University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Elliot Walker/Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Leads Nation in Combined Football/M. Basketball/W. Basketball Attendance for Third Straight Year
April 27, 2026 | Football, General, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the third consecutive athletic year, the University of Tennessee paced all Division I schools in combined attendance across football, men's basketball and women's basketball.
UT led the way nationally in both overall attendance and average attendance, as it did in 2024-25 and 2023-24.
"The power and passion of Vol Nation are unrivaled and there is simply nothing like it in sports. Once again, Vol Nation proves beyond a doubt that the absolute best fans in the country are right here on Rocky Top," said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White. "On behalf of every student-athlete, coach, and staff member at Tennessee, thank you to the best fan base in all of sports for making Knoxville unmistakably 'America's College Sports City.'"
Tennessee had 1,181,715 fans come through its gates across 37 home events in those three sports, over 138,000 greater than second-place Texas A&M (1,043,172). Only five schools eclipsed 1,000,000 fans. UT's total of 1,234,843 in 41 regular season home games led the nation in 2024-25 and its 1,161,218 figure over 38 contests in 2023-24 also paced the country.
Additionally, Tennessee again ranked first in Division I in average attendance, with its 31,938 mark nearly 6,000 above second-place Texas A&M (26,079), with no one else above even 25,000. The Volunteers and Lady Volunteers had a 30,118 regular season average in 2024-25 and a 30,558 overall average in 2023-24, both of which led the country.
The only institution to rank even top-15 nationally in cumulative attendance and/or average attendance in all three sports, Tennessee placed top-nine in every cumulative category and top-six in every average category.
Only two others—Indiana and LSU—had a top-10 cumulative mark in even two sports. Just four others—Indiana, Louisville, LSU and Texas—had a top-10 average in two of then.
Across its seven home football games, Tennessee had 713,405 fans come through the gates to rank fourth in the country. The Neyland Stadium average attendance of 101,915 placed sixth in FBS and was one of just eight venues with a six-digit number.
In men's basketball, the Volunteers drew 327,265 fans over 17 home games to place fourth in the nation. Tennessee finished third in average attendance with a 19,251 mark, giving the program a top-four finish in both categories for the second year in a row. Five of the top 12 single-game regular season attendances in 2025-26 were at Food City Center, while no other SEC school had even a top-20 figure.
The Lady Volunteers amassed 141,045 fans for their 13 home games, placing eighth in the country. Their average attendance of 10,850 finished fourth overall and made them one of just five programs to average in five figures.
Furthermore, Tennessee was the only school in the nation to eclipse 1,000,000 fans in just football and men's basketball, registering a 1,040,670 mark across its 24 such contests. Last year, it was one of only three schools to do so, but this time stood alone.
Tennessee had the top average attendance across men's and women's basketball with a 15,610 mark. It also ranked second in overall such attendance at 468,310, just 13,443 shy of South Carolina, which hosted 37 games. No other school eclipsed 450,000 fans for basketball, as Iowa ranked third at 445,393 across 34 affairs.
Fans interested in purchasing season tickets for football, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball and/or volleyball can visit the Season Ticket Interest Form page and then select a sport to learn more.
COMBINED FOOTBALL/MEN'S BASKETBALL/WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CUMULATIVE ATTENDANCE
1. Tennessee – 1,181,715 (37 GP)
2. Texas A&M – 1,043,172 (40 GP)
3. South Carolina – 1,037,093 (44 GP)
4. Ohio State – 1,032,644 (43 GP)
5. LSU – 1,014,155 (41 GP)
6. Texas – 983,550 (43 GP)
7. Nebraska – 966,835 (42 GP)
8. Alabama – 958,589 (42 GP)
9. Michigan – 934,354 (38 GP)
10. Iowa – 930,114 (41 GP)
COMBINED FOOTBALL/MEN'S BASKETBALL/WOMEN'S BASKETBALL AVERAGE ATTENDANCE
1. Tennessee – 31,938
2. Texas A&M – 26,079
3. LSU – 24,735
4. Michigan – 24,588
5. Ohio State – 24,015
6. South Carolina – 23,570
7. Nebraska – 23,020
8. Penn State – 23,000
9. Texas – 22,873
10. Alabama – 22,824
UT led the way nationally in both overall attendance and average attendance, as it did in 2024-25 and 2023-24.
