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HomeMen's Basketball

Vols stay fourth in attendance

More basketball fans despite fewer seats

Attendance

National

1. Kentucky 22,554

2. North Carolina 20,497

3. Syracuse 20,345

4. Tennessee 20,267

5. Louisville 19,481

6. Maryland 17,950

7. Wisconsin 17,190

8. Arkansas 17,148

9. Indiana 16,876

10. Memphis 16,748

Other SEC

22. Vanderbilt 13,418

29. S. Carolina 12,346

36. Florida 10,801

40. Alabama 10,369

55. Miss. State 9,253

62. LSU 8,565

77. Mississippi 7,301

NR Georgia 7,823

NR Auburn 5,392

The Tennessee men's basketball team saw its attendance grow for a third consecutive season despite losing seats in Thompson-Boling Arena.

The Vols averaged 20,267 per home game in the newly renovated 21,678-seat arena on the strength of an active 32-game-home win streak which ranks as third-longest in the nation behind BYU and Notre Dame.

The Lady Vols led the nation with an average of 15,796 per home game last season. It's the ninth time over the past 10 years that the Lady Vols have led the nation in attendance.

UT coach Bruce Pearl is 45-2 in Thompson-Boling Arena since taking over the program three years ago.

Tennessee's average attendance ranked fourth in the nation for the second consecutive year, trailing only Kentucky (22,554), North Carolina (20,497) and Syracuse (20,345). Louisville was fifth with 19,481.

"It just shows you that the program is rising every year,'' said UT director of basketball operations Ken Johnson. "The attendance has gone up every year Bruce has been here.

"It's mostly the product we put on the court and the hard work the kids put into it."

Johnson said former Vol C.J. Watson, who is a Golden State Warriors guard, put the new renovations in perspective.

"C.J. said it's just as good or better than some of the pro arenas he's playing in,'' Johnson said. "How many college arenas have three levels of skyboxes?''

The Vols sold out their 16,000 season-ticket allotment last season, and drew 20,000 or more in their final 10 of 16 home games.

Basketball Camp: Pearl's summer camps will kick off next week with the day camp June 2-5. Pearl will be at each of his camps every day to lecture, demonstrate and sign autographs, and UT players will work the camp, too.

The camps will be held in Thompson-Boling Arena and the Pratt Practice Pavilion.

June 2-5 day camp (K-8th grade): Grades 2-8 $295: K-1 $175.

June 8-11 individual skills (grades 4-12): Overnight camp $450; Commuter $400.

June 28-29 shooting camp (grades 4-12) Overnight camp: $225; Commuter $200.

For more information, call 865-975-1206 or online at UTsports.com.

       37 Comments

Posted by vol1994 on May 27, 2008 at 9:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

the best is yet to come vol fans!!

Posted by dvols on May 27, 2008 at 9:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

let hannah montana play halftime

Posted by ncvol on May 27, 2008 at 10:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I Love to watch our arena filled to the top. It is a great place to be for the men's and the ladies games. I only get to make one game per season but watch the games on TV and computer.It thrills me to see all the seats taken by mostly those clad in orange.Keep up the good work fans and GO Vols....

Posted by SFOrange on May 28, 2008 at 12:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Of the top 5 mens' programs (in attendance) only UT lacks a national title and/or a deep hoop tradition. Now that TBA is rebuilt and the seats filled--its time for Vol fans to watch the game, learn the game and get loud. Only then will TBA be the pit we all want it to be for opponents.
Go Vols.

Posted by RichRollin on May 28, 2008 at 12:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Damn, had I not just bought my 8 year old a set of PING golf clubs and paid for his Fulmer football camp He would be in this camp!! Oh well, next year for sure!! This is just one more thing he bring here. If any of you have kids in sports and you can do it send them to this camp. Starting next year, my son will go to Pearl's camp until Pearl leaves, along with many others!!

Posted by BillVol on May 28, 2008 at 12:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The cream always comes to the top. It has taken us a while, but Tennessee basketball will come to the top eventually.

Posted by PennVol on May 28, 2008 at 8:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Sweet! That's some pretty good company to be in. I guess winning sells tickets...

Posted by GerryOP on May 28, 2008 at 8:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Do any of you remember the discussions of a little over three years ago? The argument was that TBA was our albatross and contributed to that guy who moved to Conway, SC's inability to win games!! Hmmmm.... How times have changed. And a wonderful change it is!

In Bruce We Trust!

