FirstBank Stadium - Vanderbilt Commodores
- Lloyd Brown
- Sep 25
- 6 min read
Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86
Vanderbilt Stadium Jess Neely Dr Nashville, TN 37240
Year Opened: 1922 Capacity: 35,000
Damn the Torpedo’s…. Full Speed Ahead!
Vanderbilt University is a private university located in the West End neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee. It opened in 1873 through the generosity of millionaire Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt. The school offers more than 70 academic majors and includes 7 Nobel Laureates, 27 Rhodes Scholars, and 1 Grammy winner amongst its alumni.
Vanderbilt University is a charter member of the Southeastern Conference, which was formed in 1933. The school first established a football program in 1890. It is the only private school in the conference and is also the smallest member, with a student population of just 7,000.
The private school status and its small student body have made it challenging to compete in the Southeastern Conference, which is dominated by much larger schools that receive substantial public support. However, the team has become much more competitive in recent years, with victories over the University of Alabama, the University of Kentucky, Auburn University, and Georgia Tech.
The home of the Commodores was first located on its present site in 1922 as Dudley Field. It was the first stadium in the South to be built specifically for football. It was named for Vanderbilt Dean William Dudley, who spearheaded the setting up of the football program at the school, as well as playing a major role in creating many of the rules of football still in use today. He was also heavily involved in the creation of the Southeastern Conference to serve this area of the country.
In 1981, Vanderbilt Stadium opened on the site of Dudley Field. It was built in just nine months. The new stadium featured aluminum bleachers and an astroturf field. The new stadium had a capacity of 41,000, with seven concession stands, ten restrooms, and a 17,000 square foot press box.
The Vanderbilt University leadership used the centennial of its 1922 stadium and the improved performance of the football team on the field to launch the Vandy United fundraising campaign to raise $300 million. The purpose of this campaign was to raise funds to improve the athletic programs at the school.
Additionally, it wanted to improve the fan experience, as it has a rich alumni base. As a part of this campaign, the university signed a naming rights agreement with FirstBank, a major financial institution in the Nashville area. The field itself retains the Dudley name.
The project also included improvements for the specific needs of the football program. These included new training facilities, weight rooms, a sports science lab, and several classrooms. These improvements are part of an enhanced football recruiting process.
Food & Beverage 4
The concessions program at FirstBank Stadium has seen massive improvement because of the Vandy United campaign. In addition to the generic concession stands of the past, the school has recruited local food favorites as Daddy’s Dogs, Five Points Pizza, Ajax Turner, Jackalope Brewing, Mission BBQ, and Kernels Nashville Corn, to sponsor stands in the stadium.
Additionally, alcoholic beverages are now served at FirstBank Stadium. These include cocktails ($15), Modelo ($12), Coors Light ($11), Conquer and Prevail Pale Ale ($13), and White Claw Hard Seltzer ($13).
The generic stands are known as “Fan Favorites” and sell water ($6), hot dogs ($6), popcorn ($8), nachos ($6), candy ($5), and Pepsi brand soft drinks ($10).
All concession stands operate on a cashless basis.
Atmosphere 4
Vanderbilt and other visiting fans had to endure games on a virtual construction site during the 2023-2024 seasons. The improvements made during that period can now be enjoyed by the Commodore faithful and fans from the opposition. The stadium was previously painted battleship grey as a salute to the naval theme the school has long embraced. This has changed to a more vibrant set of black, gold, and white color scheme.
Vanderbilt has retained some longtime nautical traditions from the past. Before each game, Vanderbilt ROTC members “Drop Anchor” at midfield, i.e., they bring an anchor to the 50-yard line and plant it in the turf, symbolizing that the Commodores will hang tough and not yield yardage. The “Admiral” is a ship’s horn that sounds after each Vanderbilt score or victory. Finally, a Victory flag is flown from the mast after the Commodores put another game in the win column.
The biggest set of changes to the stadium resulted in the total rebuild of the areas at each end of the field. The North end zone features several new enhancements, including premium clubs and other hospitality areas, loge boxes, a new concourse giving 360-degree access to both the East and West stands, and two new videoboards.
