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Events and Attractions

Battle At Bristol Gets High Marks, With Organizers Lauded For "Festival" Atmosphere

The Tennessee-Virginia Tech game on Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway "drew an NCAA single-game record crowd of 156,990," according to the AP. The previous NCAA record was 115,109 at Michigan Stadium for Notre Dame-Michigan in '13 (AP, 9/10). In Knoxville, Mike Strange wrote BMS "actually pulled" the game off. It was a "spectacular reality" that featured a "majority" UT crowd (Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL, 9/11). SMI CEO Marcus Smith called the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol "unbelievable." USA TODAY's George Schroeder wrote Smith's comments were a "fairly common reaction." The "sheer magnitude of the event was its best asset, it was also its challenge -- and the reason why, despite the desire of organizers to do it all again, this felt like a spectacular one-off." Smith also called it college football's "inaugural event" for BMS. Smith: "We'll have another one." Schroeder wrote the event at BMS was "more festival than football game." Organizers had the "perfect pairing: two passionate fan bases, two schools within easy driving distance of (and nearly equidistant from)" the track. Smith said, "You have to have the right matchup. Not just any matchup will work." He also said that "not just any racetrack would work." Smith: "You could do this at other places. But I think it's best at a place like this" (USATODAY.com, 9/11). SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Adam Stern last week examined other non-racing events that could take place at BMS.

GREAT SUCCESS: In DC, Ava Wallace wrote the Battle at Bristol was a "success in celebrating the middle ground between college football and NASCAR culture." Fans "arrived in cars, trucks, buses and RVs hours before kickoff to tailgate." The event also "highlighted the history of both storied programs" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/11). In Nashville, Joe Rexrode wrote he "couldn't stop looking" at the BMS videoboard, and not because it was the "only way I was going to have any idea what was happening on the football field." UT coach Butch Jones said, "What a spectacle ... I don't know if this will ever be duplicated or replicated." UT QB Josh Dobbs said, "It definitely lived up to the hype." Rexrode noted about 100,000 seats "featured bad or worse views of the action, but you already knew that would be the case." Rexrode: "It's why this should be a one-time only event, but the financial success virtually guarantees there will be sequels" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 9/11). VT FB Sam Rogers said, "An incredible atmosphere, this was so fun to play in front of" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/11). In Tennessee, Allen Gregory wrote the game was a "success by nearly all standards." As for atmosphere, a fan "could not ask for much more" (BRISTOL HERALD COURIER, 9/11). 247SPORTS' Ryan Callahan wrote the game "managed to live up to the hype" (247SPORTS.com, 9/11). In Norfolk, Sean Labar wrote he was "not sure" how organizers pulled it off, "but it worked masterfully" (Norfolk VIRGINIAN-PILOT, 9/11).

SEEN & HEARD: In Roanoke, Andy Bitter noted for the coin toss, former VT coach Frank Beamer and Pro Football HOFer Bruce Smith were honorary VT captains, while Peyton Manning and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam represented UT. There were "joined on the field" by SMI Exec Chair Bruton Smith, who "handled the coin toss." They were plenty of VT alum on the sideline for the game as well, including Michael Vick and DeAngelo Hall (ROANOKE TIMES, 9/11). In Knoxville, Rhiannon Potkey noted UT fans "flooded Earhart East Campground on Saturday" to watch ESPN's "College GameDay." Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a guest picker on the show, and Richard Petty also "joined the broadcast." U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) and his family took in the show's action "backstage" (Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL, 9/11).

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