New game plan needed for Saturdays at Sanford
Will this scene from last year's New Mexico State game become more common at Sanford Stadium? (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Last week, the UGA Athletic Association sent out a note to Bulldog Club members offering the opportunity to purchase additional single-game tickets to three home football games — Buffalo, Florida Atlantic and Vanderbilt — as well as single nonrenewable season tickets.
One of my brothers was interested in getting some seats to the Vandy game, so I called the ticket office to place an order. Before I could tell the guy what I wanted, he eagerly inquired, “How many for Buffalo can I sell you?”
I got the feeling they’re just a little anxious about unloading seats to that Sept. 1 game.
And that may not be the only Saturday this season when we’re facing the prospect of empty seats beyond the few thousand in the student section that have been going unused for some time now.
With only the two Tennessee schools and Ole Miss coming to Athens from the SEC and a nonconference slate consisting of Buffalo, Florida Atlantic and Georgia Southern (besides the certain sell-out against the Yellow Jackets), the 2012 home schedule is one of the weakest in memory.
I understand the strategic reasoning behind Greg McGarity’s scheduling philosophy, imported from the University of Florida, and it may indeed increase the odds of UGA winning a championship. But a steady diet of cupcakes isn’t likely to be much help in goosing gate receipts likely already buffeted by a so-so economy.
Combine the lackluster lineup of opponents with saturation TV coverage and the increasing restrictions in recent years on football season parking and tailgating on the UGA campus, and it’s no wonder so many folks (especially young alumni) find it tempting to watch the Dawgs on a 40-inch HD TV rather than make the trek to Athens.
There are, of course, things that could be done to help the situation, besides adding the occasional opponent like Clemson to the lineup. For instance, relaxing the restrictions on tailgating. For many fans, especially the younger alums, that has put a real damper on the game day experience in the Classic City. Who knows, Michael Adams’ replacement as UGA president might decide to loosen things up a bit.
That doesn’t mean I’m advocating no-holds-barred tailgating. Again, I understand UGA’s reasoning there. Before the crackdown a couple of years ago, the North Campus tailgating scene had gotten out of control, with an uncomfortable crush of people crowded into the historic quadrangles and a corresponding increase in garbage left behind and problems with drunks relieving themselves in and around the campus buildings. It was hurting the university’s image.
But surely there’s some middle ground. Perhaps requiring fans to pay to tailgate in a more heavily controlled environment is the answer.
Snoozers against opponents like Coastal Carolina don't help draw fans to Athens. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Another helpful move would be to shift games like Buffalo or Florida Atlantic to the evening whenever possible. (Frequently, it won’t be possible thanks to the conference television deal, the chief culprit behind some of those ridiculously early kickoff times).
Evening games would help because, even if you still want to tailgate in the current unrestricted areas and aren’t put off by the level of opponent being scheduled, there’s not much time for setting up and enjoying the socializing that is such a part of tailgating with a noon kickoff. Not only would playing these games at night make for a more comfortable experience inside the stadium amid the late-summer heat, it would perhaps entice more folks to come spend the day or night, boosting the Athens economy.
Of course, not everyone would like that solution. Besides the TV complication, one of the main arguments against night games at UGA in the past has been that they inconvenience fans from South Georgia who want to drive home afterward. But the reality is that the majority of the fan base of the future lives in metro Atlanta, not south of the gnat line. And many of them don’t really want to get up before sunrise to rush over to Athens and gulp down a hurried tailgate spread in order to make it into the stadium in time for an early kickoff.
I realize that not every season is going to have as unattractive a home schedule as this year’s. But there are growing challenges facing the athletic association in making sure UGA remains among the attendance leaders in college football, and they need to be addressed.
What are your thoughts on how to improve game days in Athens?
Got something you want to discuss concerning UGA athletics or a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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186 comments Add your comment
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 10th, 2012
8:33 am
Jeopardy Time!
Answer: Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Mississippi State, and the University of Georgia.
Question: Who are the mid-tier programs of the SEC who haven’t won a BCS championship?
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 10th, 2012
8:35 am
You know you’re not a top-tier program when you have the two top recruits in the country in your state, and probably neither one of them will come to your school.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 10th, 2012
8:36 am
You can’t lose your division and play for the national championship; unless you’re a top tier program.
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
May 10th, 2012
8:40 am
1. Be a talent rich state
2. Don’t share that state in a quality conference opponent.
3. Have a national brand name
4. Ability to hire a multi-million/year coach
Two schools meet this criteria. LSU and UGA: LSU has won two national championships and played for one more in the past 10 years.
funny...
May 10th, 2012
9:13 am
Bill blames the young alumni twice.
Bill you’re such an entitled goat.
