What You Need to Know for the Employee Kickoff Celebration
Where and when to get tickets, park
With Duke football’s season opener just days away, Duke faculty and staff have snatched up thousands of free tickets as part of the Employee Kickoff Celebration that takes place before and during the Aug. 30 game against Elon University.
So far, just over 16,000 tickets have been requested, and employees can continue to register for up to four tickets until noon Saturday. Employee Kickoff festivities, which include a catered meal, inflatable games and face art, start at 3 p.m. in Krzyzewskiville outside Card Gymnasium. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.
Read MoreAs faculty and staff prepare for this year’s event and the beginning of the new football season, here are a few important things to know for this weekend’s game:
Before gameday
Employees can pick up tickets early three days this week at the North Gate Ticket Booth outside Wallace Wade Stadium on Whitford Drive, across from Cameron Indoor Stadium. A valid DukeCard is necessary and temporary parking will be available next to the North Gate Ticket Booth in Cameron Circle.
If faculty and staff choose to pick up their tickets early, they will not be able to access the Employee Kickoff catered meal on gameday. Employees who do pick up their tickets at the game and not early will have access to the meal.
Early pick up times by Wallace Wade are:
- Aug. 26, 7 to 9 a.m.
- Aug. 27, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Aug. 28, 4 to 6 p.m.
Gameday
Parking lots will be open for fans starting at 2 p.m. and are free only for Duke employees who present a valid 2015 Duke parking permit. DukeCards cannot be used to access free parking.
Otherwise, parking costs $10 cash. No other form of payment is accepted. Duke Raleigh Hospital and Duke Regional Hospital parking pass holders will be required to pay the $10 parking fee.
To make it easier for fans to get to the game, Duke Parking and Transportation Services will run shuttles from off-site public parking lots, where employees are encouraged to park. Shuttles will travel between the H Lot and PGI to the Chapel Drive circle, in front of Duke Chapel.
Shuttles will run from 2 to 10 p.m. (or until one hour after the game) every 15 to 20 minutes, depending on traffic flow. Pick-up locations will be the intersections of Flowers Drive-Yearby Avenue and Flowers and Trent drives. The drop-off location will be the intersection of Flowers and Trent drives.
Additional public parking will be available in the Chemistry and Circuit Drive lots, but these lots will not include shuttle service. General public parking for persons with disabilities will be located in the B-2, B-4 and B-7 portions of the Blue Zone. Accessible lift-equipped vans will be available for individuals needing wheelchair lift assistance.
Additional game day information - including directions, parking guidelines and more - with Duke Athletics' "A-Z Gameday Guide."
Where and when to find tickets
Once employees and their guests arrive at Krzyzewskiville, they’ll have two ways of picking up tickets. Both require a valid DukeCard ID.
If stopping to eat at the catered meal, faculty and staff can pick up their free tickets while in line for food. Staff will scan DukeCards and receive up to four tickets per group. Employees and their guests can then enter the catering tent for food one time. There is no re-entry once a group leaves the food and drink area.
Employees who are also season ticket holders cannot enter the tent unless they’ve requested entry through the ticket registration process. Only an employee and up to three guests can enter using the free Employee Kickoff tickets. No other form of entry is allowed.
Ticket distribution at the food tent runs from 3 to 5:30 p.m.
If employees don’t plan to eat, faculty and staff can head directly to a ticket-only table set up in Krzyzewskiville, next to Cameron Indoor Stadium. Staff will scan DukeCards and receive tickets to enter Wallace Wade Stadium.
Ticket distribution at the ticket-only table will run from 3 p.m. through the end of the game’s first quarter.
After Gameday
Keep on cheering the Blue Devils
After free admission to Saturday’s game, employees can continue attending Duke games with discounted tickets.
Duke faculty and staff can purchase season tickets at Wallace Wade Stadium for $110 per ticket. That's more than half off the regular $250 season ticket price for seven home games.
In addition to a special price, all reserved employee seats are in sections 3 to 10, which span the middle of the field between each 20-yard line. As an added benefit, all employee season ticket holders receive stadium chairback seats.
Faculty and staff can purchase discounted tickets by calling (919) 681-2583 or visiting the Duke Athletics Ticket Office in Cameron Indoor Stadium.