KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Football fans with season tickets are being given a few options of what to do with them as UT prepares to limit capacity at Neyland Stadium down to 25% for the 2020 season.
Athletics Director Phillip Fulmer sent a letter to season-ticket holders Wednesday asking for their help as the departments struggled with tens of millions of dollars in revenue losses due to COVID-19.
"We are in seriously need of your help," Fulmer said. "I don't want to ask this of you, but right now I have to ask this of you."
Home game attendance this season will be strictly limited to season-ticket holders, and a select group of season-ticket holders who donate more to the Tennessee Fund will have priority at that. Because of that -- it is offering fans with tickets five options, which they will need to submit their preference to this website by Monday, August 24 at noon.
Everyone who purchased season tickets for 2020 will be able to retain their status as season-ticket holders with their reserved seats when the 2021 renewal process begins.
The first option allows fans to retain their tickets and keep the option of getting a limited number of seats this season. However, picking that option doesn't guarantee access to tickets and it's not known what the seat locations will be. Also, that option prioritizes seating based on Tennessee Fund membership giving and rank.
Those who opt into this option will receive another email on Tuesday, August 25 from VolsTix@utk.edu telling them more about the ticket allocation process. Other than priority going to Tennessee Fund donors based on their giving level and rank, UT has not said yet precisely how they will choose who else will get the limited 25,000-odd tickets available per home game.
The next option is for people who do not intend on using their tickets. It lets people donate both their ticket renewal costs and Tennessee Fund gift to the newly-established Student-Athlete Volunteer Excellence Fund (SAVE) that will provide support to some 600 Vol and Lady Vol student-athletes during the 2020-21 academic year.
The third option lets fans roll their ticket renewal costs over to 2021, but donate their Tennessee Fund gift to the SAVE fund. People choosing this option would need to pay the 2021 annual gift before they can receive their tickets next season.
The fourth option lets people "Defend the Checkerboards" this season and keep their seats for next season by rolling over both their ticket renewal and Tennessee Fund gifts over to 2021.
The final option lets fans get a full refund on their 2020 tickets and Tennessee Fund gifts. UT said the refunds would include parking and cushion seat payments, and may take up to 90 days for those who paid by credit card or up to six weeks in the mail for those who paid by cash, check or e-check.