Random Tech tidbits
Good morning, all-
I’ve got a few things to toss at you, including some notes from a conversation I had with Wayne Hogan in the athletics department and a Michael Johnson draft update.
1) Hogan, an associate AD, said that season tickets are coming in steady and at about the rate they expected. He said Tech has received about orders for about 10,000 tickets. Tech sold about 23,500 last year and hopes to get to 30,000 for 2009. He noted that, while the renewal date is April 1, he wasn’t that concerned at having received orders for 10,000 seats, as I imagine I would be. Hogan said that most orders come in at the last minute.
You can order tickets at www.ramblinwreck.com/tickets.
2) The department isn’t much closer to a 12th game for the 2010 football season. As he put it, “they’re still negotiating and bobbing and weaving.” I wrote awhile ago that my guess is Louisville.
3) The AA is going through its budget for the 2010 fiscal year, which starts July 1. I think a lot of what I talked about with Hogan will get folded into a story that we’ll run in a couple Sundays, but the gist of it is that the department is not impervious to the weakened economy. The budget, which was about $55 million this year, will shrink. He wouldn’t say by how much, as numbers are still coming in, but it sounds like it might be by a couple million or more.
Said Hogan, “We’re combing through every expenditure, every scholarship, every salary, every piece of equipment, every piece of travel that we do. It’s a matter of almost turning everything upside down and shaking the change out of the pockets. If you have a $55 million business, you have a lot of nooks and crannies. We’re definitely going to be leaner.”
Obviously, how Tech does selling season tickets could have a fairly significant impact on the budget. Here’s my attempt at math. A season ticket costs $260. The required Tech Fund contributions that accompany the better seats range from $75 to $475. Let’s use $200 for the example. If Tech sells 5,000 more (or fewer) tickets than anticipated, that’s a difference of $2.3 million.
It goes without saying that many of its potential buyers are going through hard times of their own. A layout of $920 for two such tickets isn’t small change. I’m curious if any of you out there are ticket holders who are deliberating this very matter.
As for Michael Johnson, I understand that he worked out for the New York Jets at Tech this week. The Jets pick 17th. While I didn’t find anything definitive – perhaps someone could share a link – it certainly looks like the Jets will play out of a 3-4 defense. They did last year, and new coach Rex Ryan used it in Baltimore, where he was the defensive coordinator. Johnson would likely be a rush linebacker in such a scheme, which could work out pretty well for him. The NFL’s three leading sackers last season were all 3-4 rush linebackers, as a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story from the combine reports. (DeMarcus Ware, Joey Porter and James Harrison)
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90 comments Add your comment
Atlanta Jackets
March 19th, 2009
7:38 am
I got some random Tech tidbits! LOL!
Are the season tickets offered to Tech students and alumni first? Should they be? Just curious what people think.
RecessiontoDepression
March 19th, 2009
7:57 am
No the tech season tix are offered to everyone. Tech alumni with priority points would get the better seats in case of multiple requests but the first critirea is the Tech fund donation.
Too Easy
March 19th, 2009
8:15 am
How could potential buyers be going through hard times of their own? Those potential buyers have to be gt grads (it appears gt has a distaste for non-grads as fans), and we’ve all heard from bloggers here and elsewhere that gt grads are so successful because of the unequalled value of their diploma. These people know calculus, after all.
Tech82
March 19th, 2009
8:45 am
Any member of the Tech “family” who thinks it’s wise to restrict season purchases tickets to “alumni only” is a moron.
Look at the most successful programs in the country (as measured by attendance at home games) and you will find MANY of their fans have no formal connection to the school. Any fan wishing to pay for a ticket, wear the school colors and cheer for the Jackets is a fan we need.
We failed to sell out a nationally televised home game with Miami last year. We are not in a position to turn potential fans away because they never attended Tech.
TechMan91
March 19th, 2009
8:47 am
Distaste may not be entirely accurate. A preference for alumni and Tech family, yes. Distaste, maybe, in some limited circumstances. But if the Tech alumni and family don’t do the job and support the team, then it’s our fault when the sidewalk lot takes over. At least they show up, albeit in their pick up trucks. We only have ourselves to blame.
Billy
March 19th, 2009
8:59 am
There is no more priority anymore for Alumni or past donors. Their seating inventory and selection is real time, like ticketmaster, now. Its all first come first serve, with no concern at all for past giving, etc.
Keith in Midtown
March 19th, 2009
9:11 am
Atlanta Jackets, If you are looking for a place to watch Tech Baseball I still would recomend Woofs Sports Bar on Piedmont. The owners Dan and Steve are Tech graduates and they usually have a free hotdog buffet for Tech games.
gt
March 19th, 2009
9:15 am
Billy – that’s not true. If you have season tickets one year, the tickets are yours the next year unless you choose not to renew. If you want to relocate priority is given by AT points, and you get AT points by donations and as well as being an alumni.
To answer the bloggers question – for me, whether or not to get Tech season tickets is not debatable. I’m definitely going to get them and save in other areas if I have to. Ticket sales should pick up as this is the best home schedule Tech has had in a long time.
