Tennessee set to ‘modernize’ football ticket pricing model

The University of Tennessee is set to modernize its football ticket pricing model.

The University of Tennessee and athletics director Danny White announced this week plans to modernize its football ticket pricing model.

UT press release:

Close to 50 percent of existing season-ticket holders will experience a total cost reduction

Tennessee Athletics has finalized plans to implement a more simplified and modernized football ticket purchasing process beginning with the 2022 season.

The impending changes stem from several months of thoughtful analysis and consideration of fan feedback, including requests to create a more equitable and affordable pricing model throughout Neyland Stadium. Similar fan input led to the development of multiple new and exciting fan experience amenities/renovations set to debut next football season.

Many season-ticket holders, beginning in the fall of 2022, will experience a price reduction. Access to season tickets also will be expanded to more of the Tennessee fanbase, as some areas within Neyland Stadium will not require an annual donation. These no-donation areas create a pathway for a new generation of Tennessee fans to experience the unmatched pageantry of gameday on Rocky Top.
Under this new and more equitable model, ticket holders seated in the same section of Neyland Stadium all will be paying the same, fair amount.

Affected account holders will receive an email on Wednesday, Sept. 22, with details specific to their seats. And throughout the coming weeks, Tennessee Athletics staff will proactively reach out to affected account holders to talk through these changes and discuss options.

Multiple new premium areas are scheduled for construction as outlined during this summer’s launch of the My All Campaign. Sections impacted by new planned premium areas include the lower west (sections R-W, rows 1-22) and the upper north (sections YY7-YY9). Current season-ticket holders in these sections will have the right of first refusal for seats in this revamped space. There will be increases to the per-seat gift requirements coinciding with the enhanced amenities.

Fan experience upgrades accompanying this phase of renovations include two new videoboards on the north and south ends of the stadium, a lower-west premium club, enhanced chairback seating in multiple lower-west sections and a party deck social gathering space on the stadium’s upper north end.

“From what I’ve heard thus far, I believe our fans are excited about the upgrades taking place at Neyland Stadium and the new areas we’re introducing next season,” Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White said. “With the lay of the land changing in several sections, it’s important to me that we communicate with our ticket holders throughout this process. They’ll have the rest of this season to assess which seating options work best for them.”

Under the new simplified pricing model, fans will select from one of six general bowl zones or five premium zones throughout the stadium, with each zone carrying a specific donation amount required to purchase season tickets. The aforementioned no-donation/family sections also will be offered for fans seeking an alternative to seats carrying a gift requirement.
Implementation of this new model aligns Tennessee with several of its peers throughout the country and also enables Tennessee Athletics to maximize Neyland Stadium’s unique ability to generate championship resources that impact each of UT’s 20 varsity sport programs.

“Just like our fans, we expect all of our teams to contend for championships,” White said. “In full transparency, our athletic department has no driver of revenue more powerful than Neyland Stadium. In order for us to elevate our budget—catching up to many of our peers—and meet our lofty goals across all sports, we need to effectively capitalize on the power of that stadium and the strength and passion of our fanbase. It all works together to propel our teams to new heights.”

ATHLETICS ALSO INTRODUCING NEW TENNESSEE FUND PRIORITY SEATING MODEL

In keeping with efforts to modernize operations, cultivate a new generation of fans and resource Tennessee’s athletic programs at a championship level, the Tennessee Fund also is making adjustments to priority-seating benefits tied to football donations.
Currently, donations required to purchase Tennessee football tickets permit donors access to premium benefits at events for other UT teams, such as basketball, baseball and softball. In other words, a football-specific donation has afforded “umbrella” privileges extending to multiple sports.

In order to expand access and opportunities at events for sports other than football to more fans, the aforementioned umbrella coverage will be discontinued beginning with the 2022 renewal period for each sport.

Fans interested in accessing certain seating sections or premium areas at Tennessee women’s basketball games, for example, will soon be required to make the specific donation designated for that access at Thompson-Boling Arena. A separate donation will be required to acquire that same level of access at men’s basketball games. The same process will apply for UT baseball and softball.
Many of Tennessee’s peer institutions have been operating under a similar non-umbrella model for years, enabling them to unlock sport- and venue-specific revenue opportunities that Tennessee is not currently capitalizing on. Thus, several of those peers have developed operating budgets that outpace Tennessee’s.

