Finley Stadium in Chattanooga: Home to UTC Football and High School Championships

Finley Stadium is a 20,000-seat outdoor arena in East Brainerd that hosts the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs football team as its primary tenant, along with high school football championships, soccer matches, and occasional concerts. Built in 1997 and renovated substantially in 2014, the venue sits on the UTC campus at 701 East Main Street and serves as the region's largest dedicated football facility.

What Finley Stadium Actually Is

The stadium functions primarily as UTC's home field for Ohio Valley Conference play during fall and spring seasons. The structure includes a full press box, chairback seating on the lower bowl, and general admission bleachers in the upper sections. Capacity varies slightly depending on configuration: football draws the full 20,000; soccer events typically use roughly half that footprint with roped-off sections. The field itself is natural grass, requiring closure during heavy rain or extreme weather.

Unlike Chattanooga's smaller high school fields, Finley provides conference-level infrastructure: full lighting for night games, FM radio broadcast facilities, and video display boards. The stadium also hosts the Tennessee high school football playoffs each November and December, rotating hosting duties with other state venues. This dual role means the facility operates year-round with staggered events rather than a fixed season.

Admission and Event Pricing

UTC football games carry general admission tickets ranging from $10 to $25 depending on opponent and seating location; chairback seats run $20 to $30. Season ticket packages for the six-game home schedule start at $60 for upper-level bleachers and climb to $150 for preferred lower-bowl access. Child and military discounts apply to most games.

High school playoff games, which draw 5,000 to 8,000 spectators per contest, charge $10 to $12 per ticket. Parking at UTC events is included with game admission and uses designated campus lots near the stadium's south entrance. Concert and non-football events price individually; recent acts have ranged from $25 to $75, though the venue books concerts infrequently compared to regional alternatives like the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium or outdoor summer series at Renaissance Park.

How Finley Compares to Other Local Sports Venues

Finley is the only dedicated football stadium of its capacity in the immediate Chattanooga area. Erlanger-Sequatchie Valley High School's home field accommodates roughly 5,000; larger regional venues like Worsham Field in nearby Ringgold serve similar high school purposes but lack Finley's amenities. For college athletics, UTC's campus also houses Frost Stadium for soccer and track events, which seats 3,000 and operates on a separate schedule from football. For indoor sports and large events, the Chattanooga Convention Center and McKenzie Arena pull away much of the region's concert and entertainment traffic, making Finley distinctly football-focused.

Finley's 2014 renovation upgraded the upper deck seating and replaced aging infrastructure, bringing it closer in condition to newer Sun Belt Conference facilities while maintaining lower ticket costs than those venues. The natural grass field differs from several new college stadiums that use artificial turf; UTC has resisted conversion, citing field maintenance costs and player injury data that remain contested in sports medicine literature.

Who Finley Suits and Who It Does Not

Finley works well for UTC Mocs fans, families attending high school playoffs, and anyone seeking affordable college football in a manageable 20,000-seat environment. The chairback lower-bowl seating appeals to spectators who want comfort without premium pricing. Night games under the lights draw larger crowds and suit those who prefer cooler evening temperatures.

The venue is less suitable for visitors seeking year-round activities; football runs only September through November (fall) and March through April (spring), leaving summer and winter with minimal programming. Parking, while free and abundant, requires a 10 to 15-minute walk from distant lots during peak playoff attendance. The natural grass field occasionally closes due to weather, which UTC announces via its athletics website and social media but can disrupt plans for spontaneous visits. Accessibility is adequate but not exceptional; the stadium has designated wheelchair seating and accessible restrooms, though upper bleachers lack elevator access.

What Your First Visit Involves

Arrive 45 minutes early for UTC football games on weekend afternoons; night games and playoff contests draw larger crowds and may require earlier arrival to secure preferred parking. Bring cash or a card for concessions (hot dogs, nachos, drinks range from $4 to $12). The stadium operates a clear-bag policy for safety; only clear bags 12 inches or smaller are permitted, plus one small clutch or wallet.

Parking opens two hours before kickoff on the south and west sides of campus; lot attendants direct traffic, and parking is free. Gates open 90 minutes before game time. The walk from most lots is unshaded, so sunscreen matters for afternoon games. Concessions operate throughout the game but lines peak in the second quarter; purchasing before kickoff saves time. The press box and video board provide clear sightlines from nearly every angle, and even upper-deck bleachers do not feel dramatically distant from the field.

Hours, Parking, and Logistics

Finley's operational hours align with scheduled events; there is no general admission outside game days. The Athletics Ticket Office, located in McKenzie Arena adjacent to the stadium, sells tickets in person Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and accepts phone orders at (423) 425-4662. Online tickets via UTC's official athletics website open six weeks before each home game. Verify the 2024 and 2025 schedules directly with UTC Athletics, as conference realignment and playoff hosting rotate annually.

Parking capacity exceeds 3,000 spaces on campus. Standard UTC game-day parking uses Lot E (south, closest to stadium) and Lot D (west); both fill quickly during high school playoffs. Overflow uses Lot C, a five-minute walk. No reserved parking is available for general admission; chairback ticket holders receive preferred lot assignment. Public transit is limited; the CARTA local bus system does not serve Finley directly, making a car necessary for most visitors.

Finley Stadium fills a specific role in Chattanooga's sports landscape: the only regional venue sized and equipped for collegiate football, with pricing and atmosphere that invite casual attendance rather than demanding commitment. Its value lies not in being the largest or most modern venue in the region, but in serving a clear local need year after year.