By Ryan Latimer
The feeling of walking into a storied and hallowed venue surrounded by thousands of other passionate Tennessee fans is a feeling that is unrivaled in sports. Neyland Stadium is one of the most famous stadiums in college football. The stadium is rich in tradition and has played host to some great football teams. Some of the greatest football players of all time used to call this place home. The listed capacity of this venue is 102,455, but if needed it could fit a few more thousand in it. This stadium can be one of the most hostile stadiums in college football when the Vols are good. Tennessee fans are some of the most passionate fans in college football making Neyland a place where opposing teams fret to visit. Neyland is a very special place.
Before I get into my experiences, I want to give some history about this stadium. Neyland was built on September 24th, 1921. It is located on Phillip Fulmer Way near the Tennessee River. It has been expanded 13 times, and it has been renovated three times. A couple of the Vols best wins here came in the 1998 season where they beat both Arkansas and Florida. Those two wins were two of the most dramatic wins, and it helped propel Tennessee to win the 1998-1999 national championship. Personally, I think Neyland attracts people from all around the country because of the history and the look of this stadium (UTsports.com).
Now I want to talk about my experiences in Neyland. The first time I ever went to Neyland was in 2010 when Tennessee played Kentucky. As I got closer to the stadium, I realized how actually huge Neyland was. I had been a Tennessee fan since I was little, but I had never been to a game, so I was in for a shock. I walked into the stadium and right away knew that I would love this place. I was 12 at this time and had no idea how actually loud Neyland could get. From then until 2014, I went to a few games but not that many.
In 2014, my brother and I bought season tickets for the first time. These season tickets cost $400 per ticket, which is a pretty good value. I finally got to experience Neyland for a full season. Even though the Vols were not that good, I still loved every minute of Neyland. Last year was the second year that we had season tickets. That’s when I experienced how loud Neyland could get. It was at the Oklahoma game, and the decibel record was broken that night. It was truly special to have been there to experience it.
This year we have season tickets again. The season is halfway over, but my favorite Neyland experience happened this season. We had lost to Florida for 11 straight years, and it finally felt like this was the year to end it. Neyland was a different animal that day. The game did not start out well, but the crowd stayed in it. Once the team found its groove, it was an insane atmosphere after that. From singing Rocky Top after a big play to high fiving and hugging other fans, Neyland was truly special during that game. After the game, we had finally ended the streak and everyone had stayed. Don’t Stop Believing by Journey came on, and everyone was singing it. It was such a great day inside that stadium. I truly love Neyland, and I can not wait to have more memorable experiences inside of it in the future.
To end with here is a short summary of me. I am 18 years old and I attend Motlow State Community College. Sports are my passion so I am looking to have some type of career in them. I have grown up a huge Tennessee fan and have season tickets. I look forward to sharing more with you all.
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