Tennessee is adding a 10% fee on football game tickets next season to pay players

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.

Tennessee has announced a price hike for football tickets starting in 2025 with most of the increase going specifically to help pay players.

The increase announced Tuesday morning in an email to season-ticket holders notes a new 10% talent fee for all invoices to help fund the proposed revenue share for athletes and help Tennessee attract and keep the best talent.

A video link features athletic director Danny White explaining the reason for the price hike per seat across Neyland Stadium.

As the collegiate model changes, we have to remain flexible, White said of the price hike, which includes a 4.5% increase on top of the 10% talent fee.

We have to continue leading the way.

That connection between resources and competitiveness has never been tighter.

Only now we have the ability to share these resources with our athletes.

We can generate revenue that will go directly to our players.

This will give our teams the best chance to be successful and bring championships home to Rocky Top.

The increase comes with Tennessee off to a 3-0 and ranked sixth in the AP Top 25.

The announcement also includes a link to updates on talks between the NCAA and major college conferences trying to settle three antitrust lawsuits related to athlete compensation for name, image and likeness.

They have a settlement agreement in place to pay $2.78 billion in damages to hundreds of thousands of college athletes, dating back to 2016.

At a hearing last week, the federal judge overseeing those cases declined to grant preliminary approval of the deal and kicked it back to attorneys to address her concerns with certain aspects of the agreement.

The NCAA changed its rules in 2021 to allow athletes to cash in on their fame through sponsorship and endorsement deals after decades of prohibition.

Tennessee fans gather outside Neyland Stadium before Saturday's game between against Kent State in Knoxville, Tenn.

Tennessee has been working to be at the front of the changing landscape supporting athletes.

Quarterback Nico Iamaleava was a prized recruit who signed with the NIL collective supporting Tennessee athletes, the Volunteer Club founded by Spyre Sports Group.

It was among the first and most well-organized to emerge around the country after the NCAA lifted its ban on athletes making money off their fame.

That deal prompted a meeting between NCAA investigators and Tennessee officials in January followed by a scathing letter from Chancellor Donde Plowman to NCAA President Charlie Baker.

She ripped the NCAA for creating extraordinary chaos by failing to provide clear rules for name, image and likeness for both universities and athletes.

The attorneys general of Tennessee and Virginia filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA a day after Plowmans letter was released.

A federal judge granted the AGs a preliminary injunction Feb.

23 barring the NCAA from enforcing NIL rules.

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava walks with the team into Neyland Stadium before Saturday's game against Kent State in Knoxville, Tenn.

White cited NIL for creating an even closer connection between resources and competitive success.

Tuesday's announcement notes the current settlement projections could take effect as early as July 1, and the athletic director said Tennessee wants to be as transparent as possible with a fan base that has helped build the nation's best athletic department.

White said the ticket fee is a big key to continuing that success.

We want to be a leader in college sports.

that means we want to be a leader in revenue sharing, White said.

We want to have the very best experience for our athletes right here on Rocky Top.

White, whose latest contract extension was announced in August, credited fans for selling out 102,000 seats at Neyland Stadium for a third straight year with a waiting list of 15,000 for season tickets.

He said that comes as other programs around the country are talking about downsizing stadiums that they can't fill.

Tennessee fans can start renewing tickets for 2025 on Thursday with a deadline of Feb.

27 with the option of a 10-month payment plan to handle the cost.

Tennessee won the SEC regular-season title in mens basketball and the programs first national championship in baseball in June.

The cauldron is lit up by the Olympic flame, with the Eiffel Tower in the background, during the closing ceremony for the 2024 Paralympics, Sunday, Sept.

8, 2024, in Paris, France.

(AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) MotoGP rider Francesco Bagnaia of Italy leads into a curve during the first lap of the San Marino Motorcycle Grand Prix at the Misano circuit in Misano Adriatico, Italy, Sunday, Sept.

8, 2024.

(AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Las Vegas Raiders running back Alexander Mattison (22) runs for a touchdown against Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley, right, during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept.

8, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif.

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Germany's goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, centre, makes a save over Hungary's Barnabas Varga during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Germany and Hungary at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany, Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024.

(AP Photo/Michael Probst) Iran players celebrate after winning the men's Sitting Volleyball Gold Medal Match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the 2024 Paralympics, Friday, Sept.

6, 2024, in Paris, France.

(AP Photo/Christophe Ena) Fans observe a moment of silence for victims of Wednesday's school shooting at Apalachee High School before an NCAA college football game between Tennessee Tech and Georgia Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in Athens, Ga.

(AP Photo/John Bazemore) Taylor Swift watches from a suite during the second half of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept.

5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo.

(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Chamarri Conner (27) is unable to intercept a pass intended for Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept.

5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo.

(AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (23) runs with the Brazilian flag during the first half of an NFL football game, Friday, Sept.

6, 2024, at the Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo.

(AP Photo/Andre Penner) Atlanta Braves outfielder Jorge Soler (2) wears custom Nike Air Jordan cleats in the dugout during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Thursday, Sept.

5, 2024, in Atlanta.

(AP Photo/Jason Allen) Norway's Aida Husic Dahlen competes against Germany's Juliane Wolf in the Women's Singles - WS8 - Semifinal at the 2024 Paralympics, on Friday, Sept.

6, 2024 in Paris, France.

(AP Photo/Aidan Conrad) San Francisco Giants pitcher Tyler Rogers works against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Thursday, Sept.

5, 2024.

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, reacts after scoring a point against Taylor Fritz, of the United States, during the men's singles semifinal of the U.S.

Open tennis championships, Friday, Sept.

6, 2024, in New York.

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) Cameroon's Achta Toko celebrates scoring her side's opening goal against Australia during a U-20 Women's World Cup soccer match in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, Sept.

6, 2024.

(AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) Eric Germelli, bottom, and Kevin Terban, of the Mudsharks, defend against Josh Phillips, of the Muddas, on a pass in a football game at the Mud Bowl in North Conway, N.H., Sunday, Sept.

8, 2024.

(AP Photo/Robert F.

Bukaty) Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, reacts after defeating Jessica Pegula, of the United States, to win the women's singles final of the U.S.

Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in New York.

(AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Bolivia fans wait for the start of a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match against Venezuela at the Municipal de Villa Ingenio stadium in El Alto, Bolivia, Thursday, Sept.

5, 2024.

(AP Photo/Juan Karita) Jack Draper, of Great Britain, returns a shot to Alex de Minaur, of Australia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S.

Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept.

4, 2024, in New York.

(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) The New York skyline is seen during a fourth round match of the U.S.

Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept.

2, 2024, in New York.

(AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez) Britain's Marcus Perrineau Daley celebrates after winning the silver medal in the men's 100m T52 final during the 2024 Paralympics, Friday, Sept.

6, 2024, in Paris, France.

(AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Players of Argentina hoist Angel Di Maria before a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Chile in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Sept.

5, 2024.

(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr., right, reacts after having a cooler dumped on him by Jake Cronenworth following a walk-off hit against the Detroit Tigers in the tenth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept.

4, 2024, in San Diego.

(AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan) Jannik Sinner, of Italy, reacts after defeating Taylor Fritz, of the United States, to win the men's singles final of the U.S.

Open tennis championships, Sunday, Sept.

8, 2024, in New York.

(AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Paralympic athlete Santos Araujo, of Brasil, celebrates after winning the men's 200 m Freestyle -S2 final, during the 2024 Paralympics, Monday, Sept.

2, 2024, in Paris, France.

(AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, kicks the ball after double faulting against Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the women's singles final of the U.S.

Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in New York.

(AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Get local news delivered to your inbox!.

This article has been shared from the original article on chippewa, here is the link to the original article.