Neyland Stadium Question

#1
HeavenUniversity

HeavenUniversity

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#1
I see that the largest crowd was over 109,000 about twenty years ago. Why is the capacity less now? Did UT stop selling standing room tickets? Is the band much bigger now? Wider seats? A combination of factors?
 
#4
#4
I feel like read something at some point that there was some state law change years ago too that will keep us from being able to officially state anything over capacity due to fire code. I might be totally making that up though.
 
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#5
#5
The bigger cushioned season ticket holder seats behind the home sideline and the party deck took reduced capacity.
 
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#6
#6
Yeah, those “renovations” SUCK! - A bunch of rich jerks that leave those cushy seats half-way through the 3rd quarter……

I’m NOT kidding!!! You can look over there & see it EVERY DAMN GAME!!!!!

It used to be “student” seating & it was “standing-room only”!!!

Maybe we should play at Bristol - That game was 156,990!!!!!

Largest College or Pro football attendance EVER!!!!!
 
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#7
#7
EverythingOrange said:
Yeah, those “renovations” SUCK! - A bunch of rich jerks that leave those cushy seats half-way through the 3rd quarter……

I’m NOT kidding!!! You can look over there & see it EVERY DAMN GAME!!!!!

It used to be “student” seating & it was “standing-room only”!!!

Maybe we should play at Bristol - That game was 156,990!!!!!
Click to expand...
So you know the people who sit in those seats and they are all “rich jerks”.
 
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#9
#9
More comfortable seats are bigger. I like being elbow to elbow personally. Adds to the experience. Especially if alcohol is involved and you're around good people. I've never wanted to high five strangers so fast.
 
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#10
#10
Yeah, those “renovations” SUCK! - A bunch of rich jerks that leave those cushy seats half-way through the 3rd quarter……
EverythingOrange said:
I’m NOT kidding!!! You can look over there & see it EVERY DAMN GAME!!!!!

It used to be “student” seating & it was “standing-room only”!!!

Maybe we should play at Bristol - That game was 156,990!!!!!

Largest College or Pro football attendance EVER!!!!!
Click to expand...
Those “rich jerks” are the ones funding the majority of expenditures in the athletic department, which is why we have top-notch facilities, coaches, and resources to attract student-athletes that can compete for championships. If you’d rather cater to average joes with no regard to financial resources that will improve the programs, maybe you should start rooting for MTSU.
 
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#11
#11
I don't think the stadium capacity ever went beyond 102,455. Today it's about 500 short of that maximum. Renovations haven't hurt our attendance much at all.

The way we got to attendance of 106,000 (which I clearly remember) or 109.000 as you mention, is by selling excess tickets and letting fans in on standing room only.

Remember when the TV cameras used to pan over the front edge of the upper bowl, or the spaces up by the old V O L S signs, and you'd see tons of people just standing up there, arms on the handrails? That was the over-capacity.

Then the fire codes enforcement folks got involved and that went away.

So now the max is the official capacity.

Go Vols!
 
#12
#12
Neyland's capacity is still 101, 915 which ain't bad.

Yeah it can be a damned noisy place but the Vols had all kinds of trouble with crowd noise on our last visit to Sanford Stadium in '22. Sanford's capacity is a bit over 93k.

Putting the J-tron in the north upper deck took out a couple of thousand seats.

In UT's defense virtually everything they've done has been in response to fan input. People go to pro stadiums where they have beer gardens and such and want something similar at Neyland. When the UTAD puts out a notice that they want your input, and you don't input, you have no reason to whine.

Also, starting in '25 the UTAD (and every other program) is going to have to cough up $22-25 MILLION to pay for the NCAA court settlement regarding compensating former athletes. Unlike Congress, UT can't just print money to cover this.
 
#14
#14
VolCalls said:
Yeah, those “renovations” SUCK! - A bunch of rich jerks that leave those cushy seats half-way through the 3rd quarter……

Those “rich jerks” are the ones funding the majority of expenditures in the athletic department, which is why we have top-notch facilities, coaches, and resources to attract student-athletes that can compete for championships. If you’d rather cater to average joes with no regard to financial resources that will improve the programs, maybe you should start rooting for MTSU.
Click to expand...
That you Danny?
 
