UNM preps for more fans, parking challenges in high-expectation football season
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Ryan Berryman is grateful for what he inherited.
The first-year Athletic Director at UNM knows that Lobo sports is in a time of high expectation, especially in the three headliner sports of men’s basketball, women’s basketball and — most pertinent to the present moment — football.
“I couldn’t ask for anything more,“ he said. ”I think the same is true for coaching. The situation you walk into, that you inherit, matters. And I walked into an amazing situation with great coaches and high expectations. I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.“
The flip side, if you even want to call it that, is that inherited expectations and increased fan interest means the issues of game day parking and stadium overcrowding are the inherited problems of the 33-year-old rookie AD.
In 2025, UNM led the nation’s FBS football programs in average home attendance increase — 57.8% more fans in the stands in 2025 over the 2024 attendance.
Frankly, in a lot of game day management ways, UNM wasn’t entirely ready for it. Now, Berryman and crew are hoping to be on it from Game 1.
“The 2025 season saw tremendous crowds at University Stadium, and we are implementing new procedures to allow us to maximize our available parking spaces, creating a better tailgating experience,” Berryman said in a statement from the school last week. “Our hope is to allow even more fans the ability to experience the vibrant tailgating atmosphere in Stadium East parking lot. …
”A shortage of parking spaces is a great problem to have as it means the Lobos are playing meaningful football and competing for a conference championship.”
Here are some times and parking guidelines fans should know before Saturday’s kickoff:
The timeline…
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6 a.m. — Stadium East parking lots open
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9 a.m. — STP, Pit parking lots open
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1:30 p.m. — Isotopes game starts
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2 p.m. — T-Lot and CNM parking lots open
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5 p.m. — Louie Lane opens
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5:45 p.m. — Lobo walk (players walk through Lobo Lane to the stadium)
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6:30 p.m. — Gates to University Stadium open
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7:30 p.m. — Louie Lane closes
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8:03 p.m. — Team run out
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8:10 p.m. — Kickoff
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Some tailgating guidelines…
Per UNM, tailgating ends at kickoff, and the lots close after the game.
All parking at the primary tailgating lot of Stadium East remains a first-come, first-served basis at $15, though there is now a limited number of reserved spots available for sale in advance through the Lobo Club for $100 per game or $500 for the season. Those reserved spots afford the buyer the equivalent space of six parking spots.
And RVs or trailers in reserved, Stadium East spots must arrive the day prior to the game and not permitted in on game day.
Some parking/driving guidelines…
Parking in Stadium East will be guided by lot attendants now, not a pick your own spot situation as in years past. There is no saving of spots next to or near early arrivers.
Entering Stadium East should primarily be done through Gate 9 toward the southeast corner of University Stadium.
A reserved area for student tailgates will be at the south end of Stadium East.
There are also more lots available this season for spreading out a little farther away from the stadium (see GoLobos.com or map on ABQJournal.com for some of those) if fans wish, including multiple CNM lots now, on game days, being under the direction of UNM parking with lot attendants.
Geoff Grammer is the Sports Editor of the Journal, a podcaster, columnist and covers UNM Lobos basketball, among other things. Reach him at ggrammer@abqjournal.com or follow him on Twitter (X) @GeoffGrammer.
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