How Big Is Too Big For East Tennessee Stadia?

Sports venues in east Tennessee are now trying to cope with more seats than demand warrants. But with the cons come the pros.

Here’s one thing I know about the future of new stadia in sports.

All football and baseball parks should be built with retractable roofs.

And here’s something I don’t know about the future of new stadia in sports.

I have no idea how big the new arenas and stadiums should be built.

At one time the fact Neyland Stadium held 100,000 fans was unique, but now it’s one of only eight stadiums that have such a capacity in college football. Eleven have capacities of 90,000 or more, twelve if the Cotton Bowl is included, seven more have 80,000 seats, and four more have 75,000.

That’s about a third of major college football.

But what’s more disturbing is that these big yards aren’t being filled the way they used to. Yes, 157,000 fans will attend an event game at Bristol Motor Speedway, but last season, according to an open records request from the Knoxville News-Sentinel, the Vols averaged only 78,000 fannies in the seats, leaving 30,000 seats unused.

Speaking of BMS, how many were at BMS for the Food City 500? No more than a quarter capacity in a building built to hold 162,000.

The thing about big yards is they reduce the chances for a “sellout mentality” to occur.