LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — University of Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari is making a five-stop tour next week as part of UK basketball's continued effort to provide relief to the victims of the December tornadoes in western Kentucky.
Players will be traveling with Coach Calipari for each stop, although who and how many will depend on class schedules and other obligations. The players will take photos and interact with fans in line, but they will not be allowed to sign autographs, per NCAA rules about promotional activities with corporate partners.
Calipari, in partnership with Kroger, will take part in an autograph tour and take photos with fans at the following locations:
Tuesday, July 12: Louisville
Kroger
12450 LaGrange Road
Louisville, Kentucky 40245
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Wednesday, July 13: London
Kroger
1732 West Highway 192
London, Ky 40741
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Thursday, July 14: Georgetown
Kroger
106 Marketplace Circle
Georgetown, Ky 40324
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Friday, July 15: Somerset
Kroger
50 Stonegate Center
Somerset, Ky 42501
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Saturday, July 16: Morehead
Kroger
300 Kroger Center
Morehead, Ky 40351
12:00pm - 1:30pm
Fans are allowed to bring their own item to be autographed by Coach Calipari, but a limited number of special edition posters, designed specifically for this Kroger tour, will be available on-site, free of charge.
There will be no charge for autographs or pictures, but fans are asked to consider donating a gift card that can be given to those in need in western Kentucky. Kroger’s Zero Hunger Zero Waste Foundation will also continue to accept donations that will go directly to local food banks.
Calipari is also asking Big Blue Nation for their autographs. Last season, as a tribute to his friend Joe B. Hall, Calipari carried a rolled-up program with him to the bench for every game, following Hall’s passing on January 15. This season, Calipari intends to honor Hall in the same way, but has his own program with blank pages he hopes to fill with signatures and well wishes from fans across the state, so he can bring the passion of Big Blue Nation with him onto the bench for every game. The program will be on-site at every Kroger location during Calipari's stop and fans are encouraged to sign.
