In With the Old celebrating Vols vs Gators win in 1998
By Tom Ballard, Chief Alliance Officer, PYA
Two weeks from today, Tennessee football fans will have an opportunity to relive an epic game in a season that ended 20 years ago with a national championship.
Baker Donahue, the recent University of Tennessee graduate who founded In With the Old (see our recent teknovation.biz article and also the previous article), is the force behind the event set for Friday, September 21, when the Tennessee-Florida game of 1998 will be replayed on a three-story tall and 55-foot wide inflatable screen at World’s Fair Park in downtown Knoxville.
For the young entrepreneur, the celebration is an opportunity to not only showcase his company that sells true retro athletic clothing, but also do something to relive a memorable game on the eve of the annual rivalry between the Volunteers and Gators the next day at Neyland Stadium.
“It’s a way to get my customers in one place at one time to celebrate,” Donahue told us. The In With the Old webpage describes it this way: “We have created this event to extend our brand beyond just clothing. Our consumers are passionate about ‘reliving the glory days.’ They want to connect with the best times of their collegiate and fan careers. Screening one of the best games from the 1998 National Championship season gives them the chance to do just that. (It’s) a chance to associate with better times, a chance to create community.”
In the process, a local non-profit will also benefit financially. Knoxville Area Rescue Ministries (KARM) will be receive the proceeds from the requested $5 admission donation to the festivities and a special VIP package.
“Our goal is to raise $10,000 for KARM,” Donahue says.
Gates open at 5 p.m. that day with food trucks, drinks, vendors, and tailgate games. And, yes, In With the Old will have a pop-up shop where fans can purchase retro Volunteer clothing.
Donahue is also offering VIP passes. Those who purchase them at $80 a person will be in the front row seating section, have access to a private bar, and receive two free drink tickets plus a swag bag with Volunteer nostalgia including an official event T-Shirt.
General admission and VIP tickets can be purchased online at this link.
“Things have really come together for the event,” Donahue told us. That includes sponsorship and the cadre of volunteers needed for what is expected to be a large crowd. Lexus of Knoxville and Toyota Knoxville are title sponsors. Other sponsors include media partners FanRun Radio (WKGN, Fox Sports Knoxville) and WVLT-TV, Nothing Too Fancy, Make Me Modern, and Felding Co., Campus Car, and K Brew.
