Price increase coming!!

[CPA]

You can make hotel reservations months in advance with a cancelation clause which helps. There is nothing like the gameday atmosphere in Knoxville and I will try to continue coming as long as I can. My father had 2 season tickets for decades and over time all the children and the 2 oldest ggrandchildren had opportunities to attend games with him and we all have stories to tell. As far as going back to cheap tickets under Dooley, really? Those games were often torture in the second half. Back then we sat behind students and it was dead, the students rarely stood up and unfortunately there were some seniors who would get real huffy and complain.

 

[GAVol]

If I’m paying elite program prices, which we are, I’d like to see some elite program results, and we ain’t there yet.

Weren’t we in the playoff last year?

 

[CAVPUT]

I think Q went from $785 to $816.

But that's still over $1,000 just the last 3 years.

Just wait until games...all of 'em...go PPV. That's the next step.

 

[CAVPUT]

It’s been years since I’ve been to Neyland. Hotel plus tickets is an expensive weekend.

Yep. Gotta give Dooley credit. His tenure led me give up season tickets and going to games in person. Haven't been back since.

 

[EastTNVol6240]

Weren’t we in the playoff last year?

Never saw that coming….. it’s already been mentioned. We are paying top 3-4 ticket prices. Do you rank us up there with OSU, Ga,Texas, etc? As a fan you may want to but the reality is we’re still way behind in recruiting to compete with the top of the top.

A 12 ranked team when compared to a top 4 last year there was no comparison. It really showed us if anything that a 12 team is absolutely plenty, no need for expansion. Although they will for the cash grab. Scream playoffs all you want, the truth is we were/are light years behind in keeping up with those top teams year in and out when it comes to recruiting. You might want to go ahead and go back and rewatch that OSU game if your response is an attempt to disagree with those statements. We watched the proof. Not sure what else you need.

 

[dobre_shunka]

Never saw that coming….. it’s already been mentioned. We are paying top 3-4 ticket prices. Do you rank us up there with OSU, Ga,Texas, etc? As a fan you may want to but the reality is we’re still way behind in recruiting to compete with the top of the top.

A 12 ranked team when compared to a top 4 last year there was no comparison. It really showed us if anything that a 12 team is absolutely plenty, no need for expansion. Although they will for the cash grab. Scream playoffs all you want, the truth is we were/are light years behind in keeping up with those top teams year in and out when it comes to recruiting. You might want to go ahead and go back and rewatch that OSU game if your response is an attempt to disagree with those statements. We watched the proof. Not sure what else you need.

Were are you getting Tennessee is in the top 3 or 4? I've seen a number of comparisons including this one and UT is not in the top 3 in the SEC let alone the nation.



Top 10 most expensive college football game day experiences for 2025

 

[bigorangepoppa]

We’re already there. I consider myself fortunate. I think many on this forum are much more fortunate than they realize. If you have the ability to say yes or no to a UT game in person, you are not the average person.

The truly average person in the East TN economy can’t afford to take a 4 person family to a game on Saturday. That’s 1K in tickets for a good game. Not to mention travel, food, etc.

Yeah, taking away something that us working class Joe's have been able to do for a fun Saturday with the family, and probably not more than once a season.

 

[sami]

It’s an option, done it a few times. Lucky to live in the TRI, so normally don’t stay anyway. But for some games, it’s really nice to go and stay in Knox. But over the years, that’s gotten further and further away from campus when we did do this.

We did the stay in Seviervulle option last year for one of the day kickoff games, stayed at Margaritaville and met some other Vol fans with the same idea. Great time and great people. But not something I’d do every home game because that’s expensive too and I hate the drive and traffic after a game.

That’s the part I miss about the game day experience at Neyland. Always finding and meeting other cool people to tailgate and have a good time with. Feels like that’s getting stamped out slowly with the way tickets are being bought and sold. And the hotels - well - I’m still trying to figure out who can just fork over thousands for a one/two night stay in Knoxville.

I'm not arguing with you a bit, but this was my experience going to a game in 2023.

Took my wife to the A&M game a couple of years ago (avatar pic) and stayed in a nice place in Cedar Bluff. About a 10-minute ride to the city, parked for $20 downtown and walked around to get the whole pre-game experience. Hung around downtown after the game until the traffic died a bit then had dinner at Finn's in Cedar Bluff (highly recommended). Spent about $120 a night (reserved a few months earlier and paid at the hotel) and stayed from Wed-Sat night and drove back to NJ on Sunday (we did day trips to Gatlinburg and the zoo on Thursday-Friday).

I hadn't been back in 40 years since being in school at UT and wanted her to get the whole experience. Honestly, the hotel was the least of it - $500 total for a nice, clean room 10 minutes from town. My issue was more with the cost of the tickets in the secondary market and what you got for it, which is essentially half a seat on a bleacher, and we're both in good shape. We spent about $2000 total for the trip, and loved every second except for what passes for a 'seat' in the stadium. Pretty easy to get to 102,000 when you 'create' a couple extra seats in each row.

