If Morgan Wallen's rare Neyland Stadium show succeeds, could Knoxville get more big shows?

Morgan Wallen, one of music's biggest stars, will join an elite list of artists who have performed at Neyland Stadium when he takes the stage two nights in September for the venue's first concerts since 2019.

All the biggest acts book stadium tours, and ESPN recently ranked Neyland as one of the best college football stadiums in the country.

So, why are concerts at Neyland so rare?

“I think it’s a multitude. I don’t think they have been a part of our history,” deputy athletics director Ryan Alpert told Knox News, noting only three musical acts have headlined there in the stadium’s century-old history.

The success of Wallen’s two shows at Neyland will give UT leverage when presenting Neyland and Knoxville to concert promoters, Alpert said, potentially ushering in a new era.

Why are concerts rare at Neyland Stadium?

Country music legend Garth Brooks was the last performer to hold a concert at Neyland Stadium. His 2019 show broke a concert attendance record at the stadium with a crowd of 84,000 people.

Kenny Chesney and the Michael Jackson are the only other performers to headline shows at Neyland.

Few artists can attract the crowds of 70,000+ needed to fill the stadium's seats, Alpert explained.

There’s also been a case of bad timing. Since the massive turnout for Brooks, Neyland has been under substantial renovations, limiting its availability for other events beyond Tennessee football.

The impact of Morgan Wallen at Neyland

Morgan Wallen could bring more than 150,000 fans to Neyland across both nights of his concerts, according to a press release from Essential Broadcast Media.

“We have the chance to break every record ever for Neyland Stadium,” Alpert said.

Wallen’s star power and hometown ties will have a ripple effect that weekend.

“I think for the city, the community, I anticipate the hotel and restaurant business will be as good as adding an eighth or ninth home football game,” he said.

The show will draw fans from all over, and Alpert predicts hotels, restaurants and bars will be busy starting the Thursday before Wallen’s first concert through Monday, the day after his second performance.

Will Neyland have more concerts in the future?

Neyland is typically used around eight times a year for home football games, Alpert said. But Tennessee athletics wants to expand its use for concerts and national and international sporting events.

“I think anytime we can put our iconic venue in a position to host great events, we're going to try and do that on our campus," Alpert said. "But not just for our athletics department, but our university and the overall community, I think, really benefits from the utilization of those facilities."

Other universities have taken similar approaches, Aplert noted. Texas A&M University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill both recently hosted international soccer games at their facilities.

Last year, UT moved to the next phase of developing an entertainment district between Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. The area would include restaurants, retail stores, a boutique hotel and condominiums that could increase concerts and other entertainment opportunities.

Renovations at Neyland are expected to be completed in 2027 during the off-season, which is when Alpert expects UT to start aggressively recruiting more artists to perform at the venue.

How to get Morgan Wallen tickets

Tickets for the Sept. 20 and Sept. 22 shows are still available through Ticketmaster, but the vendor has a statement warning buyers “due to demand, ticket availability is limited and ticket options may vary throughout the venue.”

Tickets for obstructed stage views start at $84 for both shows.

Fans can purchase VIP packages for premium tickets and perks that may include a gift, guided backstage tour, group photo on stage, invitation to the Morgan Wallen VIP Lounge and more.

Neyland Stadium's seating capacity is 101,915, nearly five times that of Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center, a far more frequent venue for concerts.

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email [email protected]. On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Can Morgan Wallen's Knoxville concerts bring more to Neyland Stadium?