The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
08.31.2021 | Forty Acres Insider
Important news happening in and around Texas Athletics compiled by Vice President and Athletics Director Chris Del Conte. [<a href="http://texassports.com/archives.aspx?path=forty_acres_insider">Forty Acres Insider archives</a>]
Longhorn Nation,
The fun has arrived! It's game week and we're so excited to welcome everyone to the Biggest Longhorn Family Reunion ever on Saturday at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium! All of the Texas Traditions you love are back, including Bevo XV, Texas Cheer and Pom, the Longhorn Band, Big Bertha, Hook 'Em, Smokey the Cannon, and the World's Largest Texas Flag. And, we can't wait to officially usher in the Coach Sark era and his All Gas, No Brakes style of play. Our Longhorns have been puttin' the pedal to the medal for months and trust me, they can't wait to charge out through our spectacular new south end zone and onto Campbell-Williams Field to the cheers of a packed house of Longhorn fanatics. That imposing SEZ encloses our stadium bowl for the first time in its history, and it's going to be such a loud and raucous home field advantage! I can't wait.
For all the latest updates leading up to gameday, check out our Gameday HQ page!
Now, let's talk about all of the fun things that make Texas gamedays the best gameday experience in the land. Bevo Blvd presented by H-E-B, Longhorn City Limits, and Smokey's Midway return bigger and better than ever! In addition, we can't wait for you to check out our latest tailgating destination, we call it our Hook 'Em Hangout. Located in Winship Circle on the northwest side of the stadium, choose from 10 of Austin's best food trucks, quench your thirst at a new beer garden that features a wide variety of beers on tap that will be served off our appropriately named new draft beer truck, Big Beertha, and catch up on all the best games around the country on five huge screens. Talk about everything's bigger in Texas, well, you want it, we got it!
Soaring down Bevo Blvd on a zip line
All the action begins at 11 a.m. and admission is FREE, zilch, nada, for all of our pregame experiences. We're also bringing Happy Hour pricing back for these areas. That means $5 domestic and $6 premium beers up until 3 p.m. at Bevo Blvd, Longhorn City Limits, Smokey's Midway, and Hook 'Em Hangout.
On Bevo Blvd presented by H-E-B, we've got a plethora of activities for you to enjoy topped off by the spectacular unveiling of a 180-foot zip line! Yes, zip around and take in all the sights, sounds and smells of Longhorn gameday! Plenty of other new activities await you as well, including the Hook 'Em Ring (a giant-sized version of "Ring on a string"), H-E-B's End Zone Dance-Off, Field Goal Challenge, and live mural activations from three of Austin's best street artists. You'll want to set those phone alarms for 12:30 p.m. to welcome Bevo back to DKR during the Bevo Parade presented by Texas Farm Bureau Insurance and then again at 1:15 p.m. for the Stadium Stampede when Coach Sark and the team arrive. They tested it out last week, loved it, and I can't wait to see all of our passionate and fired-up fans back on Bevo Blvd to greet our team and for these awesome moments.
For our little Longhorns (ages 7-12), Hook 'Em Herd, the pregame fun run on the field, is back! Come out early and head over to the Hook 'Em Herd sign up tent on Bevo Blvd across from Gate 6 to sign up while spots remain. We'll have FREE shirts for all those little ones that sign up!
Shakey Graves and Sir Woman highlight Longhorn City Limits
Over at Longhorn City Limits on the LBJ Lawn, live music returns to the Forty Acres. Home is Where the Horns Are, and what better way to kick off the season as Austin's own Shakey Graves headlines the first edition of LCL. Before that, we're proud to have rising artist Sir Woman hit the stage. Fans ages 21 and over can enjoy all the LCL festivities from the Deep Eddy Lounge, featuring craft cocktails. It's twice as big, double the fun and two times the shade this go around too! We're also bringing Stubb's BBQ back to the LBJ Lawn. I can't think of anything more synonymous with a great tailgate than live music, mouth-watering BBQ and tasty cold beverages!
And remember silent disco? We're bringing that back to LCL postgame where you can choose between three DJ's on your own pair of headphones. It's always a highlight of mine to check out.
Smokey's Midway returns bigger and better!
Now let's talk about Smokey's Midway, our State Fair of Texas-inspired destination on the north side of the stadium. If you haven't heard by now, we've added a new 45-foot Ferris wheel right in the dadgum middle of the action! We're also bringing a Pirate Ship ride, the AG Hi-Striker where fans can go head-to-head against Austin's own major league rugby players, Longhorn-branded inflatables, and other rotating activities such as the Rodeo Roper. And even better, all the carnival games and attractions are FREE!
A Selection As Big As Texas
Looking to gear up on gameday? We've been working hard with our partners to bring you largest assortment of Longhorns gear ever at the new "A Selection As Big As Texas" Pop-Up Shop featuring unique product rotating each game. Check it out outside Gate 8 on Bevo Blvd.
