Tennessee football announced a partnership with Pilot that will see the Knoxville-based travel center company become the official presenting partner of the Neyland Stadium renovations as well as the official travel stop of Tennessee athletics, the athletic department announced on Tuesday morning.
“As we navigate the changing landscape of college athletics, we are dedicated to building the best athletics department in the country,” Director of Athletics Danny White said in a statement. “Because we were committed to preserving the name of Neyland Stadium, finding a partner who shared this vision was essential. With deep roots here in Knoxville, Pilot recognizes the significance of Neyland and the importance of tradition to our fans and the university. Our focus continues to preserve and honor our storied past while modernizing to ensure we lead the way in college sports.”
The deal is for at least 20-years and could extend even longer. Tennessee’s announcement did not detail how much the contract is worth but Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger reported that the deal is worth “millions over 20 years.”
The official slogan of the partnership is “Neyland Stadium. Home of the Vols. Proudly preserved by Pilot.” Tennessee has already added new signage to the east side press box at Neyland Stadium that says “Home of the Vols” and a Pilot logo will be added beside it.
The partnership preserves both the name Neyland Stadium and Shields-Watkins Field which is a major win for the project. Shields-Watkins Field has been the name of Tennessee’s football field from the offset and the name “Neyland Stadium” has become synonymous as one of the biggest sports venues in the country.
“Neyland Stadium is one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world and UT is a significant part of making Knoxville a special place that Pilot is proud to call home,” Pilot CEO Adam Wright said in a statement. “Through this partnership, we will preserve the legacy of Neyland while also investing in its future to create exceptional experiences for generations to come. We look forward to seeing you out here as we cheer on the Vols in Neyland.”
The Vols have been stout on Shields-Watkins Field at Neyland Stadium under head coach Josh Heupel. Entering Heupel’s fourth season as head coach, Tennessee is 18-4 at home including a 13-1 record at home over the last two seasons including wins over Florida, Alabama and Texas A&M.
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Tennessee has seven home games on the 2024 schedule including critical SEC matchups against Florida, Alabama, Kentucky and Mississippi State. With challenging matchups against Georgia, Oklahoma and North Carolina State (Charlotte) away from home, Tennessee defending its home field will be critical for its chances to make the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff next season.
Corporate sponsorships have become more prevalent at Tennessee in recent years under Director of Athletics Danny White’s leadership. As Tennessee’s continued serious renovation projects on facilities like Neyland Stadium and Lindsey Nelson Stadium, the Volunteer athletic department has added revenue with corporate sponsors. Last year, Tennessee sold the naming rights of its basketball arena to Food City making the once “Thompson-Boling Arena” now “Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.”
The new sponsorship is the newest example of brining in revenue through corporate sponsors while also preserving the original names of the stadium and field.
“Vol fans know better than anyone the magic of Neyland on game day and the feeling of singing Rocky Top in the same stadium where the greatest Vol legends made their name,” UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman said in a statement. “Our partnership with Pilot is all about preserving and enriching that experience to make sure fans and their families will continue to make these same kinds of memories for decades to come.”
The Vols open up Josh Heupel’s fourth season as head coach against Chattanooga at Neyland Stadium on Aug. 31. Kickoff is at 12:45 p.m. ET and the SEC Network is broadcasting the game.
