My father comes from a big family in Knoxville, Tennessee (and when I say big, I mean Irish Catholic. I’d venture to say about half of Knoxville is related to me). My dad and all his many siblings attended the University of Tennessee, as did all my cousins … and my second cousins … and my third cousins. Out of all the family, only two people who attended UT played sports there: my father, on a football scholarship, and my aunt, on a women’s basketball scholarship.
I can’t remember a time when my uncle didn’t have a room in his house reserved just for UT merchandise — posters, figurines, and framed jerseys. I can’t recall a family gathering where a Tennessee sports team wasn’t playing on the TV with half the family gathered around to watch. I can’t remember a visit to Knoxville without being asked, “You still wear the Tennessee sweatshirt I got you?” My family is, if nothing else, passionate about their alma mater.
But it’s not just my family that’s dedicated to the University of Tennessee’s athletics program — it’s the whole city of Knoxville. Dubbed “America’s College Sports City” in 2023, people who live in Knoxville don’t refer to themselves as Knoxvillians; they refer to themselves as Vols. And the numbers back it up: During the 2022–23 athletic year, UT led the country in combined total attendance for football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball (1,167,226).
But why? What makes the people of Knoxville ride so hard for their university? Is it location, tradition, entertainment … or simply because they attended UT themselves? Nowhere else in the world do citizens care so deeply about college sports. So why, in America, are they the backbone of our culture?
History, Tradition, and Pride
In the United States, college sports have roots that run deep. Before the rise of NFL, NBA, or MLB, college teams were already raising passionate fanbases and filling stadiums. One of the oldest and most storied football rivalries — Yale vs. Princeton — dates to 1873 and still continues today, showcasing the rich history and traditions that make college sports a staple of American culture. These early matchups laid the groundwork for what would become a continued tradition of fierce competition, school pride, and community celebration.
University Traditions and Alumni Loyalty
College sports are institutions within themselves. Each university has its own set of traditions, chants, and rituals that get passed down through generations. Alumni carry their loyalty long after graduation, donning their school colors, returning for homecoming games, and donating to athletic programs. The emotional investment runs deep, rooted in memories of the “good ol’ days,” campus pride, and a strong sense of belonging. For many, cheering on their alma mater is about keeping their college experience alive, rather than about cheering on the sport itself.
Locality and Unity
Unlike professional teams, which are usually concentrated in major metropolitan areas, colleges are spread throughout the country — large cities and small towns alike. That geographic reach means more communities have a team to rally behind. In places with no pro sports franchises, the local university fills that void, becoming the heart of the region’s identity. It creates a powerful sense of unity and hometown pride that’s uniquely American.
For contrast: England has 92 professional football clubs across its top four leagues, with even more in the lower tiers. The United States, which is about 40 times the size of England, has only 32 professional (American) football teams. In the U.S., the scale and spread of college teams offer something unique: a national sports culture driven not just by professionals but by students and communities.
Game Day Experience
Part of what makes college sports so popular is the atmosphere. Game days are huge events — an all-day experience filled with tailgates, marching bands, face paint, and roaring crowds. Although NIL has been implemented in recent years, historically, students play not for million-dollar contracts, but for glory, pride, and the weight of tradition. For fans, it’s great to watch talented athletes push themselves to the limit, but it’s even greater to be a part of something bigger: the pageantry, the rivalries, and the raw emotion that professional sports sometimes lack.
Economic Impact
Finally, the economic influence of college sports cannot be overlooked. Entire cities have been revitalized around their university’s athletic programs.
Take Knoxville, for example. Once dubbed the “Scruffy City” by a Wall Street Journal writer who doubted its ability to host the 1982 World’s Fair, Knoxville has since flourished. It was even named one of the top 25 places to live in 2023. While many factors contributed to that growth, it would be remiss to overlook the role of UT athletics. Every home football game generates around $42 million for the city. In 2017 alone, Tennessee athletics contributed $618.3 million in overall economic impact to Knox County.
As long as athletics continue generating revenue not just for universities but for entire communities, those communities will continue to promote and support sports attendance.
College Sports as a Way of Life
For my family, college sports are more than seasonal entertainment. They are tradition, identity, and an emotional connection passed down like heirlooms. What started with my great-uncle — the first in our family to go to college — starting his freshman year at UT in 1971 has become a legacy lived out in living rooms, group texts, and season passes. But our story isn’t unique. Across the country, college athletics serve as a cultural touchstone, bringing together history, pride, and community. Whether in Knoxville or any other town where a university’s fight song sounds louder than city traffic, the impact is the same: people cheer for more than a team— they cheer for belonging, for memory, and for the places that feel like home.
Maybe that’s why, as I write this from a suburb in North Texas, I’m wearing the Tennessee sweatshirt my uncle bought me.
