Tennessee is rolling out a noticeably different Neyland Stadium for the 2026 football season, and the changes touch just about every part of the fan experience.
The biggest upgrade is the sound setup. Tennessee said that, working with Danley Sound Labs, Stellar Vision and Sound and Precision Audio, Neyland Stadium now has “an elite, modern sound system.”
The south videoboard speaker stacks were fully replaced, and the new system uses dozens of amplifiers and more than a half million watts of power to cover the stadium under the south overhang and the north side of the east and west skyboxes. In all, 15 subwoofers, 11 large full-range loud speakers and 27 compact outdoor loud speakers were installed.
The school also said the new technology is built for clarity, not just volume.
The third level of the south end zone is getting a facelift too. Fans will find a wider concourse on the southeast corner near the elevators, along with a replaced restroom, new water bottle filler fountains and more televisions throughout the third level. A concession walk-through market is also scheduled to be in place before Game 2.
Another visible addition is Champions Corner, which will sit as the centerpiece of the plaza outside Gate 9 on the southwest side of the stadium. Tennessee said the space will honor the Vols’ national championship head coaches with year-round viewing, including Gen.
Robert Neyland, Doug Dickey and Phillip Fulmer. Gen.
Neyland’s statue was moved to its permanent home this summer, while statues for Dickey and Fulmer are set to be unveiled later this fall.
Parking upgrades were also included among the changes Tennessee highlighted.
The new setup will debut when the Vols open the season at home. That comes before Tennessee heads to Atlanta for its first road game against Georgia Tech.
After that, the Vols return to a slate that includes multiple home games. Tennessee has seven home games on the 2026 regular-season schedule, leaving five road tests.
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