What could make game day in Athens even better?
Just a little over a week from now a large segment of the Bulldog Nation will reconvene in Athens to cheer the Dawgs on Between the Hedges. It’s a time of year when optimism runs high and fans eagerly look forward to the tailgating, Dawg Walk, ringing the chapel bell and all the other traditions that make up game day at UGA.
It’s hard to beat a fall day in the Classic City watching SEC football. As my friend Steve put it this week: “How do you improve what’s already the greatest place and college stadium in America?”
Other devotees of the red and black think there’s room for improvement and that UGA perhaps ought to be looking at what some of its SEC neighbors are doing to improve the game day experience for their fans.
They’ve noted that Auburn is adding wireless internet access in the stadium and will allow fans to bring in tablets or even laptops. AU is also doing stadium tours on Friday nights and even experimenting with serving dinner on the field to donors and eventually perhaps the general public.
Meanwhile, Bama is releasing an app that allows fans to see real-time stats. And Tennessee is instituting various fan-friendly improvements, including more flat-screen TVs around the stadium showing what’s on the Jumbotron, for when you’re away from your seat.
I asked Claude Felton, UGA’s longtime sports communications director, if there was anything new for UGA fans this season.
The main thing, he said, is that “while there are some guidelines, fans will now be able to bring trailers, cookers, etc. on campus from a tailgating standpoint.”
Of course, if the cooker or trailer takes up another parking space in a university-controlled lot in addition to the one your vehicle is in, you’ll have to pay for a second parking permit.
There’s also been some renovation inside Gate 10 (the main gate under the bridge where the team enters from the Dawg Walk), with new graphics highlighting the football team as well the 1996 Olympics torch that resides in the stadium.
Felton said there are also a couple of other things in the works that may be announced sometime in the next week.
Those are pretty modest changes, though the relaxing of the restriction on pull-behind cookers is likely to be very popular with the tailgaters who have griped about all the rules instituted a couple of years ago.
Still, there are other changes fans would like to see. One, of course, is fixing the student ticketing situation so there aren’t several thousand embarrassing empty seats in that section for most games.
This year, the 5,000 freshmen have been given higher priority in the allotment of the 18,000 student tickets in hopes they’ll be more enthusiastic about showing up for games (my daughter Olivia is excited she got tickets to all seven home games!), but I frankly don’t think that problem is going to be fixed until the athletic association bites the bullet and goes back to paper tickets, despite the fact they frequently will be resold.
Back when students could sell their tickets, young alums just out of UGA who can’t yet afford season tickets were frequently the buyers, and that’s a constituency UGA needs to give higher consideration.
Speaking of young alums, my son tells me that among their major complaints about game day is cellphone reception, which is usually pretty bad in the stadium, probably because the network is overloaded. So anything to address that would be appreciated.
Also mentioned is the idea of having a “team song” play on the P.A. system (a la the Soulja Boy number in 2007) that gets the players and stadium really excited. “Traditionalists won’t like it,” young Bill noted, “but it was pretty electric in 2007 when the whole place was into it and the team was jacked. The game is played by 18-22 year olds, so I think it’s alright to play something that gets them excited. Doesn’t hurt with recruits, either.”
Concession stands in Reed Plaza are an improvement over the older ones in the stadium. (University of Georgia)
In the Junkyard Mail I also got some suggestions for improving game day in Athens from a slightly older fan, 48-year-old Michael Scharff, who’s been going to home games in Athens since he was 5 years old.
Among the tweaks he’d like to see is a better shuttle system from the remote parking lots, better housekeeping in the restrooms, and more and better porta-potties. “There are now not enough porta-potties, and the ones they have are hot and smelly,” he said, adding that it’s not much better inside the stadium. “Having been to most other stadiums in the conference, I can honestly say that we still have terrible concession stands and restroom facilities.”
Of course, that’s not a problem in the entire stadium, as the concession stands and restrooms in the Reed Plaza area behind the north stands are pretty nice, as stadium facilities go.
Scharff isn’t alone in his complaints about the Sanford concessions and restrooms, though. I put the question about what could be improved on game days at Sanford Stadium to readers of the Blawg’s Facebook page this summer, and the state of the restrooms came up a few times. As Blake Halberg put it: “The men’s restrooms are a disgrace!”
Other suggestions were aimed more at getting the team and fans fired up. Mark Symms, aka “Cuz,” made the not-really-serious suggestion that the field have black turf with red end zones, and Mary E. Justice wants fans to show up earlier and stay on their feet. She added: “Our student section needs to be vocal.”
