Two Indiana University home games seven days apart means two parking problems, not one — and treating them as a single booking is how fans end up circling Fee Lane at kickoff. Here's the exact sequence to lock down back-to-back home game parking for IU football without re-doing the work every week.
- Book each back-to-back home game parking IU football date separately — passes are game-specific, not season-wide.
- Crimson Lots spots sit within a 15-minute walk of IU Memorial Stadium for both games. Buy: reserve early.
- Weather delays and kickoff-time shifts affect the second game more often — check your pass 48 hours out.
- Transfer or resell unused passes instead of eating the cost if plans change between games.
Why this matters
A single home game is a one-time decision. Back-to-back home games are a logistics problem: you're often working around two different kickoff times, two different crowd sizes (a rivalry week next to a lower-profile opponent draws differently), and sometimes two different visiting fan bases competing for the same close-in lots. Fans who book once and assume the second game is covered show up to find their spot from last week isn't automatically reserved again.
Crimson Lots sells reserved and day-of parking within a 15-minute walk of the stadium, and every pass is tied to one game date. That's good news for planning purposes — it means you control both reservations independently, on your own timeline, instead of hoping a season pass covers a schedule quirk. Crimson Lots runs this as a local operation, not an app with a call center, so a scheduling question gets answered by a person, not a bot.
What you'll need
- The exact dates and kickoff times for both home games (check for any noon/afternoon/night split — 2026 broadcast schedules often shift the second game's start time later than the first)
- A phone or laptop to book online — reservation takes about a minute per game
- A card for two separate payments, since each date is its own transaction
- A plan for who's driving what: if one game is a smaller crowd and the other is a rivalry or homecoming date, your arrival window should differ
- Your parking pass saved to your phone or printed for each specific date — don't reuse last week's pass at this week's gate
The steps
1. Confirm both kickoff times before you book anything
IU football schedules the exact time for each game only 6-12 days out in many cases, which throws off fans who assume both Saturdays kick at noon. Check the athletics schedule for both dates before reserving — a night game changes your tailgate window and your exit-traffic math completely. Common mistake: booking arrival times based on the first game's schedule and copying it for the second.
2. Reserve the first game's spot immediately
Don't wait until the week of. High-demand dates — homecoming, rivalry week, a ranked opponent — sell out the close-in lots first. Reserve a parking pass for IU football games in advance and you lock in the 15-minute-walk radius instead of settling for a lot that adds 20-25 minutes each direction. Expected outcome: a confirmed spot with your name on the pass, done in under two minutes.
3. Reserve the second game as its own transaction
This is the step fans skip. Each Crimson Lots pass is game-specific — booking game one does not carry over to game two automatically. Go back and book the second date separately, ideally the same day you book the first, while you're already in planning mode. Common mistake: assuming a repeat booking link or loyalty carryover exists when it doesn't.
4. Build in a buffer for the busier of the two games
If one game is a rivalry, homecoming, or senior day and the other is a mid-season non-conference matchup, expect the busier date to fill surrounding streets and pull foot traffic earlier. Plan to arrive 60-90 minutes before kickoff for the bigger game and 30-45 minutes for the lighter one. Expected outcome: you're parked and walking before the lot-adjacent street traffic peaks.
5. Check both passes 48 hours before each game
Kickoff times, gate assignments, and even walk routes can shift with short notice — especially around weather. Pull up your pass and confirm the details 48 hours out for each game rather than trusting your memory from when you booked weeks earlier. Common mistake: relying on a screenshot from the booking confirmation instead of the live pass.
6. Handle the gap week between games
A week between home games is enough time for plans to change — a guest cancels, a group grows, or someone can't make the second date. Decide early whether you'll transfer or resell your parking pass for the game you're skipping instead of letting it go unused. Expected outcome: no dead money on a pass nobody uses.