“Since very early in my tenure here, I’ve been attuned to our need to offer increased fan access and also modernize and maximize the revenue opportunities at our athletic venues,” White said. “For sports like softball, baseball and basketball, we’ve been selling ourselves short. Those teams have performed at a level that has prompted demand, but opportunities for new ticket holders to join in has been too limited for too many of our fans.”

Coinciding with these changes are comprehensive repricing plans for Tennessee football and basketball, which result in donation and ticket-price decreases across significant sections of those venues. Specific basketball repricing information will be finalized in the months to come, and the upcoming 2021-22 basketball season will not be impacted.

Tennessee Athletics staff members are available to discuss these changes over the phone (865-656-1200) or via the live chat function on Tennessee.Fund.org during business hours.

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Danny White issues statement on SEC expansion

Danny White issues statement on SEC expansion.

The Southeastern Conference granted membership to Oklahoma and Texas on Friday.

Membership is slated to begin for the Longhorns and Sooners on July 1, 2025.

Following the SEC granting membership to Oklahoma and Texas, University of Tennessee Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White issued a statement on league expansion.

“From a proud charter member of the Southeastern Conference, and the city in which the league was founded, the University of Tennessee welcomes Oklahoma and Texas to the most powerful and competitive conference in intercollegiate athletics,” White said in a UT press release. “This is an exciting time for all SEC fans as we develop new rivalries in the years to come, expand our league’s footprint and continue to elevate its unrivaled student-athlete experience.”

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Danny White discusses hiring Josh Heupel

Danny White has hired Josh Heupel as Tennessee’s head coach.

Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White was hired by Tennessee on Jan. 22.

He came to Tennessee after serving in the same capacity at UCF.

While at UCF, White hired Josh Heupel as the Knights’ football head coach. White did the same at Tennessee, hiring Heupel as the Vols’ head coach.

Heupel was introduced as Tennessee’s football head coach on Wednesday. White met with media to discuss his hiring. Below is a transcript provided by the University of Tennessee.

UT press release:

“I appreciate you guys being here today. I think I’ve been on the job five days and it’s been a whirlwind. I’m proud to be at Tennessee and I’m really excited about today. I want to welcome Josh, and you will meet his wonderful family; Dawn, Hannah and Jace. We’ve rocked their world and I think they’re in the same boat now as my family, a family in transition. Really excited about having you all here as part of the Tennessee family and everything we’re excited about building here moving forward.

“I want to thank President Randy Boyd and Chancellor Donde Plowman for their support throughout this search for the last week. I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity for me, personally, to be here and the future of what we have going for Tennessee Athletics and this entire institution. Our football student-athletes were phenomenal, they were really, really great. We have a special group. I want to thank the leadership committee I met with this past weekend. The insight they gave me as to what’s happening inside our football program was absolutely instrumental to help me identify the right leader that we have here in Josh Heupel of our football program moving forward.”

NEXT: Danny White on hiring Josh Heupel continued

Tennessee hires Josh Heupel as head coach

The University of Tennessee has hired Josh Heupel as its next football head coach.

The University of Tennessee has hired Josh Heupel as its next football head coach.

Danny White was hired as Tennessee’s athletics director on Jan. 22. He came to Tennessee from the University of Central Florida.

White hired Heupel as head coach at UCF ahead of the 2018 season. He has since hired Heupel to lead Tennessee’s football program.

UT press release:

Josh Heupel, the former Oklahoma quarterback who led his team to the national title, and who as an assistant coach and head coach captured conference championships at Oklahoma and UCF, has been named Tennessee’s 27th head football coach, Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White announced on Wednesday.

Heupel will be formally introduced during a live-streamed press conference Wednesday at 12:05 p.m. ET on UTsports.com and SEC Network.

“We looked at a number of potential candidates,” White said. “Josh Heupel, who I had the privilege of working with for three years, is everything we were looking for: winning with integrity, a history of championships and the architect of explosive offenses. He is a players’ coach and the kind of person the student-athletes go the extra mile for. I saw that first-hand, and you can see it in his coaching record.”

With a pedigree of fast-paced and exciting teams, Heupel was named the 2018 First Year Coach of the Year by the Football Writers Association of America, and he was a finalist for the Associated Press National Coach of the Year Award, the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award that same season.

“I am thrilled to be coming to Tennessee,” Heupel said. “I understand that Volunteer fans are hungry for a return to the top that they so richly deserve, and it is my goal and commitment to bring a championship back to Rocky Top.”

