Fan turnout this year???

GT98

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Jan 29, 2002
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College town? The metro area has 850,000 residents.
Wasn't aware of the population #s, assumed it was a college town like many in the southeast. Still, good situation for them, small-midsized city with not a lot to do. They are certainly an outlier in college football attendance--sold out games even when the team isn't very good.
 

Athletic Supporter

From a certain point of view
Joined
Dec 11, 2017
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Wins and start times matter, of course. Wins probably most of all.

I agree with the sentiment about community, too.

May I add that a sense of pride goes a long way. Communal pride us what keeps the stands full when the wins are lean.
 

Olgoldandwhie

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There are thousands of people in Atlanta on any given Saturday looking for something to do. Do like the Braves. Sell cheap packages, walk up cheap tickets, or even give them away. I’d rather have a free but in the seat buying a couple of cokes and hot dogs instead of waiting for somebody that’s not going to come.
 

Dirty Jacket

Never Weaken
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Programs across the country have trouble filling their stadiums. Not that that is an excuse for BDS attendance not to be better, but the live gate has been shrinking for a number of years. Winning helps, but I don't see us selling out playing Pittsburgh or Boston College any time soon.
You and I are answering two different questions. We have plenty of room to increase attendance. We’re never filling BDS for games against Temple or BC. But we can increase the baseline attendance to even crap games.
 

18in32

Petard Hoister
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There are thousands of people in Atlanta on any given Saturday looking for something to do. Do like the Braves. Sell cheap packages, walk up cheap tickets, or even give them away. I’d rather have a free but in the seat buying a couple of cokes and hot dogs instead of waiting for somebody that’s not going to come.
People always say, just give away the tickets. Plenty of people who bought tickets will decide to stop buying them if the guy sitting next to them got his for free. The GTAA has to be careful about these kinds of strategies.
 

GTCrew

Patrick Henry
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People always say, just give away the tickets. Plenty of people who bought tickets will decide to stop buying them if the guy sitting next to them got his for free. The GTAA has to be careful about these kinds of strategies.
True, thats why you make the free tickets age restricted (kids only). Lots of places have different prices for kids and adults.
 

donsue

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It isn't just local residents with butts in seats. They draw from across the state. No reason we couldn't do the same.
Good point. One thing that has clearly happened to Tech over the past decades is a big decline in statewide fanbase. At the end of the Dodd era, there were almost as many Tech fans in smaller Georgia towns as there were UGA fans. While I realize Tech won’t likely see that again, it is a healthy scenario to become attractive more statewide for attendance, recruiting, and dollars.
 

Tampa Jacket

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Obstacles to filling Stadium:
1. Competition from Braves, Falcons, Dawgs and United --- GT can't control any of these. But I personally always cheer against The stupid Braves and Falcons just because they compete with Tech. I loved it when The Falcons choked that Super Bowl. I hope they sell these franchises to another city.
2. GT has too many students that are from out of state (and country), as well as graduates that move to high paying jobs in other states across the country after graduation. GT can control its admissions. But it's unlikely football support will ever play any significant role.

I love going to Tech games. Unlike Athens, Gainesville, FL and other big campuses, I can go to a GT game and get in and out quickly, and not spend the entire day sitting in traffic.
 

coit

Y’all got any more of that D Fence?
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Good point. One thing that has clearly happened to Tech over the past decades is a big decline in statewide fanbase. At the end of the Dodd era, there were almost as many Tech fans in smaller Georgia towns as there were UGA fans. While I realize Tech won’t likely see that again, it is a healthy scenario to become attractive more statewide for attendance, recruiting, and dollars.

My mom went to Rossville High in the 50s when that place was a breeding ground for future Tech stars. I believe she was classmates with Toppy Vann and he's still kicking around from what she tells me.

Here's an excellent recent story. Note that the baseball team Toppy coached beat Bill Curry on the mound in the championship game.

https://newschannel9.com/news/local...nship-baseball-team-gets-rings-60-years-later

None other than Bill Curry pitched for College Park.

The Bulldogs coach Toppy Vann stays in touch with Curry. Vann said, "He always says how in the world did you beat us? And I said, 'Well, good coaching and good pitching.'"
 

MarcoColemanFan

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I have been a life long fan of Georgia Tech and have always loved going to games at BD but it has been disappointing seeing the turnout at a lot of games. I understand winning will bring butts to the seats but when will we get enough die hard fans to show up even for the “not so important” games? The players have to see and feel this emptiness. This imo would help recruiting as well. What kind of growth in the seats do we see this year?
IMO We will see a lot of growth in attendance. Collins is creating a great atmosphere at GT.
 

