Tennessee's Neyland Stadium is on a list of 58 stadiums in the U.S. from which the USA Bid Committee has received "formally confirmed interest" in hosting FIFA World Cup soccer matches for 2018 or 2022, the committee announced Thursday.
The committee plans to bid to host either of those World Cups by the May 2010 deadline and recently sent out letters to executives representing a list of 70 stadiums that could serve as venues.
UT athletic director Mike Hamilton said at the time that UT would have interest barring conflicts.
The host country provides a minimum of 12 stadiums to use as venues for the World Cup.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 36
floridavolsfan writes:
Foolmore can throw out the first javelon!
floridavolsfan writes:
Johnny can give a toast to the world!!!
floridavolsfan writes:
Obama to Knoxville!!!
Waldorf writes:
Id there is anything more disgraceful than Foolmore roaming the sidelines, it would be for soccer to be played at Neyland.
PepperGrinder (Inactive) writes:
This would be a lot of money to Knoxville.
UrbanStopCallingMe writes:
Javelins at the world cup? Interesting concept.
I watched soccer for 12 straight hours and I ALMOST saw a score.
jimvols13 writes:
This would be cool. Lots of revenue for Knoxville...plus World Class soccer, I don't see any problems here.
VolPatrick writes:
I think you'd be surprised. Here in Nashville we've consistently gotten around 25000 for friendly matches and opening round qualifiers. Those have been between the U.S. and small central American teams, and they really haven't mattered much.
A match between, oh, say Brazil and the U.S., with the winner advancing to the the single elimination round would be amazing, and would draw.
There are many countries around the world that are as crazy about "football" as we here are about our Vols. Imagine a whole nation as the fan base, and it isn't hard to imagine a sizable crowd.
I, for one, can't think of anything better for the brand identification of UT than to have the signature sporting venue in the south beamed out to the entire world. Those folks in Europe pride themselves on their stadiums, but wait until they get a view of Neyland on the banks of the Tennessee.
I'd even drive up to check it out.
ethanfrome writes:
REVENUE REVENUE REVENUE
CULTURE CULTURE CULTURE
I-40 and I-75 bisect at one of the world's largest stadiums.
EVERYONE WINS!
memphis_vol_fan writes:
Witch Doctor I think you need to check the bones. Americans may hate soccer, but Europeans would travel to Mars to watch their country play.
VOLinNYC writes:
Yes, I would say less than 40K local residents would show up, but you forget the fanbases of the competing countries would fill the rest of the stadium, if not take over the entire seating.
But can you imagine the worldwide recognition that we would get. Imagine the pre-game announcement over the loudspeakers:
"The State of Tennessee, the city of Knoxville and the University of Tennessee welcomes 'X country' and 'Y country' to NEYLAND STADIUM!"
That kinda makes me proud, if only for an imaginary second.
Not to mention HELLO! the rest of the world watching on TV as the blimp shots overhead pan around the campus, Knoxville, the mountains, etc. During the opening rounds, there's usually one game played at a time and games at Neyland would have center stage.
IF the US wins the bid, do I think we'll get to host? Probably not. But maybe by then, we can have enough hotel rooms to accommodate the fans/ tourists that we would get a decent shot.
And if you don't like soccer, fine. Go fish or camping. But don't try to deter Knoxville and the university for a phenomenal opportunity. I'm sure the General would not have minded, if it would greatly benefit both.
Vol_from_birth writes:
well the world's fair was in knoxville in the 80s....
MemphisVol writes:
I will be there if we get it!
tennesseebee writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
tennesseebee writes:
You posess astute insight, oh, master of the bone reading. Hope you are brushed up on your espanol, senior Witch_Doctor. Corn shucks never lie.
VAvolfanRON writes:
jerk
TnBigGuy writes:
YES!YES!YES! Big money to all of east tn!! i hate to say it but a saturday in the fall doesn't come close to the kind of revenue that would come in to the region.
oh and seriously, witch doctor get a life
Voluvr writes:
The world cup is soccer, dipstick.
Voluvr writes:
The World Cup is soccer, dipstick.
givehim6 writes:
Come on Ktown.
BigOrangeJeff writes:
You losers REALLY need to get over your jilted bromances with Fulmer.
Build a bridge...
Voluvr writes:
The last thing we need is a communist invasion in Neyland Stadium. It's the least we owe General Neyland. They get in there, piss on the ground, start fires, and tear things up. NO WAY. We have nothing to gain from it. We don't need the money. Knoxville won't benefit from it either. They can take their boring azz sport to one of the communist, American hating countries they love so much.
Voluvr writes:
OR, we should announce that Mexico is playing Cuba with Free admission. Then, make it one of those criminal stings and arrest all the illegals and send them packing.
VolGraduate writes:
Knoxville won't get the world cup. The field is too small and the world cup would want to put in new grass and crown the field. Not going to happen but would be cool.
And barring conflicts statement is funny when they only schedule football games two years in advance AND the world cup is in the summer. What a D A
suPEARLman writes:
This would be sweet, but all consideration will end once they get a glimpse of Tyson-Mcghee. Way too small to support something like this....
pdhuff#552644 writes:
There would be 317 buses passing thru Nashville heading West.
somebodyelse writes:
Hate to spoil your day, but soccer has already been played in Neyland. When I was a kid playing in AYSO, my team played and won our age groups championship game in Neyland. There were also two other championship games (different ages) the same day in Neyland. It was a great experience and one I'll never forget.
I say bring on the World Cup, it would be amazing publicity for Knoxville and great fun.
rocky_topper writes:
Maybe he could coach 'em up!
Nah, just kidding!
GreerVol22 writes:
let's get fiscal!
golfballs03 writes:
This would be awesome
dvhill100 writes:
It would be absolutely incredible, not even counting the commercial and financial boom to Knoxville. I was stationed in London when the World Cup Championship was played in Webley Arena and was lucky enough to score a ticket. The entire week before and for a couple of days after it was nuts. Believe me, the rest of the world takes their "football" very seriously, at least as seriously as SEC football or even more so.
This would be nothing but a good thing. Who knows, might even get us a blaster kicker.
bkgunter writes:
Well, first, you cretin, the world cup is a soccer event. And you might at least spell check "javelin" if you're going to use it. And can anyone possibly think that it's clever to type "foolmore?" You are quite the advertisement for gatorcountry.
bkgunter writes:
FUNNY !
You win the volscar for "Best Head Up Hiz Azz" 2009.
TnBigGuy writes:
We are lucky enough to get national coverage for football, but Knoxville would be on the international stage. Basically everywhere that people can afford tv's would turn them on to watch soccer and would see our great city, the river, and our mountains in the background.
bkgunter writes:
HigherSlanders;
Who asked you, and who let you out of your petri dish ?
kkempf#226833 writes:
A few quick details:
Neyland's field is already big enough for soccer once you get rid of the sideline space that we use for the teams and the bench. They might need to do some field-level improvements, but those would be relatively minor.
We would need to make some other significant changes, however. The home side of any World Cup venue has to be covered, so a temporary roof would need to be erected on one side of the arena for sponsors. Additionally, all of the benched seats would have to be replaced with seatbacks. I'm sure that the money could be found if the stadium were chosen, though, and it would be nothing but good for the local economy.
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.