Fans’ Feedback Spurs Improved Autzen Stadium Ammenities

EUGENE – Despite entering the 2014 football season riding a string of 96 consecutive sellouts, the Ducks want their fans to know they don’t intend to rest on their laurels.

Oregon has attracted more than 400,000 fans to Autzen Stadium over each of the past three seasons for the first time in school history – but the Ducks think they can do better.

Addressing that belief, the Oregon Athletics Department commissioned several studies since the start of last season, with the fans’ feedback playing a vital role in several upgrades inside one of the most exhilarating college football venues in the country as the Ducks kickoff their 48th season with Saturday’s season opener vs. South Dakota.

Kickoff for the contest is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Heading one of the most notable improvements is a new digital scoreboard at the east end of Autzen Stadium, designed to offer fans in the stadium’s west end and adjacent corners some of the same enjoyment that fans in other parts of the stadium experienced from the west-end DuckVision. The new scoreboard will include a video element that will display replays and other technological advances designed to enhance fans’ game-day experience.

In addition, more than 150 flat screen HD monitors have been implemented in public areas along the stadium concourse to help keep fans updated to what is going on inside the stadium while they are utilizing concession stands and restroom facilities.

In an effort to add to the culinary options along the north side of the stadium, as many as four food trucks will be introduced at the lower concourse inside the Autzen perimeter which will provide sliders, wraps, sandwiches and tacos. The menus at the conventional concession stands along the concourse will also feature upgraded food items such as a Mighty Duck bacon corndog in the Sausage stands (near sections 28 and 34), barbecue sliders, macaroni and cheese, and coleslaw in the Barbeque stands (near sections 24 and 38), a black bean burger with a gluten free bun option in the burger stands (sections 22,29, 33 and 38), as well as a vegetarian sandwich and soup to deli stands (near sections 26 and 36).

“Oregon fans are the best in college sports,” Oregon Athletics Director Rob Mullens said. “With a renewed focus on the fan experience, we are pleased to provide upgrades at Autzen Stadium, which were largely based on fan feedback.  We will continue to identify opportunities to provide the best atmosphere in college football.”

Additional upgrades will include new electric trams to help ease the navigation of disabled and senior patrons inside the stadium, as well a continued study of  the stadium’s sound system to better enhance the audio quality inside Autzen Stadium.

The Ducks will continue promoting an emphasis on sportsmanship that will allow all fans an opportunity to enjoy an unparalleled game-day experience.

• The east Autzen Stadium parking lot will open four hours prior to kickoff per city ordinance, with fans discouraged from arriving early and idling along Martin Luther King Blvd. Overnight parking is not available.
• Independent parking vendors are subject to their own hours of operation.
• Perimeter gates surrounding Autzen Stadium, which includes access into the Moshofsky Center, will open three hours prior to kickoff (*with the exception of the East Gate), as will the ticket office near the stadium’s main entrance on the south side.
• The East Gate will open 90 minutes prior to kickoff to assist with the visiting teams’ movement in the vicinity of their locker room.
• The football team’s March to Victory will commence approximately 2 hours, 30 minutes prior to the start of each home game, commencing near the front entrance of the Athletic Department’s Hatfield-Dowlin Complex before entering the west end of the Moshofsky Center and emerging out the east end near Autzen Stadium. Team members will then walk between the stadium and the east end of the Casanova Center before heading west to their locker room.
• Fans will be allowed into the stadium’s seating areas 90 minutes prior to kickoff.
• The University’s ban of the use of all tobacco products on property owned or controlled by the University of Oregon again will include inside as well as the surrounding vicinity of Autzen Stadium.
• Bags and backpacks will be permitted inside the stadium upon inspection by security personnel at points of entry. Factory sealed non-alcoholic beverages and empty plastic containers also will be allowed. Partially filled containers, vacuum or insulated containers and thermoses will not be permitted into the stadium.
• Patrons will be asked to empty contents of non-sealed containers before stadium entry is allowed.
• Courtesy transportation for disabled and senior patrons will be available via trams from the lower concourse of the stadium, beginning three hours before kickoff and from 30 minutes to one hour following the conclusion of the game.
• Unacceptable behavior on the part of spectators may result in expulsion from the facility and a revocation of future ticket privileges. Season ticket holders are responsible for the behavior of others using their tickets.
•  As per Pac-12 Conference rules and for the safety of players, coaches and game officials, spectators will not be allowed field access until 5 minutes after the conclusion of the game.

The University will continue the policy pertaining to the size of stadium seats, stadium chairs and/or seat cushions fans will be allowed to bring into any facility that serves as a site for intercollegiate athletic competition, limiting the size to a maximum of 17.5 inches wide by 13.5 inches deep . The height of seat backs may not exceed 19 inches while seat cushions may not exceed four inches in height and seat back cushions may not exceed four inches in depth.

Fans are encouraged to enjoy the plaza area between the Casanova Center and the new Football Performance Center before and after each game, however there will be no public access into either facility on game days.

Seat backs may be rented inside Autzen Stadium for $6 per game.

Spectators are again urged to take advantage of alternative means of transportation to and from all games, or take advantage of opportunities to park near the University campus and walk to the games across the Autzen Footbridge.

Secured bicycle parking will again be available for each home game for only $1 per bicycle. The Duck Pen will open three hours prior to kickoff and close one hour after the game. Proceeds collected from bicycle parking will be donated to various children’s charities throughout Lane County.

LTD will provide shuttle service via the Autzen Express, with buses beginning service four hours before kickoff and running approximately every 10-20 minutes from eight Park & Ride locations. Return trips will be available only during halftime and for 60 minutes following the conclusion of the game.

Round trip bus fare (cash only) is $3.50 for adults (19-64) and $1.75 for youth (6-18) and seniors (65 and older), which represents a reduction from the $6 fare from a year ago. All fares will be collected at the Park & Ride locations and will not be accepted for return trips only. All valid LTD passes and 10-Ride tickets also will be accepted.

Autzen Express Season Passes can be purchased for a reduced rate of $17.50 and $8.75 at the Eugene Station’s customer service center or online at shop.ltd.org, and are good for all seven regular-season home games.

The Park-and-Ride Locations are as follows:

• LTD Eugene Station (Bay I)
• Lane County Fairgrounds (13th & Jackson)
• South Eugene High School (19th & Patterson)
• Valley River Center (Northwest parking lot)
• LTD River Road Station (River Road & Beltline)
• LTD Springfield Station (355 South A Street)
• Symantec (555 International Way)
• Thurston High School (333 59th Street)