"The power and passion of Vol Nation are unrivaled and there is simply nothing like it in sports. Once again, Vol Nation proves beyond a doubt that the absolute best fans in the country are right here on Rocky Top," said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White. "On behalf of every student-athlete, coach, and staff member at Tennessee, thank you to the best fan base in all of sports for making Knoxville unmistakably 'America's College Sports City.'"
Tennessee had 1,181,715 fans come through its gates across 37 home events in those three sports, over 138,000 greater than second-place Texas A&M (1,043,172). Only five schools eclipsed 1,000,000 fans. UT's total of 1,234,843 in 41 regular season home games led the nation in 2024-25 and its 1,161,218 figure over 38 contests in 2023-24 also paced the country.
Additionally, Tennessee again ranked first in Division I in average attendance, with its 31,938 mark nearly 6,000 above second-place Texas A&M (26,079), with no one else above even 25,000. The Volunteers and Lady Volunteers had a 30,118 regular season average in 2024-25 and a 30,558 overall average in 2023-24, both of which led the country.
The only institution to rank even top-15 nationally in cumulative attendance and/or average attendance in all three sports, Tennessee placed top-nine in every cumulative category and top-six in every average category.
Only two others—Indiana and LSU—had a top-10 cumulative mark in even two sports. Just four others—Indiana, Louisville, LSU and Texas—had a top-10 average in two of then.
Across its seven home football games, Tennessee had 713,405 fans come through the gates to rank fourth in the country. The Neyland Stadium average attendance of 101,915 placed sixth in FBS and was one of just eight venues with a six-digit number.
In men's basketball, the Volunteers drew 327,265 fans over 17 home games to place fourth in the nation. Tennessee finished third in average attendance with a 19,251 mark, giving the program a top-four finish in both categories for the second year in a row. Five of the top 12 single-game regular season attendances in 2025-26 were at Food City Center, while no other SEC school had even a top-20 figure.
The Lady Volunteers amassed 141,045 fans for their 13 home games, placing eighth in the country. Their average attendance of 10,850 finished fourth overall and made them one of just five programs to average in five figures.
Furthermore, Tennessee was the only school in the nation to eclipse 1,000,000 fans in just football and men's basketball, registering a 1,040,670 mark across its 24 such contests. Last year, it was one of only three schools to do so, but this time stood alone.
Tennessee had the top average attendance across men's and women's basketball with a 15,610 mark. It also ranked second in overall such attendance at 468,310, just 13,443 shy of South Carolina, which hosted 37 games. No other school eclipsed 450,000 fans for basketball, as Iowa ranked third at 445,393 across 34 affairs.
Fans interested in purchasing season tickets for football, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball and/or volleyball can visit the Season Ticket Interest Form page and then select a sport to learn more.
COMBINED FOOTBALL/MEN'S BASKETBALL/WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CUMULATIVE ATTENDANCE
1. Tennessee – 1,181,715 (37 GP)
2. Texas A&M – 1,043,172 (40 GP)
3. South Carolina – 1,037,093 (44 GP)
4. Ohio State – 1,032,644 (43 GP)
5. LSU – 1,014,155 (41 GP)
6. Texas – 983,550 (43 GP)
7. Nebraska – 966,835 (42 GP)
8. Alabama – 958,589 (42 GP)
9. Michigan – 934,354 (38 GP)
10. Iowa – 930,114 (41 GP)
COMBINED FOOTBALL/MEN'S BASKETBALL/WOMEN'S BASKETBALL AVERAGE ATTENDANCE
1. Tennessee – 31,938
2. Texas A&M – 26,079
3. LSU – 24,735
4. Michigan – 24,588
5. Ohio State – 24,015
6. South Carolina – 23,570
7. Nebraska – 23,020
8. Penn State – 23,000
9. Texas – 22,873
10. Alabama – 22,824
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