Neyland Stadium Renovation Update (Fulmer Updates Seating Capacity)

[VolGirl81]

I wish the renovating group would take a look at Kyle Field. We went to the game couple of years ago and that stadium renovation was unbelievable, altho i realize they have more room to build there. I hate the downsizing and all to Neyland, but i really hate the club seating, etc. Improve the overall seating, bathrooms and concourses. Thank goodness the sound system will be improved for next year because it’s awful.

 

[onevol74]

Where in Knoxville would you build Neyland Stadium ll?

They possibly could have used development funds to expand the university to the south side of the river before development starting taking place over there. Probably a lost opportunity now.

 

[onevol74]

There is probably a correlation with the downsizing of the stadium with a decline in the program. At the same time other programs like Bama, LSU, and aTm have expanded stadiums and improving their programs. UT used to be able to recruit to the enthusiasm in the program but killed that in the early 2000’s with the coaching staff mediocrity.

 

[Kinglberry]

Stay home then lol. I’ll be there screaming my lungs out the entire game

You're probably one of the fat bottomed jacks flowing over into other people's seats, or one who has to go piss 6 times a half, can't go 15 minutes without something stuffing your cake hole, or gotta go smoke every 10.

Going to a game in person is the equivalent of a vacation for most people. It's a once a year or less often pilgrimage. It isn't an obligation, it isn't some measuring stick of your fandom, and it sure the hell isn't some test of your manhood. It's a game, that 90 plus percent of fans watch on TV every game. Those fans scream at the TV, jump up and down when we score/winand sit solemnly in disbelief when we lose.

 

[maxorange]

Thought I was back in the Red Light District in Amsterdam watching that game.

a red light district in Alabama???

now that's a gross thought

 

[DeerPark12]

Maybe I’m overreacting but I don’t like it. I like having over 100K I don’t give a damn about a stupid ass new TV screen. Give me 100K and our old V O L S sign back

I don't love the idea of it, but here's the reality: When Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, etc were filling 100,000+ seats every week, opposing fans were traveling and buying 7-8 thousand of those tickets every week. Outside of one or two games a year for each team, fans don't travel like that anymore. If a team plays a neutral site game, their fans don't travel in big numbers the rest of the year. And why would you? Outside of the required lower-level tickets for player guests, every school has gone to giving opposing fans the worst possible tickets in the stadium. So $300 a night with a 2-night minimum in a hotel, $100 a ticket to sit in nosebleeds, it's no wonder.

But if you look at attendance numbers in college football, they've fallen by approximately the same amount as opposing fans used to travel. So now you're trying to sell the worst tickets in the house to your own fans. It's a tough sell, as we have seen at UT and elsewhere.

It’s a college stadium. I sat in K for most of my life. I could give two ***** about a damn jumbo tron.
Why the hell you'd reduce capacity by 12000 and not increase the individual seat area is stupid. You are taking away what few chair back seats the stadium Already has.

They have a Jumbotron on the south side that doesn’t affect seating at all.

Engineers have spent parts of the last 5 years trying to find a way to anchor a video board of any size atop the north end. With the way the north stands are built and the hill behind it, there's no way to anchor it above the current structure.

 

[Roustabout]

I don't love the idea of it, but here's the reality: When Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, etc were filling 100,000+ seats every week, opposing fans were traveling and buying 7-8 thousand of those tickets every week. Outside of one or two games a year for each team, fans don't travel like that anymore. If a team plays a neutral site game, their fans don't travel in big numbers the rest of the year. And why would you? Outside of the required lower-level tickets for player guests, every school has gone to giving opposing fans the worst possible tickets in the stadium. So $300 a night with a 2-night minimum in a hotel, $100 a ticket to sit in nosebleeds, it's no wonder.

But if you look at attendance numbers in college football, they've fallen by approximately the same amount as opposing fans used to travel. So now you're trying to sell the worst tickets in the house to your own fans. It's a tough sell, as we have seen at UT and elsewhere.



Engineers have spent parts of the last 5 years trying to find a way to anchor a video board of any size atop the north end. With the way the north stands are built and the hill behind it, there's no way to anchor it above the current structure.

Read closer. I don’t oppose fewer seats. I support more space in the existing seats. This doesn’t fix that problem and yes it’s a problem. If fan experience is important then increase the width of the seat, or install chair backs. Don’t take out 12000 seats to put in an obnoxious Jumbotron.

We had seats in K row 56 for 40 years and cancelled them. The seating space shrunk and I got tired of fighting for my seat we paid good money for.
Just shows more stupidity and lack of thought.

 

[Raebo]

I enjoyed boasting about how many seats it houses back when.

Pride goeth before a fall. I guess we can blame you for the last 10+ years. Just kidding, maybe.

 

[615vols]

Neyland will not be the same if they lower capacity and add sofa recliners. Completely overhaul the exterior and concourses but please do not lower capacity, instead raise it.