Ken Sugiura
March 19th, 2009
9:18 am
Billy is sort of right. Until April 1, ticket holders have the rights to their own seats from 2008 for 2009 and new buyers can purchase any other unclaimed seats. But after April 1, any seats that haven’t been renewed will be up for grabs.
So, to answer your question, Atlanta Jacket, as Recession to Depression (and there’s a cheery screen name) pointed out, the priority isn’t students and alumni. It’s basically anyone who had season tickets last year, alumni, student or otherwise.
I will humbly request that we not revisit the alumni/sidewalk fan argument. I would sooner claw out my eyes.
Kevin
March 19th, 2009
9:24 am
Hogan is more optomisitic than I would be. I am trimming by season tickets by 2 and one of my college buddies is giving up his 4. I am a Tech man, but I cannot rationalize paying the Tech fund money while I am cutting back in other areas. I am not eliminating my allotment completely, but, if I were Hogan and the gang, I would get on the horn and find out how many of the remaining previous season ticket holders are planning to renew before making such projections. I would be surprised if season ticket sales increased this year strictly for financial reasons.
Jimbo
March 19th, 2009
9:46 am
@Tech82: Agree, though there are downsides. Look at all of the idiot Wal-Mart fans that UGA draws, for example (though their money is just as good, I suppose). You’ll find most of them in these forums.
Kevin
March 19th, 2009
9:55 am
I have held season tickets for 18 years including my time as a student at Tech. Every fan base has morons. We have no shortage at Tech. I welcome anyone who is willing to support Tech by paying their money and sit in a seat and make noise for the good guys. To not welcome all willing and able to pay is insane. Unless you are willing to buy up all 50,000+ seats, you have no say.
Anyway, we all may be Wal-Mart (or at least Target) fans by the time this economic mess is over-LOL.
Huh?
March 19th, 2009
10:09 am
Tech has no interest in the sidewalk fan? Why was I bombarded with Georgia Tech ads on the AJC sports page last year with CPJ big fat ugly mug staring at me everyday? Why do I get emails from the GT athletic department on a nearly daily basis BEGGING me to buy your lousy football tickets? I didn’t go to Georgia Tech and have never taken calculus. Go figure. Why are there Big Boi performances and free hot dog and coke performances every year? I guess engineers really love their hip hop and junk food!!!
Tech fans are the most full of crap fan base on the face of the earth. That’s all there is to it.
superDAWG
March 19th, 2009
10:13 am
jimbo you must be from BUGTUSSEL.YOUR WALMART CARD IS IN THE MAIL.gt has this ego problem if they don’t win they don’t show.next sell out nov.at the red and black show.see you at walmart.
GT-Sidewalk
March 19th, 2009
10:13 am
While I won’t dive back into the sidewalk/alumni fans, I am a Tech fan whose only formal connection to the institute is that I grew up in a family of UGA fans and I hate UGAly. Would you rather people like me cheer for the pups?
As far as season tickets, yes, this is going to be a GREAT schedule, and coming off the success of 2008, how could season tickets not sell out? It was discouraging seeing BDS covered in red for UGA in 2007, but the fan base was apathetic and didn’t have a reason to support the team. CPJ has changed that attitude, but if we still can’t fill BDS with white and gold, just have the last person who leaves turn out the lights.
ga_tech_92
March 19th, 2009
10:17 am
Go Jackets *ping*
Alumni Only
March 19th, 2009
10:28 am
Are you kidding? I’m one of the biggest Tech fans around and probably know more than many grads. I applied to Tech in undergrad and for graduate school and recieved admission both times but decided to go eslewhere on full scholarship then to law school. That’s a stupid idea. Tech needs fans and winning can surely accomplish that goal. GT alumni who have disdain for other Tech fans are not TRUE fans of their own school.
UGAIsSoLastYear
March 19th, 2009
10:32 am
Wayne Hogan says what one would expect him to say. Do we (or you Ken) expect him to say that 10,000 tickets, so far, is below what he expected? It seems very, very low considering the deadline is in a few days. I still say the LSU game, which was our last memory of football, ruined much of the positive buzz that was being created. Our basketball coach, Wayne will find out, also will have a negative affect on GT fans being happy to shell out money for GT sports (football or basketball).
UGAIsSoLastYear
March 19th, 2009
10:38 am
PS Ken; my Tech Fund is $600 a seat. Not sure where you get $75 – $475?
RT
March 19th, 2009
10:46 am
Dudes, Its freakin’ football. What kind of idiot thinks that you shouldn’t come to the game if you didn’t attend the school? How many of the 90,000 Bama fans that show up for SPRING SCRIMMAGE GAMES do you think attended Bama. I’d love to have to fight for a seat with guy that loves the team just because his cousin got him drunk for the first time at frat party in 1974. Its not like these “sidewalk” fans are taking away our engineering jobs because they are fans of the team. Your diploma got you a job, it doesn’t garauntee you a dang seat at a football game. Boy, I sure got worked up over a stupid question.
