What would empty seats on Saturday really mean?
How many empty seats will there be on Saturday? (University of Georgia)
One of the recurring themes this week among sports media types looking ahead to Georgia’s meeting with Tennessee Tech has been talk of how many empty seats there’ll be at the game in Athens on Saturday.
The implication is that with the Bulldog Nation clearly depressed over the current state of the team, many Georgia fans aren’t in the mood to watch the Dogs play a weak opponent and will sit this one out somewhere other than Sanford Stadium.
However, I think it’s mostly hogwash to consider attendance at this week’s game some sort of referendum on the state of UGA football.
Even in a good season, it wouldn’t be that surprising for there to be some empty seats Saturday. Although still a sell-out because all tickets have been bought, traditionally you see a smattering of empty seats whenever Georgia has one of these less than compelling midseason match-ups with a team from the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as 1-AA.
With the Dogs at a particularly ugly 4-4 and not playing a very satisfying brand of football right now, the idea that a few more fans than usual will opt out is not an unreasonable scenario.
But, frankly, I’d be surprised if the house isn’t at least 90 percent full this week. I mean, most of us love watching Georgia football even when it’s the intrasquad G-Day game, and we only get six opportunities to do so in person Between the Hedges this season. I’d be there even if the Dogs were 0-8 at this point and I’m far from the most fanatical UGA fan.
Mark Richt was asked about the prospect of more empty seats Saturday and basically said that’s not something he worries about because he can’t control it. But, he added, “I wouldn’t underestimate our fan base. Our fans do love the Dogs. You can tell by the passion. I’m sure they want to support the young men. We want the fans to handle adversity well too. I can understand their feelings of being upset or being curious, whatever it might be, there’s different levels. But we’re all still Bulldogs. We all still want to support these young men, so I think our fan base will do a good job.”
Joe Cox said the players “are not worried about who’s in the stands or how many people are watching or what TV station we are on, or if we are even on one. We just want to finish up these last four games as strong as we can, and it starts Saturday whether there’s 10 people in the stands or 90,000 in the stands.”
So, if you have tickets to Saturday’s Georgia-Tennessee Tech game but are not going, I’d like to hear why you’re staying away. Is it because you’re dissatisfied with the team? In other words, would you be going if Georgia were, say, 7-1 or 6-2? Or is this one of those games you’d skip anyway because of the opponent?
And if you’re not going, I urge you to consider giving your tickets to someone else who otherwise wouldn’t be able to go. There are ticketless folks out there who’d love to experience a day Between the Hedges, even if it’s not a great game.
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127 comments Add your comment
dobearsbare
November 4th, 2009
10:41 am
You’re right Bill. The referendum will come next week against Auburn.
Cuz
November 4th, 2009
10:44 am
I do not have tickets, will listen to Howard and Z.
DawgsForever
November 4th, 2009
10:45 am
We tend to always have empty seats except for the Bama game last year. Shoot there were probably 7 to 8,000 seats empty during the Yech game last year and many more of our prime seats were filled with yellowish rain jackets that stood and yelled every time the opposition did something worthy…in other words they weren’t Dawg fans.
Having 5,000 empty seats against weak opposition always is the norm. But if there are 10,000 or more empty seats then it is an indictment of this years team and specifically the coaching staff.
Saint Simons
November 4th, 2009
10:46 am
45 – 42 !!!!!!!!! hahahahahahahahahahaha
Jason
November 4th, 2009
10:47 am
I’m a season ticket holder and thankfully saw the writing on the wall in August and I sold my tickets on Ebay for around $1100. I’ve bought tickets to every game for less than $20 (including LSU) and have already used the money made off the tickets for my Hartman Fund donation this year.
I will not be at the Tennessee Tech game because of my disgust with our players and their general loser attitude.
Saint Simons
November 4th, 2009
10:49 am
sec loves cupcake teams!!!!!!!!!!! Tenn Tech !!!!! hahahahahahahaha
Shananeeeee Fananeeeee
November 4th, 2009
10:51 am
It would mean fairweather fans which is typical. It’s kind of like the people leaving during the 3rd Quarter on Saturday when the Dawgs were down two scores.
GatorHaterinJAX
November 4th, 2009
10:51 am
I sold my tickets for the rest of the season after the Tenn. loss. In the week building up to the Florida game, I realized that the Florida fans no longer see the GA game as a rival game. In fact, fans between the age of 20 and 50 are so used to seeing Florida win, that they can’t understand what the excitement in JAX was all about.
With Richt at the helm and Meyer in G’ville, we will never have a chance at an SEC or National title.
Richt has one more year to beat Florida. With Tebow and the rest of the Gators leaving, next year is do or die.
Arkansas TD club
November 4th, 2009
10:53 am
We live in a “I WANT IT NOW’ society. Winning is important, real important, but Saturday will be great weather wise, clear and 65. Everyone will go because of the game day experience.
