If you’re going to be at Kroger Field this Saturday for UK football’s home opener against EKU, you’re going to want to leave your handbags and fanny packs at home or in your vehicle.

The new Clear Bag Policy will be enforced by all UK Athletic Event Staff workers that are stationed at security gates. All 14 teams in the SEC have been required to adopt this new policy to ensure the safety of all of the fans that enter their stadiums.

The new policy is actually quite simple. Fans may bring a 12” x 6” x 12” completely clear bag with them into the stadium. This bag will not be allowed to have any sort of cloth or fabric on the bottom, sides or top of it. It needs to be 100 percent see through. Clear plastic baggies that are not bigger than one-gallon are acceptable as well.

In addition to the clear bag, fans will also be permitted to carry a clutch style hand bag that does not exceed 4.5” x 6.5”.

Director of Strategic Communications for UK Athletics Guy Ramsey described the reactions from fans when hearing about this new policy as overall pretty positive.

“Generally speaking people seem to be good with it. They understand why we’re doing it and it makes sense,” Ramsey said. “It’s for fans safety and to get people in (the stadium) quickly and safely.” 

Although a few SEC schools like LSU enforced this policy last season, this will be UK’s first time executing it, and the UK Athletics staff is asking for patience this Saturday.

“I think the first thing to bear in mind is that just as this is a new policy for fans it’s a new policy for us too,” Ramsey said. “I think you’ll see us improve as the season goes on.”

Clear bags are available for purchase at the UK Bookstore and online on Amazon.

If you arrive to the stadium without a clear bag and you have personal belongings that you need to keep with you, Guest Services at Kroger Field will have a limited amount of clear bags that they will be handing out to fans.

For more information and specific details about this new policy you may visit UKathletics.com/clearbag.