You’re the worst columnist the AJC has on it’s payroll.
Once a week you let the readers write your article.
The other articles are crap, along wih this one.
My degree from UGA is worth more than yours. You know when the application was just “make your mark here”.
funny...
May 10th, 2012
9:21 am
Also, did the Alabama fans posting on the Georgia blog actually graduate from Alabama?
Either way, it’s funny and a little sad that you’re even posting here.
Alabama fans posting on a Georgia blog, LOL.
STUDENT ATHLETE
May 10th, 2012
9:34 am
CAN’T SELL TICKETS TO A GAME? THE CRIMSON TIDE PUTS 90,000 IN THEIR STADIUM – FOR THEIR SPRING GAME.
Bill King
May 10th, 2012
9:49 am
funny:
Thanks for reading, but try again to see if you can get what I’m saying this time. I don’t blame the young alums at all. In fact, I’m suggesting that changes be made to accomodate them.
Dirty Dawg
May 10th, 2012
9:57 am
Couple of things ’student athlete’…those ‘fans’ at yhe spring game get in for nothing – other than a can of food or something – and besides, what else you gonna do in Alabama? After all, those catfish will still be there when you get around to your other favorite pastime – again, other than killin trees – noodling.
UGA Insider
May 10th, 2012
10:03 am
Don’t go blame the South GA crowd for this disaster!!!!!!! You blame Mike Adams and McGarity 100%! I demand and apology immediately!!!!!
UGA Insider
May 10th, 2012
10:07 am
Bill are you a liberal???? You always seem to blame others like innocent alumni and South Ga people…..You remind me of Obama today. You owe the younger alumni and the folks who live where fellow AJC writer calls “a bunch of nothingness”.
ole yeller
May 10th, 2012
10:18 am
Bama, roll in your glory for now, it’s on the way out.
funny...
May 10th, 2012
10:40 am
Know how I know it’s working?
You responded.
Pure win.
funny...
May 10th, 2012
10:41 am
And I’m joking, have you read Mark Bradley.
Evansdawg
May 10th, 2012
10:46 am
Cupcake team kickoffs should be around 4pm instead of noon. Games would end around 7:30 and the restaurants downtown would flood, and travelers would still have a decent amount of time to get hom at a reasonable hour. 4pm kickoffs would allow the social element of tailgating to flourish, so a large part of the enjoyment of gameday could center on the pleasures of simply being in Athens.
Bill King
May 10th, 2012
11:45 am
UGA insider:
I’m not blaming anyone in South Georgia for anything. I’m simply noting that the main growth in alumni is in the metro area.
evillurks
May 10th, 2012
12:32 pm
If you clowns hadn’t been in such a rush to add that ugly arse upper level you might not have so many empty seats to watch the lackluster product on your field.
Got all high and mighty there for a while thinking you were all that and went off and did something stupid didn’t ya?
Dirty Dawg
May 10th, 2012
2:52 pm
OK, I’m gonna try this again…since we’ve brought up The Ole Ball Coach, and Les Miles-away as well, this thing about only games against teams in your respective division of the SEC counting toward the division title…seems that Steve’s still whining about last year. Well I say ’sounds good to me’, given that our annual ‘rival’ game will remain against Auburn and, I believe, SC’s is against Arkansas – the suddenly Patrino-less Razorbacks – I’m thinking we’ll have an advantage in that one. And since Steve’s wad has been shot against Georgia – no more gifts – appears to me he needs to be careful what he wishes for cause he just might get it.
UGA_75
May 10th, 2012
3:02 pm
The hubris of the Athenian and Atlanta sector of the UGA alumni makes me want to puke. I think a humbling is long past due for your ilk! Your ridicule and neglect of the Southern part of our state is repugnant, and demonstrates your shallowness as a writer. I would love to secede from the Northern half of our state and unite with the northern third of the state south of us. Call it Belvedere, beautiful view, and it would be without Atlanta. I wouldn’t give a dime for any part of Fulton county the most malignant abomination in our state.
Boise Dawg
May 10th, 2012
4:02 pm
Schedule strength is definitely a problem. I have yet to see evidence that playing a cupcake schedule is the way to go to win championships. Yes the SEC is tough, but for the top teams in the SEC there is very little chance of losing to mid tier and bottom dweller teams of the coference. Once you get past the top 4 or 5 teams (who usually don’t all play each other every year) in the conference the rest of the schedule is very manageable.
I understand there may be a need to schedule a team from a mid-major conference that we don’t have to offer to travel back too, but we shouldn’t need more than 1 of these types of games per year and we should be scheduling someone a little more exciting than Buffalo. If we really want a cupcake I would rather us play Georgia Southern each year or even Georgia State.
