Following the Vols’ win over Alabama, Tennessee is fined for violation of access to competition area policy.
Tennessee fans stormed Shields-Watkins Field at Neyland Stadium on Saturday after the Vols defeated Alabama, 24-17.
The Vols have defeated Alabama in back-to-back games at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee was also victorious, 52-49, over the Crimson Tide on Oct. 15, 2022.
Both contests in 2022 and 2024 resulted in Tennessee fans storming the field. The Southeastern Conference announced Tennessee has been fined $100,000 for violation of access to competition area policy.
Tennessee also incurred a $100,000 fine after the 2022 Alabama football game. At the time, it was the Vols’ second offense under the league’s then-access to competition area policy. Under the previous policy, Tennessee was first fined following a basketball game against Florida in 2006.
The SEC released the following statement following fans storming the field after Saturday’s contest.
The Southeastern Conference announced today that the University of Tennessee will be fined for violation of the league’s access to competition area policy due to fans entering the field following its football game vs. the University of Alabama on October 19.
Tennessee will incur a fine of $100,000 for a first offense under the league’s current access to competition area policy that was revised at the SEC Spring Meetings in 2023.
For Conference contests, fines are paid to the opposing institution.
The policy states that “institutions shall limit access to competition areas to participating student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and properly credentialed or authorized individuals at all times. For the safety of participants and spectators alike, at no time before, during or after a contest may spectators enter the competition area.”
Financial penalties are imposed for violations in all sports sponsored by the Conference. Institutional penalties range from $100,000 for a first offense, $250,000 for a second offense and $500,000 for a third and subsequent offenses.
The policy was originally adopted by a vote of Conference members in 2004 and financial penalties were increased by action taken by the membership in 2015 and again in 2023.
Tennessee baseball walk-up song “The Stroke” played at Neyland Stadium during the Vols’ 69-3 win versus Chattanooga.
No. 15 Tennessee (1-0) kicked off its 2024 football season with a 69-3 win versus Chattanooga (0-1) on Saturday at Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee led the Mocs, 38-0, with 10 minutes, 14 seconds remaining in the second quarter after a touchdown reception by wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. from quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Prior to Josh Turbyville’s kickoff touchback, returning possession to Chattanooga, “The Stroke” by Billy Squier was played at Neyland Stadium.
The 1981 song was a fan favorite at Tennessee baseball games during the Vols’ 2024 national championship season.
Tennessee third baseman Billy Amick’s walk-up song was “The Stroke” in 2024. While Amick approached the batter’s box, the song would play throughout Lindsey Nelson Stadium with fans and players clapping above their heads to the hit.
Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols WirePhoto by Dan Harralson, Vols WirePhoto by Dan Harralson, Vols WirePhoto by Dan Harralson, Vols WirePhoto by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire
“We are extremely excited and absolutely thrilled to embark on it,” White said. “It wasn’t that long ago we celebrated the 100-year anniversary in Neyland Stadium. What does the next 100 years look like, and that’s what today is all about. Y’all have heard me talk about big-time aspirations here. This is a big day for our university, for our athletics department, and certainly for our football program, our football stadium and our fan experience here, but we are constantly looking for ways to generate revenue.
“Thread the needle between being innovative and finding ways where we can look a little bit like pro sports. Also, understand the history and pageantry of college athletics. Certainly, here more than anywhere else in the country and with this iconic building. We have done a lot of things to try to move the needle and increase our resource base and to move the needle in our corporate sponsorships space in everything that we do. We are going to continue to have our foot on the accelerator as we work to build the best athletic department in the country. I have still not found a reason why we can’t do that in Knoxville.
“We have every possibility of doing that. I won’t bore you with all the metrics that you all know about that’s been accomplished here for the last few years. We are as excited as ever with what can be accomplished here. About three and a half years ago, I think it was my first month on the job. We had renderings, and we had blueprints, and all sorts of things for a Neyland Stadium project that just needed to be pressed go. Maybe I was young and dumb enough to do it without knowing how we were going to pay for it all. In all seriousness, we have built a business plan on how we are going to get this project going as quickly as possible, but we knew all along we needed a lead corporate partner for the short and long term viability of this stadium.
“It’s a 337-million-dollar project. The vast majority of the improvements to this stadium are for our fan experience. We have the best fans in all of sports, not just college. They have proven that time and time again. Neyland Stadium is sold out with a waiting list of 15,000 strong. Our basketball is sold out. Baseball and softball are sold out. I’m not sure there is another school in the country that has that kind of support across the board from our fans. They show up on the road and they show up here in Knoxville like no other. We will not take them for granted.
“We are investing in their experience. That’s what this is about. Neyland Stadium is iconic. It’s historical. It’s an unbelievable building, but it can get a little more comfortable. The fan experience can get a little better. We know that we need to improve on that, and we are working to do that every day.
