Tradition is starting to take a back seat at many schools as the landscape of college athletics evolves. Finding ways to accumulate more money to share with athletes and not get left behind by other colleges has resulted in changes few could have imagined only a few years ago.
The University of Tennessee is making sure that’s not the case for Neyland Stadium. UT Athletics and Pilot recently announced a multiyear partnership deal that preserves the name of the historic football venue.
Under the terms of the agreement, which is slated to last 20 years and could extend further, the venue will remain named Neyland Stadium and Shield-Watkins Field. Pilot is designated as the presenting sponsor of the Neyland Stadium renovation project and the official travel stop of Tennessee Athletics. No financial details were disclosed, though the stadium renovation it finances has a price tag of $337 million.
The official slogan will be: Neyland Stadium. Home of the Vols. Proudly preserved by Pilot.
“As we navigate the changing landscape of college athletics, we are dedicated to building the best athletics department in the country,” UT athletic director Danny White says. “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.”
Pilot is headquartered in Knoxville and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, whose CEO is Warren Buffett. Pilot used to be owned by the Haslam family, which has donated millions of dollars to UT over the years. But the family sold off its remaining shares to Berkshire Hathaway in January, ending its 65-year history with the travel and fuel company founded by James A. Haslam II.
That didn’t prevent Pilot and UT from negotiating their new partnership for Neyland Stadium, which is the sixth largest venue in college football with a capacity of 101,915.
“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 says. “Through this partnership, we will preserve the legacy of Neyland while also investing in its future to create exceptional experiences for generations to come.”
Not the first, nor the last
Most naming rights deals at any level require a change in the name of the venue. Even UT has already committed to a deal that did as much in basketball. In August 2023, the athletic department agreed to a naming rights agreement with Food City that rebranded Thompson-Boling Arena as “Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.” According to UT, the deal allows the university to invest $20 million over the next 10 years to upgrade the facility.
The arena, which opened in 1987, is named after the late attorney and philanthropist B. Ray Thompson and former UT President Dr. Edward J. Boling. Despite the official name, most have already switched to calling it just Food City Center.
UT has erected a giant Food City Center sign, and most media releases refer to it as Food City Center.
That won’t be the case for Neyland Stadium and Pilot. New signage on the east side of the stadium will feature “Home of the Vols” along with Pilot’s logo. Pilot’s branding will also be on each side of the field. Starting this season, the NCAA is allowing commercial sponsor advertisements on football fields for regular-season games to provide a financial boost to college football programs at all three NCAA levels.
Neyland Stadium is named after General Robert R. Neyland, the football program’s winningest coach (173-31-12). Neyland served stints in both World Wars for the Army and is highly regarded for his military and coaching careers. Neyland was informed of the decision by the UT board of trustees to name the football stadium in his honor only weeks before his death in 1962.
Changing the name of Neyland Stadium would have certainly caused a huge uproar among not only UT fans, but college football followers nationwide. Pilot – or any other sponsor – could have faced a huge backlash if it made the move. But by finding an alternative, the company likely generated more goodwill.
Although most realize college sports are becoming more professionalized and athletic departments will sell pieces of their soul to field winning teams, some things still remain sacred for now.
“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,” says UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman. “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.”