Tennessee football fans were abuzz on Monday when they received an email from the university indicating that only 4,000 tickets were allocated to UT for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.
What’s more, UT’s email stated that around 1,500 tickets would be given to donors and season-ticket holders for the game between No. 21 Tennessee (8-4) and No. 17 Iowa (10-3) on Jan. 1 (1 p.m. ET, ABC) in Orlando, Florida.
These limited tickets will be distributed based on donor rank.
The remaining 2,500 tickets will go to the UT band, cheerleaders, families of coaches and support staff, athletic department staff, and players. Each UT player will receive six complimentary tickets.
These are significantly lower numbers compared to previous years. The reduction is attributed to the SEC’s changes in the bowl selection process in 2020.
Citrus Bowl tickets are on sale through alternative channels.
Here’s why Tennessee’s ticket allotment is minimal
In 2020, FBS conferences and bowls entered into six-year agreements aligned with the College Football Playoff contract. The SEC secured a reduction in each school’s ticket allotment for contracted bowls.
The Citrus Bowl allotment was revised to 4,000 for the SEC school. The Citrus Bowl has not disclosed the allotment for the Big Ten school as of Monday.
Secondary pool bowls like ReliaQuest, Gator, Music City, Duke’s Mayo, Liberty, and Texas also saw a decrease from 8,000 tickets to 3,000 tickets for each SEC school.
This change was in response to the desires of SEC schools, streamlining ticket sales for the bowls.
For years, schools had to sell large blocks of tickets to secure bowl bids. The outdated method was slow and unreliable, as schools couldn’t assign seats until they fulfilled a long list of requirements. But with online sales and the secondary market on the rise, the process has been modernized.
Why this process seems new to Tennessee fans
Many Tennessee fans recall the large ticket allotments for the Vols in past bowls, including multiple appearances in the Citrus Bowl in the 1990s and early 2000s.
The SEC’s shift in the bowl selection process since 2020 has led to this new allocation. This will be UT’s third bowl game under the new process.
Even though the 2021 Music City Bowl had a small ticket allotment to the school, UT fans still set an attendance record of 69,489 by purchasing tickets from the bowl site and the secondary market.
Unlike the Citrus Bowl, Tennessee’s appearance in the 2022 Orange Bowl required the purchase of a larger ticket allotment. Last season’s Citrus Bowl had an attendance of 42,791 for LSU’s 63-7 win over Purdue.
Where Tennessee fans can buy tickets
UT fans searching for tickets can find them on the Citrus Bowl Ticketmaster site, with prices starting at $78. Tickets are also available on the secondary market through sites like VividSeats.com, StubHub.com, SeatGeek.com, and others.
Parking is available through the Citrus Bowl via Ticketmaster, starting at $50, plus fees. The bowl recommends using the city’s downtown shuttle service on game day.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email [email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter @AdamSparks. Subscribe for strong local journalism at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This story originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why Tennessee football is allotted only 4,000 tickets to Citrus Bowl
Alex Martin is your guide to the global phenomenon of football. With a focus on international leagues and tournaments, he provides match commentary, player interviews, and behind-the-scenes stories from the world of football.
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