard Community College. All area college students will be admitted FREE to the game. Any other Central Florida-based institutions of higher learning that are looking to participate in this record-setting event should contact the UCF Athletics Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000. Non-UCF students must receive a printed ticket for entry into Bright House Networks Stadium.
Purchase Community UKNIGHT UCF Football Tickets for $17: There is still time to get your tickets to the big Conference USA showdown against Tulsa. Tulsa is undefeated in C-USA and tied with Houston for the West Division lead. Great seating locations and parking options are still available. Purchase the Community UKNIGHT ticket package for $17, including a great seat and "THE PATCH". Don't miss the big game; go online at UCFAthletics.com to purchase your tickets and parking today!
Second Annual Hooters Hot Wing Challenge: Students, alumni and other fans are invited to IOA Plaza at 5 p.m. to catch the Hooters Hot Wings Challenge, pitting several UCF student groups against one another in UCF Athletics' second-annual competitive eating contest. Highlights from the festive event even made its way onto the national broadcast of last year's game. The same is expected with CBS Sports broadcasting the UCF-Tulsa game. The hot wings were provided courtesy of the Hooters of Waterford Lakes, located at 11425 Lake Underhill Road, Orlando, FL 32825; (407) 243-6466.
UCF IMG College Fan Faire: While you are at IOA Plaza, venture over to the UCF IMG College Fan Faire and visit one of several corporate partner tents distributing UCF-themed promotional items. Fan Faire participants will include game sponsor McDonald's, 740 The Game, Fifth Third Bank, Bright House Networks, Carl Black of Orlando, Farm Bureau, E Tour & Travel, Blue Man Group, Publix, Smokey Bones, Tropical Smoothie Café, Chick-fil-A, Tires Plus, Chevy Dealers, Hooters, Asset Campus Housing and Buffalo Wild Wings.
USS Ponce Color Guard: Performing the Color Guard duties at Thursday night's game will be Navy Sailors from the USS Ponce (LPD-15), an Austin-class amphibious transport dock that is the only ship of the United States Navy that is named for Ponce in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (which in turn was named after the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon, the first governor of Puerto Rico and European discoverer of Florida). The ship, which will soon be decommissioned, was used in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
UCF Athletics Hall of Fame: Seven new members will be inducted into the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame Friday, Nov. 4. The 2011 UCF Athletics Hall of Fame class will be honored during a dinner ceremony inside the J. Rolfe Davis Recruiting Lounge at Bright House Networks Stadium and will be recognized during halftime of the Tulsa game. Former student-athletes Bernard Ford (football), Jenny Frank (volleyball), Greg Jefferson (football), Cliff Kresge (men's golf) and Jorge Magluta (football), longtime UCF Athletics supporter and current UCF football staff member Manny Messeguer and former administrator Art Zeleznik will join a list of 59 individuals currently in the hall of fame.
Important Information Regarding Thursday's Campus Closure and Parking Information: UCF will conduct morning classes on the main campus and in the adjoining Research Park, and classes will end at 12 p.m. Classes scheduled to start at 12 p.m. or later on the main campus and in the Research Park will be canceled. The main campus and university offices in the Research Park will close for normal operations at 12:30 p.m. in order to allow adequate preparation time to support game day activities. UCF offices will remain closed until 7 a.m. Friday, Nov. 4.
Classes at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management and UCF's regional campuses will end at 2:50 p.m. on game day, with normal university operations closing at those locations at 3 p.m.
The campus will open for game day activities at 2 p.m. The open container waiver that allows alcohol consumption will be in effect from 2 p.m. until game start. No tailgating activities will be authorized after midnight.
Starting at 1 p.m. on the main campus, parking will be restricted and unauthorized vehicles will be subject to towing in parking garages C, D, F and H and in the C, D and E parking lots, as well as in lot B7. The first and second levels of parking garage B will be reserved for official university business starting at 1 p.m.
All students and staff and faculty members can park after 1 p.m. in garages A and I, on levels 3 and 4 of Garage B, and in surface parking lots B1-B6, B8, B9, B12, B13 and H1-H4 on a first-come, first-served basis.
Vehicles with valid football parking credentials may remain in the C, D, E and F (Gold Zone) garages and lots after 1 p.m.
Students who park in lots or garages permanently assigned for campus residential housing can remain in those lots throughout the day. UCF reserved parking spaces for faculty and staff members will not be honored after 1 p.m.
UCF's student shuttles on the main campus will operate on their regular schedules from 6:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Shuttle service to and from the Rosen College of Hospitality Management will conclude at 3 p.m. Shuttles to and from the Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona will operate on their regular schedules.
Game day student shuttles will operate from 3 p.m. until two hours after the end of the game.
On Nov. 3, the Library will be open until 5 p.m. The Student Union will be open 24 hours a day on weekdays during the fall semester, including Nov. 3. UCF will re-open for normal operations, including regular class and activity schedules, at 7 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 4.
Game Day Fan Help Desk: On game day, fans with questions can call 407-882-FANS (3267).