Anthony's (Declassified) New Heights Live Guide

UPDATE: Do to the threat of severe weather, the event has been moved inside Fifth Third Arena, next door to Nippert Stadium. The story below has been updated, in red, to reflect changes to the event. For more information, including an FAQ, visit the New Heights landing page HERE.
 

Let me get this out of the way: My favorite Taylor songs are "Enchanted" and "Haunted." It could be the muted acoustic guitar intro, the build to the violins, the sick guitar solo off into the bridge, the full band chorus…

Wrong column. Sorry. Like any poor writer or someone grasping for attention, it was a lousy lede. I went there.   

I'll start over. I feel alive, mainly because New Heights Live is approaching. Disregard my strong-rooted connection to the "Lombaby" trophy (a play on the Vince Lombardi trophy, aptly named for my fellow Fordham Ram Vince Lombardi), but mainly because the day is almost here! And what a day it will be.

(Shout out to my new friends at Wave Sports & Entertainment, who produce the New Heights Podcast. I will miss trying to coordinate all things Travis and Jason from a few time zones away. Shout out to UC staff who barely get recognized behind the scenes: Andre Seoldo, Zach Stipe, Stanley Frazier, Dan Phillips, Brandon Phillips, Trevor Towle, Tim Hudson and the list goes on and on…)

I digress… Back to feeling alive! The two biggest rock stars in the NFL are joining us back on their campus in Fifth Third Arena. For fans who witnessed them play, this is an opportunity to see both Kelce brothers back in Cincy, showing off their pride, exuberance, and love for UC. I'm pumped. You're pumped. They're pumped.

Thursday will be "Enchanting." Sorry, I did it again. How can we make your visit to Fifth Third Arena a memorable one? Based on my knowledge of the event (I know a guy who helped plan it), here are my tips, tricks, and FAQs to help you through the night:

What should I expect?

A lot of fun. We're welcoming back two Bearcats legends and some surprise guests. 

What's the schedule look like?

3 p.m.: Parking lots open
5 p.m.: Doors open
7 p.m.: Lombaby Games begin
9 p.m.: Podcast begins

But what is this? A football game?

Think of the event as a major concert: stage, lighting, speakers, rock stars. 

Seriously, what is it? What are the "Lombaby Games":

Think of the Lombaby Games as the warm-up act to the live podcast. It will pit two teams of ten (10) students against each other. One team will be student-athletes, and the other will consist of brilliant UC students from all academic disciplines.

Can I buy beer?

Cincy Light will be available! (Please drink responsibly.)

What about other concessions?

We're selling concessions throughout Fifth Third Arena. Menus will be limited but offer fan favorites. Multiple "mobile stands" will be available in the stadium,

I need tickets. Where do I buy?

Tickets are still available on gobearcats.com/newheights, in VIP areas only. With the venue change, general admission seats are now sold out.

How does the seating work in the new venue?

The first 1,500 general admission guests through the gate will receive a wristband to sit on the east side of the lower bowl. The remaining General Admission guests will be seated in the 200 level. See the seating chart HERE for reference.

Oh crap, I forgot about parking. What do I do?

Campus Green & Woodside Garages will be the only parking available to the public for the event. Buy advance parking HERE for $13. Or pay $15 on the day of the event. We highly encourage purchasing parking in advance, and arriving early to avoid any disruption in gaining access to campus!

I heard proceeds benefit Cincy Reigns. What does that mean?

We hate rain, but we love to Reign. A portion of the gross ticket sales will go directly to our official NIL collective, Cincy Reigns, which helps recruit and retain top student-athletes to compete on the highest stage of college athletics.

Cool, but why are tickets $100?

• They're two future Pro Football Hall of Famers
• They've won Super Bowls
• They have the world's #1 sports podcast and regularly rank in the top five of all podcasts.
• Proceeds will benefit Cincy Reigns.

I still can't get around to wanting to pay that.

I get it. Podcasts are free. They'll release the audio the following week. But your friends who went will post on social media, and you'll kick yourself for missing a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Can I get autographs?

Like any concert, there will not be access for autographs, but maybe instead of guitar picks, we'll make sure some cool swag gets thrown into the crowd. 

What can I bring in?  

• We're a clear bag policy campus.
• Our stadium restrictions are found HERE.
• Our stadium A-Z guide is found HERE.
• Expect security measures at the gates.

I'm a fan with disabled access needs. What should I do?

General Admission guests with ADA needs can ask ushers for guidance to the nearest ADA seating upon gate entry. A specific ADA location will be on the east concourse, near the Gate A ticket office, to help those with ADA requirements navigate the arena. The show will have a sign language interpreter. For additional needs, don't hesitate to get in touch with the ticket office. 

What if there is inclement weather? (Hahaha)

The current plan is to proceed with the show––rain or shine. Some of the biggest and best concerts still play in the rain. And so do football players. In some cases, those are the best shows. If there is thunder and lightning, we will act in the best interest of our fans, as we always do in inclement weather situations. If it requires a weather delay, we will wait it out. If it needs a make-up date, we will have that information readily available to our fans after consulting with the show's promoter. 

Where can I enter the arena?

Gate A: General admission
Gate R: Club, Loge, and VIP
Gate S: Students

See the map below for reference.


 

Where to buy merch?

Exclusive New Heights merchandise will be sold on the concourse.

I'm a student. How do I get onto the field?

With the venue change to Fifth Third Arena, the student experience will now look a lot like basketball games. Arrive early to get the best seat in the student section!

What if I want to buy tickets on the day of the event?

All tickets are instant digital delivery, so buy right up to showtime! If you want to wait and purchase tickets upon arrival to campus, visit the box office on the east side of Fifth Third Arena, next to the Oscar Robertson statue. 

Who is coming?!

Guests will not be announced before the show... except for Joe Burrow... and Orlando Brown Jr.