KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — June 28, 1984. Michael Jackson’s Thriller album was sitting pretty on the Billboard charts at No. 8 some 79 weeks after its release. All six Jackson brothers, Michael included, were preparing for their Victory Tour to kick off in just over a week’s time.
Additional dates were announced at a press conference in Kansas City. Fans waited with bated breath for Knoxville to be added to the list of cities the Jacksons would visit, and by the end of the announcement, it was official. The Jackson’s Victory Tour would make its way to Neyland Stadium for at least two concerts with an option for a third if ticket sales warranted it.
“It’s going to have a good impact locally as far as the tax structure goes and also in the statewide area. I believe this event will probably be the event of the decade," one organizer said at the time.
The dates were set. Aug. 10 and 11 with an option for Aug. 12. The price for a ticket was set at $29.75 ($83.69 with inflation).
“I think people should pay $30 to see Michael Jackson,” a fan said at the time. “People always find money for what they want to do, and they do what they want. So, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and it’ll be there.”
Some fans weren’t convinced the experience would match the hefty price tag.
“I don’t like him that much,” another fan said.
For the first time since the Fourth of July celebration in 1982, Neyland Stadium would be used for something other than sporting events, but local promoters saw the tour as an event worthy of a venue the size of the football stadium.
“It’s going to bring great international and national attention to Knoxville. It’s going to provide the people from this area an opportunity to be a part of something people are billing as a very historical tour. Probably one of its kind. It’s certainly the largest that’s ever been done. Whether there will be one larger in our lifetime, I don’t know," said Bo Roberts, the show's promoter.
Unfortunately, many downtown hotels were already booked up on the concert dates due to an AMVETS convention happening simultaneously. However, hotels further away from campus were looking forward to welcoming the rush come concert week.
Merchants along the Cumberland Avenue strip expected sales numbers to rival that of the 1982 World’s Fair.
Michael was already a hot seller at record stores across the area, but shops were making sure they were well equipped to handle the onslaught of Jackson fans who were sure to head their way.
“The company has already geared up and sent us a bunch of their catalog albums and stuff. We are planning on putting up big displays and stuff like that,” one record store employee said.
City officials estimated the concerts would bring in over $10 million to the local economy. With ticket sales reaching up to $6 million and a percentage going to county, city and state funds.
Knoxville would definitely get a boost from the Victory Tour, but not without the Jackson’s asking for something in return. In total, 17 pages of demands. Among them:
- A five-story mixing tower with a barricade and a portable toilet
- Prewashed bath towels
- 2,000 pounds of dry ice
- Four forklifts with operators
- 10 wardrobe attendants
- 12 carpenters
- 2,000 feet of clear plastic sheeting
- 10 telephones. Two with private lines.
- Generators for extra power
- 24 fire extinguishers
- 400 feet of rubber matting
- Around-the-clock security
It seemed worth it though, as the Jackson’s Victory album had not even been released yet and had already gone double platinum.
Over the Jackson’s two shows, an estimated 120,000 fans were expected to attend. Not since Billy Graham had visited in 1970 for a series of religious services had Neyland seen such attendance by a non-sporting event.
It wasn't attendance that was an issue for the university. What did concern them was possible damage to the football field. Although promoters had agreed to cover the field with plywood and non-flammable nylon and cover any damages, University of Tennessee officials were still hesitant to sign the contracts.
“In case there is any damage of any kind, whether the stage collapses or the field falls in or whatever, they will be completely liable for it without any question,” a UT official said.
The university was only set to receive $35,000 per show for rental fees ($98,463.52 in today’s money). Nevertheless, the contracts were signed, and the concerts were set to move forward.
With affairs in order, tickets went on sale the next day. Dozens of fans camped outside overnight at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium, enduring the pouring rain, all for the chance to buy concert tickets. Limited to six per person, the final moments before the sale were sparked with short tempers.
“They literally said we’ll break a leg. We’ll do this. We’ll do that,” one patron said.
Brouhahas aside, things seemed to calm down once the doors were finally opened.
Sales proved strong enough to warrant a third show on August 12, and with tickets finally in the hands of happy fans, Neyland Stadium was being prepped for the Victory Tour.