Yea, we’re not happy, but we love our school and our team and WE WILL BE BACK. THWT.
Jacob
November 4th, 2009
10:54 am
I am a young(23) BULLDAWGS fan. I have been all my life and was born and raised in athens. I would love to go to the game this weekend if anyone has any extra tickets!
Bryan G.
November 4th, 2009
10:55 am
If we had beaten Florida or if someone other than Cox were starting at QB, I would be going. I just have no interest in seeing us flounder around against a crappy team.
I’m still on the fence about Auburn and Kentucky. I’m voting with my feet this weekend, though.
JB
November 4th, 2009
10:59 am
You are right gatorhater hater. Richt is a GREAT guy, a pretty good coach, but no ‘it” factor.
Saying we ‘reload” at Georgia is a joke. We are imploding. I’ll hold on to Richt if he hires himself some help. Good help. If he fires no one at years end, and there’s a chance of that, the Bulldog nation will not recover until Mark is gone. I don’t want that. But, he’s needs help.
dogcrap
November 4th, 2009
11:00 am
Dang, I’ve never heard of Tennessee Tech. But one thing for sure is that I am for them to beat the mutts!!
SWFLJacket
November 4th, 2009
11:00 am
If I were given a choice of winning a 25 million dollar lottery or having the doggies loose every single football game for 100 years…..well guess they would be tearing down sanford and son stadium and planting soybeans.
Fletcher
November 4th, 2009
11:00 am
Coach Richt and his less than able assistants, plus the lack of enthusiam amongst the players, have brought this program down to what Vandy once was, a team to schedule for homecoming. I never thought I’d see this at the university I love so much. We keep going with this bunch and high school players are going to schools where they at least have a chance to prove their talents.
BugKiller
November 4th, 2009
11:02 am
Until Willie Martinez is fired, or Mark Richt is fired for his refusal to fire Willie Martinez an putting his personal relaionship with Martinez ahead of what is best for our team, the Dawgs don’t get my support in person or my money.
Munson #1
November 4th, 2009
11:06 am
Are we having an earthquake or is the ground shaking from all the bandwagon fans jumping off?
Robert
November 4th, 2009
11:06 am
I’ll be there. You are completely right. There are so few opportunities to see the dawgs per year so might as well take advantage. Might be nice football weather too.
Herschel Talker
November 4th, 2009
11:07 am
BugKiller @11:02am:
Amen! Throw Fabris and Mike Bozo on there also.
PDawg
November 4th, 2009
11:07 am
I have a bad feeling about the game with Tennessee Tech. I think we will probably win but I think we will not look too good doing it.
35-21?
timthebrave
November 4th, 2009
11:07 am
I’ll take your tickets
Herschel Talker
November 4th, 2009
11:07 am
Robert @ 11:06:
Are you the same Robert that hates Booby Cox the idiot on the Braves blog?
Herschel Talker
November 4th, 2009
11:09 am
Bill King = Jim Varney
You know what I mean, Vern?
Saint Simons
November 4th, 2009
11:09 am
How dare Georgia play Tenn. Tech.
The Dogs should have booked a real team, like Gardner Webb or Navy.
SSI gator
November 4th, 2009
11:10 am
Your right Bill. I don’t go to the “pre-season games” as Spurrier used to call them. Love to go to Gator games, but it just is not that exciting to watch. We give our tix to games like these to the Gator Ticket Bank. They distribute them to local kids less fortunate that would otherwise not be able to see a game live. GO GATORS!
DBalcer
November 4th, 2009
11:10 am
We will be there. People who don’t use their tickets because of the how the DAWGS are performing are spectators not fans. Real fans get behind their team especially when the season is not going their way. GO DAWGS.
Charles David
November 4th, 2009
11:16 am
Nice picture of Sanford Stadium … although it’s quite outdated!
Munson #1
November 4th, 2009
11:27 am
“There are ticketless folks out there who’d love to experience a day Between the Hedges, even if it’s not a great game.”
Don’t overestimate Georgia, it could be a great game!
I am with Jason...
November 4th, 2009
11:28 am
…I tried to sell my season tickets on Craig’s list but nobody wanted to buy them for what I thought they were worth. However, I was able to sell them to one of the major ticket brokers here in Atlanta for the same $1100 that Jason got on eBay. So, all was not lost!
And, I also tried to sell my GT season tickets to the same broker, but he said there was just no demand for GT tickets so he would not take them. Just as well, I have been able to sell them on Craig’s list to the “bandwagon” Tech fans on a game by game basis, so I came out OK on them, too!
ButlerDawg
November 4th, 2009
11:28 am
Fans like “DBalcer” are the reason why Richt’s boobs (coaching staff) might well return again next year for more mediocrity. Settle for chit and you get chit everytime.
Joe's Sack-Shack
November 4th, 2009
11:31 am
Jacob(23) hasn’t seen a lot of success against Florida.
When WAS that picture taken...
November 4th, 2009
11:32 am
1990?
