Thompson Boling Arena at Food City Center

[Vol49er]

Just speculating, but Food City is already a sponsor. There may be restrictions in current sponsorship contracts. Depending on length of contracts or liquidation clauses, they may have been limited.

Fair enough, good point

 

[bleedingTNorange]

1. If it pushes funds toward Spyre, then I’m fine with it. Asked and answered.

2. If Pilot offered Tennessee $20 million to change the school colors to yellow, red, and black, it would be a good idea? Or change our name from Volunteers to the Fighting Fuel Pumps? Both extreme examples, but also awful, horrible ideas. So, sorry, I disagree…adding $20 million can be a negative.

This instance isn’t the end of the world, but it wasn’t necessary, either. At the end of the day, it isn’t earth-shattering and we aren’t likely to lose fans over it. But it is a talking point and I don’t think it’s crazy to think some fans are just generally upset that it’s another case of anything and everything being for sale.

Those examples have no real life instances that suggest 1. This is likely to be a common theme and 2. That this deal is among the nations best….I see this along the lines of the alcohol in stadiums, or NIL collectives being formed…at the time these were unheard of things that many folks disliked the idea of. Not an apples to apples comparison but seems for realistic than your examples, and like I said many were against those ideas, yet now they are common place and making money. $20m isn’t chump change, we will never get a statement saying that x amount of money was allocated to Spyre as a result, but donors are only giving so much, those renderings of an updated TBA inside would have costed money likely from donors, that money can now go to other things.


JMO

 

[bleedingTNorange]

The value-add and risk/reward was my point. $1 billion and $20 million are miles and miles apart. BTO said adding $20 million is never a negative and I tried to present a couple examples of when it would be a negative because the risk wasn't worth it and there wasn't enough value-add for the price.

What’s the risk here? Market value says this is arguably the best collegiate naming rights deal on the market, would seem like that would suggest a great value and risk/reward deal.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

You know I’ve seen a lot of takes and brother, this is one of them.

I think that KO, Buzz, Jerry Green, and Cuonzo are available and Donnie will soon have his show cause lifted.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I haven’t drilled down into the deal points. Is Food City footing the bill for the cost of all of the signage?

 

[zjcvols]

The value-add and risk/reward was my point. $1 billion and $20 million are miles and miles apart. BTO said adding $20 million is never a negative and I tried to present a couple examples of when it would be a negative because the risk wasn't worth it and there wasn't enough value-add for the price.

If we start talking about Neyland and renaming, I believe we have a legitimate case since not only is Neyland the most important person in the history of the athletic department but also a war hero. Thompson and Boling are sponsors and I’d say 75% of Vol fans don’t even know their first names. And it’s not like TBA is a Mecca, like Neyland.

 

[zjcvols]

I think that KO, Buzz, Jerry Green, and Cuonzo are available and Donnie will soon have his show cause lifted.

Danny White is a top 5 AD in the country. He will hire a good basketball coach, just like all of his hires have turned out at minimum fine.

 

[joevols89]

Danny White is a top 5 AD in the country. He will hire a good basketball coach, just like all of his hires have turned out at minimum fine.!

I’m fairly confident in him hiring a good basketball coach, moreso than I was with football. No offense to Barnes but I would hope he would have zero to do with picking his replacement.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Thompson and Boling are sponsors and I’d say 75% of Vol fans don’t even know their last name. And it’s not like TBA is a Mecca, like Neyland.!

B. Ray Thompson is the donor (coal business multi-millionaire) and Ed Boling was the president of UT. Thompson agreed to having his name on the building if they included Boling.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Danny White is a top 5 AD in the country. He will hire a good basketball coach, just like all of his hires have turned out at minimum fine.!

He has a hiring track record as a very successful AD at much lower levels. The jury is still out as an AD at a major player in college sports. That’s why I said his legacy is going to be defined by the hiring of the next basketball coach. And obviously if Heupel were to leave for the NFL, what would he do there (although the donors are more the decision makers for football hires)?

 

[DonDiego]

Is Food City a bad store or something? I moved about a year after TBA was built, so I saw a few things there. I never had a problem with the architecture and I don't see a great big attraction to the current name. Before it was built we played BB at Stokely Athletic Center. I don't remember that many tears being shed when we moved on. Seems to me having corporate sponsors is a pretty good idea.

 

[zjcvols]

He has a hiring track record as a very successful AD at much lower levels. The jury is still out as an AD at a major player in college sports. That’s why I said his legacy is going to be defined by the hiring of the next basketball coach. And obviously if Heupel were to leave for the NFL, what would he do there (although the donors are more the decision makers for football hires)?

It is not. He’s a top ten AD. Everybody who follows athletics departments acknowledges this. His resume as an AD stacks up with anyone in the country. And I’d say that even if Heupel went 8-4 last year.

The donors USED to be more involved with athletic hires. They are not anymore. It’s Plowman, Boyd and Danny. They made the Heupel hire. If the donors had any say, Heupel wouldn’t have been here.

(Also, if you don’t know if he can hire a basketball coach, guess who gave Nate Oats his first big break)

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

It is not. He’s a top ten AD. Everybody who follows athletics departments acknowledges this. His resume as an AD stacks up with anyone in the country. And I’d say that even if Heupel went 8-4 last year.