 

[GAVol]

Never saw that coming….. it’s already been mentioned. We are paying top 3-4 ticket prices. Do you rank us up there with OSU, Ga,Texas, etc? As a fan you may want to but the reality is we’re still way behind in recruiting to compete with the top of the top.

A 12 ranked team when compared to a top 4 last year there was no comparison. It really showed us if anything that a 12 team is absolutely plenty, no need for expansion. Although they will for the cash grab. Scream playoffs all you want, the truth is we were/are light years behind in keeping up with those top teams year in and out when it comes to recruiting. You might want to go ahead and go back and rewatch that OSU game if your response is an attempt to disagree with those statements. We watched the proof. Not sure what else you need.

We’re not top 5 in prices. I totally get it if you don’t want to pay the freight. Tickets to everything have gotten crazy- much less hotels, food etc. But we’re probably on a sustained level as good as it’s been in 20 years and the demand for tickets is there.

 

[volfan102455]

Serious question - not that I doubt the waiting list number - but I was just thinking - I had season tickets up through the 2021 season. I then decided not to renew my tickets for the 2022 season and be selective about the games I attended. I then decided to obtain season tickets for the 2023 season. I had absolutely no problem obtaining the season tickets for 2023 which was right after the stellar year! So, when did the waiting list blow up or do they put those that lapse a year back in front of others?

 

[volfan102455]

Were are you getting Tennessee is in the top 3 or 4? I've seen a number of comparisons including this one and UT is not in the top 3 in the SEC let alone the nation.

View attachment 765450

Top 10 most expensive college football game day experiences for 2025

These numbers don't line up with the SEC numbers for average ticket prices. Both Bama and South Carolina were below Tennessee in that list???

Edited to add that OSU and Michigan are not even on this list and I would question any list that has Colorado at the top.

 

[VolCalls]

Serious question - not that I doubt the waiting list number - but I was just thinking - I had season tickets up through the 2021 season. I then decided not to renew my tickets for the 2022 season and be selective about the games I attended. I then decided to obtain season tickets for the 2023 season. I had absolutely no problem obtaining the season tickets for 2023 which was right after the stellar year! So, when did the waiting list blow up or do they put those that lapse a year back in front of others?

My guess is the waiting list is comprised of those who want season ticket information but don't currently have them. Once they get the info and see the prices for what's truly available (anyone who wants premium seats that has the $$ to fork over will always get them), they decline.

I'm a volunteer at my church to work with people facing difficulty managing their personal finances. Less than 20% of those who request assistance follow-through with the program. Just the way it is.

 

[volfan102455]

My guess is the waiting list is comprised of those who want season ticket information but don't currently have them. Once they get the info and see the prices for what's truly available (anyone who wants premium seats that has the $$ to fork over will always get them), they decline.

I'm a volunteer at my church to work with people facing difficulty managing their personal finances. Less than 20% of those who request assistance follow-through with the program. Just the way it is.

That makes sense - lots of interest but when it is time to actually pay the price - it is a no. And the increase in price will make more of those on the waiting list a "no".

The AD is rolling the dice with we have this huge waiting list when it is really an "interest list" and not confirmed buyers.

I do not have premium seats, but I don't have the cheapest ones either - somewhere in the middle.

 

[DooleyOrangePants]

That makes sense - lots of interest but when it is time to actually pay the price - it is a no. And the increase in price will make more of those on the waiting list a "no".

The AD is rolling the dice with we have this huge waiting list when it is really an "interest list" and not confirmed buyers.

I do not have premium seats, but I don't have the cheapest ones either - somewhere in the middle.

I think AD sees corporate buyers as the answer to this. I know several companies I work with that have seats are back in the waiting list to get more as they open up. One vendor we work with has 20 seats and wants to expand that to 40. Seeing a lot of that over in our section, couple rows down is a corporate block that rarely show up to games (except for the big ones).

 

[VolCalls]

That makes sense - lots of interest but when it is time to actually pay the price - it is a no. And the increase in price will make more of those on the waiting list a "no".

The AD is rolling the dice with we have this huge waiting list when it is really an "interest list" and not confirmed buyers.

I do not have premium seats, but I don't have the cheapest ones either - somewhere in the middle.

Right, they can't "sell" tickets that aren't available to people on a list in the hopes that they'll be able to offer them seats at some point due to attrition. I guess they could, but who in their right mind would pay it with zero guarantee?

The way you move to the top of the list for new seats is to have ample $$ to donate while you wait it out or come to the table with a large capital gift for the right to purchase seats in a premium area.

 

[volfan102455]

I think AD sees corporate buyers as the answer to this. I know several companies I work with that have seats are back in the waiting list to get more as they open up. One vendor we work with has 20 seats and wants to expand that to 40. Seeing a lot of that over in our section, couple rows down is a corporate block that rarely show up to games (except for the big ones).