“When I first met Adam Wright, just a little over a year ago, and his wife Sabrina they moved here to Knoxville. The new leadership at Pilot, and talking about the next chapter not only for Tennessee and Tennessee Football but Pilot. How we can work together to make this happen for our community and our fans?
“I think today is about two historic brands in Knoxville coming together. What I have been thinking about a lot this week is if Tennessee athletics is thriving and Pilot is thriving then the community of Knoxville and East Tennessee is thriving. We can provide value to all of our corporate sponsors. Certainly, at this level, with national exposure and national value. We can work together to make this an even better place to live in as we move forward. When we are playing football games, when we are having concerts, and some of the other stuff we are working on, really 365 days a year. Excited to move forward with this announcement and with the long-term partnership with Tennessee Athletics and with Neyland Stadium and with Pilot. I really appreciate you guys all coming together today.”
Neyland Stadium has been home of the Vols for more than 100 years and that legacy will live on thanks to a transformative partnership with Tennessee Athletics and Knoxville-based Pilot, the largest network of travel centers in North America.
Tennessee Athletics and Pilot are breaking new ground in college sports by entering a multi-year partnership that preserves the iconic venue’s name and enhances the stadium experience for future generations. Under the terms of the agreement, which is slated for up to 20 years and could extend further, the names of Neyland Stadium and Shields-Watkins Field will remain unchanged. Pilot is designated as the presenting partner of the Neyland Stadium renovation project and the official travel stop of Tennessee Athletics.
“As we navigate the changing landscape of college athletics, we are dedicated to building the best athletics department in the country,” said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White. “Because we were committed to preserving the name of Neyland Stadium, finding a partner who shared this vision was essential. With deep roots here in Knoxville, Pilot recognizes the significance of Neyland and the importance of tradition to our fans and the university. Our focus continues to preserve and honor our storied past while modernizing to ensure we lead the way in college sports.”
Neyland Stadium. Home of the Vols. Proudly preserved by Pilot.
“Neyland Stadium is one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world and UT is a significant part of making Knoxville a special place that Pilot is proud to call home,” said Pilot CEO Adam Wright. “Through this partnership, we will preserve the legacy of Neyland while also investing in its future to create exceptional experiences for generations to come. We look forward to seeing you out here as we cheer on the Vols in Neyland.”
New signage on the east side of Neyland Stadium will feature a return of the iconic “Home of the Vols” along with Pilot’s logo. Pilot’s branding will also be on each side of Shields-Watkins field and in sponsored content with Tennessee Athletics and the Vol Network.
“Vol fans know better than anyone the magic of Neyland on game day and the feeling of singing Rocky Top in the same stadium where the greatest Vol legends made their name,” said UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman. “Our partnership with Pilot is all about preserving and enriching that experience to make sure fans and their families will continue to make these same kinds of memories for decades to come.”
Pilot’s transformative sponsorship underscores its dedication to the Knoxville community by ensuring Neyland Stadium remains a flagship destination for future generations. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot is committed to showing people they matter at every turn and building strong relationships within the communities it operates. Pilot employs over 2,500 team members in the greater Knoxville area and has a long-standing relationship with the University of Tennessee.
“For more than 65 years, we have fueled fans across North America as they hit the open road for big games,” said Pilot’s chief marketing officer Adrienne Ingoldt. “There’s nothing like Neyland Stadium packed with passionate fans who’ve traveled from near and far to root for the beloved Vols. Pilot is out here to fuel them up, fill them up and lift them up on the way to victory.”
Neyland Stadium Renovation Project
One of the many unique aspects of this partnership is the investment in the Neyland Stadium renovation project, which will continue to modernize and enhance the fan experience. Future updates will include necessary upgrades to the south side and perimeter of the stadium, such as widening concourses, constructing expanded gates and entryways, and adding additional restrooms and concessions areas.
This element of the partnership will dramatically improve fan comfort and safety, reduce wait times, and allow for more food and beverage offerings. There will also be a Pilot-sponsored Fast Favorites refreshment and snack stand located inside the main stadium entrance at Gate 21.
Fans can expect to see the new “Home of the Vols” signage with Pilot branding and many of the completed renovations in Neyland Stadium with the start of the football season, which kicks off on August 31.
Historic Neyland Stadium
In 1962, the UT Board of Trustees voted to have the stadium bear the name of its most famous and winningest coach, General Robert R. Neyland, whose combined win total was an astounding 173-31-12. Neyland was informed of the board’s decision only weeks before his death and was appreciative.
Neyland, a US Army Brigadier General, served notable stints in both World Wars and is regarded for his military and coaching careers.