Glad to see the fans reacting to the McGarity scheduling philosophy…. I hope he gets the message that fans want better comepition and more intriguing home match ups. I’d rather lose 1 – 2 games because we are scheduling a home/away series with teams like Oregon, than have an undefeated regular season with only 3 or 4 respectable wins. Aside from Ga Tech we should be playing at least another major program from one of the other BCS conferences every year.
harold
May 10th, 2012
4:08 pm
THIS SCHEDULE IS A CAKEWALK? WHY SO ARE TEAMS LIKE THESE SCHEDULED? THIS SCHEDULE COULD COST UGA A SHOT IN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
krazydawg
May 10th, 2012
4:10 pm
Ya the dawg fans really are not dawg fans in south Georgia.We do not need the talent from lowndes,valdosta,thomasville etc.Somebody might want to tell the kids from south georgia we do not need them.Bill thats ignorant.The same reason that half of the people in this state give a rats rear about Atlanta.To see the dawgs play is worth the trip to me.
Sharkman
May 10th, 2012
6:30 pm
Who cares about gate receipts Bill! We care about wins and championships. Let ‘em eat cupcakes!!!
PonGT
May 10th, 2012
6:41 pm
You go man..you’re spot on. I don’t even care to rush to Athens, scurry to find a parking place and then hurry to get inside for the kickoff. Too old for that scene anymore. I’ll just stay home and let the younger crowd fight the nonsense. Hope things get better when adams is gone. Good riddance!
Dawg89
May 10th, 2012
9:41 pm
Come on Bill, how can you insult the South GA fan base? And, you wonder why kids from Valdosta, Tifton, Albany, Brunswick, etc. end up at FSU or Florida. The only UGA NC in recent memory was won on the back of a South GA stud from Johnson County (which is well south of the gnat line).
Dawg89
May 10th, 2012
9:43 pm
Bill, Alumni growth may be in Atlanta but football talent is in South GA. Just ask Nick. By the way, there are plenty of alumni in South GA. You are sounding pretty arrogant with this one.
RealDawg
May 10th, 2012
10:44 pm
Damn people…ready the article once or five times more. NOWHERE does Bill say anything negative about south Georgia dawg fans.
South Georgia fans as a group tend to prefer not to have night games-Fact
There are more UGA fans in metro Atlanta than south Georgia-Fact
That is all he said.
P_The_Ricker
May 11th, 2012
1:02 am
all of you people complaining about the schedule and lack of competition need to be reminded that the football team hasn’t gone undefeated at home since 2004. it’s been 7 seasons since the dawgs took care of business at home….thinking that a cupcake schedule is needed.
YEAR OF THE DAWG
May 11th, 2012
6:08 am
Enter your comments here
YEAR OF THE DAWG
May 11th, 2012
6:13 am
Everyone worried about the schedule if we win out and the SEC game.Nothing to worry about but we better win them all. S.C. Vandy Tenn Fl Au Gt. Six cupcakes lol.
Old Dog
May 11th, 2012
6:25 am
Vandy was a cupcake LAST year and look what nearly happened!
Right now I would not make a bet on the Dawg winning ANY particular game. They have demonstrated an amazing talent for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Mike Bobo 17 INT`
May 11th, 2012
8:53 am
Weak schedules are not going to get it in terms of style points and competing for a title. Relaxing tailgating is fine, but only confirms the fact that UGA is more concerned with partying and tailgating as opposed to winning titles.
As I said before, look at Alabama’s schedule and you will see why Alabama gets respect.
LawDawg
May 11th, 2012
9:40 am
I graduated in 2004 and went to nearly every game at Sanford, and many of the away games while I was a student, but they have made everything such a pain in the ass now, that it is not worth driving 2 hours each way and then having to deal with everything when I can watch on my 50″ television.
I find it hard to believe that in just a few short years since I graduated the students and alums became such savages that the restrictions on tailgating are necessary. Just bus in some porta potties.
Close Da Deal
May 11th, 2012
9:41 am
Every day another top recruit from Georgia picks Alabama & South Carolina over UGA. UGA needs better recruiting of the top talent here in Georgia.
harold
May 11th, 2012
10:03 am
THE WEAKEST SCHEDULE UGA HAS HAD SINCE 1980—-1981—-AND 1982! CAKEWALK CITY!
Natureboy809
May 11th, 2012
5:46 pm
Ever since Michael Adams arrived, tailgating in Athens is more like tailgating on North Avenue than in Tuscaloosa, Columbia, Auburn, etc… Back in the day, you could park almost anywhere for free. Now you either have to drop $100+ a game for parking, wait on a bus, or be prepared to walk a couple of miles to the stadium.