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#15
#15
HeavenUniversity said:
I see that the largest crowd was over 109,000 about twenty years ago. Why is the capacity less now? Did UT stop selling standing room tickets? Is the band much bigger now? Wider seats? A combination of factors?
Click to expand...
They went liberal and are trying to lure the younger generation with gimmicks and ritzy things for the larger spenders. It's not about the game for some people it's about things that aren't even in the game.
 
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#16
#16
I'm a lifelong Vol fan who got season tickets 3 years ago at the age of 46. It was a dream come true for me. We got two in W. We moved this year to OO to get four to alternate taking our boys and their wives. It isn't cheap to go to a game these days, but boyz, let me tell you, it is worth every penny. It's not just the game anymore; there is an entertainment experience nowadays, and I am a fan. If those folks who live behind the home bench don't want to be in this awesome environment, it's their loss. I'd just ask them to keep writing the checks so the folks in the lower rent district (upper deck) can enjoy what they are buying, rent-free!
 
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#17
#17
Official capacity in 2000 was 104,037 but the university had a bunch of standing only tickets that were sold or allotted to students.
 
#18
#18
EverythingOrange said:
Premium seating. — You have to be “rich” to afford to sit there. — They are “jerks” because they don’t stay for the entire game!……
EverythingOrange said:
Yeah, those “renovations” SUCK! - A bunch of rich jerks that leave those cushy seats half-way through the 3rd quarter……

I’m NOT kidding!!! You can look over there & see it EVERY DAMN GAME!!!!!

It used to be “student” seating & it was “standing-room only”!!!

Maybe we should play at Bristol - That game was 156,990!!!!!

Largest College or Pro football attendance EVER!!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

And their $$$$ is why the coaching staff is VERY well paid, the facilities are top notch, and UT can compete on a national level. You want $15 ticket prices? Carson Newman is about 45 min east of Neyland.
 
#19
#19
HeavenUniversity said:
I see that the largest crowd was over 109,000 about twenty years ago. Why is the capacity less now? Did UT stop selling standing room tickets? Is the band much bigger now? Wider seats? A combination of factors?
Click to expand...
That was the loudest I have heard that place on TV ever.
 
#20
#20
So, in theory, if one could find out one of the seats in a seat/row/section that no longer exists and find an older staff member at one of the gates, one could say their phone was glitchy today but one has the exact seat written down, one might be able to get in for Free. Just inquiring for a friend.
 
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#21
#21
I can see the game better on tv. The Volwalk and the tailgating would be fun but I'd still rather watch the game itself on tv.
 
#22
#22
EverythingOrange said:
Yeah, those “renovations” SUCK! - A bunch of rich jerks that leave those cushy seats half-way through the 3rd quarter……

I’m NOT kidding!!! You can look over there & see it EVERY DAMN GAME!!!!!

It used to be “student” seating & it was “standing-room only”!!!

Maybe we should play at Bristol - That game was 156,990!!!!!

Largest College or Pro football attendance EVER!!!!!
Click to expand...

The Cushy club seats grant access to the field level standing area behind the benches plus the club with food underneath the seats. So they come and go from there and make it look worse than it is.
 
#23
#23
HeavenUniversity said:
So, in theory, if one could find out one of the seats in a seat/row/section that no longer exists and find an older staff member at one of the gates, one could say their phone was glitchy today but one has the exact seat written down, one might be able to get in for Free. Just inquiring for a friend.
Click to expand...
I had six tickets on my phone Saturday. We were sitting in section Z and at the gate, I scanned my phone for 2 tickets and the ticket guy said "yall are good". We walked right in.
 
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#25
#25
VFL-82-JP said:
I don't think the stadium capacity ever went beyond 102,455. Today it's about 500 short of that maximum. Renovations haven't hurt our attendance much at all.

The way we got to attendance of 106,000 (which I clearly remember) or 109.000 as you mention, is by selling excess tickets and letting fans in on standing room only.

Remember when the TV cameras used to pan over the front edge of the upper bowl, or the spaces up by the old V O L S signs, and you'd see tons of people just standing up there, arms on the handrails? That was the over-capacity.

Then the fire codes enforcement folks got involved and that went away.

So now the max is the official capacity.

Go Vols!
Click to expand...

Seating capacity was 102,544 from 1996-1997; 102,854 from 1997-1999; and 104,079 from 2000-2005. Not trying to be a jerk, just love Neyland and everything about it's history.

Fun fact(s) of the day. Go Big Orange!
 
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