Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium parking ranges from $10-$50 across official stadium lots and surrounding garages. Indiana Hoosiers game day parking passes can be prepaid online for the closest lots, with cheaper options available within walking distance of the venue. Tailgating is allowed in designated lots only; find lot maps, ADA accessible parking, and rideshare drop-off details below.
Common questions
How much is parking at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium?
Where can I find cheap parking near Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium?
Where do I park for a Indiana Hoosiers game at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium?
Can you tailgate at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium?
How Much Is Parking at Memorial Stadium?
Parking at Memorial Stadium ranges from roughly $10 for general surface lots up to $50 for ADA/premium spaces per game, with most standard prepaid passes falling in the $10-$20 range depending on the lot tier.
General admission grass lots south of the stadium and the surrounding surface lots make up the bulk of fan parking, and prices for these lots typically run $10-$20 per vehicle. ADA parking in the Gate 12 Green Lot carries a flat rate of $50 per game. RV spaces in the paved RV lot accessed through Gate 9 are separate and require a dedicated RV pass; the RV Bell Tower lot at 1630 East 17th Street costs $200 per season pass. Season parking permits are also available and can be purchased through the IU Athletics Ticket Office by calling 1-866-IUSPORTS or online at iuhoosiers.com.
For big-game weekends, particularly rivalry matchups against Purdue or high-demand Big Ten opponents, lots around the IU Athletics campus have sold out well in advance. IU Athletics campus parking sold out entirely for multiple games in the 2025 season, so early purchase is critical for the 2026 season. Third-party platforms like Ticketmaster and Vivid Seats also list parking passes for individual games, often at a premium over the face value of the official pass.
Memorial Stadium Parking Lots and Maps
Memorial Stadium sits at the northeast corner of 17th Street and North Dunn Street, and IU Athletics manages a network of surface lots and grass lots surrounding the venue that collectively serve as the official game-day parking campus.
The primary grass lots are located immediately south of Memorial Stadium and are divided into named zones: Reserved Grass Lot A and Reserved Grass Lot B are accessed by turning south off East 17th Street onto Indiana Avenue, Lot A is to the right, Lot B to the left. The Park Avenue Grass Lots (Lots C, D, and E) are reached by heading south on Dunn Street to East 13th Street and following signage, or heading north on Indiana Avenue and turning right onto East 13th Street. The Forrest Avenue grass lots share the same general south-of-stadium footprint, between North Fess Avenue and North Forrest Avenue, south of 17th Street and north of 14th Street. All surface lots and grass lots open a minimum of five hours before kickoff.
Grass lots use a guided zipper-style parking system, meaning attendants direct each vehicle to the next available space from the front of the lot nearest the stadium to the back, in the order cars arrive. This eliminates free-roaming for a spot and maximizes capacity. Parking in the grass lots south of 17th Street is restricted to cars, vans, motorcycles, pickup trucks, and SUVs only, large trucks, RVs, and buses will not be admitted and will be redirected to alternate lots. IU also supports Waze navigation with in-app routing directly to specific lot gates on game day. An interactive parking map is available at iuhoosiers.com.
Preferred/Premium Parking at Memorial Stadium
The closest and most desirable parking near Memorial Stadium is allocated through IU Athletics’ priority points system, which rewards season ticket holders and major donors with the best locations.
Priority points determine a fan’s standing in the parking permit allocation process each year. Those with the highest point totals receive first access to select premium lots, commonly identified as Lot 1, Lot 2, and other paved surface lots immediately surrounding the stadium. As priority levels decrease, assigned lots move farther from the stadium. This system means walk-up general fans will not have access to the closest paved lots on game day.
For fans who do not hold priority-point permits, the Reserved Grass Lots A and B represent the best-positioned prepaid option available to the general public, as they sit immediately south of the stadium and offer a shorter walk than the outer Park Avenue and Forrest Avenue lots. ADA parking in the Gate 12 Green Lot, located east of Memorial Stadium and immediately north of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, costs $50 per game and is the premium accessible option. Season parking permits across all tiers can be purchased through the IU Athletics Ticket Office at 812-855-4006 or online at iuhoosiers.com.
Free Parking Near Memorial Stadium
There are no free official parking lots operated by IU Athletics at Memorial Stadium for game days, all IU campus and athletic surface lots require a paid pass.
However, free options do exist for fans willing to walk or plan ahead. Campus parking meters are enforced Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., meaning metered spaces on campus are free to use on Saturdays, which is when nearly all home football games take place. Fans can use the ParkMobile app to check metered virtual locations on campus. Residential neighborhood streets within a few blocks of the stadium, particularly to the north and east, are not metered on weekends and can be used at no cost, though they fill up fast and some blocks may have resident-only restrictions.
