KNOXVILLE — Football fans coming to campus for Saturday’s game between the University of Tennessee Volunteers and the Thundering Herd of Marshall University will notice the campus decked out for Homecoming. Banners are hung on Neyland Stadium, and storefront windows along Cumberland Avenue are painted with colorful images of Smoky, the Vol mascot.
Kickoff for the game is 4 p.m. Stadium gates will open at 2 p.m.
“Alumni, fans and guests are always welcome to visit campus and enjoy the university experience,” said Senior Associate Vice Chancellor Jeff Maples, “and Homecoming is an excellent time of year to share in the Volunteer spirit.”
Events have been happening all week, as student groups compete for All Campus Events trophies. One highlight is the Homecoming parade, which starts at 4 p.m. Friday along Volunteer Blvd.
For a full list of Homecoming activities, visit http://www.tennessee.edu/torchbearer/4502/homecomingevents/index.shtml
Fans will be allowed to bring the following items inside the stadium Saturday:
-Cushions and seats without arms;
-Diaper bags that accompany infants;
-Small cameras, pagers, cell phones and binoculars.
No items or parcels can be stored at any stadium gate.
All items, including purses, are subject to search.
The list of items that spectators cannot bring to the game includes the following:
-Alcoholic beverages, cans, bottles or coolers;
-Radios without headphones;
-Video cameras;
-Open umbrellas;
-Stadium seats with arms;
-Large bags or parcels, including backpacks and large purses;
-Weapons of any kind.
Maples said standard security measures will be in place in and around Neyland Stadium.
Smoking is no longer allowed in the stadium except in ramp areas and the Gate 21 plaza.
Peyton Manning Pass, Middle and Lower drives, Estabrook Drive and Phillip Fulmer Way from Middle Drive to Tee Martin Drive will be closed 30 minutes before kickoff. Directional parking will be used in Area 9 and Lots 4, 5A and 5B.
Starting three hours prior to kickoff Saturday, traffic on Andy Holt Avenue will flow both eastbound and westbound. During and immediately after the game, Andy Holt Avenue will revert back to its permanent designation of one-way westbound.
Due to construction, sidewalks on the north side of Andy Holt Avenue and the east side of Volunteer Boulevard at Glocker have been closed, along with the sidewalk on the east side of Lake Loudoun Boulevard at the corner of Neyland Drive.
Solicitation near stadium gates and along Phillip Fulmer Way will be prohibited.
The game will be telecast on pay-per-view through various cable providers.
The traditional Vol Walk from Gibbs Hall to the stadium starts at 1:45 p.m., and the Pride of the Southland marching band leaves the music building at 2:20 p.m.
The Volunteer Village commercial exhibition area will be open on the Humanities building lawn from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Pre-Game Showcase features political science professor and water issues expert David Feldman, who will discuss “When the Well Runs Dry: America’s Water Supply in Crisis.” The presentation begins at 2 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom.
With a seating capacity of 102,039, Neyland Stadium is the largest football stadium in the South and the third-largest in the country.
For more information on campus parking, visit http://www.tennessee.edu/news/traffic.pdf
For more information on traveling to Knoxville, visit the UT Mens Athletics Web site at http://utsports.cstv.com/travel/tenn-travel.html or the Tennessee Department of Transportation Web site at http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/smartfix/jwp/closures.asp
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Contact: Jeff Maples (865-974-3061)