Getting to the game
We've worked with our campus and city partners to provide more gameday parking and transportation options including six public garage/surface lot options, a new airport style Rideshare drop-off pickup location north of the stadium along Dean Keeton, dedicated ADA shuttles from East Campus Garage to Dean Keeton/Robert Dedman, and more!
Fan Services and COVID-19 recommendations
We've also enhanced our Fan Services presence by adding new exterior kiosks, adjusting golf cart routes to all of our stadium block checkpoints, adding new and improved gate communication operations, and more. As added fan service for those wanting a vaccine, HEB's pharmacy will have a free Covid-19 vaccination clinic on Bevo Blvd near 21st Street, plus fans who choose to show their vaccine cards at the marketing tent between gates 4 and 5 will receive a concessions voucher from 1883 Provisions good for a free 20 oz bottle of water, regular fountain drink or a box of popcorn. Additionally, masks are recommended inside DKR-TMS and will be available for fans wishing to take one at each gate entry of the stadium.
And that's all outside of the stadium! Let's hit on the action inside DKR.
Frank Denius University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame reopens!
While enjoying all the fun on Smokey's Midway, head over to Gate 14 or 16 and check out the grand reopening of the Frank Denius Family University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame. This area will be open to all fans with a game ticket from 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Mobile Ticketing
For the second year, we are implementing mobile ticketing with required entry gates to help alleviate congestion and wait times. Please download and save your mobile ticket to your smartphone's digital wallet prior to coming to the game. Learn more how to download, manage, access, or transfer your tickets.
Cashless Transactions
We've also moved to cashless transactions at all of our merchandise and concession locations. For our fans who don't carry or use credit or debit cards, we have cash-to-card kiosks available for you outside Sections 7, 28, and 114.
Fan First Pricing returns!
We've been working hard with our partners at 1883 Provisions Co. on our Fan First Pricing Menu. That's over 15 of our most popular concessions items at an average discount of 30% all game long! Whether you're looking for soft drinks, bottled water, hot dogs, Earl Campbell sausage wraps, or a Texas-sized corn dog, we've got you covered. We're also bringing in new and exciting vendors such as Lucy's Fried Chicken, Antone's PoBoy Sandwiches, Ben's Soft Pretzels, and more! Liquor will also be available at select locations including the new Deep Eddy Deep End inside the Gate 8 plaza.
Action-packed pregame show featuring Campbell-Williams Field dedication
Make sure and get to your seats by 3:10 p.m. to enjoy the triumphant return of the Showband of the Southwest! During pregame, we will formally honor Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams, our two Longhorn legends and Heisman trophy winners, as we officially dedicate Campbell-Williams Field. What a tremendous gesture by the Jamail family to honor their father Joe's friends, Earl and Ricky, by renaming the field where they both ran to greatness. It will be an awesome moment!
Celebrate Champions at halftime
At halftime, we will also recognize our 2020-21 Big 12 Championship and National Championship teams as well as all of our student-athletes for winning the Learfield Directors' Cup.
How to get tickets this season
If you still don't have your tickets for this Saturday, it's not too late to snag those single-game tickets, 3-game mini plans, and season tickets. And as a reminder on season ticket purchasers, this is the final season to lock in your annual seat-related gifts for life. Your season ticket purchases not only guarantee you are part of every thrilling moment at DKR, it's also an investment in Texas Athletics. Those dollars play a key role in supporting all of our sports teams and allowing us to compete at the highest level!
Welcome to the Forty Acres Sarah Baumgartner!
In closing, and as we head into our first Football weekend, I do want to send a BIG Texas welcome and an emphatic Hook 'Em to our newest member of our executive team, Sarah Baumgartner. Sarah is a rock star, the absolute best, and we're thrilled to have her in our Longhorn Family. She's already making us better, but here's to an official welcome aboard to Sarah!
It's almost here, my friends. It's a great time to be a Longhorn and I appreciate all of you and your support so much. Can't wait to see y'all on Saturday!
Hook 'Em Horns,
Chris Del Conte
P.S. — What a blast it was being back at Gregory and cheering on our Horns to a pair of dominant Volleyball victories over the weekend. It was great seeing all of you and thanks for the reminder of why The Greg is so awesome! And, what a week we have this ahead with our Horns traveling to No. 7 Minnesota for a Wednesday night match (7 p.m. CT/Big 10 Network) and then it's back in the Greg on Sunday to face No. 21 Stanford Cardinal (1 p.m. CT/LHN).
P.S. II — Hope you had a chance to catch part one of the LHN three-part series on the 2005 National Championship team. It was extraordinary. If you missed it, don't fret, it re-airs before part two tonight and part three is set for Wednesday. Grab your popcorn, settle in and enjoy!
