Money Always Talks at Tennessee

By Mark Nagi

It’s no secret that the world of collegiate athletics, which has been changing ever since the first time “amateurs” represented Old State U, has been undertaking a massive shift in recent years.

NIL. Expanded Playoffs. Conference Realignment.

I mean, I’m old enough to remember a 10-team Southeastern Conference.  And I’ll be dead in the ground before I recognize Arkansas and South Carolina as being SEC teams.  Don’t get me started on Missouri and Texas A&M. Plus, Oklahoma and Texas should have stuck in the Southwestern Conference.

But I digress.

Tennessee has been no stranger to change either. And recently, the University of Tennessee announced a seismic shift in its economic plans for the future of Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee Athletics and Pilot are beginning a partnership that preserves the Neyland Stadium and Shields-Watkins Field names. Pilot is now designated as the “presenting partner” of the Neyland Stadium renovation project and is the official travel stop of Tennessee Athletics.

Sorry, Buc-ee’s…

“As we navigate the changing landscape of college athletics, we are dedicated to building the best athletics department in the country,” said the University of Tennessee’s Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White in a press release. “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.”

They describe this new venture as the following.

Neyland Stadium. Home of the Vols. Proudly preserved by Pilot.

That’s a bit clunky. But it sounds a heck of a lot better than Pitbull Stadium at Florida International University. Yes, the rapper is donating $1.2 million a year to FIU for five years for that prestigious honor.

“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.”

This is probably the best case scenario for UT. That athletics department is trying to get every dollar it can to achieve its goal of transforming the stadium and surrounding area in the years to come.  They also realized that having General Robert Neyland’s name off the front of the house he helped build, while lucrative, would be a road too far for most Tennessee fans.

Young and old alike, there is no name as revered as that of General Robert Neyland at the University of Tennessee.

We already saw Thompson-Boling Arena give way to the Food City Center, even though initial comments from UT alluded to the TBA name not going anywhere.

Note: The TBA name has been greatly diminished.

This football season you’ll see the Pilot name on each side of the playing field.  That’s the most prominent change. There are already tons of sponsorship branding across Neyland Stadium, including padding that surrounds the field.  So, this shouldn’t be a major visual inconvenience.

Neyland Stadium has been in existence since 1921 but only has had General Neyland’s name since 1962. Hopefully, your children and mine will continue to read his name every time they walk into one of college football’s cathedrals.