NASHVILLE – When the University of Tennessee football team kicks off in late September, the 102,455-seat Neyland Stadium will be three-quarters empty, UT athletic director Phil Fulmer said Tuesday.
“We are anticipating somewhere around the 25% mark, and we hope to be able to achieve that,” Fulmer told reporters during a state Capitol news conference with Gov. Bill Lee and UT Chancellor Donde Plowman.
Fulmer, a former UT Vols football coach, said there will also be social distancing and mask requirements at the Knoxville venue. Attendees will be spread out in a stadium where most seats are vacant.
At the same time, Fulmer said university officials are looking at a “$30 million to $40 million loss there that we’ll have figure out going forward.”
The stadium will be operated with a full complement of staff as well as coronavirus protocols. Officials hope to use electronic tickets.