Danny White on Neyland Entertainment District, other projects
Tennessee AD Danny White provided an update on several construction projects, including upgrades for Neyland Stadium and the entertainment district
- Neyland Stadium has rarely hosted concerts, with Luke Combs being only the fifth headliner in its history.
- The University of Tennessee is open to hosting more concerts but considers them on a case-by-case basis.
- The upcoming Neyland Entertainment District aims to enhance the fan experience and better utilize the venue.
When Luke Combs brings his “My Kinda Saturday Night” tour to Neyland Stadium on May 2, he’ll join an elite club of artists who have headlined concerts at the iconic venue.
But should music fans be preparing to rock out to more concerts at Neyland soon, especially as the Neyland Entertainment District project begins to take shape?
Neyland is the largest stadium in the state but has rarely hosted concerts during its 100-year-long history. Combs is only the fifth artist to headline a concert there, following Michael Jackson, Kenny Chesney and Garth Brooks.
Morgan Wallen did it in 2024 in record-breaking style. Nearly 160,000 people came to see the Gibbs High School graduate perform for a two-night event at Neyland. The shows were the first headlining concerts at the stadium in five years.
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville is open to hosting more musical acts at Neyland, but only when the artist and timing make sense.
When will Neyland Stadium host more concerts?
In recent years, Tennessee Athletics has been mulling over ways to utilize Neyland beyond football games days. Right now, though, non-football events are scheduled on a case-by-case basis.
“Neyland is the 8th-largest stadium in the world; only a select few acts, artists, or entertainers can fill it,” Tennessee Athletics said in email statement to Knox News on April 28. “We love giving our fans the opportunity to be in the stadium and to bring additional events to the city.”
The summer months present the best opportunity to host concerts and other events at Neyland, according to Tennessee Athletics.
Visit Knoxville, UT staff and sports and live entertainment company Oak View Group discuss and weigh the pros and cons of each event. Factors that determine which events would work for Neyland and when include the overall experience for the fans, the impact on campus operations and the opportunity for the city.
“(We) know there is a positive impact for the City of Knoxville, local businesses, and the University each time we host an event in Neyland,” Tennessee Athletics said.
Having learned from the Wallen shows in 2024 about how to make things more efficient, prepping for the Combs concert has gone well, according to Tennessee Athletics. Production began preparing the stadium April 24, and work will be completed by May 2.
The setup and breakdown of a concert include a lot of staff and trucks on campus, which has an impact on regular daily UT operations.
Moving forward, Director of Athletics Danny White believes the Neyland Entertainment District will enhance gamedays, generate revenue and allow UT and its venues to stand out.
“I think we’ve always been in the sports entertainment business. We’ve always had concerts in our arena and in our stadium. But we have these big expensive buildings. How do we monetize them more frequently?” White said.
“But the entertainment district for us isn’t about making money,” he continued. “It’s about the experience we can provide for our fans and also our students. We think it’s going be a really cool project. It just makes our campus even more inviting and more attractive for people to come to.”
Get tickets to the Savannah Bananas at Neyland
Why filling Neyland Stadium for concerts is tricky
Neyland has a seating capacity that’s 101,915. So, hosting concerts at the stadium often hinges on two things: Is the artist popular enough to fill the large stadium, and would the show interfere too much with classes or with the football season?
As Combs and Wallen have proven, it’s possible to fill up Neyland for a stadium-sized concert.
“Given our close proximity to Nashville, there’s no reason Knoxville cannot become a major destination for a wide variety of concerts,” White told Knox News last year.
Drawing stadium-touring artists benefits the university and the city. Wallen’s concerts, for instance, reportedly resulted in an $80 million economic impact.
“We are committed to actively exploring options that will benefit our entire campus community while ensuring they align with our financial goals,” White added.
UT has two other venues for big concerts: Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center and Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Food City Center has a list of events scheduled for the year, including WWE Raw Monday Night Raw, Nate Bargatze and Journey during the month of May.
Adam Sparks contributed to this story.
Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email [email protected].
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