With the second home game of the season approaching, Tennessee Tech Athletic Director Casey Fox said the department heard surprise from fans about the high-level experience at Tucker Stadium
Fox said the university is working with a new security company to improve stadium ingress and egress for future games. Fox said the athletic department is also coordinating with city and county officials to ensure all fan experience expansions meet health inspection requirements.
“My biggest takeaway was, if you want to say joy, surprise,” Fox said, “Realization that this was in Cookeville, Tennessee from a lot of fans that I talked to, they just didn’t think it would ever happen.”
Fox said more than 1,400 students attended the game to support the team in a newly established student section. Fox said the university expanded amenities on the east side of the stadium by installing infrastructure to support food trucks.
“But overall, just, a you know, an outpouring that it was an outstanding experience, you know, from the catering to the new concessions to the new amenities,” Fox said. “We even expanded the amenities on the east side and put in infrastructure for food trucks, and that went over great.”
Fox said the university plans to widen aisles and install handrails on the east side of the stadium next year. Fox said Tennessee Tech is also working with a company to provide padded seating options for season ticket holders.
“I want to see is a total buy-in, you know, that the fans understand that not only the amenities that we’re offering but how they can impact a game, you know, by being there, being loud, they can absolutely be part of this success and that’s when things really get going when fans buy in, understand that they can impact, have an impact,” Fox said.
Fox said the university aims to create a sustainable winning football program that serves as a “front porch” for the Upper Cumberland region.
“From a positive standpoint, again, I go back to the amenities, the club level was outstanding,” Fox said. “We partner on campus with Chartwells and they do our concessions, they did a phenomenal job both on the club and the suite level and down in the concessions area.”
Fox said the “It’s Personal” campaign includes a $25 million earmark specifically for athletic improvements.
“Well, it’s extremely important,” Fox said. “The amenities that, you know, the experience itself has to be one that makes people want to not only come but actually come back.”
