Rupp Arena
Rupp Arena is a basketball arena in Lexington, Kentucky, home of the Kentucky Wildcats (SEC, NCAA Division I). It opened in 1976, making it 50 years old in 2026 and seats 20,545 for basketball. That makes it the 5th-largest arena in D-I.
Its record crowd is 24,480 vs. Louisville (2010). Women at Memorial Coliseum. The closest NBA arena is Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, about 151 miles away.
Arena facts
- Location
- Lexington, Kentucky
- Home of
- Kentucky Wildcats
- School
- University of Kentucky
- Conference
- SEC
- Opened
- 1976
- Capacity
- 20,545
- Record crowd
- 24,480 vs. Louisville (2010)
- Also home to
- Kentucky women's basketball (select games)
KHSAA boys' Sweet Sixteen - Size rank in D-I
- 5th of 360
Famous games at Rupp Arena
- Nov. 27, 1976: Kentucky opened Rupp Arena with a 72-64 win over Wisconsin.
- April 1, 1985: Villanova upset Georgetown 66-64 to win the national title at the Final Four held in Rupp.
- Dec. 21, 2009: An 88-44 win over Drexel made Kentucky the first college program to reach 2,000 wins.
- Jan. 2, 2010: A Rupp-record crowd of 24,480 watched Kentucky beat Louisville 71-62.
- Jan. 28, 2017: No. 2 Kansas rallied past No. 4 Kentucky 79-73 as the crowd hit a Guinness-measured 126.4 decibels.
Game night
Tradition. Students stand in the "eRUPPtion Zone" behind one basket in the lower bowl.
Seating & views at Rupp Arena
Rupp seats 20,545 for basketball. A 2019 renovation put chairback seats in about half of the upper bowl, which had been all bleachers and once squeezed in more than 24,000 fans. Students stand in the eRUPPtion Zone, a standing area in the lower bowl behind one basket. There are no luxury suites.
Parking & tailgating at Rupp Arena
Rupp is downtown inside the Central Bank Center, not on campus. Lots open at noon on game days whatever the tip time. Public parking is first come, first served in the West High Street lots, with more than 10,000 spaces within a 10-minute walk (see LexPark). Some events offer prepaid parking via ParkWhiz, and lots take cards or mobile pay, not cash. Rideshare uses Main Street in front of the convention center. Donor permits go through the K Fund.
Plan your trip to Rupp Arena
Arenas near Rupp Arena10
- 1D-IBaptist Health Arena — Eastern Kentucky Colonels 22 mi
- 2D-IEllis Johnson Arena — Morehead State Eagles 58 mi
- 3D-IKFC Yum! Center — Louisville Cardinals 67 mi
- 4D-IKnights Hall — Bellarmine Knights 67 mi
- 5D-ITruist Arena — Northern Kentucky Norse 67 mi
- 6D-IFifth Third Arena — Cincinnati Bearcats 79 mi
- 7D-ICintas Center — Xavier Musketeers 79 mi
- 8D-IMillett Hall — Miami RedHawks 103 mi
- 9D-ICam Henderson Center — Marshall Thundering Herd 119 mi
- 10D-IUniversity of Dayton Arena — Dayton Flyers 120 mi
Questions about Rupp Arena
Where do the Kentucky Wildcats play home games?
The Kentucky Wildcats play at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
How many people does Rupp Arena hold?
Rupp Arena seats 20,545 for basketball.
When did Rupp Arena open?
Rupp Arena opened in 1976.
What is the attendance record at Rupp Arena?
The record crowd at Rupp Arena is 24,480 vs. Louisville (2010).
What other arenas are near Rupp Arena?
Baptist Health Arena in Richmond is about 22 miles away. See the full list of nearby arenas on this page.
Facts are for the 2026–27 season. Distances are straight-line miles between city centers. Capacity figures vary by source. See something wrong? Let us know. Is this your arena? Get the “Listed on Hoops Arenas” badge for your website.