With 50 days to go until the start of the 2025-26 college basketball regular season, UK Athletics has announced a season-long celebration for the 50th season of Kentucky basketball playing inside Rupp Arena.
Since opening in 1976, Rupp Arena has been home to four NCAA Championship-winning teams, 10 Final Fours, 22 SEC regular-season crowns, and countless other wonderful memories.
“Rupp Arena is sacred ground in college basketball,” said head coach Mark Pope in a press release. “To be part of the 50th season in this building, where so many legends have played and so many memories have been made, it’s incredibly humbling. We’re excited to honor the past, while building toward the future.”
The milestone season will honor that rich history with a series of in-venue celebrations, social media throwbacks, and special broadcast programming through the UK Sports Network.
“This is more than a milestone, it’s a celebration of the bond between a team, a venue and a fanbase unlike any other,” said UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart in a press release. “We’re proud to partner with Rupp Arena and Central Bank Center to honor the legacy of Kentucky basketball and the Big Blue Nation.”
Throughout the 2025–26 season, UK will have various tributes to the program’s storied history, including highlight reels, commemorative content, and special recognitions during home games.
“We are thrilled to celebrate 50 seasons of Kentucky basketball at Rupp Arena,” said Brian Sipe, General Manager of Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center, in a press release. “This arena has been the backdrop for some of the greatest moments in college basketball history, and we look forward to making this season one to remember.”
Hopefully, this season will produce plenty of other great Rupp Arena moments!