June 24, 2010
Updated Aug. 30, 2010

Watch Video on Gameday Access: Video Link

BERKELEY - When Golden Bear fans return to campus this fall for the 2010 football season, they can expect to see a tremendous amount of progress in Strawberry Canyon, with construction on both the Student-Athlete High Performance Center and the Memorial Stadium renovation well underway.

For the most complete information on how to enjoy your gameday experience, visit CalBears.com/Gameday. In addition, to help maintain a family-friendly environment at Memorial Stadium, we ask that all visitors abide by the Fan Code of Conduct.

Work on the SAHPC, which will support football and 12 other intercollegiate programs on a daily basis, is about 60 percent complete and is on target to open in September 2011, while the retrofit and restoration of the west side of Memorial Stadium began in earnest in early June and is expected to be finished in time for the 2012 season opener.

As a result of these projects, a number of changes affecting gameday activities and access in and around Memorial Stadium will be readily apparent to fans when they attend Cal football games this fall. Because of these modifications, fans are encouraged to arrive early to ensure they are able to be seated prior to the start of games. Gates will open two hours before kickoff.

For the most part, fans will enter and exit the stadium in a similar fashion to 2009. As was the case last season, a three-color diagram of Memorial Stadium has been created to help fans find their correct gate (see below). Patrons are requested to enter and exit through the gates that correspond with their section color. To assist in the process, the recommended gate will be printed on each ticket. In addition to having maps posted around the outside of the stadium, Athletic Department representatives will be stationed around campus on gamedays to provide directions, distribute maps and answer any questions.

One of the most significant improvements for 2010 will be evident just outside the west side of Memorial Stadium where patrons will be able to access portions of the roof of the SAHPC to reach their sections, with a continuous path from north to south. Last year, elevated walkways above the construction zone offered limited means to walk along the side of the stadium and did not provide a clear route from one end of Memorial Stadium to the other. Once the SAHPC is complete, the entire roof of the facility will serve as a gameday plaza.

In addition, fans will notice a series of large temporary steel braces along the outer wall of Memorial Stadium that will help support the structure once major construction begins after the current season. These braces, which run to the top of the stadium wall, are large enough to allow patrons to walk beneath them along the roof of the SAHPC.

Click here for a Printable Memorial Stadium Map

Entering Memorial Stadium
Fans with tickets in Sections A-G and W-XX (light blue) should enter from the north side through Gates 1 and 2 near Maxwell Family Field, site of the FunZone pregame tailgate party and the gameday ticket booths. Fans in Sections GG-N (dark blue) should enter on the south end at Gates 5, 6 or 7. The easiest entry for those in Sections NN-V (yellow) is via Gates 8, 9 and 10 on the east side of the stadium.

Exiting Memorial Stadium
In most cases, fans should exit through the same gate they entered. Patrons in the yellow sections will be redirected to leave the stadium through all available East Rim gates and exit along Stadium Rimway in lieu of using the outer stairwells. In addition, fans located in the lower rows on the west side of the stadium are requested to walk onto the field once the teams have entered their respective locker rooms and exit through the north or south tunnels.

Inside Memorial Stadium
Early preparation for the renovation of Memorial Stadium, which began in June, also includes interior demolition of the offices, Hall of Fame Room, weight room and sports medicine room. The home and visiting locker rooms will remain, as will all restrooms inside the stadium and the three primary concession stands on the west concourse, at the north end and at the south end.

Due to the demolition, Cal Athletics anticipates having additional space on the mezzanine level available for fan circulation and additional support, such as portable restrooms, concessions and merchandise stands.

While construction is taking place, the football staff and others who have worked in the stadium have been moved to temporary facilities, primarily atop the Witter Field Parking Lot just east of Memorial Stadium.

Shuttle & Bus Service
Continuous shuttle service that services the Downtown Berkeley BART Station and makes stops at campus parking lots and at select locations around the campus perimeter will continue this season, beginning three hours prior to kickoff. Due to increased costs, there will now be a charge of $1 to use the shuttle.

AC Transit will provide extended service from University Avenue and Fourth Street, as well as from the Rockridge BART Station beginning three hours prior to kickoff and for approximately one-and-a-half hours after each game.

Disabled Permit Parking
Witter Lot (Centennial Road) will be used exclusively for patrons who use wheelchairs. The spaces have access from Stadium Rim Way up until three hours prior to game time (when Stadium Rim Way closes to vehicular traffic) or at any time via Grizzly Peak/Centennial Way. Once the road is closed, it will not re-open until the stadium has been cleared postgame.

Underhill Lot (College & Channing Ave.) will serve as a season permit disabled parking lot. Special services shuttles will be provided pre- and postgame between the Underhill Lot and Prospect Lot (south end of Memorial Stadium) for a $1 fee (return service will be free of charge). Any patrons needing further assistance to the East Rim will be able to utilize the golf cart service located adjacent to the Prospect lot.

Additional information can be found on the Parking & Transportation website.