Private informal parking, including church lots and homeowner driveways, is also available within a few blocks of the stadium on game day, typically for $10-$20 cash. St. Paul Catholic Center on 17th Street has historically offered informal parking near the stadium, but it fills up more than two hours before kickoff for big games. If you choose a free or low-cost spot farther away, plan for a walk of three to six blocks. Biking is a practical option for fans who are staying nearby, as bike racks are available near the stadium and avoid parking fees entirely.
Can You Tailgate at Memorial Stadium?
Yes, tailgating is permitted at Memorial Stadium in the designated grass lots and surface lots surrounding the stadium, and it is one of the most popular game-day traditions for Hoosier fans.
Fans may tailgate in the grass lots south of 17th Street and north of 14th Street, between North Fess Avenue and North Forrest Avenue, as well as in the stadium’s paved surface lots. All tailgating must take place in grass areas or directly behind vehicles, not in parking spaces or drive lanes, so that safety vehicles and late-arriving fans can always access the lots. All tailgate activity is expected to conclude within 10 minutes of kickoff, and police and security personnel actively enforce this rule. Grass lots open a minimum of five hours before kickoff, and surface lots match that same schedule, giving fans ample time to set up.
Specific rules apply to what is allowed in the lots. Trailer grills or other vehicle attachments require approval by an IU caterer. Large couches, oversized indoor/outdoor furniture, and large sound systems are not permitted. Kegs require approval from an official IU caterer. Underage drinking is prohibited under Indiana state law, and glass bottles are banned across all lots. Alcoholic beverages are also prohibited inside Memorial Stadium itself. IU also hosts B-Town Boulevard on the lawn south of the stadium, a free, festival-style pregame event featuring live bands, food trucks, an outdoor bar, and family activities, opening two and a half hours before kickoff and open to the public with or without a game ticket.
ADA and Handicap Parking at Memorial Stadium
ADA parking at Memorial Stadium is available in the Gate 12 Green Lot, located east of the stadium and immediately north of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, at a cost of $50 per game.
To use the ADA lot, patrons must possess a valid state-issued ADA placard or license plate. The lot is accessed off Fee Lane via Gate 12. Parking passes for the ADA lot should be purchased in advance through iuhoosiers.com or by calling the ticket office at 812-855-4006, though walk-up ADA passes have historically been available at the gate for those without a prepaid pass. Vehicles displaying a valid state-issued disability placard or plate who have not prepurchased may be accommodated at the gate depending on availability.
ADA golf cart shuttles operate on game days, picking up patrons with limited mobility from designated locations around the stadium and escorting them directly to the appropriate Memorial Stadium gate. The carts are also available after the game to return patrons to their parking lot. Patrons who use wheelchair seating must purchase tickets for the wheelchair area and enter through Gate E9 in the East Stands. Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located near the seating area. Fans in any parking lot who need mobility assistance can ask a parking attendant to request a courtesy cart on their behalf.
Uber and Lyft Drop-Off at Memorial Stadium
The designated rideshare drop-off and pick-up zone for Memorial Stadium is the Bart Kaufman Field parking circle, located north of the stadium.
To reach the pickup area efficiently, open Uber or Lyft and enter the Bart Kaufman Field parking circle or St. Paul Catholic Center as your destination, IU Athletics officially lists these as the most efficient rideshare reference points. On high-attendance game days, expect surge pricing from both Uber and Lyft, and plan for longer wait times after the game due to the volume of fans leaving at once. Requesting your ride before you exit the stadium, or waiting 20-30 minutes post-game, can reduce both wait time and fare.
Rideshare is one of the most practical options for fans coming from downtown Bloomington hotels, the Indiana Memorial Union area, or anywhere within a few miles of campus. It eliminates the need to navigate post-game traffic, which can back up significantly on the roads surrounding the IU Athletics campus. Always download your app and have a payment method ready before arriving in Bloomington, as signal and app load times can be slower in a dense crowd.
Public Transit to Memorial Stadium
Bloomington Transit and the IU Campus Bus Service both provide routes that can get fans close to Memorial Stadium without a car, making transit a practical alternative on game Saturdays.