Dude use some common sense. We can’t sell out the stadium now at 102k, why would we raise capacity? I think they should remove the bleachers and add actual seating, drop capacity to 80-85k or whatever and Neyland would be a far better venue.

 

[volfan102455]

It won't affect the noise and it'll improve the game for the 20% of the stadium that can't see the jumboTron. You don't want to sit at the top of YY10 anyway.

I sit in one of the XX sections almost at the top. I love the seats. You are covered when weather hits and you can see the play no matter where it is on the field. If they take my seats - I guess they do. I suspect having a big screen video is more valuable than my monetary donation every year anyway. They probably hope to make it up with beer sales.

Oh and if I wanted to watch the game on TV I would just stay home.

 

[volfan102455]

Dude use some common sense. We can’t sell out the stadium now at 102k, why would we raise capacity? I think they should remove the bleachers and add actual seating, drop capacity to 80-85k or whatever and Neyland would be a far better venue.

We can't right now but we were as recently as 2015 and 2016. If we start winning big again, 102k will sell, if we don't then they can probably remove the entire upper decks and have enough seats.

 

[volfan102455]

I don't love the idea of it, but here's the reality: When Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, etc were filling 100,000+ seats every week, opposing fans were traveling and buying 7-8 thousand of those tickets every week. Outside of one or two games a year for each team, fans don't travel like that anymore. If a team plays a neutral site game, their fans don't travel in big numbers the rest of the year. And why would you? Outside of the required lower-level tickets for player guests, every school has gone to giving opposing fans the worst possible tickets in the stadium. So $300 a night with a 2-night minimum in a hotel, $100 a ticket to sit in nosebleeds, it's no wonder.

But if you look at attendance numbers in college football, they've fallen by approximately the same amount as opposing fans used to travel. So now you're trying to sell the worst tickets in the house to your own fans. It's a tough sell, as we have seen at UT and elsewhere.



Engineers have spent parts of the last 5 years trying to find a way to anchor a video board of any size atop the north end. With the way the north stands are built and the hill behind it, there's no way to anchor it above the current structure.

Serious question - why is a video board necessary? Is having one on both sides just keeping up with the other schools?

 

[VFLCodyGBO]

Cut about 5k seats get us to 95k capacity and enhance fan experience like this. Excellent business move. Seeing the south endzone basically empty every week isn’t helping anyone other than those pounding their chest about “ugh my stadium hold more people than yours ugh ugh”.

Create ticket scarcity, sellout 70% of home games. We’ve been loud all year this year and haven’t had many if any games over 95k the loss of those big 7k+ seats won’t hurt the gameday environment. It may just bruise some fans egos.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

Never noticed until these pictures how much Neyland looked from the outside looking up like the Arecibo Observatory. No wonder visiting the stadium during games is an out of this world experience.

 

[GAVol]

I sit in one of the XX sections almost at the top. I love the seats. You are covered when weather hits and you can see the play no matter where it is on the field. If they take my seats - I guess they do. I suspect having a big screen video is more valuable than my monetary donation every year anyway. They probably hope to make it up with beer sales.

Oh and if I wanted to watch the game on TV I would just stay home.

Id think the XX seats would still be there; especially in the corner. Looks to me from the rendering like a new screen would only cover the top of a section or two in YY. I've been in XX and I can deal with the view from the corner. Once you get around toward the middle of the endzone though, I have big problems with depth perception.

 

[JMSqb11]

Fulmer Provides Update on Neyland Stadium Renovation Plans - University of Tennessee Athletics

For additional info, you will want to read article. Pretty good read, if you have a few minutes.

This fall, fans visiting Neyland Stadium have experienced a new, 360-degree LED ribbon board, as well as the opportunity to purchase alcoholic beverages. Another fan enhancement this season was the replacement of all cushioned seats for the more than 15,000 ticket holders who take advantage of that opportunity.

Next, the stadium's sound system will be replaced and significantly upgraded prior to the 2020 football season.

"After addressing what we identified as immediate and key enhancements for all of our fans stadium-wide, the renovations then transition to other important features that will positively impact program recruiting and fan comfort and enjoyment," Fulmer said.

Upgrades for the fall of 2021—the stadium's centennial—include a renovation of The Lauricella Center for Letter Winners and Wolf-Kaplan Hospitality Center, and the conversion of fifth-level media facilities on the stadium's west side into a unique, open-air donor lounge. As a result, facilities for working press on gamedays will be relocated to the stadium's east side, in closer proximity to the Stokely Family Media Center. Broadcast media—TV and radio crews—will remain in the current west-side location.

By the fall of 2022, the updated plans enable the completion of main level-one south concourse renovations, the addition of a north-side videoboard and the rebuilding of the lower-west-side seating deck.

This phase of substantial renovations concludes in the fall of 2023 when Tennessee unveils two redefining and fan-engaging plazas at Gate 4 and Gate 10. The latter will feature a signature indoor/outdoor gathering space and amenity area serving select food and beverages.

