What Tennessee traditions would Danny White consider bringing back next?
One of Danny White’s first nods to tradition at Neyland Stadium came during the 2021 season, when he brought out the old ‘VOLS’ letters that used to top the stadium, making them available for a fan photo op before a home game against South Carolina.
It was a sign of things to come, with the letters returning to the top of the south end zone upper deck for the 2022 season, in both the southeast and southwest corners.
For 2024, ‘Home of the Vols’ will be back at the top of the skyboxes on the east side of the stadium, a nod to what used to be written across the top of the press box in the stadium’s past.
What other traditions would White bring back? He said Sunday night during an appearance on ‘The Nation’ on WNML 99.1 in Knoxville that he’s always listening.
“There’s a constant list,” White said. “My Twitter feed sometimes can be amusing, but our fans are vocal, they’re passionate.”
Tennessee has more than 15,000 fans on season-ticket interest list
He even bantered with Tennessee fans on social media over the last week about expanding Neyland Stadium to a higher capacity, given the demand for tickets. The Vols have sold-out season tickets the last two years and have a season-ticket interest list that is more than 15,000 fans long.
“We’ll keep evaluating all of our options while we continue to monitor the growing wait-list,” White wrote on social media on Thursday. “It’s currently at 15,000. Those interested in season tickets should call our ticket office to get on the list.”
White also mentioned demand for student tickets has been “around” 20,000, while the current student section has 12,000 seats.
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“I love our fanbase,” White said on ‘The Nation.’ “I’ve said it a bunch. I think we have the best fanbase in all of sport, not just college sports. And the memories that they have, that’s what makes the Neyland (Stadium) name special. It’s obviously General Neyland and who he was as a coach and a leader and a visionary.
“But it’s the fans in that building and the memories that they have through decades that make it special and made it something that’s irreplaceable. So we’ll keep looking for ways to honor that, celebrate that while also making sure that we’re positioning ourselves to be successful in the future.”
Danny White: ‘Don’t rule anything out’
White was asked about two other traditions from Tennessee Football’s past during the radio appearance Sunday night: The Beer Barrel from the Tennessee-Kentucky series and both Tennessee and Alabama wearing home jerseys during their annual ‘Third Saturday in October’ Rivalry.
The Beer Barrel, which used to be awarded to the Tennessee-Kentucky winner each season, went away after an alcohol-related incident involving two Kentucky football students in 1998.
Tennessee and Alabama last wore home jerseys in 1970.
“I wouldn’t rule anything out,” White said. “We’re going to constantly listen to the fans. I like the fact that they voice their opinions and make the best decisions as we move forward.”