Posted by richvol on May 28, 2008 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Any word yet on the possible transfer of the kid from Arizona? If Pearl gets him what a haul this class would be. It would have to be top 2 or 3.

Posted by agentorange on May 28, 2008 at 9:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

who gives a crap about skyboxes? that comment along with everything that hamilton has done shows you that alumni and students are second class citizens to the corporate $$. the thing that makes college great is the alumni and student support.as soon as hamilton and his cohorts at other large schools let corporate america take over college sports, then it will be as mundane as the pros.

Posted by volboy81 on May 28, 2008 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

if we fill it up every game, we would be 2nd behind Ky. and they way theyre going, we could be ahead of them in a year or 2!!!
GO VOLS!!!

Posted by brownsvillevol on May 28, 2008 at 10:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

yet another fact that our program is headed for elite status.

Posted by jacksonvol on May 28, 2008 at 10:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Agentorange has it right. Skyboxes are useless to the regular fan (core of support). Hamilton needs to sit in the student section.

Posted by auttat on May 28, 2008 at 11:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"who gives a crap about skyboxes? that comment along with everything that hamilton has done shows you that alumni and students are second class citizens to the corporate $$. the thing that makes college great is the alumni and student support.as soon as hamilton and his cohorts at other large schools let corporate america take over college sports, then it will be as mundane as the pros."

I'm sure that the students and alumni payed every penny to build and reconstruct TB, right? See what happens if you p!$$ big businesses off and they go play elsewhere. Some things you just have to tolerate.

Posted by THE_VOL on May 28, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What you fools beatching about the corporations forget is that if it wasn't for them, the basketball teams would still be playing in a run-down Stokely Center, football fans would be sitting on the side of a hill, and all the non-revenue sports would be over at some rec center begging for practice time. Whether you like it or not it IS the corporations that have built the facilities that you love to brag about to other fans. Alumni and students are NOT second class citizens but the collective monetary support they provide wouldn't sustain a quality D-II program these days. Alumni and students should understand that their "power" with the powers that be and in supporting the teams is through their attendance, cheering and "loudness." If you created enough demand and showed enough involvement AT the events, it would be impossible to ignore the "grass roots" supporters and then you MIGHT get a voice. BUT just as an example, the hoops team was in the NC discussion from the outset of the season yet only a handful of games were sold out?????? When you make it the hardest ticket in the state to get and the hardest place in the country to play, then you can beatch - maybe.

Posted by overatedvols on May 28, 2008 at 12:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Tenn has the 3rd longest win streak in the nation? Oh boy!

Posted by TurboFan on May 28, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yeah, overrated, behind ND and BYU and formerly behind Memphis so we know how useless that stat is.

Posted by overatedvols on May 28, 2008 at 12:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

WD, should make the Memphis/Tenn game a bit more interesting if the record stays intact till then. Hopefully ND and BYU will lose so that the Vols is the longest.

Posted by Laydbakvol on May 28, 2008 at 1:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Unbelievable! Who'd a thunk it?

Posted by robvols on May 28, 2008 at 1:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

GET THE HEll OFF OUR SITE, OVERSTAYED

OR

TDTN, IF YOU ARE READING THIS-

IT'S TIME TO TAKE HIM AND HIS BUDDY ITSYOUIDIOT OUTTA HERE.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 28, 2008 at 1:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I guess Kentucky can claim that they are still ahead of us in basketball....in attendance. LOL!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 28, 2008 at 1:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Memphis is behind Big Brother UT as usual. LOL!!!!!

Posted by robvols on May 28, 2008 at 1:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

IT'S OFFICIAL

OVERSTAYED AND ITSYOUIDIOT HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE MORTAL ENEMY LIST

BOY BEING BEHIND THE LITTLE 10, OHIO STATE AND ESPN SPEAKS A LOT OF VOLUMES!!!

THE MORTAL ENEMY LIST (UPDATED 5-28)

THE BIG 10
OHIO STATE
ESPN
OVERATEDVOLS
ITSME
PAC-10
PENN STATE
NORTE DAME
NICK SABAN
CHRIS FOWLER
LOU HOLTZ
KANSAS STATE
NEBRASKA
MARIJUANA

KNOCKING TO COME IN
JOHN CALIPARI
MEMPHIS FANS

WITH A PASSION (NEW)
ALABAMA (always)
OVERATED (can be also added to the soon to be BANNED LIST)

CURSED (NEW)
THE 2 SEED

PREVIOUS STAYS
STEVE SPURRIER = THE FLORIDA GATORS
MICHIGAN

Posted by robvols on May 28, 2008 at 1:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

DOES ANYBODY HAVE A DICTIONARY TO LOOK UP THE FOLLOWING WORDS?