Dawg Nation
November 4th, 2009
11:46 am
After next year A.J. Green should take a lesson from Brandon Spikes and stay all 4 years for the Dawg Nation. Resist the payday and play ball for the TEAM for 4 years.
What??
November 4th, 2009
11:46 am
I am as frustrated as anyone with the state of the team this year, especially the readily apparent lack of discipline. But I think it should be considered how difficult it is to replace a quarterback or a running back much less both. I think most dawg fans could handle the 4-4 record to a certain extent if it weren’t for how we are losing these games. The continuation of the penalty struggles is just not acceptable especially when Richt stated that this was going to be a major point of emphasis in the off season. It lends us to believe that it is a problem that he is incapable of solving. I don’t think that it is a coincidence that he came up under Bobby Bowden who has always had discipline problems at FSU. Richt, just like everyone else, must not be blind to his own short comings.
On another note, I watched the Falcons game on Monday night. And while they lost, what a joy it was to watch a team that was tough and made adjustments to their opponent. Brian Van Gorder realized that the only chance to stop NO was to pressure Breeze and despite the fact that Atlanta is not a blitzing team usually he adjusted his scheme – not something that you would see with old “soft zone” Willie. Very refreshing.
dixie clear
November 4th, 2009
11:47 am
wait a minute, isn’t it the bulldog fans always bashing Tech about empty seats????…how much crow is being consumed in athens this year??
ColoradoDawg
November 4th, 2009
11:47 am
Does anyone think CMR would consider trying to lure Kirby Smart away from Alabama to be the D-Coordinator at his alma mater?
He may not have gotten a lot of pub sharing the secondary with Champ, but it was easy to see he was one of the brightest guys on the field (Terry Hoage-style).
Jefferson
November 4th, 2009
11:49 am
Blue jerseys with orange pants this week?
Me
November 4th, 2009
11:49 am
Well, er, um…..ah….empty seats?
Oh I get it….good business for ”pay per view’?
Doers the Cox family own that as well as this excuse for a ”paper”?
Abilene
November 4th, 2009
11:52 am
I doubt if the attendance this week or for the other two remaining home games will reflect the dissatifaction with Mark Richt and the team’s poor showing so far. But I wouldn’t be surprised to hear some booing when the Dawgs screw-up, and the booing will be for Richt and the coaching staff.
There shouldn’t be any problem beating Tenn Tech, but Auburn and Kentucky will be challenging.
Hootie Bookems
November 4th, 2009
11:56 am
Hootie will be there. I expect the crowd will be small and quiet. I think the Auburn game will eb well attended and since it is at night I think it will have a decnt if not great atmostphere. Should be an interesting next 4 weeks in Bulldog Nation.
billytdoogan
November 4th, 2009
11:56 am
i had planned to go to two more games this year. however, after watching the poor excuse of coaching and sloppy play through the Tenn. game, i canceled my reservations and actually hope that whatever the score, the other team scores at least 30 points.
hopefully, willie, fabris, and the OL coaches will be gone next year and a real DC and OC will be brought in. I am still for richt, but he is responsible for this team as he is the head coach. bobo needs to go back to QB coach and murray needs to keep his redshirt.
MT
November 4th, 2009
11:57 am
The picture is obviously pre-2004, before the upper deck was added. There has to be a more recent pic than that floating around…
Abilene
November 4th, 2009
12:03 pm
I know this sounds like heresy, but losing three of the next four games (no way the Dawgs can lose to Tenn Tech) would be the best thing for the program, since it would force the administration to make at least some changes in the coaching staff, preferably at the top. I’m talking about Richt, not just his inept assistants.
Ending up with a 5-7 record and no bowl game would be a very bitter pill to swallow, but we could start rebuilding with a new coaching staff and have hope for the future.
matt
November 4th, 2009
12:15 pm
If you are not going, I will take those tickets off of your hands…
319 Dawg
November 4th, 2009
12:16 pm
I’ll be @ home leaving my seats empty. Only way to send a message is when butts are not in the seats.
Cuz
November 4th, 2009
12:21 pm
Butts won’t be in the seats but they will be on the blogs.
Bob
November 4th, 2009
12:21 pm
I sent my tickets to a couple of Soldiers at Fort Benning. They seldom get a chance to go to College Football games. I will be there loud and strong for Auburn and Kentucky.
Bryan G.
November 4th, 2009
12:25 pm
Actually the picture has to be pre-1998 when they first started painting a “G” midfield. So the pic is from 1995-1997.
Johnny
November 4th, 2009
12:30 pm
Empty seats in Athens on Saturday will mean the same thing we always say about the bugs on North Avenue, weak fan base, bad team, etc.
And the team/school doesn’t care if the seats are empty. If it is truly a sell out, they get their ticket revenue money, announce a 90,000+ crowd and could care less.
Top Dawg
November 4th, 2009
12:32 pm
That photo does not have the uppermost level on the north side.