The Iowa Whitetail Bucks, a local semi-pro football team, has announced that they will be making Ken Locke Stadium their new home beginning this month. 

The Bucks are part of the Universal Extreme Football League (UXFL) North Division, a five-team Midwest league that spans across Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. In its second year, the Bucks team has players from Marion County and the surrounding area.

The Bucks will make their home debut in Ken Locke Stadium on Saturday, June 14, against the Missouri Spartans. This is a preseason game and the gates will open at 4:00 pm with kickoff at 5:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased for cash at the gate and the admission fee is $10 for adults, kids 4-11 are $5, and kids 0-3 are free. Bucks player Hunter Dunbar hopes the community can come out to their games not only support them, but also the Ken Locke Stadium renovation project.

“We’d love to see the community come out to Ken Locke and fill the stands. Obviously that’s what we want, we want the stands to be filled, but it’s also helping Ken Locke as well as us. It’s helping save the stadium and put back into the community.”

Concessions will be sold during the games. Proceeds from admissions to the events will support the Iowa Whitetail Bucks and the Knoxville Alumni Association’s initiative to construct a community venue and continue the restoration and enhancements to Knoxville’s Ken Locke Stadium. The Bucks complete 2025 schedule will be released soon. Hear from players Hunter Dunbar and Steven Crosby along with accounts manager Sydney Dunbar on an upcoming “Today’s Lely Radio Sports Page” segment.