An elite playcaller with a history of explosive offenses, Heupel was the architect of a unit that ranked in the FBS top 10 in points per game in each of his three seasons as UCF head coach—eighth in 2020 (42.2), fifth in 2019 (43.4) and sixth in 2018 (43.2). The Knights also ranked in the top five in the FBS in total offense per game in each of those three seasons—second in 2020 (568.1), second in 2019 (540.5) and fourth in 2018 (522.7).

“We brought Danny White in to hire a talented coach who can be here for a long time and build a championship program,” UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman said. “Coach Heupel has compiled an impressive record, and I think Vols fans can look forward to a bright and exciting future. We are delighted to welcome him and his family to Tennessee.”

Under Heupel’s watch, UCF was the only team in the country to rank among the top five in the country in total offense each of the last three years, and the Knights were the only program in the nation to average at least 522.7 yards of total offense in each of the last three seasons.

Heupel became head coach at UCF in 2018 and promptly became one of only three coaches in college football history to lead a team to an undefeated regular season in his first year with them. That season, his team posted a 12-1 overall record, earning the American Athletic Conference championship and a berth to the Fiesta Bowl.

The following year, his team compiled a 10-3 mark, earning a fourth consecutive bowl invitation. Overall, he posted a 28-8 record at UCF and a stellar 20-5 mark in conference play.

Heupel is no stranger to putting up big offensive numbers in the Southeastern Conference. Prior to his successful run at UCF, he served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Missouri from 2016-17.

In 2015, prior to Heupel’s arrival, Missouri ranked 124th in the nation in total offense (280.9). In 2016, the Tigers led the SEC and ranked 13th nationally, averaging 500.5 yards per game. In 2017, Mizzou ranked eighth in the nation in total offense, averaging 502.2 yards per game. The Tigers were also 14th in the nation in scoring at 37.5 points per game.

Mizzou quarterback Drew Lock shined under Heupel’s tutelage. Lock led the SEC in passing as a sophomore, throwing for 3,399 yards and 23 touchdowns. He followed that with an even stronger junior season in 2017, passing for 3,964 yards and a then-SEC record 44 touchdown tosses.

Prior to his time in Columbia, Heupel served as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Utah State in 2015, and he was a member of Bob Stoops’ coaching staff at Oklahoma from 2006-14. During his time with the Sooners, he helped develop Heisman Trophy winners Sam Bradford and Jason White at Oklahoma.

As a player, he was a national champion as Oklahoma’s quarterback in 2000. He was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 2000 while leading the Sooners to a victory over Florida State in the 2001 Orange Bowl, sealing the national title for the OU. In 2001, Heupel was the Associated Press Player of the Year, Walter Camp Award winner, Archie Griffin Award winner and a consensus All-American.

During his two seasons as the starting quarterback at Oklahoma, Heupel posted a 20-5 record. He passed for 7,456 yards and 53 touchdowns. Overall, he still ranks among OU’s top three quarterbacks in passing yards, completions and touchdown passes, despite playing just two seasons.

An Aberdeen, South Dakota, native, Heupel earned his bachelor’s degree in business marketing from Oklahoma in 2001. He and his wife, Dawn, have two children—daughter Hannah and son Jace.

Search firm details hiring process timeline for a head coach

Danny White was hired as Tennessee’s athletics director on Jan. 22.

Danny White was hired as Tennessee’s athletics director on Jan. 22.

White has since kicked off a search to hire the Vols’ next football head coach.

Parker Executive Search is being used throughout the hiring process for the University of Tennessee.

Parker Executive Search details its hiring process timeline as the following.

“We understand the sensitivity and urgency of finding a coach or sports executive. That’s why we complete most coach searches in 10 to 14 days and can complete executive searches in four to five weeks.”

University of Tennessee’s new Director of Athletics Danny White, speaks during a press conference announcing his hiring, on UT’s campus in Knoxville, Tenn., Friday, Jan. 22, 2021.

During his introductory press conference, White mentioned he will do a lot of homework in hiring the Vols’ next football head coach.

He also discussed how his search will be expansive and that head coaching experience is not criteria in being hired.

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Chancellor Donde Plowman details hiring process for Danny White

University of Tennessee, Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman introduced Danny White as the Vols’ next athletics director Jan. 22.

University of Tennessee, Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman introduced Danny White as the Vols’ next athletics director Jan. 22.

