Rugby Fan Fest Schedule of Events

Rugby Fan Fest Returns to Houston! Rugby fans are invited to come out early and experience Rugby Fan Fest presented by Budweiser on Saturday, June 8^th. The official pre-game celebration, which will be hosted by Rod Ryan from 94.5 The Buzz, will feature live music on the Budweiser stage from stout Irish rock band The Blaggards (http://blaggards.com)and The Slags (http://www.the-slags.com) along with great food, Southern Comfort drink specials, the Bud Light beer garden, vendor booths, contests, games and more. The event, which kicks-off at 3 p.m., is free and open to all ages.

The schedule for events is:

3:00 p.m. Fan Fest Opens

3:45 p.m. The Blaggards

4:00 p.m. Matt & Adam from 790 Sports Talk Radio

4:15 p.m. The Blaggards

5:15 p.m. Punk Rock Circus

5:30 p.m. Rod Ryan from 94.5 The Buzz

5:45 p.m. The Slags

6:30 p.m. Rod Ryan from 94.5 The Buzz

6:45 p.m. The Slags

7:30 p.m. USA vs. Ireland Kick-Off

Rugby Fan Fest will take place outside the southwest gate of BBVA Compass Stadium, adjacent to Lucky’s Pub on Rusk at St. Emanuel. In addition to great entertainment and food specials, the pre-party will include vendor booths from USA Rugby with official USA Rugby merchandise; The World Rugby Shop; Rugby Texas; Irish Rugby Tours & Tourism Ireland offering fans the chance to explore the Irish countryside and culture; along with freestyle skating demos presented by Adrenaline Factory and more!

Tailgating Contest

The inaugural Rugby Tailgating Contest is open to tailgating teams representing Team USA and Team Ireland. The event, which will award the grand prize presented by Kroger and Southern Comfort to the top tailgating team, will take place in Lots B & C adjacent to the stadium. Teams will be judged based on overall Tailgating Set-Up and Team Spirit. Tailgating contest judging at 4 p.m.

Official Rugby After Party

The party continues after the match with the Official USA Rugby vs. Ireland After Party presented by Southern Comfort at Warehouse Live (www.warehouselive.com). The event, which is FREE with your game ticket, will feature more Irish music from The Blaggards along with Southern Comfort drink specials, the chance to meet and mingle with some of the players, other rugby fans and more!

Parking

Fans can purchase $30 advance parking passes in Lots B & C online. In addition, the stadium has designated taxi cab and private car drop off/pick up locations along with and pedi-cabs in the area to transport fans to Rugby Fan Fest and the game. Public transportation options and bike racks are also available. Additional parking information can be found online at http://www.bbvastadiumhouston.com/parking-map.

Match Details

The U.S. Men’s National Rugby Team, The Eagles, will host Ireland at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday, June 8^th, as one of the only international matches being held in the U.S. this year. Kick-off is at 7:30 p.m. This match up offers rugby fans the opportunity to witness Ireland, a Tier 1 nation currently ranked 6^th in world, battle on American soil against The Eagles, who are currently ranked 16^th. The teams have previously faced off in 2009 and again in 2011 at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand; both matches resulted in victory for Ireland. The U.S. Men’s National Team will be seeking a long-awaited win as they face off again in Houston.

Tickets for the USA Rugby Men’s Eagles vs. Ireland match are available starting at $20 online at www.bbvacompassstadium.com, www.axs.com or by calling 888-929-7849. Tickets are also available at the Ticket Office, open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Prices start at $20. Group tickets are available to groups of 10 or more by calling 713-547-3055.