The South end of the field now features a vast array of seating choices for its premium-level fans. This includes living room boxes, loge boxes, club seating, and field-level seats. This end of the stadium also features a new concourse linking to all sections of the stadium, a designated entry gate, as well as a new videoboard.
Neighborhood 5
Vanderbilt University and it on-campus stadium are in the West End neighborhood. This is an affluent neighborhood located about five miles west of the main tourist attractions in downtown Nashville (i.e., the Country Music Hall of Fame, Bridgestone Arena, Broadway clubs and restaurants, and the Tennessee River).
The stadium is across the street from Centennial Park and the Parthenon. This is a replica of the famous Greek temple. There are several accommodations within easy walking distance of the stadium, including the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt, the Homewood Suites, the Holiday Inn Nashville – Vanderbilt, and the Hampton Inn and Suites-Nashville/Vanderbilt.
There are also several restaurants near the stadium. These include Maggiano’s Little Italy, J. Alexander’s, and Bricktops. A longtime favorite for breakfast, the Pancake Pantry is located just a few blocks from the campus on 21st Avenue.
For those interested in the main tourist attractions in Music City, simply head five miles east on West End Avenue and Broadway. The major tourist attractions are within a few blocks of each other, so you would only need to park once or take one rideshare ride to take them all in.
Fans 4
Gamedays at Vanderbilt home games have always been festive, even in the lean years. The school is embraced as Nashville’s “home team” in college football by residents. It is not unusual to see many locals take part in the home games.
Gamedays get underway with the opening of Vandyville, a pregame area on the campus that offers games, music, food trucks, and other entertainment beginning two hours before kickoff. It is located on campus on Natchez Trace between Jess Neely Drive and Children’s Way.
The Vanderbilt team makes its pregame StarWalk to FirstBank Stadium 45 minutes before kickoff. The team is escorted by the Spirit of Gold marching band and dance team, as well as the Vanderbilt spirit squad, known as the Commodore Nation. This signals the Vanderbilt faithful that it is time to head to the seats in the stands.
While most of their SEC opponents have state support and large alumni bases, Vanderbilt has the benefit of a very affluent alumni base filled with local movers and shakers in the Nashville area. It is no surprise that most of the improvements at FirstBank Stadium are aimed at improving the fan experience.
Access 3
Parking in and around FirstBank Stadium typically opens four hours before kickoff. Single-game parking is available at the 25th Avenue Garage (25th Avenue at Highland Avenue) and the West Garage (25th Avenue at Children’s Way).
Rideshares will pick up and deliver fans from two locations: Vanderbilt Place at 28th Avenue and at the Engineering Building located at 24th Avenue and Pierce Avenue.
FirstBank Stadium is a 20-minute drive west of Nashville International Airport via I-40 or I-440.
Return on Investment 3
The recent success of the football program and the upgrades to the stadium have increased the cost of attending a Commodore’s game.
Ticketing for all Vanderbilt athletic activities is done digitally, as are purchases from the concession stands or team stores. Tickets can be purchased on the athletic department website in advance of the game, at the Memorial Gym ticket office, or at the ticket office located at the Frist Family Gate at the stadium on gamedays. The recent success of the football program has resulted in several sellouts, so we advise that you purchase tickets to games you are interested in well in advance.
Concession prices are higher than average; expect to pay more for typical purchases such as sodas ($10), hot dogs ($6), pizza slices ($12), and water ($6).
Parking at one of the two parking decks on campus ranges from $20 to $40, depending on the opponent.
Extras 4
Vanderbilt is very innovative with its halftime entertainment, as it has added drone shows to the musical performances by the school band.
FirstBank Stadium will host the FCS National Championship football game in both 2026 and 2027.
Dudley Field has hosted concerts by Luke Bryan, the Rolling Stones, U2, and Pink Floyd. It has also hosted several Billy Graham Crusades.
The stadium was the site of the first NFL stadium in the South when it hosted an exhibition game between the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles in 1944. It also served as the home of the Tennessee Titans for their first season after moving from Houston.
Final Thoughts
Football fans in the Music City are raving about the new enhancements at FirstBank Stadium. The Commodores no longer must play “second fiddle’ to the other SEC schools in terms of its facilities for its teams or its fans.
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