Too Easy
March 19th, 2009
10:57 am
RT, now THAT’s the attitude gt fans should have. It’s like that all over the SEC – and, yes, it is just freakin’ football. Sadly, that attitude is not pervasive on N. Ave. nor at most places in the acc. It seems most have the haughty attitude that it’s just football AND there are more important things in life. Well, of course there are, but, damn – lighten up and have some fun.
Ken Sugiura
March 19th, 2009
11:00 am
UGAIsSoLastYear- there are indeed tickets requiring a $600 contribution to the Tech Fund. But those aren’t available. The $75-$475 range was for tickets that were available, according to the brochure. And, actually, the most expensive tickets remaining (according to the Tech website) are those with a $275 contribution.
It would be interesting to know how much the LSU game dampened enthusiasm. It was a pretty big opportunity to capture non-Tech fans’ attention, but I’d think at least those with Tech ties would still be excited about 2009.
Kevin, you’re making sense. I think the AA would gladly take anyone’s money for tickets, and I’d think Tech fans would be wise to welcome them, regardless of where they shop.
Too Easy
March 19th, 2009
11:37 am
Ken, you’re right on target with the comment on the LSU game and enthusiasm for 2009. The Dawgs got waxed by FL last year, but anyone thinking there won’t be 40,000 UGA fans TRAVELING to Jax this year would be dead wrong. You can hate losing with a passion, but the issue is having fun with a passion. Buy the damn tickets, enjoy gamedays. I just dropped $1700 yesterday for all my home and away tix, but it was FUN (although it wasn’t for gt tix and I wouldn’t want to do it more than once a year).
Crow T. Robot
March 19th, 2009
11:48 am
I renewed my season tickets a couple of weeks ago. Sure, they’re not the best in the house (midway up in the north end zone), but they’re still pretty good. The price was very reasonable – $180 each (I have 2). So, $360 for the season is an awesome price and I didn’t hesitate. I’m looking forward to the season…
gte268p
March 19th, 2009
11:53 am
I don’t mind at all having just as equal rights for non-GT fans to buy season tickets as the rest of us because the truth is, if anyone decides to buy season tickets to a school that he/she did not attend, then that person is likely as big a fan of the team as any of us!
MinnesotaJacket
March 19th, 2009
12:00 pm
I think one thing sould be noted in all of this. Tech does not have the around the state fans. Yes anyone should be able to buy tickets and I think everyone is ALLOWED to buy tickets but alumni and previous students should have first call to those tickets before allowing to general public which I would guess what every school does. The biggest thing is Georgia does have a much further reach with what 45K undergrads compared to Tech’s 15K which means that out of the 45K that drop out or graduate they will still be Georgia fans most likeley. so in reality there should be 3-4 times as many UGA fans at any given time. So of course it will be harder to fill Tech stadium where probably 5,000 of 15K students don’t even know what football is. Congrats to UGA for having fans who have a great uncle who went to Georgia and thus they are fans. Tech has a much harder time with those kind of commitments.
MinnesotaJacket
March 19th, 2009
12:02 pm
Second of all Im a student but working in Texas in fall…act like I am not going to buy a plane ticket back for every single game in the fall but I was born a Tech fan and went to Tech so I have a very Tech background.
Camperb
March 19th, 2009
12:09 pm
Didn’t go to tech, family didn’t go to tech….just a season ticket holder since 1983…and one of the few fans still around in the 4th quarter win or lose.
EEJacket
March 19th, 2009
12:33 pm
Us GT students have a pompous attitude to begin with, and I guess that transfers over to football. I make fun of UGAy fans all the time for being rednecks with no college education, but
A.) It’s not COMPLETELY serious, I know that people who graduate from UGA are mostly good people (i.e. NOT shameless rednecks with the mind of a squirrel). I know one girl that teaches math to high schoolers (one of the hardest jobs on the planet) and another gentleman who lives in the richest neighboorhood in town and owns a freakin bank.
B.) Sure I think we’re better than everyone else at engineering, but that sure as hell won’t stop me from giving a drunken high five to the dude next to me who dropped out of high school when we score a touchdown.
Alphretta Chelsea Blues
March 19th, 2009
12:47 pm
Well said EEJacket.
TechMan91
March 19th, 2009
12:51 pm
I’m of the opinion that we should give priority to Tech family. That’s all. I’d rather not have high school drop outs representing the Institute, but if we as a family can’t support Tech, I guess we’re left dealing with those walk ups that do.
I’m surprised there is any sports reporting to do today. I thought every media outlet in the world was in Athens for the coming out party.
