University of Tennessee Athletics
Neyland's New Additions Ready for Reactions
September 04, 2007 | Football
Is there anything better and filled with more anticipation than that first view through the stadium tunnel?
Tennessee fans this Saturday get their first looks at a couple of sparkling new Neyland Stadium features -- actually, it???s two additions and one subtraction -- when the Vols host Southern Mississippi in a 7 p.m. kickoff (Vol Network and VideoSeat).
Shields-Watkins Field has a renovated grass surface that Bob Campbell, now in his 17th year as Tennessee???s Director of Facilities, says is good to go. Campbell and his staff respriged the Tifway Bermuda field for the first time since grass was reinstalled in 1994 after 26 years of artificial turf.
The biggest surprise for 2007: no bushes and no fence surrounding the field.
???They are gone,??? Campbell said. ???The bushes were OK but they took up a lot of space. I think it makes the stadium look bigger and I think the view of the place has a cleaner look.???
Campbell also says he and his staff no longer see the splotches of contamination that, although they went unnoticed by most of the viewing public, were there nonetheless and would have become more of a problem in the coming seasons.
???The project went well,??? Campbell said. ???We sprigged late, but it grew in well. The hot summer has helped us. It???s not helped anybody else but it???s helped us. The field is in pretty good shape.
???A lot of people were wondering why we were doing it, so to me we did it at the right time. It was a problem and was going to be a problem, so you fix it before everybody can see you have a problem.???
Seeing the stadium???s new LED fascia boards certainly won???t be a problem. UT???s Gary Wyant, executive associate athletics director, says the 1,200-feet of electronics on the upper deck fa??ade lights up the night sky.
???From advertisements as well as spirit messaging, rotating power Ts, all kinds of different background colors -- it will be very colorful and I think very enjoyable for the fans,??? Wyant said. ???The 1,200 feet is probably more than any college facility in the United States.???
Filling the corner gaps between the four LED boards is recognition of Tennessee???s football retired numbers and national championship teams. Those areas will be back-lit and the attractive lettering and numbers should blend nicely with the surrounding fascia.
???This really will be something that enhances the game-day experiences of our fans,??? Wyant said. ???It???s going to be outstanding during the daytime, but at night it is just electric. Fans really will notice a big difference.???
This season???s additions are part of the Neyland Stadium Master Plan renovations that began with Phase I in fall 2005. Phase II renovations begin after this season and include revamped concourses on the west and north sides of the stadium, a letterman???s room, new Vols locker room and media center.
-- The Vols are 23rd in this week???s Associated Press poll, 24th in the USA Today coaches??? poll.
TICKETS REMAIN, BUT JUST A FEW
The Tennessee ticket office reports brisk sales this week leading to Saturday???s home opener against Southern Mississippi. Only a limited number remain because UT students have claimed their entire allotment.
Fans can purchase through the UTSports.com Web site, or by calling the ticket office at either 656-1200 or 800-332-VOLS.
Starting times of note for Saturday: Vol Walk at 4:45 p.m., stadium gates open at 5 p.m., Pride of the Southland procession at 5:20 p.m., Kickoff Call-In Show at 5:30 p.m., game kickoff at 7:07 p.m.
UTSPORTS.COM TO STREAM VOL NETWORK BROADCASTS FREE TO LISTENERS
As part of the re-launch and new look of the official Web sites for University of Tennessee athletics -- utsports.com and utladyvols.com -- Host Communications/Vol Network and UT are offering audio streaming of all Vol Radio Network broadcasts free to Tennessee fans and alumni around the world this season.
The departure from a subscription-based format has resulted from a desire to enhance fans??? experience.
???We are pleased to be in position now to stream Vol Radio Network broadcasts free over the Internet this season and we look forward to announcing some new and exciting multimedia platforms to Tennessee fans in the near future,??? said Steve Early, Host Communications/Vol Network general manager.
The majority of schools and universities around the country charge a subscription or fee to listen to the audio streaming of athletics broadcasts over the Internet. The decision by Tennessee and Host to offer the service for free is a departure from that trend, but one that both entities agreed to strongly as a way to give back and reach alumni and fans.
???There continues to be significant costs associated with streaming Vol Network broadcasts over the Internet,??? Early says. ???But going forward, Host Communications will be absorbing such costs in order to create a greater platform for Vol Network programming and listener experience for Tennessee fans living outside our traditional broadcast areas.???
Fans may listen to UT audio broadcasts by going to utsports.com or utladyvols.com and selecting the ???Multimedia??? tab at the top of the page.
???We???re thrilled that with our new media rights agreement with Host Communications, we are able to provide this great service to our fans at no charge,??? said Mike Hamilton, men???s athletics director. ???Now any Tennessee fan living outside the state and around the world will have a convenient and easy way to follow the Vols.???
???BIG ORANGE BLAST??? SET FOR THURSDAY NIGHT
The University of Tennessee Athletics Department in conjunction with Host Communications/The Vol Network hosts the first-ever ???Big Orange Blast??? on Thursday in Market Square.
The ???Big Orange Blast??? will be a free community-wide pep rally to kick-off the 2007 UT home football season. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. with performances by Kimberly Ainge, Waycross and Jason D. Williams. Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer and select members of the Tennessee football team will participate with the Pride of the Southland Marching Band, UT cheerleaders and Smokey at a pep rally.