Plowman detailed UT’s hiring process with White.

“I want to give you all some insight into how this all transpired over the last few days,” Plowman said. “We retained Parker Executive search firm on Saturday and they began to compile a list of potential AD candidates. I spent Monday evening and all-day Tuesday taking calls and talking to different groups inside athletics such as head coaches, senior leadership teams, student-athlete advisory council, the faculty-senate committee on athletics and groups of donors, just try to try to find out what we should be looking for in our next athletic director. We were confident that the position would be attractive and attract robust interest. We were immediately proven correct. Our search firm presented us with an impressive and diverse list of prospects, but it was clear who the top candidate was. It was Danny White.

“We moved swiftly, and I had my first conversation with Danny on Tuesday night over Zoom during the Tennessee-Florida basketball game actually, we both missed that. On Wednesday morning, president (Randy) Boyd, chairman (John) Compton and I had a 90-minute Zoom meeting with Danny, and that evening, the three of us flew to Orlando to meet with Danny and his lovely family. We were blown away by his ideas, his character and his commitment to both academic and athletic success.”

University of Tennessee’s new Director of Athletics Danny White, speaks during a press conference announcing his hiring, on UT’s campus in Knoxville, Tenn., Friday, Jan. 22, 2021.

White comes to Tennessee after serving as athletics director at Buffalo (2012-15) and UCF (2015-2021).

“Danny is a leader, an innovator, a builder,” Plowman said. “He comes from an extraordinary family of college athletics administrators, including the renowned and respected athletic director at Duke University, his dad Kevin White.”

His father, Kevin White, is the athletics director at Duke. His brother, Brian White, is the vice president and director of athletics at Florida Atlantic. Mike White, his other brother, is the men’s basketball head coach at Florida. His sister, Mariah Chappell, is the assistant athletics director for administration at SMU.

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Danny White wants a head coach that he can trust unequivocally

Danny White was introduced as Tennessee’s athletics director on Jan. 22.

Danny White was introduced as Tennessee’s athletics director on Jan. 22.

Since his hiring, a search is underway for a head coach to lead the Vols’ football program.

During White’s introductory press conference, he mentioned integrity being at the forefront of a head coach being hired.

“Integrity is an enormous part of who I am, of the people that we hire,” White said. “I want a head coach that I can trust unequivocally, and I know that person will hire a staff full of high-character people. That goes beyond just staying within rules and following regulations, whether they be university, conference or NCAA. It’s bigger than that.

“It’s having the right moral compass that’s going to rub off on our student-athletes. Be a role model for our student-athletes and make sure that we’re developing them in every way possible, that their parents will be proud of, that all of us will be proud of. Integrity is huge.”

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Danny White details philanthropy in hiring process and building a program

Danny White was hired as Tennessee’s athletics director.

Danny White was hired as Tennessee’s athletics director Friday.

A search is underway in hiring the Vols’ next football head coach.

During White’s introductory press conference, he highlighted how philanthropy is part of building a program.

“I think that what I’ve tried to do is similar to how we market our program, in terms of building a brand,” White said regarding his history of out of the box hires. “Whether it be in a community, building a compelling case for support and philanthropy, I think the same is true for hiring a coach.”

Dec 19, 2020; University Park, Pennsylvania; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks on from the sideline during the second quarter against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State head coach James Franklin has a history of being at the forefront for the public good and philanthropy.

Franklin was named Penn State’s 43rd Annual Renaissance Fund honoree in 2019.

“His legacy at the University is best reflected in the lives of the student-athletes he teaches, mentors and inspires. James leads by example and is a great choice for this year’s award.” –George Henning Jr., president of the Renaissance Fund’s board of directors and a 1963 graduate of Penn State

Franklin previously served as a Southeastern Conference head coach in the Volunteer State.

He guided Vanderbilt to a 24–15 (11–13 SEC) record, two nine-win seasons, three bowl appearances and two bowl victories from 2011-13.

Nov 24, 2018; Madison, WI; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck looks on during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Philantrophy is also a key component for Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck.

During the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic in April, Fleck discussed how his student-athletes could remain playing a part in philantrophy during a time when spring practices were canceled.

Below is a question and answer with Fleck from The St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Have you been working on any plans to give back to the community?