The magnificent venue with Neyland’s name has undergone multiple expansions since its opening in 1921. Neyland’s engineering background has had a lasting impact – the master design plans were all orchestrated by Neyland himself, with his vision that the mighty cathedral would one day be fully enclosed, feature double decks on all sides and seat over 100,000 fans.
Six Tennessee teams that captured national championships have called Neyland Stadium home, while 22 players and four head coaches authored careers worthy of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame on Neyland’s hallowed ground. The 2024 season will be the 103rd in the venue that has seen historic upgrades.
In the fall of 2021, Tennessee Athletics celebrated 100 years of Volunteers football at historic Neyland Stadium. During its first century of service to the Big Orange faithful, the venue grew in both capacity and reverence while evolving into one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world.
Recent decades have brought significant investments in expansion, the development of innovative premium-seating sections and stadium-wide amenity enhancements, including Wi-Fi.
Introducing the new lower-west club and upper-north social deck spaces in 2022 brought Neyland Stadium’s seating capacity to 101,915—the sixth largest among college football venues.
Other recent stadium enhancements include the restoration of the historic V-O-L-S lettersalong the top of the facility’s south end (2022), a second video board on the upper-north deck (2022) and bronze statues honoring four of Tennessee’s football trailblazers (2021).
For more information about Tennessee Athletics, visit UTSports.com, and to learn more about Pilot, visit pilotflyingj.com. The agreement was negotiated by Tennessee Athletics’ multimedia rights partner, The Vol Network, and Intersport. Financial details of the sponsorship will not be made public.
About Pilot
Pilot Travel Centers LLC (“Pilot”) keeps North America’s drivers moving as the leading energy and experience provider people rely on to fuel their journeys. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway and employs approximately 30,000 team members. As the largest network of travel centers, Pilot has nearly 900 locations in 44 states and six Canadian provinces, serving an average of 1.2 million guests per day. In addition to travel center services, Pilot and its partners offer trucking fleets a variety of solutions for fuel, credit, factoring, maintenance and rewards. The company operates the third largest fuel tanker fleet in North America and supplies approximately 12 billion gallons of fuel per year. Pilot is committed to shaping the future of energy as one of the largest providers of biodiesel and renewable fuels and through the development of its EV charging network and low carbon fueling alternatives. For additional information about Pilot, visit pilotflyingj.com.
Neyland Stadium is ranked No. 13 in EA Sports College Football 25. Six other Southeastern Conference stadiums are ahead of the Vols. Texas A&M’s Kyle Field is ranked No. 1. Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium is second. LSU’s Tiger Stadium is third. Georgia’s Sanford Stadium ranks No. 5. Oklahoma’s Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is No. 8, while Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is 10th.
EA Sports College Football 25 top 25 toughest places to play
Quinn discusses some of the best environments he played in and shares a story of just how loud Neyland Stadium in Tennessee was when the Irish pulled the upset of the Vols in 2004.
It’s been the way of the sports media world since live events shut down just over a month ago – old games and story time of sports from yesteryear. Former Notre Dame quarterback and now rising star in the media, Brady Quinn joined Barton Simmons on “Social Distance” a new show 247Sports is putting on.
Quinn discusses some of the best environments he played in and shares a story of just how loud Neyland Stadium in Tennessee was when the Irish pulled the upset of the Vols in 2004. He also takes you down memory lane a bit with stories of the “Bush Push” game and the satisfaction of earning a BCS berth in 2005 after the struggles Notre Dame had early in his career.
Take a watch below and remember some of the happy and some of the more painful memories in semi-recent Notre Dame history through the eyes of one of all the all-time Fighting Irish greats.
The 38’s in regards to the Michigan game in ’04 was fun but Derrelle Revis baiting Quinn back in 2005 was probably my favorite story shared. I always enjoy hearing stories of stars before they were seen nationally as stars and also enjoyed his openness about being out-matched in terms of physical ability against Ohio State and LSU during his college years.
Tennessee initiates exploration of an entertainment district near Neyland Stadium.
University of Tennessee Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White has initiated the exploration of a public-private partnership aimed at development of an entertainment district spanning the Tennessee River waterfront near Neyland Stadium.
The University of Tennessee announced the plans on Wednesday.
University of Tennessee press release:
As Tennessee Athletics continues to aggressively pursue its mission of leading the way in college sports, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White has initiated the exploration of a public-private partnership aimed at the development of a first-in-class entertainment district spanning the Tennessee River waterfront near historic Neyland Stadium.
Anchored by a planned hotel adjacent to the stadium’s south end, the mixed-use Neyland Entertainment District could uniquely enhance the Tennessee football gameday experience while also transforming the campus riverfront and supplementing Knoxville’s array of gathering centers with yet another attractive leisure and entertainment hub.