HBGDawg
March 19th, 2009
12:53 pm
It really is pretty ironic that GT claims to have “captains of industry” rolling out of North Ave year after year, but the fans who do go to games complain about the cost and drop tickets. You don’t hear that same line from other major schools. GT certainly has a problem filling the stadium and how many local fans they have is a part of it. However, that will continue to happen until they come to grips with their attitude about sidewalk fans (which is very poor).
the real Old Gold
March 19th, 2009
1:25 pm
I’m a season ticket holder (who already renewed) who didn’t go to Tech. In fact I’m still in school elsewhere working on my first degree. Given, I’m a little late in school due to military service in Iraq, but still. My wife is working on her 3rd degree and she’s a Bama fan, and none of her degrees are from Alabama. We go to every game, and take part in every event including spring games, fan days, bowl games etc. **I don’t drive a “pick up truck” and thing the term “side walk crowd/lot” is better suited for the snobby country club.** If I thought that type of mindset was the majority at Tech, I’d drop my tickets so fast and be gone before the hit the ground, but I don’t believe that for a second. In fact every season ticket holder at Tech that I know personally from my area doesn’t have anything formally to do with the school other than a love for Tech athletics and its history and traditions. THWG!
the real Old Gold
March 19th, 2009
1:33 pm
“TechMan91″ I think it’s time you got over yourself. Not everyone from Georgia who loves football and chose to pull for the Yellow Jackets wants a degree in engineering. I chose military service over college, and I’m far from a HS dropout. If you want all Tech fans that didn’t graduate from there to stop coming to games, you better be careful what you ask for. I get pissed off to no end when the stands aren’t full, and it’s people like you that ARE THE REASON for the empty seats in the first place. It’s asinine not to welcome anyone who will be faithful to Tech athletics aboard. Just because I didn’t go to Tech doesn’t mean I’m an idiot. I love the school as much as the next guy and I’m a faithful fan. You, however, ARE an idiot because you are too full of yourself to be a just plain old good person. THWG!
Joe Schmoe
March 19th, 2009
1:40 pm
I like the fact this year that you have to be a season ticket holder to even buy the GT vs. UGA game. I think this will impeade the UGA fans greatly. Im buying my extra to that game and inviting my GT buddies.
Joe Schmoe
March 19th, 2009
1:53 pm
TechMan 91, it is people like you that sit down the whole game, and give the occasional golf clap when something good happens. I had a man tell me to sit down last year at the GT vs FSU game last year? I told him where he can stick it. Seriously folks, I think this conversation just needs to end.
GT66
March 19th, 2009
1:55 pm
My sources have told me that AD DRad is considering scaling back the football stadium to about the size of Brookwood High School.
Joe Schmoe
March 19th, 2009
1:56 pm
Wow GT66, you must be featured at the Punchline tonight. I’ll make sure to ask for a refund.
DoggieDiaper
March 19th, 2009
2:16 pm
I am a GT alum and season ticket holder and I could care less if the person sitting next to me is a GT alum or not…so long as he is cheering for the right team. Any alum who does care is an idiot.
That said- how bad does “Too Easy” want to be a tech alum. His fixation on all things Tech borders on neurotic. Too Easy – your penis envy is not obvious….I promise.
Alphretta Chelsea Blues
March 19th, 2009
2:53 pm
Ken, are your eye clawed out?
Too Easy
March 19th, 2009
3:03 pm
Diaper: Yes, I am a Dawg alum, but what have I said that is not true? I could have said that gt could give priority to EVERYBODY who wants tickets – and you still couldn’t fill your sad little stadium. I still wouldn’t have said anything untrue. I was trying to get you guys pumped to quit bitchin’ and buy some damn tickets. And didn’t you mean you “couldn’t” care less? Moron.
DoggieDiaper
March 19th, 2009
3:15 pm
Too Easy-
I did mean “couldn’t”. Thanks for the correction.
But you still want to be a jacket. If there was a tech blog about parking lots around the stadium, 10:1 you would trolling and lurking as always. Actually it wouldn’t be a GT blog without you peering through the knot holes in the fence. In a weird way, you have become a little part of our family. Maybe that will fulfill a little bit of that need to be affiliated you obviously have. From a ‘moron’ to a wannabe…I say..go jackets!
jacketbacker
March 19th, 2009
3:15 pm
Tech fans need to buy tickets, period….i don’t care where they come from or where they went to school…..
Atlanta Jackets
March 19th, 2009
4:02 pm
Wow! What did I start? I guess I like to hear the passion.
I appreciate the sidewalk crowd and the alumni! Heck when I graudate, it may be one of these sidewalk folks that get me a job! LOL!
Ping! That’s the sound of Tech baseball!
Ping! That’s the sound of an aluminum bat making contact with a mutt head. (No real dogs, just mutt fans.LOL!)
Ping! That’s the sound of the Robot scoring another touchdown against the mutts in Athens!! LOL! ROTFLMAO!!
MinnesotaJacket
March 19th, 2009
4:48 pm
I agree with the idea that who cares alumni or not…but I was wondering on the people here who said they weren’t alumni was anyone in your family like dad, mom, granddad anything like that? I mean I don’t care your a Tech fan so THWG all the way, but I was just curious. Let me tell you I have converted four of my friends who don’t go to Tech to Tech fans by letting them come to games at Tech stadium against Miami and FSU….