(Also, if you don’t know if he can hire a basketball coach, guess who gave Nate Oats his first big break)

Hiring an unknown Nate Oats as an assistant at Buffalo is very different than finding a replacement for a Hall of Fame head coach at a team at the top of a major conference.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Danny is a top 10 AD because of Heupel, Barnes, and Vitello. He didn’t hire two of those and he’s only been here 2 and a half years. I’m not ready to worship him yet. But I’m certainly wouldn’t show him the door.

 

[CAVPUT]

I'll be in the corner crying.

Disgusting. Not gonna cry, but we UT fans can't mock UK anymore. We've taken a knee at the foot of the almighty dollar just like everyone else. The moral high horse has definitely left the barn. I'm an ashamed alum.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Food City has horrible packaging for their store brands. It takes a pair of pliers to open the clam shell containers for tater salad from the deli.

 

[zjcvols]

Danny is a top 10 AD because of Heupel, Barnes, and Vitello. He didn’t hire two of those and he’s only been here 2 and a half years. I’m not ready to worship him yet. But I’m certainly wouldn’t show him the door.

No. Danny was a top 10 AD before he got here. His work with Central Florida was unparalleled and he won an AD of the year while at UCF. And he’s the main reason UCF somehow got a Big 12 invite.

 

[zjcvols]

Disgusting. Not gonna cry, but we UT fans can't mock UK anymore. We've taken a knee at the foot of the almighty dollar just like everyone else. The moral high horse has definitely left the barn. I'm an ashamed alum.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

This needs to do some laps at the TBA/FCC.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

No. Danny was a top 10 AD before he got here. His work with Central Florida was unparalleled and he won an AD of the year while at UCF. And he’s the main reason UCF somehow got a Big 12 invite.

Maybe I’ll also be a Danny-sexual if he keeps Heupel and Vitello on campus and he makes the next basketball hire that keeps UT in the top 15. I’m giving it a few more years before agreeing that he’s Sports Jesus since he’s only been at the big boy conference level for a minute or two (with Daddy on speed dial). Bill Battle’s **** didn’t stink in 1970.

 

[Chris4Vols22]

View attachment 571853

Ever had chicken bruschetta?

 

[cncchris33]

Those examples have no real life instances that suggest 1. This is likely to be a common theme and 2. That this deal is among the nations best….I see this along the lines of the alcohol in stadiums, or NIL collectives being formed…at the time these were unheard of things that many folks disliked the idea of. Not an apples to apples comparison but seems for realistic than your examples, and like I said many were against those ideas, yet now they are common place and making money. $20m isn’t chump change, we will never get a statement saying that x amount of money was allocated to Spyre as a result, but donors are only giving so much, those renderings of an updated TBA inside would have costed money likely from donors, that money can now go to other things.


JMO

You're missing the point in its most simplistic form. You made a blanket statement that cashing a $20 million check is never a negative. I disagree and presented my two examples, albeit extremes, where it would be a negative. No need to overthink it.

I've also conceded that if the money is going towards acquiring talent, either directly or indirectly such as you are suggesting above, I find it a bit more palatable. But monetary donations aren't always a one-for-one relationship. People donating money aren't always handing over large sums for the university and/or athletic department to do as they see fit. Some people want to know exactly where the dollar is going, in the form of building and facility improvements, for example and donate it earmarked for exactly those purposes. So just because UT has a new windfall to make some of those changes doesn't automatically mean that people who would have contributed to those kinds of improvement projects otherwise will instead now contribute to Spyre.

And yeah, $20 million isn't chump change, but it's a 10-year payout. In the scope of an overall athletic budget, $2 million, annually, is a mere fraction. Granted, a fraction more than we'd have had, otherwise, but still a drop in the bucket for an athletic department with a current budget of $170 million, annually, and projected to top $200 million by 2026.

Lastly, you don't need to waste time trying to convince me of the positives. I'm not going to withhold my support of Tennessee athletics due to slapping Food City decals on everything at TBA. It really isn't a big deal. My issue is more with the idea that everything is for sale these days. Nothing is sacred anymore and Neyland Stadium is next. I won't stop watching when it does. I just won't like it, and I can understand why others don't, as well.

 

[zjcvols]

Ever had chicken bruschetta?

Unreal.

 

[cncchris33]

If we start talking about Neyland and renaming, I believe we have a legitimate case since not only is Neyland the most important person in the history of the athletic department but also a war hero. Thompson and Boling are sponsors and I’d say 75% of Vol fans don’t even know their first names. And it’s not like TBA is a Mecca, like Neyland.

That's a fair point. And like another poster said, I'd have less of an issue with it if this were naming rights to a new arena. But you know it's coming for Neyland sooner or later, too.

 

[cncchris33]

Maybe I’ll also be a Danny-sexual if he keeps Heupel and Vitello on campus and he makes the next basketball hire that keeps UT in the top 15. I’m giving it a few more years before agreeing that he’s Sports Jesus since he’s only been at the big boy conference level for a minute or two (with Daddy on speed dial). Bill Battle’s **** didn’t stink in 1970.

Didn't he already keep Vitello on campus? And he hired Heupel and has extended him, as well.