Rutgers Athletics is rolling out a new layer of game day support, unveiling R Guest Services as part of a broader push to make the fan experience smoother at SHI Stadium and across its athletic venues.
The new unit is designed to be a visible, hands-on presence for Scarlet Knights fans on game days. Staff members will be placed around venues to answer questions, point people in the right direction, share information, help with guest needs and handle customer concerns as they come up.
"The introduction of R Guest Services is part of an overall effort to deliver exceptional customer service to anyone who visits Rutgers," said Director of Athletics Keli Zinn. "This unit will play a key role in making our operation more responsive, customer-focused and supportive. Our fans are a special part of game day and we want to ensure that they have the best experience possible."
Fans will also have a new way to get help during events. On game days, they can text "KNIGHTS" to 69050 to report issues and receive assistance inside the venue. R Guest Services can also be contacted by email at guestservices@scarletknights.com.
Rutgers said the initiative was built in response to feedback shared with the administration about challenges and opportunities tied to serving guests at athletic events. The department says the goal is to tighten communication between fans and game day operations staff so visitors feel welcomed, informed and supported from the time they arrive until they leave.
That effort will extend beyond questions and directions. R Guest Services staff will actively move through SHI Stadium, work to spot problems early and help resolve them quickly while coordinating with event operations and public safety personnel to support a safe environment.
The fan experience changes don’t stop there. Rutgers also announced updated 2026 traffic patterns and parking plans after third-party experts Populous and WSP reviewed traffic patterns, parking and pedestrian flow last season. Based on those findings, fans should see a smoother ingress and egress process at the parking lots and gates at SHI Stadium, with traffic flows adjusted to send vehicles through the most efficient routes when leaving the stadium after games.
A courtesy shuttle will run on the Busch campus for fans parking in the outer lots. Pickup begins three hours before kickoff between the Purple and Black Lots on the corner of Brett Road and Bartholomew Road, and the shuttle will drop riders near Athletes Glen.
After the game, it will continue for one hour. Rutgers will also keep its ADA shuttle service in place, with pickup locations at Jersey Mike's Arena, the Busch Student Center and Lot 53.
Rutgers opens the season Thursday, Sept. 3, hosting UMass at SHI Stadium. Season and single-game tickets for all seven home games are on sale, and fans can buy through 2026 Ticket Central or by calling 866-445-GORU (4678). Season ticket holders also get an exclusive chance to buy season parking on Busch campus within walking distance of SHI Stadium.
Rutgers Athletics, which includes 24 men's and women's varsity sports and more than 730 student-athletes, is a Big Ten member governed by the NCAA. The school says it remains the Birthplace of College Football, dating back to the first-ever collegiate matchup on Nov. 6, 1869, a 6-4 win over Princeton.
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