One hundred cars and trucks full of supplies crowded the stadium parking lot to begin construction on the massive concert set. Crews made sure to be extra cautious as the building commenced.
“We understand that Tennessee football is rather sacred, and Lord knows we don’t want to be sacrilegious around here. So, we’ll definitely take care of the field for them,” a construction worker said at the time.
Days before the show, however, construction had to be put on hold as postponement loomed over all three concerts after security threats in other cities.
“Well, I think the community was extremely excited about the possibilities of the concert here, which is still being considered. I was excited. I saw the show in Kansas City. Great show. It would be a real shame and disappointment not to have it. If we don’t have it this weekend, I hope we can have it. It’s a real bummer,” Bo Roberts said.
Fans of all ages were left disappointed and confused at the prospect of the concerts being canceled.
“I’m sad because what am I going to do about my ticket money? How am I going to get my money for my ticket? I really wanted to see him too,” one fan said.
An agreement was met after hours of negotiations, and the shows were back on.
Uniformed city and county officers as well as plain-clothed security would handle the crowds, and a perimeter would be set around the stadium. Officials said security would be similar to a UT football game. Metal detectors would be placed at all the gates and bags would be subject to search.
Promoters said the Jacksons were very much involved with the decision to move ahead with the three shows, and if there was any danger, they would have canceled the concerts outright.
“They will be safe at this concert. I just don’t want people to feel like they don’t want to come because they won’t be safe. They will be safe. I can guarantee that,” an official said.
Upwards of 60,000 fans attended the opening night concert, and while there would only be one Michael on stage, there would be plenty in the stands.
“I like some of his songs. I love the way he dances. I dance like him all the time at home,” a young fan dressed as Michael Jackson said.
If there was one economic lesson to be learned from Jackson-Mania, was that if it said Jackson and a price tag could be attached to it, it would be sold in mass quantities. Once inside Neyland, fans were hit with a tidal wave of Jackson merchandise.
“We had a little boy come into our boy’s department and brought his piggy bank in, and he broke it right there in front of the salespeople. He counted out his nickels, dimes, and quarters and bought a Michael Jackson jacket. He was ecstatic,” a merchandiser said.
With all official merchandise being sold inside the venue, anyone trying to make a quick buck off of the Victory Tour outside of Neyland found that to be near impossible. Thanks to the overzealousness of Jackson security. Within a block of the stadium, federal agents were confiscating products they claimed were being sold illegally.
Anything with the Jackson name, logo, or likeness was confiscated by authorities citing copyright infringement laws.
After a brief delay because of rain, the moment fans had been waiting for had finally arrived. The Jacksons took the stage at Neyland Stadium.
Beginning with “Wanna be startin' somethin,'” the six Jackson brothers played 11 total songs before their encore.
After “Billie Jean” and “Beat it,” the Jacksons dazzled concert-goers with their final song of the evening, “Shake your body down to the ground.”
The following two nights went off without a hitch, and over all three shows, 148,407 fans packed into Neyland Stadium to be a part of the Jackson’s Victory Tour.
“This was the largest crowd they had. They had said publicly that it takes 40,000 to break even on this tour. They’ve got a lot riding on it and a lot invested in it. Knoxville had the largest attendance they have had anywhere,” Roberts said.
The 1984 Jackson’s Victory Tour made 55 stops between July and December. In total, over 2 million fans attended the concerts, and this campaign marked the only time all six Jackson brothers would tour together.
The turf at Neyland came away relatively unscathed. The plywood and plastic proved useful, and the field suffered only a small tear on the east sideline. The only other piece of evidence that multiple concerts had even taken place was a lightly colored patch of grass where diesel fuel was spilled and cleaned up.
The Vols were able to hold their scheduled scrimmage the very next week, declaring an end to whatever worries the concerts may have caused. Roberts thought the way things were handled at Neyland boded well for the potential for more concerts to run at the stadium.
“If the right type of concert or the right type of program comes along, then I think the university would consider it. One of the motivations they had for considering this one, was one, the type of show, and two, what it would mean to the community,” Roberts said.
It would be close to two decades until Neyland hosted another concert, headlined by Kenny Chesney in 2003.