7. Plan your exit strategy for each game separately
The game with the bigger draw will have slower post-game exit traffic. If game one is the smaller crowd, you can leave right after the final whistle. If game two is the marquee matchup, build in 20-30 extra minutes before you expect to be moving. Expected outcome: you're not stuck in the same lot 45 minutes after final whistle wondering why the exit isn't moving.
Lock in both game-day spots now
Reserve parking within a 15-minute walk of IU Memorial Stadium for each date, guaranteed.
Troubleshooting
Problem: The second game's kickoff time changed after you booked. Fix: your Crimson Lots pass is tied to the date, not a fixed arrival time, so a kickoff shift doesn't cancel your reservation — just adjust when you head over based on the new time.
Problem: You booked one game but forgot the second. Fix: go back through the same booking flow for the missing date. There's no bundle discount to lose by booking separately — the two transactions were always independent.
Problem: Weather is threatening one of the two games. Fix: review how weather delays get handled with your parking pass before assuming a delay voids your spot. Games rarely get canceled outright; kickoff shifts are far more common than cancellations.
Problem: A guest can no longer make the second game. Fix: transfer or resell the pass rather than letting it sit unused — it's tied to a date, and someone else in your group or another fan can use it.
Problem: You're not sure which lot is closer for game two versus game one. Fix: confirm your walk route and lot location for each date individually — Crimson Lots assigns spots within a 15-minute walk radius, but exact lots can differ by date and demand.
Problem: You paid for parking but can't find your confirmation. Fix: check the email tied to whichever card you used for each transaction — since the two games are booked separately, you'll have two separate confirmations to track.
Tools and resources
- Reserve a parking pass for IU football games in advance — the core booking flow you'll repeat for each date
- How to handle weather delays with your IU football parking — what actually happens to your pass if kickoff shifts
- How to transfer or resell your IU football parking pass — for the game you end up not attending
- Athletics official schedule page — check both kickoff times before locking arrival plans for either date
What to do next
Once both games are booked, zoom out to the rest of the 2026 home slate. A season-long parking strategy for IU football covers how to sequence bookings across every home date, not just the back-to-back stretch, so you're not solving this same puzzle every other week.
FAQ
Does one parking pass cover back-to-back IU football home games?
No — each Crimson Lots pass is tied to a single game date, so back-to-back home games require two separate reservations. Book both as soon as you know the schedule to lock in the closer lots.
How far in advance should I book parking for two IU football games in a row?
Book both dates as soon as the schedule is confirmed, ideally the same week you decide to attend. High-demand dates like rivalry week or homecoming sell out the 15-minute-walk lots first.
What happens to my parking pass if the second game's kickoff time changes?
Your pass stays valid — it's tied to the date, not a fixed kickoff time. Adjust your arrival window once the new time is announced, usually 6-12 days before the game.
Can I get a refund if I only end up going to one of two back-to-back games?
Transfer or resell the unused pass rather than requesting a refund on a date you didn't attend. Crimson Lots passes are game-specific, so the unused one can go to another fan or a guest in your group.
Is parking closer to IU Memorial Stadium for a rivalry game or a regular home game?
Lot assignment depends on when you book, not which game is bigger — the earlier you reserve, the closer you land within the 15-minute walk radius regardless of opponent.
How much does back-to-back game-day parking cost for IU football in 2026?
Pricing is set per game and shown at booking, since each date is its own transaction. Check current rates for each specific 2026 home date when you reserve.
Should I arrive earlier for the second game in a back-to-back stretch?
Arrive earlier if the second game draws a bigger crowd — rivalry, homecoming, or a nationally ranked opponent all pull earlier foot traffic and slower exits.
What's the biggest mistake fans make booking parking for two home games in a row?
Assuming the first booking automatically covers the second game. Each Crimson Lots reservation is a separate transaction tied to one date, so skipping the second booking leaves you without a confirmed spot.
One last thing
The fans who get burned on back-to-back weekends aren't the ones who forget to park — they're the ones who assume the second reservation happened automatically. It didn't. Two games, two bookings, same 15-minute walk both times.
