Thompson-Boling Arena Seating Chart
Thompson-Boling Arena (Food City Center) on the University of Tennessee campus is one of the largest on-campus arenas in the country, home to Volunteers basketball. Its huge lower bowl turns into a wall of orange for big SEC games.
Sections at Thompson-Boling Arena
Thompson-Boling Arena's seating bowl is organized into the following main sections. Section layout differs by event — a sports configuration and a concert configuration of the same arena are not the same chart.
- Lower bowl 100s — vast lower ring around the court
- Club and chairback sections
- Upper bowl 300s — second deck
- Student section behind a baseline
- Suites along the sidelines
Best seats at Thompson-Boling Arena
Lower bowl sections 109-114 at center court along the Tennessee bench are the prime seats. With such a deep lower bowl, the front rows of the upper 300s near center can beat the back of the lower bowl for sightline and price.
Tips before you go
It sits beside Neyland Stadium, so a Vols football Saturday reshapes campus parking — check both schedules. Most fans park in campus garages or downtown Knoxville and walk the riverfront; arrive early on marquee SEC nights.
How to read the Thompson-Boling Arena seating chart
Thompson-Boling Arena seats 21,678 in a bowl that wraps a central court, rink, or stage, so reading the chart starts at center and works outward. The lower bowl rings the floor closest to the action; a club or suite level sits in the middle; the upper bowl climbs above for the widest view. Lower-number sections sit nearest the action, and whether you are along a sideline or behind a baseline changes the view as much as the level does.
Three things decide an Thompson-Boling Arena seat: how close you are to the floor, whether you face the action square on or from a baseline, and how high you sit. For an arena this size, the value sweet spot is usually the first few rows of the upper tier at center — close enough to read the play, cheap enough to justify, and high enough for the full picture. For a concert the stage usually sits at one end, so cross-check the official Thompson-Boling Arena map against your ticket before you buy: a seat that's perfect for a game can sit behind the stage for a show.
Building a seating chart for an event at Thompson-Boling Arena
Hosting a suite night, a group outing, or a private event in the Knoxville area? A seating chart keeps the group organized before you ever reach the gates. Map your party onto tables that mirror the suite or section layout, assign each guest a spot, and export a PDF so everyone knows where they sit. For a private event in a banquet space near Thompson-Boling Arena, the same tool lays out rounds, banquet tables, and head tables, then prints a chart the venue's event-services team can work from. Capacity at Thompson-Boling Arena runs to 21,678 for its main configuration, but most private events use a fraction of that in a club, suite, or adjacent hospitality space — exactly the scale the maker below is built for.
Hosting a private event at Thompson-Boling Arena?
Build your own seating chart for the event — banquet rounds for the dinner portion, theater rows for the program, whatever the format calls for. The Seat Chart App maker handles layouts up to 500 seats and exports a print-ready PDF to share with the venue's event team.
Open the seating chart generatorFrequently asked questions
- How many seats does Thompson-Boling Arena hold?
- Thompson-Boling Arena has a capacity of 21,678 seats. Capacity varies by event configuration — a concert may use floor seating that a basketball game doesn't, and a private buyout uses a different count than a public event.
- What are the best seats at Thompson-Boling Arena?
- Lower bowl sections 109-114 at center court along the Tennessee bench are the prime seats. With such a deep lower bowl, the front rows of the upper 300s near center can beat the back of the lower bowl for sightline and price.
- What sections does Thompson-Boling Arena have?
- Main sections include: Lower bowl 100s — vast lower ring around the court; Club and chairback sections; Upper bowl 300s — second deck. Full breakdown in the sections list above.
- Where is Thompson-Boling Arena located?
- Thompson-Boling Arena is in Knoxville, Tennessee. Check the venue's official website for the exact address, parking options, and public transit access closest to your seat section.
- How do I plan a private event at Thompson-Boling Arena?
- For private events, build a seating chart that maps to the venue's section layout using the Seat Chart App maker below. Drop tables to match your event's footprint within the venue's space, assign guests, and export a PDF to share with the venue's event-services team.