The university’s initial concept for the project—which would improve the aesthetics of Neyland Stadium’s exterior façade and strengthen campus’s connection with the Tennessee River—includes a boutique, full-service hotel with for-sale condominiums and conference/event space. The vision also features the potential development of a “tabletop” above the existing G10 parking garage to support additional tailgating, restaurants, retail and family-friendly entertainment activities.
A formal Request for Information (RFI) has been issued to gauge input and interest from developers.
“Innovation is at the forefront of everything we do,” White said. “The ideation of this new Neyland Entertainment District exemplifies that mindset. This is a massive project that has the potential to positively impact our entire city. We’re eager to see what world-class developers dream up to creatively maximize this extraordinary market opportunity. We have the capacity for constructing an entertainment ecosystem that doesn’t presently exist anywhere across the collegiate landscape.
“This is far greater than an activation on seven or eight days a year. This is a year-round destination that not only enhances our gamedays but also elevates the everyday academic experience of our entire student body and campus community year-round.”
The university has engaged program management firm Brailsford & Dunlavey as a guiding partner in the Neyland Entertainment District exploratory phase.
“Neyland Stadium has always been known for having one of the best gameday environments in college football,” Chancellor Donde Plowman said. “We love to welcome Vol Nation to campus on Saturdays in the fall. This project has the potential to create a year-round destination that engages the Tennessee River waterfront and enhances the campus and our community.”
Since 1993, Brailsford & Dunlavey has empowered hundreds of colleges and universities, municipalities and professional sports organizations to achieve their bold visions through the built environment. The firm’s advisory expertise includes analytical and technical activities, ranging from market analysis and financial modeling to development structure evaluation and construction oversight.
“This public-private partnership opportunity will enhance the look and atmosphere of Neyland Stadium and the Knoxville campus while creating an additional destination for the city of Knoxville, all without state funding,” University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd said.
The centerpiece of this grand vision, Neyland Stadium, stands as one of the most iconic venues in global sport. It is the eighth-largest stadium in the world—sixth among venues in its category—boasting a capacity of 101,915. Neyland Stadium is surrounded by key ingredients to unlocking a first-in-class mixed-use entertainment district.
UT Knoxville has experienced a 17-percent growth in enrollment over the last five years.
The university is bolstered by a robust and engaged alumni base exceeding 260,000.
The University of Tennessee’s annual impact on the state economy is $1.7 billion.
Greater Knoxville is situated at the crossroads of three major interstates, I-75, I-40 and I-81, in the center of Tennessee’s east grand division. The city is located within one day’s drive of half the nation’s population.
Knoxville is within an eight-hour drive of Asheville, Atlanta, Charleston (S.C.), Charlotte, Chattanooga, Cincinnati, Louisville (Ky.), Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis and Washington DC.
Knoxville was one of the nation’s top five booking markets in the first half of 2022, alongside Atlanta, Nashville, Washington DC and New York City.
Knoxville features multiple unique micro-market gathering centers, including The Strip, The Old City, Market Square, Bearden, Turkey Creek and others.
Tennessee Athletics is a globally recognized and respected brand featuring one of the most tradition-rich, championship-laden histories in college sports.
Tennessee’s passionate and loyal fanbase supports the Vols and Lady Vols at elite levels, with UT’s ticketed sports consistently ranking among the national leaders in average home attendance.
What is an RFI?
In construction, the term Request for Information (RFI) refers to a business process to request information.
This RFI aims to understand the feasibility and gather information related to the viability of the Neyland Entertainment District. This project could profoundly impact the University of Tennessee’s campus, the city of Knoxville and the surrounding area.
Why did the University of Tennessee issue the RFI?
As Tennessee Athletics continues to aggressively pursue its mission of leading the way in college sports, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White initiated the exploration of a public-private partnership aimed at the development of a first-in-class entertainment district spanning the Tennessee River waterfront near historic Neyland Stadium.
This project would transform the overall gameday experience for all of Vol Nation while providing a unique experience year-round for the Knoxville community. One of the goals of the institution is to be more engaged with the waterfront.
What could be included in the proposed Neyland Entertainment District?
Anchored by a planned hotel adjacent to the stadium’s south end, the mixed-use Neyland Entertainment District could uniquely enhance the Tennessee football gameday experience while also transforming the campus riverfront and supplementing Knoxville’s array of gathering centers with yet another attractive leisure and entertainment hub.
The university’s initial concept for the project—which would improve the aesthetics of Neyland Stadium’s exterior façade and strengthen campus’s connection with the Tennessee River—includes a boutique, full-service hotel with for-sale condominiums and conference/event space.
The vision also features the potential development of a “tabletop” above the existing G10 parking garage to support additional tailgating, restaurants, retail and family-friendly entertainment activities.
What’s next in the process?
The RFI will be open and available for four weeks. After that period of time, the RFI results will help inform a Request for Proposal (RFP) for interested parties to continue the process of design and construction of the Neyland Entertainment District.