Jim Mansour said that UGA and the city of Athens “need to act as if they actually want fans in Athens and on campus, instead of acting like they want our $$$.” He also thinks more police officers should be deployed “helping traffic get out after games … if Auburn can figure out its game day traffic, why can’t UGA?”
What are your thoughts on game day in Athens? What parts do you like best? And what improvements would you like to see made?
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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144 comments Add your comment
fishook dawg
August 24th, 2012
1:29 pm
Find a new announcer for the radio broadcast. I know that there will never be another Munson, but surely a large university like UGA can find someone better than what they have now. I know they are UGA people but I want someone who really gets in to the games instead of acting like they are.
SSIgator
August 24th, 2012
1:30 pm
How about showing the fans where the bathrooms are so they don’t use the shrubs outside or the library rugs?
WDE
August 24th, 2012
1:32 pm
@SSIgator have you gotten this year’s jort’s all frayed up and ready to go?
SSIgator
August 24th, 2012
1:33 pm
“with new graphics highlighting the football team”
___________________
That will make it easier on the players that can’t read. Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
SSIgator
August 24th, 2012
1:36 pm
“The men’s restrooms are a disgrace!”
____________________
Well, at least the majority of the fan base is using the indoor plumbing.
cattledawgs
August 24th, 2012
1:40 pm
Smokewagons post at 1237 nailed it. To many folks complain and grumble when folks stand up and yell and cheer. I believe in respecting my elders but sanford is to quite.. The food needs improving and put up more tvs in the tunnels.
SSIgator
August 24th, 2012
1:40 pm
“major complaints about game day is cellphone reception, which is usually pretty bad in the stadium”
_________________
Aren’t the fans supposed to be watching the game?
Sergeant Joe Friday
August 24th, 2012
1:43 pm
Ban all home games.
SSIgator
August 24th, 2012
1:47 pm
WDE -
You may find this hard to believe, but I have never owned a pair. Us older guys still wear the slacks with a Gator polo shirt or similar. Stop by our tailgate in Jax this year (Gator booster lot on the East side) and have a beer and see for yourself. My wife wanted me to tell Nancy that she is invited also and that the girls will have plenty of pinot grigiot wine (her favorite, so I hear) on hand.
just another dawg
August 24th, 2012
1:50 pm
Logo “G” back on the goal line! Commit to the G is for more than just donors.
SSIgator
August 24th, 2012
1:52 pm
“if Auburn can figure out its game day traffic, why can’t UGA?””
__________________________
This has got to be some kind of a trick question or at least rhetorical.
Sergeant Joe Friday
August 24th, 2012
1:54 pm
Ban all alcohol consumption and impose a 6:00 pm curfew.
old dog
August 24th, 2012
1:55 pm
In the 70’s, there was the unspoken rule that if you didn’t have your flask hanging around your neck for all to see, you could bring it in! Party before, during, and after the game. Age was 18, too, and the student section was the most fired-up place on the field. Now, if the students have waved at a passing beer truck in their lives, they are castigated and treated like criminals. It definitely (for those of us that were there) was more of a party, and in turn noise-house) in the ’70’s……take the age back to 18!
Lindsey
August 24th, 2012
1:55 pm
I totally agree on 2 things written above, more/better porta potties and for them to act like they want fans ther, not just our donations! Can’t wait for the 2012 season to start, Go Dawgs!!
AltamahaDawg
August 24th, 2012
2:08 pm
AH, its got to be getting close. The annual……”the older alum don’t stand up enough for me” blog
AltamahaDawg
August 24th, 2012
2:15 pm
Black field! what kind of a DA would suggest a dagnamit Black field.
dawgfan
August 24th, 2012
2:19 pm
Our stadium is known as one of the quietest of the big SEC schools. It shouldn’t take black jerseys and soulja boy to get people excited. Its a little embarassing quite frankly.
Jim
August 24th, 2012
2:24 pm
Elimate blackouts. How many seats are filled because a game is blacked out? Being a displaced Dawg Fan about 1500 miles away, it really burns me to see blacked out games on programs like ESPN Game Plan. You pay for watching so don’t black them out! I dare say blacking out games does not increase attendance but ticks off fans who would love to, but could not attend anyway. Also on televised games show the half time show in a PIP screen while the highlights are discussed.
Jeff Striker
August 24th, 2012
2:26 pm
Two suggestions from a fine adult film star like myself.
1. Close the bridge section in, period. It would bring capacity to near 100,000 and the stadium would be alot louder. Yes, it would get rid of the “bridge tradition” but who cares. I would rather sacrifice that tradition if I could have a louder stadium.
