Parking, bag policy, transit and history are on the main Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center guide.
The Food City Center chart in brief
The Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center seating chart has a full lower bowl (sections 100 to 131) and two upper tiers, the 200 level and the 300 level, that wrap three sides of the building. The fourth side, the north sideline, holds the loge seats and two rows of suites instead of upper sections, which is why there are no sections 201 to 208 or 302 to 308. Midcourt is section 105 on the north side and section 121 on the south side. For a Tennessee game, the best seats are rows 10 to 20 of 103 to 107 and 119 to 123; the best upper value is 220 and 221, directly above 121.
The building is the same one many fans still call Thompson-Boling Arena. The university added the Food City Center name in August 2023 without renumbering sections, so an older Thompson-Boling chart still matches your ticket. The changes since then are inside the bowl: the Riverside Club opened in 2025 for about 1,500 lower-level seats, and new corner video boards now show live video.
- Best overall: 105 and 121, middle rows.
- Behind the Vols bench: 103 and 104.
- Best upstairs: 220, 221 and 321.
- Loudest: the student ends, 113 and 114 and 128 and 129.
Section numbers and direction on each level
The layout below comes from RateYourSeats' Tennessee basketball and concert charts. Tennessee's own descriptions line up with them: the university places the suites and loge in the north balcony, its premium Loft in section 113 on the east side, its first-aid rooms behind 115 and 127, and its student seats in 113, 114, 128 and 129, which this chart places at the two ends. With north at the top, the numbers run clockwise on every level.
100 level: 100 to 131
Section 100 sits in the northwest corner. The north sideline runs 101 to 109 from west to east, with 105 at midcourt. Sections 110 and 111 fill the northeast corner, 112 to 114 cover the east end with 113 at center, and 115 to 117 fill the southeast corner. The south sideline runs 118 to 124 from east to west with 121 at midcourt, then 125 to 127 in the southwest corner, 128 to 130 across the west end with 129 at center, and 131 back in the northwest corner.
Loge and suites: north side
Tennessee lists 166 loge seats along the north sideline directly below 32 suites in the north balcony. RateYourSeats draws a row of lower suites and a row of upper suites above the loge, which is where the 200 and 300 sections would otherwise be.
200 level: 200 and 209 to 231
The 200 level is a partial ring of small sections between the lower and upper decks. Section 200 is in the northwest corner and 209 to 211 in the northeast corner. Sections 212 to 214 run along the east end, 215 and 216 the southeast corner, and 217 to 224 the south sideline, with 220 and 221 at center. Sections 225 to 227 turn the southwest corner and 228 to 231 run up the west end to the northwest corner.
300 level: 300, 301 and 309 to 331
The top tier starts with 300 and 301 in the northwest corner and picks up at 309 and 310 in the northeast corner. Sections 311 to 316 cover the east end, 317 to 325 the south sideline with 321 at center, and 326 to 331 the west end. Six larger A sections, 311A, 315A, 317A, 325A, 327A and 331A, sit at the outer corners.
Rows and seat numbers
Lower rows. RateYourSeats lists sideline section 101 as rows 1 to 30, with the entrance at row 30, so you walk down from the concourse to your seat. Corner sections start higher: it lists section 116 as rows 14 to 30, again entered at the top. Riverside Club seats are rows 1 to 13 of 103 to 107 and 119 to 123, per RateYourSeats, and Tennessee's renovation notes name 103 among the affected sections.
Upper rows. RateYourSeats lists 301 and 319 as rows 1 to 24, entered at row 1, so in the 300 level you climb up from the entrance.
Seat numbering. RateYourSeats says that when you face the court or stage, the lower seat numbers are on your right, on all three levels. That puts seat 1 on the aisle next to the lower-numbered neighboring section, so seat 1 in 121 is on the 120 side. This comes from one guide, so check the seat map when you buy if an aisle seat matters.
Row counts come from one guide, so treat them as approximate.
Best seats for Vols, Lady Vols and volleyball
RateYourSeats' Tennessee chart puts both benches and the scorer's table on the north sideline in front of the loge: the Tennessee bench in front of 103 and 104, the scorer's table at 105 and the visitors in front of 106 and 107. Courtside seats and the media table are on the south side.
- Pick: 105 and 121, rows 10 to 20, which RateYourSeats lists as midcourt, with 103, 104, 106, 107, 119, 120 and 122 next.
- Behind the Vols: 103 and 104, though the bench and players standing in front can block the lowest rows.
- Club comfort: the Riverside Club rows, 1 to 13 of 103 to 107 and 119 to 123, which include lounge access before games and at halftime.
