At the UK football stadium, it’s now Kroger all over

The University of Kentucky’s football stadium received a finishing touch Wednesday in its rebranding as Kroger Field. Five-foot letters were fixed into place on the south side of the stadium to match lettering already in place on the structure’s northern entrance. The partnership linking the University of Kentucky and the grocery chain was announced in May as a 12 year arrangement. For the 44 years since its construction in 1973, the venue was known as Commonwealth Stadium to Kentuckians and fans of Southeastern Conference Football. Kentucky is the first school in the SEC to go corporate with its football stadium naming rights, but not the first nationally or even the first in the state. The University of Louisville has Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium and Western Kentucky University plays at the Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium.

This story was originally published July 26, 2017 at 8:00 PM with the headline "At the UK football stadium, it’s now Kroger all over."