The University of Tennessee sold out its 2023 football season tickets earlier this year, selling all 70,500 in the inventory and smashing expectations ahead of a highly anticipated season.
Compare that figure with the number of parking spots on campus and a tricky situation emerges.
There are around 19,000 parking spots on campus, and thousands of spots reserved for residential students are not available on game days.
On-campus spots are reserved for fans with parking passes through donations to the Tennessee Fund, which supports athletic scholarships and facility upkeep. The passes are limited to season ticket holders, though not guaranteed to them. The request period for a parking pass ended in April.
There are no paid public parking options on campus, so citizens of Vol Nation without season passes must park on the perimeter, or shuttle in from other locations.
Here are five things to know about parking options on game days.
Game day public parking available near Neyland Stadium
A newly updated gameday parking map at parking.utk.edu shows all public options near the University of Tennessee campus and downtown Knoxville. It was created in collaboration between UT Parking and Transit Services, the city of Knoxville and Visit Knoxville.
The city offers metered street parking for $25 a day along Lake Avenue, Terrace Avenue, White Avenue and some side streets in the Fort Sanders neighborhood. Street parking offers "great access for people that want to park close by," said Moira Bindner, communications and customer service manager for UT Parking and Transit.
What time of day street parking and other lot options fill up depends on the Vols' opponent, Bindner said.
For the first home game against Austin Peay on Sept. 9, she estimates street parking could be full by 2 p.m., three hours before kickoff. When the Vols face Georgia on Nov. 18, it likely will be full by early morning.
A new parking lot to try is at Tyson Park off Concord Street for $15. Though the park is adjacent to the Kingston Pike Building, there might not be room for all fans on UT's shuttles, so choose this option only if you're ready to walk.
Another option near campus is the University Commons shopping center, which offers parking in its garage and surface lot for $40.
East Tennessee Children's Hospital has fundraised through paid public parking for years and will continue to offer parking amid heavy construction along Cumberland Avenue, said Cheryl Allmon, the hospital's director of volunteer services and programs.
The hospital will offer $25 parking in its garage at 22nd Street and White Avenue. Parking at a variety of surface lots, including the UT Federal Credit Union on White Avenue, also will benefit the hospital and could run up to $40, depending on the game.
Allmon said the hospital had raised more than $152,000 from game day parking and had purchased an ambulance with the funds. She is hoping the ambulance can participate in game day activities to remind the public of how their parking fees help.
Downtown Knoxville and Farragut provide a 'sane opportunity'
Downtown Knoxville garages offer both free and paid public parking on game days:
KAT buses take fans from Market Square, the Civic Coliseum and Old City for $10 a round trip, and drop off between the Student Union and Walters Academic Building on Phillip Fulmer Way. Regular KAT bus routes are available to fans for a $2 day pass. Free downtown trolleys do not run on game days.
There is also a $20 shuttle available from parking at Farragut High School, which drops off at Circle Park.
"It is such a sane opportunity for people to get on the KAT buses and leave the driving to somebody else," Bindner said. "My game day plan would probably be to park downtown."
One benefit of parking off campus is the chance to enjoy Knoxville sites, restaurants and bars while avoiding traffic jams before and after games.
"If you get here early, you get to take advantage of Knoxville, and if you stay a little bit later, you get to take advantage of Knoxville, 'cause we've got so many amazing options," Bindner said.
New student entrance changes G10 garage access
Phillip Fulmer Way and Peyton Manning Pass close three hours before kickoff to prepare for the Vol Walk and large crowds entering Neyland Stadium. The segment of Phillip Fulmer off Lake Loudon Boulevard by Thompson-Boling Arena used to stay open until 30 minutes before kickoff to allow cars to enter the large G10 parking garage.
Now there's a new paved student entrance by the G10 garage and the segment of Phillip Fulmer Way by the garage will close three hours before kickoff.
The new entrance is part of renovations to the south end of the stadium. G10 parkers will need to access the garage from Neyland Drive if they arrive within three hours of kickoff, when around 12,000 students will be lining up to cheer on their team in true Vols style.
UT adds campus parking options for season ticket holders (download your pass!)
Two lots near the campus boundary, one at the Culinary Institute on Neyland Drive and the Kingston Pike Building at 2309 Kingston Pike, were added for parking pass holders.
There are around 150 accessible parking spaces on the Agriculture Campus which are free and require only a disabled license plate or hanging tag.
Shuttles are available from the Culinary Institute, Kingston Pike Building, Ag Campus and Lot 14 on Stephenson Drive. They begin three hours before kickoff and resume 10 minutes before the end of the third quarter, dropping fans off and picking them up at the Student Union.
Shuttles previously took fans to Gate 21, but that option ended years ago due to concerns for pedestrian safety.
Parking passes are digital and can no longer be printed at home. UT recommends fans download their passes to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet to avoid relying on campus internet. Parking passes can be managed through the official Tennessee Athletics app.
A full map of campus football parking can be found online.
Daniel Dassow is a reporting intern focusing on trending and business news. Phone 423-637-0878. Email [email protected].
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