???Tennessee has a tremendous fan base,??? said Mike Hamilton, men???s athletics director. ???This event is a great opportunity for us to get into the community and celebrate the start of football season with the fans that fill our stadium every week.???
The event, presented by Mayfield Dairy, Regal Entertainment Group and Lowe???s Ferry, will be set up like ???Sundown in the City??? and features select food vendors such as Texas Roadhouse, Domino???s Pizza and the Wild Wing Caf?? along with the eateries of Market Square. Tennessee Traditions, the athletics department souvenir provider, will be on site with Big Orange apparel as well.
The bands participating in the event all have special ties to Tennessee.
Kimberly Ainge is the older sister of Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge. Waycross recently released a song entitled ???Nineteen,??? which features lyrics about playing football at Tennessee. Jason D. Williams is a native of Memphis and has performed before fans and Presidents alike with his dynamic high-energy piano playing, classic vocal style and unparalleled showmanship.
???The ???Big Orange Blast??? is a great way to kick-off the 2007 home football season and celebrate the passion of our loyal fans,??? said Steve Early, Host Communications/Vol Network general manager. ???We are excited to present this inaugural event at Market Square in downtown Knoxville.???
Special ???Big Orange Blast??? T-shirts are available at utsports.com and at the event for $10 with a portion of the proceeds going to the Jason Foundation Inc. That organization is near and dear to Fulmer, who joined in 1998 as national spokesperson. The Vols coach has been very active in the organization and has recruited 36 college and two NFL coaches as ambassadors for the group.
???We are blessed to have great, supportive fans at Tennessee,??? Fulmer said. ???I think this will be a great event for the community, our team and our university. I am especially pleased that we will be able to help out the Jason Foundation at the same time.???
The Jason Foundation was founded in 1997 in response to a family???s personal grief and deep commitment to saving youth lives. Clark Flatt, president and founder of the Jason Foundation, lost his 16-year-old son, Jason, to the silent epidemic of youth suicide and turned his energies toward reducing the number of youth suicides. The Jason Foundation???s mission is to educate young people, parents, teachers and others who work with young people about youth suicide.
NO SMOKING, ROAD CONSTRUCTION HIGHLIGHT CHANGES IN GAME DAYS AT NEYLAND STADIUM
As the football season begins, University of Tennessee officials are reminding fans of the enhanced security measures at Neyland Stadium and notifying them of a few changes.
The Tennessee Volunteers' first home game is Saturday against Southern Mississippi with kickoff set for 7 p.m. Eastern time. It will be broadcast on VideoSeat pay per view.
Fans at the game will notice a change in the stadium smoking policy. Under new state law, no smoking will be allowed anywhere inside the gates of Neyland Stadium. And as always, no one inside the gates will be allowed to leave and then be re-admitted.
Road construction will affect travel to the stadium. James White Parkway, which connects Interstate 40 to Neyland Drive, is closed. As a detour, fans should use Hall of Fame Drive, which connects to Neyland Drive.
Because of traffic concerns, fans driving to the game should always plan to arrive early. The stadium gates open two hours before kickoff.
Only fans with permits can park on campus. UT encourages fans to use shuttle buses from the Knoxville Civic Coliseum and the UT Agriculture Campus.
UT Senior Associate Vice Chancellor Jeff Maples, who oversees campus facilities including the stadium, said the university is continuing to enhance the security measures put in place since Sept. 11, 2001.
"UT officials are able to provide protection to visitors to Neyland Stadium with the help of the UT Police Department, the Knoxville Police Department, the Knox County Sheriff's Office, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the FBI," Maples said.
UT reminds visitors that all items, including purses, are subject to search at the gates. Certain items remain prohibited inside the stadium, and those items cannot be stored at any stadium gate.
Prohibited items include the following:
- alcoholic beverages, cans, bottles or coolers
- radios without headphones
- open umbrellas
- video cameras
- stadium seats with arms
- large bags or parcels, including backpacks and large purses
- weapons of any kind, including pocket knives
Fans are allowed to bring the following items inside the stadium:
- cushions and seats without arms
- diaper bags that accompany infants
- small cameras, pagers, cell phones and binoculars
For those driving on campus, Peyton Manning Pass, Middle and Lower drives, Estabrook Drive and Phillip Fulmer Way from Middle Drive to Tee Martin Drive will be closed 30 minutes before kickoff. Directional parking will be used in Area 9 and Lots 4, 5A and 5B.
With the renovation of the Glocker Business Administration Building, traffic on Andy Holt Avenue has been designated one-way westbound.
Due to construction, sidewalks on the north side of Andy Holt Avenue and the east side of Volunteer Boulevard at Glocker have been closed. Also the sidewalk is closed on the east side of Lake Loudoun Boulevard at the corner of Neyland Drive due to the Pratt Pavilion construction beside Thompson-Boling Arena.
Solicitation near stadium gates and along Phillip Fulmer Way will be prohibited.
The traditional Vol Walk from Gibbs Hall to the stadium starts at 4:45 p.m., and the Pride of the Southland marching band leaves the music building at 5:50 p.m.
A no-fly zone will extend over the stadium from one hour before the game until one hour after it ends, prohibiting flights within a 3-nautical-mile radius and lower than 3,000-feet altitude, except as authorized by air traffic control.
For more information on traveling to Knoxville, visit the Tennessee Department of Transportation Web site at http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/smartfix/jwp/closures.asp.