2. Find a way to get the students more involved and louder. I cannot believe that this is even an issue at a place like UGA. Has anyone seen a South Carolina gaame in the last few years. They have the rowdiest student section in the SEC. It’s always packed, and they dance to “Sandstorm”. UGA doesn;t need to do Sandstorm, but for god sakes…makes some noise. Act like you care about the game. a 92,000 seat stadium should be an intimidating place for opposing teams to play.
WDE
August 24th, 2012
2:31 pm
@SSIgator that’s good to know not much scarier than a over 50 man in jorts. I made the switch from jeans to slack quite a few years ago myself, and thanks for the invite if I make the WLOCP this year I’ll look you up.
WDE
August 24th, 2012
2:33 pm
@Sergeant Joe Friday stick to going to Tech games.
Charlie Sheen
August 24th, 2012
2:40 pm
What could make gameday in Athens (or anywhere) even better?
WINNING!
walter geiger
August 24th, 2012
2:51 pm
for the tech game, add some curried dishes at concessions so the visiting fans will feel at home.
OZZFEST
August 24th, 2012
2:57 pm
AT LEAST ONE NON-CONFERENCE, BCS CONFERENCE OPPONENT
RK
August 24th, 2012
2:59 pm
Pregame with the band HAS to get better to get the fans fired up. The new idea of a “sing-along” will NOT work and will be another failure and a laugh for visiting fans. An exciting pre-game must be developed. Something new, now I’m not talking about the video intro, I’m talking about the band.
Glory between the Hedges
August 24th, 2012
3:07 pm
Jeff Striker,
You took the words right out of my mouth. If they would close the bridge in it would make sanford stadium one of the loudest places in the country. If your worried about the view, then you are at the football game for the wrong reason. Go site seeing before and after the game. We need a true home field advantage! As passionate as UGA fans are, there is no need for us to ever have a laid back crowd at any game. These old men with the head sets need their own section or something. I have been to a lot of big stadiums and when UGA is playing a really good team (especially at night) it is the loudest place I have been to. I guess that is because the older people have an early bed time. Also, they better not wrap the 600 section around Sanford stadium, it would be a huge disaster. That section of the stadium blows! I would never sit up there again.
AltamahaDawg
August 24th, 2012
3:07 pm
What is embarrasing to me is the thin skinned whinny segments of our fan base.
AltamahaDawg
August 24th, 2012
3:23 pm
“These old men with the head sets need their own section or something”
They do have thier own section. .
Why folks crash it, then complain because the old men aren’t doing it the way they want, is the question.
Bob
August 24th, 2012
3:31 pm
The home schedule simply sucks. The AD needs to realize we need at least 2 quality OOC opponents. FAU, Buffalo and Georgia Southern in one year is like playing 3 NFL exhibition games. It is crap….everyone is talking about Mizzou, not Buffalo.
Bill King
August 24th, 2012
3:34 pm
SSIgator:
About using cellphones at a game: Your age may be showing. Young people text each other incessantly, even while watching a game. And some of it is even about the game itself (the previous play, bad calls, etc.)
Ed
August 24th, 2012
3:42 pm
Bill, I think you missed the most obvious way to improve game day in Athens – fix the schedule! Buffalo, Florida International, Idaho State, Ga. Southern, La.-Lafayette, New Mexico State, etc…it’s become so bad that we now can expect at least two games a year that are almost unwatchable. I remember the good old days when Temple or Vandy (what we now call “BCS conference schools”) would be the boring games on the schedule. We use to get the likes of Pitt, TCU, UCLA, BYU, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and other name programs to come visit, and we had Clemson on the schedule every year.
I don’t care how much you love your team, college football is exciting only when there’s that nervous excitement on game day. That only happens if there’s a chance your team might lose. Otherwise, your concerns are pretty much confined to hoping that a valuable starter doesn’t get injured in what amounts to a scrimmage. How did it ever come to this, and why do so many still spend big bucks for this travesty?
dawgfan
August 24th, 2012
3:44 pm
LOL. I think its safe to say we’ve outed Altamaha as an old timer that wears the goofy headsets and just sits there taking up space. Even worse, they waste a ticket on their wives who could absolutely care freaking less about the football game. I love the elderly but they have no place at a college football game. I don’t know if this is legal or not but there should be an age limit to get a ticket. You must be under 60. That would eliminate a lot of the riff raff like Altamaha.
Careful there dawgfan...
August 24th, 2012
3:55 pm
…most of those “over 60″ make up the majority of the “cash givers” to UGA (and other schools) – without them the stadium may be louder, but only because there would be 45000 in attendance rather than 90,000 +…
Bama=home of the T-bag special
August 24th, 2012
3:56 pm
@dawgfan I got a better idea lets let money decide or if that doesn’t work we could just fight for tickets…you’d be surprised how many of the under 30 crowd would never see the inside of the stadium .
