By Joshua Qualls

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Many tailgaters were displaced on the first day of UK’s football season Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium by unfinished renovations, lack of space and the K Fund Priority Points System.

“There’s 61,000 seats and 15,000 parking spots,” said Casey Bright, a UK alum from Lexington. “So the math’s just not there for it.”

Bright said he chose to spend his first time tailgating off the beaten path in a grassy area next to the Behavioral Science Building because of the stadium renovations, on-campus construction and price.

“I know it’s for a good cause,” said Bright, who has a spot reserved in Red Lot for when the renovations are completed. “So I’m not really frustrated with it too much.”

Jason Cornett, a UK fan from Bell County, said his spot was relocated but he had no idea why.

“I assumed it was because of the construction,” Cornett said. “(We’re) not happy but still glad that we have a parking pass.”

Lewis Wolfe from Georgetown, an avid UK Athletics fan, said he was relocated from White Lot to Yellow Lot this year after another relocation last year because of the K Fund Priority Points System.

“There’s a K Fund ranking that allows you better proximity by donating more to the K Fund,” said Wolfe, who also said the incomplete renovations to Commonwealth Stadium may have affected where they were able to park. “Since we’re lower on the hierarchy we (were) moved farther from the stadium.”

Wolfe said he and his family were separated from people who they have tailgated with for a very long time, but they weren’t too upset about it because they still have a parking spot and it’s close enough to the stadium.

Tammy Belcher from Georgetown, Ky., said she and her husband George were affected by the renovations and parking pass changes and it was a little inconvenient but they didn’t mind.

“Everybody knew where we were before,” Belcher said. “So now we have to try to explain where we’ve been moved to.”