GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Swamp is back and so is Florida Football as the Gators take on the Florida Atlantic Owls under the lights to open the 2021 season on Saturday night. The return to full capacity also brings some exciting changes to the Gators game-day experience.
JOIN IN ON ALL THE PREGAME FUN
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., and fans are encouraged to wear white and show up early for all the festivities around the stadium that return this season. Tailgating, Gator Walk Village and Gators Fan Fest set the tone for the action in the Swamp. For more on game day, pregame activities, click HERE.
Once in the stadium, fans can enjoy connectivity with #GatorsWIFI, watch another game on the video scoreboards and make sure they are in place for all of the pre-game activities – Mr. Two Bits, the mascot entrance and team entrance.
The Gators food patio on the West side of the stadium will continue to provide additional concession options for our fans that include Tijuana Flats, 4 Rivers Smokehouse and Chick-fil-A. Additional concessions areas have been added in the North end of the stadium near the two helixes that will alleviate lines and congestion in the main bowl.
West University Avenue, adjacent to Gator Walk Village, will feature the following food trucks prior to the home opener. The trucks will open three hours before kickoff.
- Kona Ice
- Monsta Lobsta
- B'z Gelati
- Big Lee's BBQ
- Mayflower Cellars
- The Villages Papa Pineapples
- Chili Wagon
- Huck's Grill Shack
A NEW CONVENIENT WAY TO ENTER BEN HILL GRIFFIN STADIUM
After enjoying all the sights and sounds pregame, fans will now have a new way to enter Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. To improve security, reduce the risk of ticket fraud and improve fan convenience, all tickets for Florida Gators athletic events can be accessed through a mobile device. To learn how to access your mobile tickets, watch how easy it is for the Head Ball Coach and Albert in a video HERE. Fans can also visit the mobile ticketing guide for more information.
COMMEMORATE YOUR TIME AT THE SWAMP
For those fans that want to immortalize their time at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, commemorative tickets are now available for order. The exclusive pieces of 2021 Gators history feature a unique photo from each 2021 home game, section/row/seat information, and the date, time, and opponent of the game on a 3-by-7 inches metallic foil print. Commemorative tickets are available for purchase through the Florida Gators app under the Gameday Hub or the Tickets tab. Fans can also secure their 2021 Gators commemorative tickets HERE.
PARKING ON GAME DAY MADE EASY WITH WAZE
To navigate your way around all the excitement around the stadium on game days, the University Athletic Association has customized theWaze Traffic Appfor Game Day, including restricted on-campus streets, parking lot availability, proper parking lot entrances, and the best route to your desired parking location.
Select a lot from your mobile device or desktop computer, and theWaze Appwill provide the best-available route to the entrance of the destination.
LOT NUMBER CHANGES
Fans are encouraged to arrive early for all the pregame activities starting 3 hours prior to kickoff, no vehicular traffic will be allowed until the end of the game on the following roads:
- Gale Lemerand Drive between University Avenue and Stadium Road.
- Stadium Road from Gale Lemerand Drive and Fletcher Drive.
- University Avenue between Gale Lemerand Drive and Northwest 17th Street (Buckman Dr.).
Construction around campus, including the state-of-the-art James W. "Bill" Heavener Football Training Center, have also caused some road closures around the stadium this season.
New in 2021: Campus Roads closed due to construction
- Union Road from SW 13th Street.
- Museum Road from Newell Drive to McCarty Drive.
- Access into campus at the intersection of Newell Drive at West University Avenue (West of Library West) is also closed due to construction.
Campus Access (three hours prior kickoff):
- If entering campus through the intersection of Buckman Drive and West University Avenue, you will need a parking pass.
- Access into campus at the intersection of 13th Street and 2nd Avenue (going onto Union Road toward Plaza of the Americas) is closed due to construction.
- You can only access campus through 13th Street and Museum Road if you have parking passes for lots 12 or 104.
- There will be no game-day traffic allowed into campus through Newell Drive and Archer Road (East of UF Health Shands Hospital).
- Museum Drive from Hull Road, in addition to Radio Road from Southwest 34th Street, onto Museum Road will close and become a shuttle lane three hours before kickoff.
- In order to access Gale Lemerand Drive north of Museum Road, you will need a barricade pass starting four hours before the game. Barricade passes are provided to boosters parking in lots 21, 25, 26 and N.
Limited number of lots that are not reserved are available on a first-come, first-served basis. These lots fill up quickly. Parking on the grass and sidewalks is NOT permitted and any vehicles doing so are at risk of being towed.
For more information regarding game-day parking, include RV parking and lot identification, click HERE.
SHUTTLES
As public parking lots are very limited around the stadium, fans can take advantage of the available shuttles. Game ride tickets can be purchased using the PASSPORT Transit app (App Store|Google Play) in advance, or on the day of the game using a credit card. Tickets can also be at Park and Ride locations the day of game with cash only. For more information regarding shuttle, click HERE.
STAYING COOL AND HYDRATED
The environment at the Swamp can provide a unique advantage on the field. But in the stands, it is important for fans to remain cool and hydrated. With high temperatures expected during the early part of the season, heat initiatives will be in place for the first four home games, including misting stations located throughout Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, free cups of ice and cooling busses outside Gates 2 and 13. Fans are permitted to bring one commercially branded empty plastic water bottle, no larger than 20 oz. There are several water bottle filling stations inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Hydration Stations are 125 gallon self-serving water dispensers attended by dedicated staff to assist with sanitation. This complimentary option improves hydration for our guests and helps reduce plastic bottle waste. For more information regarding hydration and cooling initiatives, click HERE.
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