Ed
August 24th, 2012
4:08 pm
Just an observation about the atmosphere in Sanford Stadium:
Anyone who’s attended a Georgia-Florida game in Jax knows that Georgia fans make just as much noise as Florida fans. For some reason, Florida fans (and the fans of most SEC schools) make a heck of a lot more noise than Georgia fans do in their own stadiums.
I think it’s the acoustics of Sanford. It’s just not a place that retains a lot of noise. And the crowd seems a little more sedate between the hedges than it does in Jax, or even when we travel to a Tech game and take over the place.
Sanford is one of the most beautiful venues in college football and something we should all be proud of. But it’s not a snakepit, never has been, and probably never will be. We’ll just have to take comfort in those 12 SEC Championship banners that ring the top of the stadium.
dawgfan
August 24th, 2012
4:09 pm
I’m not going to fight an old person. I don’t want it on my conscience when you fall down and break a hip. Look, all I’m saying is that you old folks just need to liven up a bit. This isn’t a bridge game. Its college football.
Thanks.
DunwoodyDawg
August 24th, 2012
4:12 pm
Don’t let the Red Coats direct the Georgia – Bulldogs cheer. It just loses its effect when they do it that way.
I'm sorry...
August 24th, 2012
4:15 pm
…but I just don’t “get” why Sanford is considered a “beautiful” stadium…it is concrete, and that is all – nothing picturesque about it – and I am a season ticket holder, my kid went there, and it just ain’t that pretty a place – historic, yes, nice, uh, no….
Humdinger
August 24th, 2012
4:36 pm
Free Beer!
Glory between the Hedges
August 24th, 2012
4:36 pm
http://georgiasports.blogspot.com/2008/07/sanford-stadium-expansion-rendering.html
Atleast go with the idea above to keep some of the noise in. Tennessee sucked it up and closed their stadium completely in.
Spike 80DF
August 24th, 2012
4:39 pm
Yea, common sense would say to enclose the open end of the stadium right? Nah, we’ll just stack some more seats 8 miles high…..
CEPH
August 24th, 2012
4:41 pm
Firing Mark Richt!!!!!!
LOYAL DAWG
August 24th, 2012
4:41 pm
As much as I see people getting passionate on the blogs, if they transferred half of that energy from on here into the stadium we’d probably have a more intimidating home field. We need to close that open area also because 100K just sounds more intimidating by itself. Plus with a completely closed stadium (no gaps) the noise that we do have will sound louder. I agree from a fan standpoint that adding a big OOC game is exciting, however from a logical standpoint (which most fans don’t seem to have) we are in the SEC and its hard enough to win based on our conference alone even in a “easy” year as many claim this will be. But I believe if we are 6, 7, 8-0 then the momentum will carry into the stadium based off our record. God Bless and GO DAWGS!
LOYAL DAWG
August 24th, 2012
4:52 pm
And tradition is for old people or people set in their ways. We need 1 blackout game a year every year. The NBA playoffs is exciting when everyone has the same color t-shirts on in the crowd. It just seems to boost the energy and give a more intimidating appearance. Plus our players will love it I promise you.
SSIgator
August 24th, 2012
4:55 pm
Bill King:
I will have to admit that I am “old school” when it comes to that sort of technology. Us older guys still just watch the game (some with headphones on to hear the radio broadcast) and maybe comment to the others in our section about a particular play. As far as in depth analysis of the game goes, that is reserved for the post-game tailgate while the traffic dies down. Hey, in a few days you get to meet up with Olivia, assuming you are going to the home opener, so I guess the question is; will she sit with you during the game or her new buddies at school?
SSIgator
August 24th, 2012
4:59 pm
LOYAL DAWG -
“The NBA playoffs is exciting when everyone has the same color t-shirts on in the crowd”
______________________
Really? You honestly don’t think that they look like a bunch of clones from some captured colony in a galaxy from a Sci-fi movie?
Swamp Thing
August 24th, 2012
4:59 pm
“How to make game day in Athens even Better?” Play Alabama, LSU or Arkansas..If that had happened last year (or this year), there would be no Beep – Beep – Beep, backing into the SEC East Championship..What was the score of the LSU – UGA game again? Why are the people you dogs call names on this board from other schools? Because all of this UGA horse hockey is pathetic..
McDawg
August 24th, 2012
5:04 pm
booze at the game
ARdawg
August 24th, 2012
5:06 pm
Swamp thing
My Gawd what a crybaby you are sir
Swamp Thing
August 24th, 2012
5:15 pm
ARdawg – crybaby? This is a comment to expect from somebody on this board…. just face the reality’s of the SEC..