SugarHillDawg
March 19th, 2009
5:57 pm
I bought a pizza the other night and Tech season tickets came with my pizza but I sent them back.The delivery guy said it happened every time he took them and they were wallpapering the pizza place with them.
ken sugiura
March 19th, 2009
6:10 pm
Chelsea Blues – either my standards on what constitutes an interesting conversation have taken a beating since last fall, or this actually wasn’t so bad. i appreciate everyone’s honesty and thoughts and that this wasn’t all back and forth Tech and UGA bashing (knock on wood).
I think until Tech starts winning big consistently – and by doing so starts pulling in the more reluctant alumni, winning over people with ties to neither school – the school will have trouble selling out. It seems like the vast majority of people unaligned to either school are UGA fans, and so Tech has to rely on alumni, and maybe there just aren’t enough of them.
Think about it this way – if UGA had to fill Sanford at the same ratio of alumni/sidewalk fans that Tech does Bobby Dodd, could it? (I don’t know. maybe it could.)
So the problem maybe isn’t that Tech fans are wishy-washy. It’s just that there aren’t enough of them.
When I said that the LSU game might have dampened enthusiasm, I was thinking more of people who weren’t Tech fans but were thinking about getting on the bandwagon. I’d have to think that Tech alums who were on the fence before last season would be excited regardless. But I could be wrong. It’s happened before.
ken sugiura
March 19th, 2009
6:20 pm
Here’s another theory that I’ll throw out that occurred to me just now. Is it possible that Tech fans are wishy-washy about season tickets (if in fact they are) because they can afford to be? Some of you UGA folks, if you’re out there, maybe you can enlighten us. I’d think that if you give up your season tickets at UGA, you’d have to go back into the waiting list to get them back. At Tech, however, you’re free to buy them, and then drop them with little risk of not being able to get back into the stadium.
I don’t know. Just a thought. Maybe I’ve been reading too much Freakonomics.
Camperb
March 19th, 2009
6:21 pm
MinnesotaJacket- My dad was an Emory U alum with a passion for football. The rest is history. I would encourage the TechMan91’s of the world to open their minds a bit when it comes to the GT fanbase. I always thought I was part of the Tech family. I may not have received my degree from GT but my contributions to the Tharpe fund are helping someone else.
chuck allison
March 19th, 2009
6:58 pm
I know how we could save about 1.5 million per year and improve our basketball program tremendously, but we would need a good contract lawyer to get us out of a very imprudent agreement.
full stadiums win games
March 19th, 2009
7:12 pm
(especially on Doolie day) Just ask any dog!
DTECH
March 19th, 2009
7:34 pm
Here is to all the sidewalk fans we can get, I am one of them and have been for 25+ years. In fact CPJ and I have one thing in common, we both went to the same school Western Carolina, do you want to kick him out too TechMan91???? Your an Idiot! Ken I think we just don’t have the numbers to fill the stadium right now, that being said if CPJ and the boys can keep this high octane offense going and we can average 9+ wins a season I think we would win over some fans here in the Atlanta area.
UGAissolastyear
March 19th, 2009
7:39 pm
I love all Tech fans whether they went to GT or not. At game day we are all brothers and sisters for the same cause. I almost feel like fans that come to the GT game even though they didn’t go to Tech should be held in higher regard then those of us that did. I hope more non-GT grads will join us on Saturdays . . . .and the occasional Thursday nights!
Buzz29
March 19th, 2009
8:23 pm
Thanks to all that make me, the “sidewalk” fan, feel welcome. TechMan91 is a douche in need of a little less vinegar.
bubadine scleveg
March 19th, 2009
8:52 pm
I will trade you 4 tech tickets for 1 too the zoo.I hear they have a new monkey that knows physics and can predict your future.buzz dies and is replaced by pink chicken.
superDAWG
March 19th, 2009
8:59 pm
Zing!! Thats the sound of balls rocketing over your outfielders out of the park.Then comes musical chairs in your bullpen.ZING!
techfan?
March 19th, 2009
9:31 pm
I can’t believe some of the screwy Tech fans are upset because “other” people want to come to “their” schools football games.
Minnesota Jacket
March 19th, 2009
9:48 pm
JEEZ….. What does it take for UGA fans to get off the Tech blog? Like really…Look I love waffle house and I know your an excellent cook on the 1-9 shift but like really ya’ll annoy the hell out of me when you just come on here and ruin a good blog….superDAWG zing…thats the sound of the balls landing in your face as your sucking the CO*& and ZING there it goes up your &*&…you see I can do it to!!