IGNORANT
IGNORAMOUS
BANNED
TRESPASSING
JACK$$$
MORON
RETARD

I THINK WE NEED TO DEFINE THE WORDS FOR OVERSTAYED AND ITSYOUIDIOT.

Posted by murrayvol on May 28, 2008 at 2:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

robvols: Don't sugarcoat it. Tell us how you really feel.

Posted by GerryOP on May 28, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Looks like robvols forgot his meds today. Relax, dude.

Posted by overatedvols on May 28, 2008 at 4:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm sorry to have to report that team C-USA lost their first game with the Chinese national team. The final score was 87-80. C-USA only had two practices and have players from several teams. The chinese team that will represent China in the olympics featured a 7'1" center and a 6'11"
forward. Not a bad first outing for team c-USA.
Game two will be Friday evening in China and 7am local time friday morning. I'm sure you'll all be pulling for "team america"

Posted by missrvrvol on May 28, 2008 at 5:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

robvols. Can I get permission to get on your site?

Thanks....

Posted by Colliervol on May 28, 2008 at 6:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

missrvr, you got to get permission to get on his planet or at least into his medicine cabinet.

Overrated, why would we be interested in anything related to Conference America or anything having to do with exhibition games in China? Football time is coming and we have more important fish to fry. Hint- We don't just talk about basketball on here, unlike on the Memphis sites where that's really all there is.

Robvol, I don't know why you're getting so excited about our little brother Tigers visiting us. They know their place in the grand scheme of things and have to visit just to find out what rich big brother is doing. We shouldn't begrudge them that.

Posted by robvols on May 28, 2008 at 7:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

These guys have overstayed their welcome on this site and have alienated Vols fans that frequent this site. We can understand our friends in Alabama and Kentucky, but this coming from a team that snub an invite from the Big East where their real competition awaits? Every fan has a place of their own but checking on an opponent's website on a constant basis.......... this is ridiculous. As an alienated fan stated on this site: they need to get a life. Usually when a team loses after opening up their mouths, they usually go away and they shut the heii up; in other words eat humble pie. If they can't accept the facts nor the truth then they have a problem. Several of us have told them to "go away" but they don't know what that means. So the words "ignorant", "immature", "college" and "punks" all fit in the lexicon of things.

Colliervol, I know you are trying to defend for your brothers from the Weststate but there is a fine line when enough is enough.

We need to save our energy for our adversaries for college football season, not after college basketball season.

Sheriff Buford T. Justice would know what type of people we are up against.

missrvrvol, as long as you don't cause any trouble, a Vol fan (or not), and are fan of the SEC, you are welcome.

Posted by TopTenn on May 28, 2008 at 8:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Memphis was 47-0 until Feb 23, 2008. Their home winning streak went to zero. UT66 Mem62. The tigers have to start another winning streak in C-DOA.

Posted by TopTenn on May 28, 2008 at 8:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

overarated. FEDEX Forum Home of the VOLS.

Posted by CatScratchFever on May 28, 2008 at 10:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Kentucky is ahead of Tennessee in basketball traditon, wins, championships.....you name it by milleniums. And once AGAIN, they are the leader in attendance.

Here is the good news. It wont get better for anyone else as Kentucky is about to build a ultra-modern 30,000 seat basketball palace. The perfect place to hang all of our National Championship banners.

But hey, the Vols have a pretty nice gym to hang their "NIT Appearance" banner. LMAO

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 28, 2008 at 11:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Kentucky at the end of the season was looking up at the Vols in the standings for the 3rd straight year. Here's to 4 and counting. Pearl at UT has never finished below Kentucky. LOL!!!!!!

Posted by THE_VOL on May 29, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Cats...there is a reason Steve Forbes wanted nothing more to do with Billy G. and turned down his offer to come to KY. I think it has something to do with winning, the present and the future. But you're welcome to cherish those 15+ year old memories as long you admit "Gee, we USED to be what TN has become!"

Posted by volfaninky1 on May 29, 2008 at 5:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

CatScratchFever...thats a load of bull. I happen to live outside of Lex. and UK isn't planning crap in terms of an arena. U of L on the other hand is planning a basketball palace.

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