Which is why there are many empty seats and every changing faces at many of the games. The stadium is only "really" full when it is a team like Bama or Georgia.

I am sure some of those corporate buyers are the ones that turn around and see the tickets for profit . So the more they have the more money they make.

 

[volfan102455]

Right, they can't "sell" tickets that aren't available to people on a list in the hopes that they'll be able to offer them seats at some point due to attrition. I guess they could, but who in their right mind would pay it with zero guarantee?

The way you move to the top of the list for new seats is to have ample $$ to donate while you wait it out or come to the table with a large capital gift for the right to purchase seats in a premium area.

Agree - I was just surprised at how easy it was for me who doesn't fit in the "large donation" category to obtain the tickets after the year lapse which was that stellar year! I really thought I would be told that none was available.

 

[DooleyOrangePants]

Which is why there are many empty seats and every changing faces at many of the games. The stadium is only "really" full when it is a team like Bama or Georgia.

I am sure some of those corporate buyers are the ones that turn around and see the tickets for profit . So the more they have the more money they make.

Yep. I mean, if this works for the AD, then more power to them. But for every mention I hear about “fan experience” out of that department, I cringe and point back to this. It’s becoming an afternoon social that’s sterilized to the point where a football game and the University are secondary (or worse) concerns.

 

[dobre_shunka]

These numbers don't line up with the SEC numbers for average ticket prices. Both Bama and South Carolina were below Tennessee in that list???

Edited to add that OSU and Michigan are not even on this list and I would question any list that has Colorado at the top.

That table is ticket, parking and concessions.

This table has Tennessee 4th in the SEC ($38 above the average) for just tickets:


https://www.sportscasting.com/news/...ost-expensive-games-cheapest-games-to-attend/

Where are you getting Tennessee is in the top 3 or 4 in the NCAA?

 

[VolCalls]

Agree - I was just surprised at how easy it was for me who doesn't fit in the "large donation" category to obtain the tickets after the year lapse which was that stellar year! I really thought I would be told that none was available.

I did the same thing. The waiting list messaging could also be part of their marketing strategy. If 20,000 non-ticket holders have inquired about buying season tickets over the last few years, or made a single game purchase, it doesn't necessarily mean they're keeping a list in real time. They could be putting those people in their database for future outreach if things dry up, for all we know.

 

[WallyBalls]

It’s pretty sad, but we are getting to that point now as well. It’s not that we can’t afford it, it’s just that it continues to accelerate and increases coming for practically everything. The “fan experience” has become more tiring each year as the carousel of season ticket holders rotates or they get bought up by a corporate group. Stiff shirts or fans of others teams coming to a game when there are so many other Vol fans wanting to get in and experience it somehow doesn’t sit right with me. It’s becoming more of a social event than a ballgame. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the social aspects of it and those who participate, but it’s different now. It sometimes feels like we are at an outdoor social where a football game is played on the side. I don’t remember it being that way in the 90’s and early 00’s when I was a kid, a student, and then a recently graduated adult.

I’m mid 40’s, have a son at UT, and have had orange running through my veins since birth. That won’t change, but we may drop down to two tickets and attend select games after this season. The calculus has become is it worth the money for the experience that we are paying for? - and right now, having friends and family over for a game day tailgate and watching the game outdoors is more value for the money in comparison.

If I could get Danny to listen to one thing...its that.

The experience is not worth what they're doing. Both in game, and when it comes to dealing with them.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

If I could get Danny to listen to one thing...its that.

The experience is not worth what they're doing.

But they are currently getting about 102,000 votes per game that say it is.

As long as the tickets sell and both the primary and secondary markets are booming, Danny isn't listening to people who say "the experience is not worth it."

Granted, it's not worth it to the same people it used to be worth it to, but there's a new generation of wealthier, still pretty rabid UT fan out there buying the seats others feel priced out of.

I know folks who complain they can't run to Gatlinburg on a weekend getaway like they used to because of prices or have switched from beef to chicken as their regular grill meal. The struggle is real but it's not just at Neyland.

 

[JacketVol]

I think AD sees corporate buyers as the answer to this. I know several companies I work with that have seats are back in the waiting list to get more as they open up. One vendor we work with has 20 seats and wants to expand that to 40. Seeing a lot of that over in our section, couple rows down is a corporate block that rarely show up to games (except for the big ones).

Bingo. this is the goal

 

[EastTNVol6240]

We’re not top 5 in prices. I totally get it if you don’t want to pay the freight. Tickets to everything have gotten crazy- much less hotels, food etc. But we’re probably on a sustained level as good as it’s been in 20 years and the demand for tickets is there.

According to what was posted in this thread, we are top 5. I believe it was 4.

 

[EastTNVol6240]

Were are you getting Tennessee is in the top 3 or 4? I've seen a number of comparisons including this one and UT is not in the top 3 in the SEC let alone the nation.

View attachment 765450

Top 10 most expensive college football game day experiences for 2025

Read the whole thread. You’ll find it.