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Tennessee AD Danny White addresses the future of neutral-site games for Vols

On3 imageby:Brent Hubbs•08/23/23•

Brent_Hubbs

Danny White
Tennessee Athletic Director Danny White

In 10 days, Tennessee will open the 2023 season in Nashville against Virginia. Originally the Vols were originally scheduled to open the year in Utah against BYU.

But BYU’s move to the Big 12 created some scheduling issues on BYU’s end and Tennessee athletics director Danny White saw an opportunity to open the season closer to home in a key market for everyone in orange. 

“Nashville is a huge emphasis for all of our coaches in recruiting. It’s a huge emphasis for our entire University in recruiting,” White said Wednesday night on VolCalls. “It’s a booming city, one of the fastest growing in the country as is Knoxville. Nashville will always be a priority for us. It just made sense with the way the schedule played out. I walked in looking at the opportunities we may have to play a neutral-site game there in lieu of a tough road game and a really long trip to start the season out west.

“We just felt like a lot more of our fans and alumni could see us play. Our players families could see them play. A lot of our guys are from that area or within a close drive to Nashville and I know a lot of folks are going to be driving over from Knoxville too.” 

Countdown to Kickoff: Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt (Nashville), Sept. 2, Noon ET, ABC

Tennessee will be playing a game in Nashville for the third straight year and will make it four straight next year with a road game at Vanderbilt. But the opener in the Music City beckons the question about neutral-site games in the future.

White says he’s not opposed to them, but he always won’t just jump on any opportunity away from Neyland Stadium. 

“We have scheduled two of them since I’ve been here,” White said. “Both of them were kind of one-off fixes. I’m not against neutral-site games, and getting to a different market I think can be a good opportunity. There’s a financial windfall in those games that plays a little bit differently.”

Vols have two neutral-site games over the next two seasons

Tennessee will play next season in Charlotte against North Carolina State in the Duke’s Mayo Classic in a game that replaces what was scheduled to be a home game against Oklahoma. In 2025, Tennessee is scheduled to open the season in Atlanta against Syracuse in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game.

“The Nashville game is in lieu of a road game,” White said. “There’s no scenario where that game could be in Neyland Stadium. The one we are playing in Charlotte was as a result of the Oklahoma game that was cancelled with them joining our conference.

“It’s really hard when you have a one-game opening in the midst of years that are filled to schedule a home-and-home. The opponent is not going to be all that excited about coming to our place and maybe we will return seven years later. That doesn’t really work. So we have scheduled two neutral sites.

“We will continue to be open to those possibilities,” White added. “I get phone calls all the time. That shouldn’t be a shock. Our fanbase travels. Our fanbase is so incredibly supportive. Everybody that hosts a neutral-site game anywhere in America would love to have the Vols, but we will be selective.” 

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