THWG
GO Jackets
Neutral Field
March 19th, 2009
9:51 pm
I did not go to Tech or UGA. I am a transplant and have lived here for 50 years of my adult life. One of my sons went to UGA, one went to Tech and one went to State. I have no allegience to any of the fine institutions. I can not believe some of the posts I am reading on here. Tech is world wide known as a great institution of higher learning but most people would not associate the football team with any greatness. Mediocrity at its best. A prime example is UGA loses three games this year and the fan base is up in arms. Tech wins 9 games and the fans are talking championships. If Tech does not win 9 games this year then the majority of the fans will fall back out. If UGA loses 3-4 games this year the fans will still come back. Tech will never be a upper level football program until the fans give the team some support. How many coaches have you had in the last 25 years? If you get a winning coach he leaves to go somewhere else. You will not win until you support your team. You have a great coach who can make something special happen. Support him and his team. Spend some money and go out and be proud of your team. Years ago when Coach Dodd was here you had to fight for a ticket. I have found being in business over the years that the average Tech graduate is somewhat tight fisted. He or she does not want to fork over any money. Skeptical and likes to analyze everything. Nothing wrong with that but, you can not take that attitude with your support of your football team. Advertising in the paper to sell tickets and offering food packages for a major college university is absurd. Get off your tails and support your team. If not, do you think Coach Johnson is going to stay here? You are in the largest population in the southeast and should sell every game out regardless is you are playing FSU or Gardner Webb. If the man sitting beside you is not a GT graduate, who cares? He is there to support the team and that is all that matters. I am just a old man but I have an opinion too. I think if you talk to the majority of people who are neutral you will find the majority will the same thing as me. This is a hard time for us all. The economy reminds of the Jimmy Carter era, only worse now. But, lets face it folks. If you have a degree from Tech you can afford season tickets. So quit your belly aching and go buy some seats.
the real OLD GOLD
March 19th, 2009
10:13 pm
Minn. Jacket, I’m from Georgia, born and raised. I live 50 miles from Atlanta and I love college football like no other sport on earth. UGA fans are obnoxious and tacky and I the white and gold is the most beautiful combination of colors I’ve ever seen on a football field. History and tradition: Heisman, Alexander, Dodd, 4 National Titles, The ramblin’ wreck… all in my beloved home state’s capital city? This is why I’m a non-graduate Tech fan. Sure I have a cousin that’s an alum, but I was a fan long before this. Just thought I’d answer since you asked. THWG!
the real OLD GOLD
March 19th, 2009
10:14 pm
….and I think* white and gold…… sorry.. left out a word
Minnesota Jacket
March 19th, 2009
10:32 pm
I always wonder….I feel fans of GT who aren’t alumni most likely have some sort of connection through their family…but that was more of a though. Me my brother and dad went to GT Im probably the most hardcore of us with my love for GT football and basketball….and I agree Georgia fans are just pathetic and stupid with some of their remarks….
Neutralfield: I agree that Tech needs to have more devoted fans but as you know Tech is a smaller school with a much less pro football undergraduate section. So it requires Tech to do better on a consistent basis. Why does most of the state root for Georgia…because most of the state have always been bandwagon fans and its always easier to root for a school that is bigger and much more of a tailgate type of school IMO…. To all you sidewalk fans come on by greek row and have a beer with me this coming year and lets have a great football season
GM
March 19th, 2009
11:17 pm
Neutral Field…try to keep your thoughts concise. I get bored easily.
Jim Veitch
March 19th, 2009
11:27 pm
I did not attend Georgia Tech. I have no family connection with Georgia Tech. I have been a fan of the program since the 1990 national championship run. I held Season Tickets for the first time last year. I have gladly renewed them for the 2009 Season. I BLEED GOLD AND WHITE!! Every Tech Fan should be in the stadium supporting the team. Coach Johnson is a winner, and always has been. I can’t wait to lift up the Gold Flags on my F-150 and travel up to Bobby Dodd in a few days…GO JACKETS ! UP WITH THE GOLD & WHITE..DOWN WITH THE RED & BLACK. BY ALL THE TIX, AND KEEP THE MUTS OUT OF THE STADIUM THIS YEAR!!!
Jim Veitch
March 19th, 2009
11:29 pm
Enter your comments here
superDAWG
March 19th, 2009
11:54 pm
MINNESOTA JACKET you sir are the reason the GEORGIA people come on this sight because your comments need to be brought down to your level.Most tech people i know are good folks.If i were a tech alum you would be the first one that i would critize.I hope you have your tickets and they are next to mine.To see you cry would be priceless.Ask ramble on you could be his next apprentist at starship.
Mr. Skynyrd
March 20th, 2009
7:21 am
Hey TechMan91, I suspect you’re a closet dawg, but just in case your not…..
I graduated from Mizzou but live in Atlanta. I’d rather be in Columbia, Mo. on Saturday afternoons, but I have a kid at Tech so I buy season tickets and go to the Tech games.
And you best stay out of my way on I-85 south on game days, cause me and my F-150 (that’s a pick up truck) will put your pompous ass in the wall if you get in my way.
Go Jackets!
GameTime
March 20th, 2009
7:24 am
You asked about the economy’s effect on season ticket renewals — been a West Stand ticket holder for many years. But economy and market may cause me to release those tickets. Not something I want to do — especially with the future looking so bright – but I’m feeling the pinch. I’d be paying about $1500 for my tickets.