I remember when all the phases happened whenFulmer was coach. Lol

 

[Roustabout]

I don't love the idea of it, but here's the reality: When Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, etc were filling 100,000+ seats every week, opposing fans were traveling and buying 7-8 thousand of those tickets every week. Outside of one or two games a year for each team, fans don't travel like that anymore. If a team plays a neutral site game, their fans don't travel in big numbers the rest of the year. And why would you? Outside of the required lower-level tickets for player guests, every school has gone to giving opposing fans the worst possible tickets in the stadium. So $300 a night with a 2-night minimum in a hotel, $100 a ticket to sit in nosebleeds, it's no wonder.

But if you look at attendance numbers in college football, they've fallen by approximately the same amount as opposing fans used to travel. So now you're trying to sell the worst tickets in the house to your own fans. It's a tough sell, as we have seen at UT and elsewhere.



Engineers have spent parts of the last 5 years trying to find a way to anchor a video board of any size atop the north end. With the way the north stands are built and the hill behind it, there's no way to anchor it above the current structure.

They said that TBA could never support a center display, and yet......

A 2nd Jumbotron isn’t a necessity. In fact, a lot of fans resent the current one.

It’s funny that the highest dollar seats in the stadium are the furthest from the field of play. You l know, the luxury suites. YY are not bad seats, even at the top. They are chair back and in the dry.

It’s a stupid move and you’ve said nothing to convince me otherwise. If you kept that area and reduced capacity to 92k by putting in chair backs you’d have a lot better fan experience than putting in a Jumbotron. Telling me I had more seat room would entice me to renew my tickets more than that stupid thing.

 

[GAVol]

Who at this point would resent the current jumboTron? It didn't take away a single seat and I can't remember the last stadium I went to that didn't have one.

 

[cobbwebb0710]

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I’m just curious if our current student athletes were compensated for the use of their image/likeness, in those artist renditions???

GBO!!

 

[Roustabout]

I think it's an engineering problem on the North end where they can't put it up top.

DONT PUT IT ANYWHERE!
We don’t need another Jumbotron. Can you not read the words that are coming out of my mouth?

 

[cobbwebb0710]

Who at this point would resent the current jumboTron? It didn't take away a single seat and I can't remember the last stadium I went to that didn't have one.

The ones complaining about a Jumbotron, are probably the same ones that complained about these banners hanging in the stadium.

 

[DeerPark12]

Read closer. I don’t oppose fewer seats. I support more space in the existing seats. This doesn’t fix that problem and yes it’s a problem. If fan experience is important then increase the width of the seat, or install chair backs. Don’t take out 12000 seats to put in an obnoxious Jumbotron.

We had seats in K row 56 for 40 years and cancelled them. The seating space shrunk and I got tired of fighting for my seat we paid good money for.
Just shows more stupidity and lack of thought.

Where are you getting the 12,000 seat number? Between the west lower level renovation and the removal of parts of three sections up top, the net loss will only be about 3,000 seats. Remember, the 102,455 number that is so often quoted isn't actually the seating capacity of Neyland. That number is the total capacity, which includes players, staff, ushers, concessions, etc. The actual stadium only seats about 96,000 as it is.

 

[twoffo]

Serious question - why is a video board necessary? Is having one on both sides just keeping up with the other schools?

I would assume they can get more advertising dollars with a second board. Those dollars would have to be weighed against the loss of ticket revenue and donations.

Also given the way they’ve chosen to implement it it may provide more space for improved amenities. Just conjecture on my part.

It would be nice if they provided some insight into the decisions and why they were made rather than the mostly marketing speak we get.

 

[DeerPark12]

They said that TBA could never support a center display, and yet......

A 2nd Jumbotron isn’t a necessity. In fact, a lot of fans resent the current one.

It’s funny that the highest dollar seats in the stadium are the furthest from the field of play. You l know, the luxury suites. YY are not bad seats, even at the top. They are chair back and in the dry.

It’s a stupid move and you’ve said nothing to convince me otherwise. If you kept that area and reduced capacity to 92k by putting in chair backs you’d have a lot better fan experience than putting in a Jumbotron. Telling me I had more seat room would entice me to renew my tickets more than that stupid thing.

Right, and until they reinforced the roof of TBA and the weight of center-hung scoreboards dropped by 75% with the invention of LED panels, it wasn't possible. The engineering problem with a video board on the north end isn't about the weight of a video board, it's about not being able to dig deep enough to anchor what amounts to a giant sail on top of a hill.

We get that you don't want a second video board because you feel it isn't a necessity. The research UT has done with fans and donors disagrees. And they're bound to follow the opinions and wishes of the stakeholders that they rely on for revenue.

 

[TJVol95]

Nice!! We will still be pissing on JD bottles in the men’s room troth! Just wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t.