NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In advance of the Commodores’ first home football contest next month, Vanderbilt Athletics has revealed game day information and activities—both returning from last fall and new—for the 2022 season.
The Dores are scheduled to play six games at Vanderbilt Stadium, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this season, beginning with a Sept. 3 meeting with Elon with a 6 p.m. CT kickoff. Vandy fans can look forward to the following throughout the fall.
Facility Information
- Gates and Entrances
- With Vandy United construction projects underway, fans should prepare to enter the stadium through three of the four available gates. Gate 1 (at the northwest corner of the facility closest to the Marriott) will be closed for the entire 2022 season.
- Concourse
- Due to construction in the northwest corner of the stadium, the concourse will not have a circular path. The stadium and access within the stadium will be U-shaped from the northwest corner to the northeast corner.
- North End Zone Premium Seating
- Fans looking to access the north end zone premium seating area should enter from the east side of the stadium near Section V and Memorial Gymnasium.
- Lot 3
- This lot will be closed all season as it is the staging area for all Vandy United projects. Game day parking in Lots 2 and 4 remains available, along with parking in the 25th Avenue Garage.
- Kensington Place
- The road between the north end of the football stadium and the Marriott is closed and will be unavailable to vehicle and pedestrian traffic this fall.
Technology
- New Ticket Provider
- Earlier this summer, Vanderbilt switched athletic ticketing providers. Emails were sent in July to ticket purchasers to activate their accounts, and tickets were delivered to accounts in mid-August.
- Digital ticketing remains in 2022. Fans should access their account using their mobile device and add tickets to their mobile wallet.
- Parking passes are also digital and are loaded into accounts.
- For more mobile ticketing information, click here.
- Earlier this summer, Vanderbilt switched athletic ticketing providers. Emails were sent in July to ticket purchasers to activate their accounts, and tickets were delivered to accounts in mid-August.
- New Mobile App
- Vanderbilt Athletics has switched mobile app providers to align the department’s website and mobile app. Fans should update their previous Vanderbilt Athletics mobile app to view the new experience—live stats, push notifications, game updates and more.
- For more on the mobile app, click here.
Fan Activities
- Parking
- Parking lots open at 8 a.m. on game days. The only exception to this time is for 11 a.m. kickoffs, when lots open at 7 a.m.
- Roads
- Road closures will stagger on game days. To avoid closures, please plan to enter the parking lots from Children’s Way (for flat surface parking) and 25th Avenue for parking in the 25th Avenue Garage.
- Tailgating
- Before every home football game, guests can enjoy the sights and sounds along Natchez Trace. Affectionately referred to as “Vandyville,” guests can tailgate among local musicians performing on one of the stages, play on the inflatables or have their faces painted in the kids’ zone and much more! Tailgate packages are available on a single-game or season basis and can accommodate as few as two and up to 1,000 guests! Learn more about the offerings, and place a deposit to secure your space today!
- Vandyville
- Vandyville offers close to 90 tailgating spaces, inflatable games, food truck vendors, live entertainment and more. It is on Natchez Trace between Jess Neely Drive and Children’s Way.
- Vandyville features two music stages in 2022.
- Puckett’s Stage: On Dudley Court, just off Natchez Trace, Vandyville’s main stage will feature live music beginning two hours before kickoff. Here you’ll also find food trucks, common seating and a videoboard to catch key college football action happening that day.
- Black and Gold Stage: At the corner of Natchez Trace and Jess Neely Drive, this stage will feature up-and-coming artists and local favorites for up to two hours before kickoff.
- The spirit squads will do a pop-up performance at the Black and Gold stage approximately 70 minutes before kickoff.
- Kids’ Zone
- The popular kids’ zone from 2021 returns.
- The Max Nance Kids’ Zone is at the outdoor track and field complex, just off Natchez Trace. It opens two hours before kickoff, and all activities (inflatables, face painter, balloon artist, etc.) are free. It closes at kickoff.
- NEW in 2022: The pregame radio show will take place from this location 90 minutes before kickoff and will provide entertainment for families in this space.
- Star Walk
- The expanded Star Walk route will return for 2022. The team will exit the practice field gates and proceed onto Natchez Trace approximately one hour before kickoff. The Dores will turn down Jess Neely Drive and into the tunnel entrance. This adjustment will allow more fans to participate and send the team into the stadium with even louder and prouder support. This expansion also replaces the event previously known as Dore Alley.
- For more information on game day items, please visit https://vucommodores.com/football-gameday/.
Ticketing
- The ticket office will open four hours before kickoff and is outside of Gate 3.
- Gates open two hours before kickoff.
- Tickets are on sale now for the 2022 season. Single game, group tickets, mini plans and season tickets remain. To learn more, click here.
Stadium
- Concessions
- Fan favorites return from last season, including Puckett’s and Chick-fil-A. Some stands and stand locations have shifted around for the 2022 season. Please consult the updated maps inside the stadium and here.
- NEW in 2022: New craft beer options will be available throughout the season.
- Mobile ordering returns! Skip the line and order food and drinks straight from your seats. Items are then ready at a specific time for pick up from stands. Order online at this link.
- PA Announcer
- We welcome Joe Deyo as the public address announcer in the stadium this season. Deyo, who lives in Spring Hill, Tennessee, brings more than nine years and 300 games of public address announcer experience to Vanderbilt Stadium. He has worked with Lipscomb and announced games for the Atlantic Sun Conference basketball tournament, and he was a finalist in the Tennessee Titans public address announcer search in 2021. Deyo earned his undergraduate degree at Idaho.
- Turf
- The turf and field design is new for the 2022 season.
- Bridge and Suites
- Seating and spaces have been updated heading into the 2022 season. Bridge seat holders will find larger and wider chairs, along with revamped private concessions and bar areas. Suites now feature new seating, windows and aesthetic touches.
- Pregame Effects
- Pyro and cryo will return at certain points during pregame this season, including introductions and the national anthem—in addition to celebratory moments throughout the game.
Special Events
- 100th Anniversary of Vanderbilt Stadium
- Will be celebrated all season long.
- Elon
- Recognition of the Top 100 Commodores of the Vanderbilt Stadium era in a special halftime presentation.
- A commemorative poster with all top 100 names on it will be available for fans.
- Wake Forest
- Hatch Show Print giveaway
- Florida
- Replica stadium giveaway
- ‘SEC Nation’
- Coming to Nashville on Sept. 10
- Set will be in The Commons.
- The show will be hosted by Laura Rutledge and also includes Paul Finebaum, Tim Tebow, Roman Harper and former Vanderbilt quarterback Jordan Rodgers.
For more information on Vandyville, click here. To rent a tailgate tent in Vandyville, click here.