- Upper value: 220 and 221 between the decks, then 321 and its neighbors in the first rows of the 300 level.
- Think twice: the lower baseline sections 112 to 114 and 128 to 130, where the basket stanchion and players under the rim block the far end, and the top rows of the 300 corners, the longest views in the building.
Student sections
For the 2024-25 season, Tennessee gave men's basketball students sections 113, 114, 128 and 129 in the lower bowl and 323 through 327A upstairs, according to the Daily Beacon, and moved the media from the bottom of 114 to the top of 113. Women's games used 128 and 129. Expect a standing, loud crowd at both ends, and expect those allocations to change with demand.
Concert layout and the Loft
RateYourSeats' concert chart places the stage at the west end, in front of 128 to 130, with reserved floor sections filling the court area. RateYourSeats lists 301, in the northwest corner, as behind or beside the stage for most shows, with a possibly limited view.
- Floor: closest to the stage and flat; the center blocks straight back from the stage are the most direct.
- Raised and close: the lower sideline sections nearest the stage, 101 to 103 and 123 to 125, angled toward the performer.
- Balanced: 105 and 121 at midcourt, the same center seats as for basketball, now at a side angle.
- Head-on: 112 to 114 at the far end and 312 to 314 above them, a long but straight view of the production.
- Skip: 100, 131, 300, 301 and 331 if they are on sale, since they sit beside or behind the stage.
Tennessee sells the Loft, a premium area in section 113 on the east side, for concerts. It has table seating, a dancing area and in-seat service, in sets of two up to an entire row of 12. Because section 113 faces a west-end stage, the Loft is a head-on view. Stage position can change by tour, so check the map for your show.
Thompson-Boling seat views by level
- Courtside and loge: at the floor or just above it on the north side, with a wide view of the bench side.
- Lower bowl, rows 1 to 13 on the sidelines: close to the floor, including the Riverside Club rows.
- Lower bowl, rows 14 to 30: raised enough to see plays form, with the concourse behind you at the top.
- 200 level: a narrow band of sections between the decks, raised above the lower bowl; the center sections, 220 and 221, are the best of them.
- 300 level, rows 1 to 10: the whole court in view below the ribbon board.
- 300 level, rows 15 to 24: high in a 120-foot-tall building, where the court looks small; stay central if you are this high.
Accessible seating and first aid
Tennessee's public arena pages do not map accessible seats, and the seating guides used for this page do not list wheelchair rows, so ask before you buy. The university directs arena questions to Tennessee Athletics event management for games and to the arena management office for concerts and other events. Service dogs are allowed, and the first-aid rooms are on the concourse behind sections 115 and 127.
Because lower sections are entered from the top (row 30) and the 300 level from the bottom (row 1), a fan who wants to avoid stairs should choose high rows in the lower bowl or low rows upstairs and confirm the location with the ticket office. Current details are on the arena's building policies page.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Food City Center seating chart the same as the Thompson-Boling Arena chart?
Yes. Since August 2023 the arena's name is Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center, and the sections did not change. The main later change is the 2025 Riverside Club in the lower sideline rows.
How are seats numbered at Thompson-Boling Arena?
Per RateYourSeats, the lower seat numbers are on your right as you face the court, so seat 1 is on the aisle next to the lower-numbered section. Rows are numbered from row 1 at the front.
How many rows are in a Thompson-Boling Arena section?
Lower sideline sections run rows 1 to 30, entered at the top, and corner sections start at about row 14. Upper 300 sections run rows 1 to 24, entered at the bottom, per RateYourSeats.
What is the view like from the 300 level?
The first ten rows of the center sections, around 321, show the whole court clearly. The top rows and the 300-level corners are far from the floor in a very tall arena.
Where is the Tennessee bench at Thompson-Boling Arena?
On the north sideline in front of sections 103 and 104, with the scorer's table at 105 and the visitors in front of 106 and 107, per RateYourSeats' Tennessee chart.
Where is the student section at Thompson-Boling Arena?
For 2024-25 men's games, students had sections 113, 114, 128 and 129 at the two ends plus 323 through 327A upstairs, per the Daily Beacon. Women's games used 128 and 129.
Sources
- RateYourSeats: Thompson-Boling Arena sections
- RateYourSeats: Tennessee basketball seating chart
- RateYourSeats: Riverside Club
- Tennessee Athletics: Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center
- Tennessee Athletics: Food City Center premium options (the Loft)
- Tennessee Athletics: Enhancements and changes coming to the Food City Center
- Tennessee Athletics: Food City Center building policies
- Daily Beacon: Tennessee Athletics expands student section for basketball