Our players have been great. The NCAA has been great for some players on certain teams in allowing them to do certain things. A lot of our players have been doing those things on their own. We’ve asked them to keep up with the philanthropy, keep up with the nonprofits and keep up with a way to make your lives bigger than yourselves.

A lot of them, that needs to focus on their families, that meets the need for them. There are others that have reached out to other organizations and non-profits and have done that.

(My wife) Heather and I and our team are still very involved in Ronald McDonald House, dropping off a lot of different supplies. Our players have asked to put their heads together and come up with certain ways to be able to help our community and their communities at home. We are very excited about that. We are very excited to be able to help that, and we will continue to do that.

Fleck could be an ideal candidate to clean up and rebuild Tennessee amid an investigation of wrongdoings within the program.

Fleck has a connection with the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions that could benefit Tennessee when presenting findings of wrongdoings to the jury.

He played for Joe Novak at Northern Illinois. Novak serves on the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.

Novak discussed Tennessee’s internal investigation with Vols Wire last month.

“Schools are NCAA members, so if they find a violation on campus, they are obligated to turn themselves in,” Novak told Vols Wire.“Since this thing is so public, I am sure the NCAA is aware of it. Technically, Tennessee has an obligation, after they review it, if they find that there are violations, they are obligated to turn themselves in.”

Dec 21, 2019; Las Vegas, Nevada; Washington Huskies head coach Chris Petersen holds the Las Vegas Bowl trophy at Sam Boyd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Petersen, former Washington and Boise State head coach, has also been centered around philanthropy.

Petersen departed Washington following the 2019 season.

“It becomes a lot of frustration and anxiety and stress, and some of the excitement and positivity and optimism can be pushed away, and that’s never a way to lead your life,” Petersen said when leaving Washington to take time away from football.

Petersen doesn’t know entirely what is next for him. He didn’t rule out coaching again — “I’m not falling for that trick question,” — but sounded more interested in philanthropy and leadership than the stress of being a football coach. –KOMO News

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Hiring P.J. Fleck could help Tennessee amid investigation

Hiring P.J. Fleck could help Tennessee amid investigation.

Tennessee parted ways with third-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt on Monday.

Pruitt was fired with cause.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported Pruitt was fired for cause Monday. His firing stems from alleged NCAA violations under his watch, according to University of Tennessee sources with knowledge of the situation, meaning the university will not pay his buyout.

Tennessee has since hired its new athletics director in Danny White. White has kicked off a search for Pruitt’s replacement as head coach.

Nov 24, 2018; Madison, WI; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck looks on during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck could be an ideal candidate to clean up and rebuild the Tennessee program.

Fleck also has a connection with the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions that could benefit Tennessee when presenting findings of wrongdoings to the jury.

Joe Novak head coach of the Northern Illinois Huskies looks on during a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes on September 2, 2006 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State won the game 35-12. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Fleck played for Joe Novak at Northern Illinois. Novak serves on the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.

Novak discussed Tennessee’s internal investigation with Vols Wire last month.

“Schools are NCAA members, so if they find a violation on campus, they are obligated to turn themselves in,” Novak told Vols Wire. “Since this thing is so public, I am sure the NCAA is aware of it. Technically, Tennessee has an obligation, after they review it, if they find that there are violations, they are obligated to turn themselves in.”

Fleck was a keynote speaker at the 2020 American Football Coaches Association’s annual convention in Nashville.

The event kicked off with Fleck discussing his career and how he has risen from a wide receiver at Northern Illinois attending the AFCA Convention and knowing he wanted to coach.

He has since climbed the coaching ranks, becoming a first-time head coach at Western Michigan (2013-15). There, his ability to build a program with its culture on display was at the forefront and he has since moved on to rebuild Minnesota’s program in the same capacity.

During White’s introductory press conference Friday, he mentioned his ambition in being a builder also.

Fleck’s full speech highlighting his coaching career can be listened to here or below. Novak previously joined the show “Tennessee Two-A-Days” and can be listened to here or below.

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Vols search for a head coach: Offensive coordinator candidate options

Tennessee head coaching search: Offensive coordinator candidate options

The University of Tennessee is searching for its next football head coach.

Tennessee hired Danny White as its athletics director on Friday. White has now launched his search in hiring a football head coach.

Vols Wire takes a look at offensive coordinators throughout college football that would be ideal options if White decided to hire an offensive-minded non-head coach.

Below are ideal non-head coach offensive coordinators throughout college football.