A UK game in the UK? Calipari raises possibility, Barnhart reacts.

While attending the Southeastern Conference Spring Meetings in Destin, Fla., reporter Darrell Bird of The Cats Pause drew attention by tweeting Wednesday that Kentucky Coach John Calipari had told him that he (Calipari) had been contacted about the Wildcats playing a game in London during the 2020-21 season.

“Update your passports . . . ,” Bird tweeted. “Can’t reveal possible foe. But it’s a good one.”

UK spokesman Eric Lindsey, who is not attending the spring meetings, described Calipari’s mentioning a future game in London as “just a thought of his. Nothing more at this point.”

A question about Kentucky possibly playing in London caught Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart by surprise.

“First I heard about it,” Barnhart told Jimmy Hyams of Knoxville radio station Sports Animal WNML.

A moment later, Barnhart added, “People contact us all the time about playing places. We’ve not finalized our schedule yet.”

When Hyams suggested a game in London would be exciting, Barnhart said, “We’ll have to see the details of that.”

Barnhart also added that “local and home is real important to me right now.”

This story was originally published May 29, 2019 at 7:01 PM.