Yukonwreck

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College town? The metro area has 850,000 residents.
Agreed, but South Carolina has something that even a Clempsen team that is enjoying unprecedented success right now cannot match. They are the named state university. Almost anywhere you go, the big, named state university does well. Most of the population with no college affiliation whatsoever will be fans.
 

Yukonwreck

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I don't disagree with you that we couldn't with the right efforts, but that is an apples and oranges comparison. We will never be confused with a comprehensive flagship university of the state of Georgia. South Carolina will always be the University of South Carolina, regardless of what Clemson does.

You have to go back 50 years to the time Georgia Tech was an option for the average everyman in this state. Not a problem for South Carolina no matter how much they suck.
What he said.
 

samsgt02

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Apr 11, 2008
Messages
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Obstacles to filling Stadium:
1. Competition from Braves, Falcons, Dawgs and United --- GT can't control any of these. But I personally always cheer against The stupid Braves and Falcons just because they compete with Tech. I loved it when The Falcons choked that Super Bowl. I hope they sell these franchises to another city.
2. GT has too many students that are from out of state (and country), as well as graduates that move to high paying jobs in other states across the country after graduation. GT can control its admissions. But it's unlikely football support will ever play any significant role.

I love going to Tech games. Unlike Athens, Gainesville, FL and other big campuses, I can go to a GT game and get in and out quickly, and not spend the entire day sitting in traffic.
Having the Braves is a selling point. When I was in school, we went to a ton of Braves games in the spring and summer. OTP smoke show.
 

beej67

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I have been a life long fan of Georgia Tech and have always loved going to games at BD but it has been disappointing seeing the turnout at a lot of games. I understand winning will bring butts to the seats but when will we get enough die hard fans to show up even for the “not so important” games? The players have to see and feel this emptiness. This imo would help recruiting as well. What kind of growth in the seats do we see this year?
Prediction: 15% to 25% growth for the first three games.

If the season goes well, we probably maintain those gains. (tracks for 9 wins ish)

If the season goes poorly, which it may well, then we'll trend back to 2018 numbers by season's end. Probably lower if we're tracking towards a 5 win season.
 

georgiatech22

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Yukonwreck

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Good point. One thing that has clearly happened to Tech over the past decades is a big decline in statewide fanbase. At the end of the Dodd era, there were almost as many Tech fans in smaller Georgia towns as there were UGA fans. While I realize Tech won’t likely see that again, it is a healthy scenario to become attractive more statewide for attendance, recruiting, and dollars.
We don't need a return to the Days of Dodd. The stadium is basically the same capacity as it was in 1960. The population of the metro area is many times greater, and the number of people in Macon, Savannah, Columbus, Augusta, Rockmart, Tallapoosa, Chula, and Commerce has greatly increased. With just a slight increase in interest, this should be a slam dunk, The present attendance figures are an indictment of how our marketing has been for decades. While Atlanta and surrounds has been the fastest growing human settlement (PBS) in the history of the world, our attendance has continued to wane. And, yes, I get it. Falcons, Braves, Hawks, United, plus several college competitors. It still seems the numbers are there.
 

Tampa Jacket

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It's also the SEC too. If we were still in the SEC today, we wouldn't be having the issues we have now with attendance.
Agreed, but South Carolina has something that even a Clempsen team that is enjoying unprecedented success right now cannot match. They are the named state university. Almost anywhere you go, the big, named state university does well. Most of the population with no college affiliation whatsoever will be fans.
South Carolina also has the advantage that your choices of entertainment in Columbia, SC on any given Saturday in the fall are 1. Mow you lawn or 2. If the lawn has already been mowed, watch the grass grow.
 

GCdaJuiceMan

Flats Noob
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Jan 11, 2019
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Obstacles to filling Stadium:
1. Competition from Braves, Falcons, Dawgs and United --- GT can't control any of these. But I personally always cheer against The stupid Braves and Falcons just because they compete with Tech. I loved it when The Falcons choked that Super Bowl. I hope they sell these franchises to another city.
2. GT has too many students that are from out of state (and country), as well as graduates that move to high paying jobs in other states across the country after graduation. GT can control its admissions. But it's unlikely football support will ever play any significant role.

I love going to Tech games. Unlike Athens, Gainesville, FL and other big campuses, I can go to a GT game and get in and out quickly, and not spend the entire day sitting in traffic.

Hey, your TAMPA is showing! So much for those 5 games at MBS :lol2:
 

donsue

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