Wednesday, Athletics Director Danny White announced the “My All” campaign. A fundraising campaign aimed at generating 500-million dollars towards facility enhancements for all 20 of Tennessee’s sports.
White met with the media Wednesday afternoon to discuss the campaign, facility plans, Tony Vitello, a full capacity Neyland, the NCAA investigation and more.
BASEBALL RENOVATIONS; VITELLO CONTRACT
Tennessee sold out of super regional tickets in less than 30 minutes Wednesday morning leaving many fans disappointed. The quick sellout shows how captivating this baseball team has become and the need for facility improvements.
“I’m really excited about the success of our baseball program and what Tony is doing. We are having an unbelievable season,” White said. “I know everyone is excited about this upcoming weekend. I started conversations with Tony a couple of months ago. He knows that we value what he’s done here and we want to build as we do in every sport a nationally elite baseball program. I think what we are doing this season exceeds where we have been as a program historically and we all know that.
"As much as I wish every single person who wanted to get into the stadium could get into the stadium this weekend could get in, I think it’s a very positive sign that we have that much interest in our program and folks want to support the team. We know the stadium needs to be bigger. How big I don’t know. We have been exploring that and we need to continue that and we need some different and better fan amenities. We need more premium experiences in Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Those conversations have been happening for several months. They will continue to happen as we move forward.”
One of the discussions regarding facilities has been the idea of playing in the new downtown stadium in Knoxville being constructed by UT President Randy Boyd. White said he’s following his baseball coaches lead.
“I’m committed to whatever our baseball coach tells me gives us the best opportunity to recruit and develop players at a really high level," White said. "We talk about wanting a better facility and improving things and I want to do that in every sport we have. We are the No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament right now. That committee puts us as the No. 3 team in the country. That’s pretty good. I’m going to listen to the person responsible for putting us in that position in Tony Vitello.
“As we work through what that looks like I like to take advantage of things that were done before I got here. There was some great work that happened with that master plan so would we scrap it (previous renderings)? No. I think there’s a lot we can learn from that and maybe take some components of it and come up with some different ideas. I like to come up with new ideas no one has thought of, but I also like to steal some of the best ideas that others have already implemented. It will probably be a combination of both those things as we figure out the right formula for our baseball facility.”
NEYLAND RENOVATIONS
In the master plan unveiled on Wednesday, Neyland Stadium will get a make over in two areas. The north end zone upper deck and the west side lower bowl.
“The two projects we know we are moving forward with and both of the projects at least a different version were kind of already talked about prior to my arrival. I was able to plug into those conversations and make good use of the work that was already done. We tweaked some things that I think will really respond to what feedback we have been getting from a fan survey standpoint at Tennessee the last several years, but also are in line with what we are seeing with new modern facilities across the country both new construction and renovations across the SEC, college football and the NFL.
The two projects will both be open for the 2022 season, that’s the lower bowl west club that I think will be an awesome added amenity for folks who want a premium experience right in the action behind our team bench but close to the field but also have a little more space in their seat and some premium amenities from a food, beverage and restroom standpoint with a lounge underneath those seats.
Then with the north end zone we are accomplishing two things with that project. The video board I know has been talked about for years and has been much needed for all our patrons sitting on the south side of the stadium. Also creating what I envision to kind of a sports bar. A fun, high energy standing room only kind of place with some party decks underneath that video board. We see that across the country in modern venues. We think again another premium experience with a lower price point probably aimed at a younger demographic.”
White said part of the reason those two projects were chosen is that both can get done before the start of the ’22 season.
NCAA INVESTIGATION
Tennessee’s investigation into the violations with the football program under Jeremy Pruitt continues. White said on Wednesday there’s hope that it will be done sooner rather than later, but he didn’t have a timetable.
“We are working through that right now," White said. "We are working closely still with the outside council and the NCAA staff. By having ongoing conversations with the NCAA staff, I think it’s smart to do that and that decision was made before I arrived here. I think it’s smart to include them every step of the way in our investigation with the goal of showing how serious we take this. We want to come out of this as an example of how an NCAA issue should be solved in the future. We are going to operate with the highest level of integrity and hold ourselves accountable to what did occur here. I’m not trying to give you a non-answer answer but we are kind of in the same place. Are we closer than we were a month ago? Yes. But I can’t put a time frame on it because I just don’t know. These things are fluid. Each interview could yield different information that takes on a different turn in the investigation. No one can put a time frame on it right now.”
FULL HOUSE
With a packed Lindsey Nelson Stadium and packed venues across the country, everyone expects football stadiums this fall to be at full capacity. White said he wasn’t in the position to declare that, but he believes it will be a full house this fall in the 100th year of Neyland Stadium.
“I don’t to get ahead of our officials and medical experts on that," White said. "Everyone I have spoken with from a health care standpoint and forecasting the future has shown great confidence that we will be at full capacity. We are doing that in baseball right now so I don’t know why that would change. I can’t officially announce it. I don’t think it’s my role to officially announce it, but I would be surprised if it’s any different. I will say that.”
