It was Joe B. Hall that started Midnight Madness — then called “Midnight Special” — back in 1982, but the tradition of camping out for seats started in the Rick Pitino era. Back when the event was held at Memorial Coliseum, there weren’t really tickets; UK used to just open the doors and let as many fans in as they could. Over the years, fans started forming the line earlier and earlier, and in 1995, Wally Clark was determined to be the first person there, so he arrived 17 days early and camped out, sparking a tradition that has stuck ever since.
The Weirdest Fan Traditions in Sports