Zach
March 20th, 2009
8:47 am
To the guy who paid $180 for season tickets, did you have a promo code or something? The cheapest seats in the house appear to be $260 on the web-site. That’s a 44% increase from your quoted price – a huge difference especially when you’re buying two or more. I’d snap up 2 season tickets right now if I could get them for $180 (ideally in the upper west nosebleeds as opposed to the north endzone)
Zach
March 20th, 2009
9:13 am
The irony is that probably there are a lot of richer Tech alumni who chose that they cannot afford season tickets after a comparative cost analysis of the marginal utility of a ticket vs. home television viewing (myself included – not that I’m particularly rich) while that bald-head painting dawg fan they always show on TV and thousands others like him (who have no idea that Georgia is a University and not a football team) are in NO place to afford tickets but keep plunking down the money – sort of like poor kids in the ghetto outfitting their hoopties with $10,000 rims, and wearing $250 Nikes.
I know this will come across as elitest, and so be it, but when I do go to the wal-marts here in Middle Georgia and see the 600 pound, mullet-sporting, tooth-missing piles of human waste that INEVITABLY are wearing Georgia apparel (and have georgia stickers and flags on their fat-people-scooters) I do think to myself that I am greatful that my fans are not such an embarassment. The only time I’m frequently embarassed by my fellow tech fans/alumni is on these blogs. Oh, and when that one guy was arrested as a terrorist – that was embarassing.
Zach
March 20th, 2009
9:15 am
Oh, and yes, I know I misspelled grateful and that invariably would have been a better word than inevitably. I typed it quickly. On second edit I probably would not have admitted that Georgia was a “University” either.
MinnesotaJacket
March 20th, 2009
9:39 am
superDAWG I never said non-alumnist were not good people…I will drink and cheer with every single non-alumnus I was just wondering if they had connections with Tech because of an opinion I had, I have no feelings to people who are or aren’t as long as the old gold and white prevails in who they cheer for…Zach I agree but I am sure somewhere there are some gt fans who are the same, but I mean that gives me and my brother the biggest smile when we see them haha..
Joe S.
March 20th, 2009
10:29 am
Hey Zach, those were hold overs from the jackets nest last year. If current holders let them go I believe they will go back to the 260 price. I had tickets in that area last year and upgraded to the newley opened to season ticketers in section 132 this year.
Clyde
March 20th, 2009
11:03 am
the real Old Gold and the other real Tech fans are right……………we should be happy with and appreciative of everyone who supports Tech and its sports programs. I graduated in 1973 and have not found myself in so lofty a position in life as to look down on others. If someone is a GT fan, then God Bless them………….for we need all the support we can get. If the AA wants to try and get extra funds by making the better seats available (for a hefty price) to alumni or boosters who give to the Alexander Thorpe Fund; etc., I don’t have a problem with that……………but tickets should be available to all who want them, I haven’t seen too many times since Dodd that tickets were that hard to get…………and we need to get back to that level of support.
Crow T. Robot
March 20th, 2009
11:21 am
The $180/seat tickets were a renewal of the tickets I had last year. I bought them during ‘The Perfect Option’ promo. Last year’s price was $150/seat. So, to answer your question – No, no promo code…just a renewal of last year’s tickets.
ken sugiura
March 20th, 2009
12:08 pm
a lot of love for the non-alums. there must be more of you out there (or at least on the blog) than i realized.
MinnesotaJacket
March 20th, 2009
12:49 pm
ok enough talk about the season ticket situation, I want to talk about all the backs we have right now. With Allen Roddy and Dwyer…where does that leave Wright, Cox, and the newer recruits we have? Also who do you think steps up to be a good # 2 reciever who can put enough pressure on corners and safety to keep them honest to Bebe?
the real Old Gold
March 20th, 2009
1:21 pm
The $180 tickets were a promo from last year in section 218 LL. That’s where my seats are as well. It’s the section that hangs down above the band against the edge center. They called it the “Jacket’s Nest” and it was a great deal. Last year they were $150, but they went up due to game quality this coming season. But there is no contribution. I think they all sold out, and it looks like everyone re-uped since there aren’t any available when you search. A few seats, you can tell, are someone’s StubHub seats, since they always have different folks, but all in all, it’s the best section in the house. New restrooms, plenty of room in the concession line, and everybody is loud and almost always there for every game. Probably mostly you’re “sidewalk crowd” like me. Haha. THWG!
GT-Sidewalk
March 20th, 2009
1:43 pm
Ken, you made a great point about demand of the tickets. If you had an assett that was valuable, you would hang on to it, and Georgia fans who aren’t “rich” but already have season tix know that if they need money, they can just sell their tickets for $200 a seat to make money. If they give them up, they lose both the opportunity to buy season tickets and an income stream of selling tickets.
At Tech, on the other hand, people like me who don’t live in Metro Atlanta but are close enough to drive here for games, I don’t feel compelled to buy a full season of tickets because I may not want to drive here for all 6 games, can’t make Thursday games, and I can buy tix online for like $30 at stubhub. GTAA needs to create a demand for these tickets. Hot Dogs are not going to do it.
And as far as students, do you realize that in 1980, Sanford stadium seated 59,000 and Grant Field seated 60,000? Only 2 decades ago Georgia Tech had a SMALLER student body but a LARGER football stadium than Georgie. I understand times have changed, but in the course of just 2 decades, Georgie ADDED 33,000 seats and Tech REMOVED 5,000 seats.
