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What's on the Neyland Stadium beer menu? It won't matter if you don't have the right ID

ryan wilusz, knoxville news sentinel
·3 min read

Neyland Stadium is entering year five of beer sales, and it has been an up-and-down ride so far. Beer stands have been added, beer permits were nearly taken away and, of course, the Vols have been winning a lot lately.

Throughout all this, alcohol has generated millions of dollars in revenue.

Tennessee football began its season Sept. 2 in Nashville with much momentum, and will return Sept. 9 to Neyland Stadium for its first home game against Austin Peay.

You have your tickets, your tailgate menus and your Big Orange gear. Now make sure you're prepared to get your beer on in Neyland Stadium.

Neyland Stadium beer list

Neyland Stadium offers your beer necessities, with a variety of domestic beer, two seltzers and one IPA − plus, spiked sweet tea in a can.

  • Bud Light

  • Bud Light Seltzer

  • Coors Light

  • Dos Equis

  • Michelob ULTRA

  • Miller Lite

  • SweetWater H.A.Z.Y. IPA

  • Truly Hard Seltzer

  • Twisted Tea

  • Yuengling

Some premium spaces, including the renovated Lower West Club, have rotating craft beer, wine and liquor options.

How much does beer cost at Neyland Stadium?

A single beer could cost you the price of a six-pack, but this is a sports venue after all. Expect to pay between $9 and $15 per drink, Tennessee Athletics spokesperson Jason Baum told Knox News via email.

Does everyone need to show ID to purchase beer?

It doesn't matter if you are 27 or 72; everyone is required to show ID this season at Neyland. Not only that, every ID will be scanned.

If you have a "red box" ID, that needs to be updated before you can purchase beer. These IDs, which show the date you turn 21 next to your photo, stopped being accepted in the middle of last season, Baum said.

Where can I purchase beer in Neyland Stadium?

Neyland Stadium added beer stands before last season, Baum said, bringing the total to 206 points of sale. No new stations have been added for this season.

How many drinks can I buy at once?

It's the same as it ever was: two alcoholic beverages per transaction.

When is last call for beer at Tennessee football games?

Although the 2022 season resulted in the highest number of game-day incidents at Neyland Stadium since 2015, according to UT Police Department crime logs, the rate of incidents per 100,000 people – roughly the stadium's capacity – stayed flat the first year with beer sales and was consistent in 2021 with years when beer was not sold. The city and beer vendor Aramark reached an agreement in February that will allow beer sales to continue in 2023.

The Southeastern Conference determines last call for all football games, which is the end of the third quarter. Hopefully, it will be a blowout by then.

How much beer was sold at Neyland Stadium last season?

Opponent: Alcoholic drinks sold | Revenue

  • Ball State: 30,468 | $369,403

  • Akron: 27,828 | $342,828

  • Florida: 54,970 | $669,345.15

  • Alabama: 61,139 | $696,964.35

  • UT Martin: 23,689 | $281,275.73

  • Kentucky: 45,681 | $548,906.86

  • Missouri: 34,657 | $421,835.84

  • Totals: 278,432 | $3,330,558.93

The university and Aramark split this revenue 50/50.

Anything else new with alcohol at Neyland Stadium this year?

The city of Knoxville and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville's beer vendor, Aramark, reached a settlement in February that allow beer sales to continue following sales to three underage adults last season.

All three adults were working covertly for the Knoxville Police Department.

In that settlement, Aramark agreed only Aramark employees can check IDs moving forward, not volunteers. Plus, every customer must provide an ID, regardless of their perceived age.

Aramark also said it would donate $30,000 to the nonprofit Metro Drug Coalition, and would train new and returning employees.

Is Neyland Stadium a 'disorderly' environment?

If by "disorderly" you mean cheering so loud the other team can't snap the ball, then yes.

The whole concept of a "disorderly" venue stemmed from intense scrutiny by the city, which cited public intoxication and a pattern of incidents involving police. In its complaint, the city pinned the blame on Aramark.

Number of incidents recorded in UTPD's crime log at Neyland Stadium during home football games
Number of incidents recorded in UTPD's crime log at Neyland Stadium during home football games

However, a Knox News analysis of public records showed this pattern of public intoxication at Neyland Stadium existed before beer sales started in 2019.

In fact, incidents per 100,000 people − roughly the capacity of Neyland Stadium − dropped the first year with beer sales, remained steady the following year and was consistent in 2021 with years when beer was not sold.

Ryan Wilusz is a downtown growth and development reporter. Phone 865-317-5138. Email ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com. Instagram @knoxscruff. 

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Neyland Stadium alcohol rules for Tennessee football games