Tennessee on Tuesday announced a long-term agreement with travel center giant Pilot that will preserve the names of Neyland Stadium and Shields-Watkins Field while giving the Knoxville-based company prominent signage throughout the stadium. , including on the playing surface.
The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but it will initially be for up to 20 years with the possibility of extension, the school and company said. Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, a Tennessee alumnus, is the former CEO and current president of Pilot, as well as a longtime supporter of Volunteer athletics.
The deal comes as schools that play major college sports seek new sources of revenue to deal with rising costs, including more money than ever going directly to athletes.
Tennessee athletic director Danny White said the partnership could be described as a naming rights deal without a name change, protecting the traditional name of Tennessee’s 101,915-seat stadium.
White said conversations with Pilot CEO Adam Wright and his team about a branding deal began more than a year ago, long before the NCAA adjusted its rules to allow schools to place sponsored brands on playing surfaces.
“There has always been a rule that a stadium naming agreement allows corporate branding in the stadium, on the field,” White said. “And we structured it in a way that we knew from the beginning that changing the name of Neyland Stadium or Shields-Watkins Field was never an option. It’s a very iconic building.”
Pilot will be designated as the presenting partner for the $337 million Neyland Stadium renovation project. This includes new signage on the east side of the stadium featuring “Home of the Vols” along with the company logo, and Pilot convenience stores in the concourse selling snacks and drinks.
“Simply put, just saying (Neyland Stadium) preserved by the Pilot to me is worth it,” Wright said.
For schools in power conferences like Tennessee, a revenue-sharing system that could direct up to $21 million a year to athletes could begin as early as 2025. The plan is part of the settlement of several antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA and the conferences and still need approval from a judge.
Naming rights deals for stadiums and arenas are expected to become popular across the country.
Last week, Florida International announced a deal with Grammy-winning musician Pitbull that includes naming rights for the school’s 20,000-seat football stadium.
For many schools, however, stadiums and arenas have names steeped in tradition and meaningful to fans. Changing them in any way to accommodate corporate sponsorship would risk backlash.
In Nebraska, for example, Memorial Stadium in Lincoln is dedicated to Nebraskans killed while serving in the military.
Cornhuskers athletic director Troy Dannen said a deal that would change the stadium’s name is not something he has even contemplated, but balancing traditions with financial needs will create difficult challenges for college sports administrators.
“There are many things that have been considered sacred over time and whether you will be able to keep them sacred in this new environment is an outstanding question that we will all have to face,” Dannen said.
Tennessee first played football at Shields-Watkins Field in 1921. It was named in honor of William Simpson Shields, a Tennessee administrator who paid off a debt owed on the land and returned it to the university and his wife, the former Alice Watkins. .
The stadium grew around the field and in 1962 was expanded to more than 52,000 seats and dedicated to General Robert Neyland, who served two stints as Tennessee’s head coach for 21 years (1926-52). His teams went 173-31-12, won five Southeastern Conference championships and the 1951 national title.
“The impact he had on this program, as a coach, is his vision. That’s why the stadium is there,” White said. “We would never change the name. So it was about how to preserve the name and build a win-win partnership that allows us to reinvest in the fan experience.”
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