The stadium is approximately one mile from the Bloomington Transit Center, where fans can connect to bus routes serving the campus area. The IU Campus Bus Service runs routes designed to stop near Memorial Stadium or in nearby areas of campus, with many routes dropping riders within a short walk of the venue. Bus schedules on game days are worth checking in advance at bloomingtontransit.com. For fans staying downtown or at nearby hotels, the bus is a low-stress way to avoid the parking crunch entirely.
For groups traveling from Indianapolis, Lafayette, or other Indiana communities, charter bus and shuttle services offer a direct alternative. Group transportation providers pick up from hotels or central meeting points and drop riders at designated campus vehicle entrances, bypassing the need to find parking altogether. IU Emergency Management also offers a free opt-in emergency alert service on game days, text SafeIU to 77295 the day before or day of the game to receive real-time updates on traffic, parking, and campus conditions.
Memorial Stadium Parking Tips
The single most important rule for Memorial Stadium parking in 2026 is to buy your pass online before game day, grass lot passes cannot be purchased at the gate on game day, and IU Athletics campus lots sell out for high-demand games weeks in advance.
Arrive at least three to four hours before kickoff for rivalry games or top Big Ten matchups, and at least two to two and a half hours early for standard home games. Lots open five hours before kickoff, so arriving early gives you the best shot at a spot near the front of your designated lot. Because the grass lots use guided zipper parking, groups who want to park side by side in the Park Avenue or Forrest Avenue lots must arrive at exactly the same time, attendants will not hold adjacent spaces. Download your mobile parking pass to your Apple Wallet or Google Pay before you leave for the game, as cell signal in the parking areas can be unreliable under heavy load.
If your primary lot sells out or you are coming from out of town, the three IU campus parking garages, Eleventh and Fee Garage (709 N. Fee Lane), Poplars Garage (415 E. 6th St.), and Henderson Garage (310 S. Fess Ave.), are available to the public on game days and offer a paved, covered alternative with a walkable distance to the stadium. Use Waze on game day for real-time routing to your specific lot gate. For post-game exit, having multiple route options in mind and staying patient with traffic control personnel will save significant time.
Heading to a show? See our Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium bag policy for everything else you need to know before you go.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy a parking pass at the gate on game day at Memorial Stadium?
Grass lot parking passes cannot be purchased at the gate on game day, they must be bought in advance online at iuhoosiers.com or by calling 812-855-4006. Some surface lots and the ADA gate may offer limited walk-up availability, but prepurchase is strongly recommended as lots frequently sell out.
How much does parking cost at Memorial Stadium for a Hoosiers football game?
General admission parking in the grass and surface lots typically runs $10-$20 per vehicle depending on the lot tier. ADA parking in the Gate 12 Green Lot is $50 per game. RV parking at the Bell Tower lot is available as a season pass for $200.
Where do Uber and Lyft pick up and drop off at Memorial Stadium?
The designated rideshare zone is the Bart Kaufman Field parking circle, north of Memorial Stadium. IU Athletics also lists St. Paul Catholic Center as a useful rideshare reference point in the app for efficient drop-off.
Is tailgating allowed at Memorial Stadium?
Yes, tailgating is allowed in the grass lots south of Memorial Stadium and in paved surface lots. All tailgate activity must wrap up within 10 minutes of kickoff, and fans must tailgate behind their vehicles, not in parking spaces or drive lanes. Kegs, glass bottles, and large furniture are prohibited.
Where is ADA parking at Memorial Stadium?
ADA parking is in the Gate 12 Green Lot, east of Memorial Stadium and just north of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, accessed off Fee Lane. It costs $50 per game and requires a valid state-issued ADA placard or license plate. Golf cart shuttles are available on game days to escort patrons to the correct stadium gate.
Are there free parking options near Memorial Stadium?
There are no free official IU parking lots on game day, but campus parking meters are only enforced Monday through Friday, making metered campus spaces free on most Saturday game days. Residential streets within a few blocks of the stadium may also be free, but fill up quickly and some blocks have resident-only restrictions.
What are the parking rules for large vehicles and RVs at Memorial Stadium?
RVs enter through Gate 9 for the paved RV lot, or can use the RV Bell Tower lot at 1630 East 17th Street. Large trucks, RVs, and buses are not permitted in the grass lots south of 17th Street and will be redirected to alternate lots. RV passes are for one recreational vehicle only, a car cannot be parked next to an RV in the paved RV lot.
How early do parking lots open at Memorial Stadium?
All surface lots and grass lots open a minimum of five hours before kickoff. RV lots open the Friday evening before the game at 6:00 p.m. Arriving early is strongly encouraged for high-demand games, as lots nearest the stadium fill from the front back in the order cars arrive.
