On 31 August 2014, I attended the University of Tennessee’s season opener against Utah State. I had a rare treat: a friend hooked me up with a skybox pass. A few pictures from the evening.
Pride of the Southland Band pregame march
I arrived at the stadium (after a lengthy walk) about 1 hour 40 minutes before kickoff. The sky was threatening rain, but it was still dry.
A sea of orange
An hour before the game I met my friend at Gate 26 (the east side skyboxes). It was starting to sprinkle. I had my ticket scanned, walked a few feet to the elevators, and was whisked up to the fifth level.
Looking east toward downtown from the fifth level
The skybox area is considerably less crowded than the stadium. There’s a large common foyer area in the middle where hosts serve free snacks, salads, desserts, and drinks. It’s much better than the concession stands.
A rain shower rolled through about 40 minutes before kickoff. It remained dry in the box.
Rain shower
The rain stopped after several minutes, and it remained dry for most of rest of the night.
Pride of the Southland Band pregame performance
Tennessee Volunteers running through the “T”
Our skybox had a sink, counter space, and a refrigerator (not pictured).
Inside the skybox
With Keith, my college roommate
I enjoyed watching the game above the unwashed masses. My only issue is that you feel somewhat removed from the stadium experience, particularly the sounds. A few minutes into the first quarter we opened the one window that you can open, and that allowed some noise in, but it still seemed detached from the stands.
Apart from that, it was an enjoyable experience. I’d love to do it again.