Tennessee baseball spending soars and fans should expect serious contention

Football will always be king in Rocky Top, but when it comes to other sports, like baseball and men’s and women’s basketball, the Vols have a very competitive budget to go after championships.

When Tennessee lost head coach Tony Vitello to the San Francisco Giants last offseason, many fans thought it was because of a lack of resources at Tennessee. Well, Matt Brown from Extra Points proved this was not the case. Tennessee has the highest operating budget of any baseball school in the country, spending over $13 million, almost $3 million more than any other school.

Tennessee's massive budget and what it means

If Tennessee has a budget like this, it means one thing, and one thing only: the Vols will be competitive and in the hunt for a spot in Omaha. This offseason, they wrapped up the $100 million renovation at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, and they were also able to retain Josh Elander, who took over the program when Tony Vitello left for the MLB. Elander's $1 million salary puts the new head coach in the upper tier of coaches' salaries, and if he can prove he's elite, there is no doubt he will receive a raise.

Having elite facilities attracts recruits, and having an elite coach attracts the Jimmys and the Joe's, which is what wins championships. This offseason, Tennessee added one of the top Transfer Portal players, Henry Ford, a first baseman. Plus, Brady Frederick from East Tennessee State was a top portal player as well, and Tennessee was able to add him. Players have praised Elander for being such a great coach and for the positive relationships he builds. Now, with the financial backing he has, he can really succeed. However, with a large financial backing comes expectations from fans and boosters for results.

This season, Tennessee sits at No. 19 in the polls at 12-4. The Vols will travel to Athens to take on Georgia this weekend to open up SEC play.