I’ve posted on many sites that if you want to look at the number 1 issue that killed Tech football, you can look directly to the razing of the U on North Avenue. If it weren’t for Bobby Ross and 1990, we might be I-AA.
Zach
March 20th, 2009
2:37 pm
I can’t say I am familiar with what this “razing of the U” was. Perhaps it pre-dated my 26 years on this earth.
Zach
March 20th, 2009
2:47 pm
Do you mean when they removed seats to make room for Wardlaw?
EEJacket
March 20th, 2009
3:14 pm
I agree with Neutralfield, especially regarding the “9 wins and talking championships.” Guys, we’re good, maybe with lots of luck win the ACC this year, but we’re not THAT good. I think we’re going to beat key opponents (VT, Clemson, UNC) but we’re going to tank in other games (Duke, Miami) and we’re certainly not going to the national championships. I’m glad for that anyways, you saw how we handled the “pressure” of the chick-fil-a bowl, we got blown out by one of the worst teams in the SEC and one of the biggest disappointments in the FBS!! Our players need more experience under their feet before we can start to talk about beating Urban and his Gaytors. Wait until 2011 when Dwyer could be Heisman material, then we’ll talk.
Minnesota Jacket
March 20th, 2009
6:01 pm
EE Jacket Im just going to throw it out their…Dwyer will be a junior this year…he only has until the 2010 season if your talking about a NC in 2011 my bad if I misunderstood. I don’t agree with LUCK though being the key this year….I think it will require special teams improving (which I believe they will immensely after the bowl game) and I believe we need d-line to step up and fill in the gaps…I don’t see LUCK being part of that criteria….YES we might not be able to compare ourselves in NC yet BUT I do believe with a good season we could at least be the background noise to it this year.
2BT
March 21st, 2009
3:56 pm
Bought seven season tickets last year for my ‘group’. Will only be buying five this year due to the economy as two members are facing ‘hard times’ via their Anheuser Busch jobs in Cartersville. The budget allows me to attend the six home games plus a weekend stay in Nashville for the Vandy road game.
Supersize that order, mutt
March 21st, 2009
4:36 pm
Enter your comments here
Supersize that order, mutt
March 21st, 2009
4:46 pm
Sorry about that last entry; I accidentally hit “enter” too soon….LOL
ANYWAY, I have been a season ticket buyer at Tech for 42 years. I am retired now, and times are tough, but I have already sent in my application (and contribution) for the Fall. I am in Augusta, so getting to the games is not overly convenient, especially on Thursday nights, but I still plan on being there for every game in the Fall, and if I am surrounded by 200 rednecks who never took a class at Tech, I don’t give a damn, as long as they are cheering for the Jackets. One good season won’t increase the fan base, but 3 or 4 in a row will, and I think we have the coach to do it. Sanford stadium, like GT-Sidewalk had not always been the larger of the stadiums in the state. In fact until the late 60’s Grant Field was not only the largest stadium in Georgia, it was larger than any in the southeast, except for the Orange Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. Mutt fans have forgotten that there were some years (the last being 1961) when UGAG played games in Grant Field as part of double-header with Tech. Tech’s winning tradition kept the stadium full every weekend. HOPEFULLY, a few years of winning will rebuild that tradition and fill the stadium regularly again. I might add that Thursday night games, no matter how good the national exposure may be, HURT season ticket sales. It’s hard for fans outside the Atlanta area to make that drive on a workday. Note that the mutts REFUSE to host Thursday night games, for that very reason.
Minnesota Jacket
March 21st, 2009
9:00 pm
Supersize I FN AGREE 100% Thursday night games are miserable.. Im a student and I STILL HATE THEM with teachers refusing to move test dates in order to help the student body out at all. Also Tech gets screwed up and down with the worse possible time slots for games. We did not have a single saturday night game last year and Im hoping this year we at least get the opportunity for that.
Paddy
March 22nd, 2009
10:37 am
Old Gold….. I am sort of a uniform nut. At the beginning of last season I thought the new Tech uniforms were unpleasent to look at. I have changed my mind and now love the look and style. I also like the idea of wearing white at home. If you wear gold, blue, red, black whatever at home every contest looks the same every weekend. You are always in gold and your foe is always in white. To me that is boring.
Georgia guy
March 22nd, 2009
12:38 pm
Tech just had one of its best years in quite a while with a couple of big wins and a new coach. I find it hard to believe that you can’t sell out every game. As for the UGA/GT tickets this year. I understand you have to buy the whole GT season ticket package to get these tickets, but as a UGA season ticket holder I am able to buy (6) away game tickets to this game which is 2 more than I was able to get two years ago. I think it is funny that I can buy more tickets to the Tech away game than I can a UGA home. It sounds like GT is upping its allotment of visitors tickets in order to sell more seats. This is pathetic for a team that is going to be ranked in the top 20 this year.
EEJacket
March 23rd, 2009
4:43 pm
Yup I meant 2010 Sorry about that.