1-1 with Todd Stansbury. What should I ask him?

[WearGoldToGameDays]

I am a current student who will be meeting with Todd in a few weeks. He specifically asked me to look for ways to use Technology to innovate at Georgia Tech (his example was Gatorade at Florida) and how to monetize the football stadium when its not being used in the fall.

Of course I will be talking about GTGould out (the Pitt goldout game had a great student section by the way).

What else do you want me to ask/request of him?

 

[Buzzbomb]

Can they return calls at the GTAA?
Trying to buy a brick at McCamish? Would be a good idea to sell some around BDS/Grant Field, as well.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

Along with GTGold out could the season ticket holders as their "freebie" this year get gold GT shirts so a good number of people have them at the beginning of the football stadium.

Also from a technology standpoint some things that I think GT could shoot up to the front with if they put their mind to it.

• Using VR for film study
• Partnering with biomedical engineering firms to test new or different braces/helmets/safety equipment
• Technological recovery for after workouts/games (I think we already have super fancy recovery tanks)

The biggest thing is that no matter what GT does it needs to advertise whatever edge pushing technology or ideas they are doing. Things like Dartmouth advertising their robot tackling dummies or VT advertising their work into concussion research. the Georgia Institute of TECHnology is very bad (especially the athletics) of keeping up with the current technology outside of the research lab. Whatever is done needs to be marketed as GT pushing the boundaries and doing things that no one else has or even can do. We're Georgia Tech. We can do that.

 

[BuzzbaitGT]

What a great opportunity for you, and what an engaging AD Todd Stansbury is. Thanks for asking for input.

For the fans, I'm wondering if it might be possible to do a real-time "Tweet-Along" or "Live Video on Facebook" from FB games. This could be a student assistant or perhaps someone on staff with GTAA's communications department who has access to the sidelines, field and locker room.

There would be a need to avoid giving away information/images of strategy and plays, but the real-time presence on the sideline would provide another perspective to a game. Think, for example, of game-day message threads on The Swarm or The Hive or Stingtalk where Tech fans are not only commenting/conversing with each other, but also with someone from GT who has access to the field/sidelines/lockerroom, and has permission from the coaching staff to share non-sensitive information, anecdotes, pics and vids from the game.

For the team, I'm wondering if it might be possible to develop virtual-reality gear to supplement practices, where players would develop abilities to "read and react." The idea of "playing faster" or "having the light bulb go on," or reaching a level of experience where the "game has slowed down" for players often coincides with players having breakout years. I'm wondering if virtual reality gear might help players achieve that. In turn, this might allow coaches to spend more time working on fundamental blocking/tackling skills or allowing for more time to practice plays repeatedly or install a more complex package of plays.

Hope the meeting goes well. Thanks again for asking.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

Improve the website at the AT Fund. You essentially have to run what looks like a Crystal Reports report to see what your donation status and rank are. When you log in, it should be an automatically an easy viewable table/thing just in the regular webpate. AND, it should prompt you like "If you give $100, you would jump X people." "If you give $500, you would jump Y people."

Build a war room recruiting database, where information is pulled in (as automated as possible) from Google type alerts that match recruits names and from all the recruiting services. Enable the coaching and recruiting staff to be able to simply and easily get alerts or search and find out things like what new schools have offered their targets, what new offers schools that recruit similar ways to us have handed out, newly posted onsite visits to other schools, decommits, etc. etc.

Both of these (and similar ideas) could be done as class/senior projects for computer engineering/science folks I would think. Or interns.

In terms of monetizing the football stadium at other times:
* Concerts
* Local sports tournaments (flag football, soccer 11v11/7v7, etc.)
* Local festivals

 

[dressedcheeseside]

In terms of monetizing the football stadium at other times:
* Concerts
* Local sports tournaments (flag football, soccer 11v11/7v7, etc.)
* Local festivals

You forgot Monstertruck rallies.

 

[ilovetheoption]

Seriously, if a QB could go back and view Dive/Keep reads hundreds of times in a row in a VR headset without having to having other players around him, and without waiting for coaching to happen. Just read it, and push a dive/keep button, and get immediate feedback, that would be invaluable, it seems.

Just every 5 seconds for a half hour 3x a week, that's a LOT of virtual reps built up.

 

[crut]

Along with GTGold out could the season ticket holders as their "freebie" this year get gold GT shirts so a good number of people have them at the beginning of the football stadium.

Also from a technology standpoint some things that I think GT could shoot up to the front with if they put their mind to it.

• Using VR for film study
• Partnering with biomedical engineering firms to test new or different braces/helmets/safety equipment
• Technological recovery for after workouts/games (I think we already have super fancy recovery tanks)

The biggest thing is that no matter what GT does it needs to advertise whatever edge pushing technology or ideas they are doing. Things like Dartmouth advertising their robot tackling dummies or VT advertising their work into concussion research. the Georgia Institute of TECHnology is very bad (especially the athletics) of keeping up with the current technology outside of the research lab. Whatever is done needs to be marketed as GT pushing the boundaries and doing things that no one else has or even can do. We're Georgia Tech. We can do that.

I +1 for everything in this post

 

[ilovetheoption]

Both of these (and similar ideas) could be done as class/senior projects for computer engineering/science folks I would think. Or interns.

This, I think is the big takeaway I got from this post. I understand that something similar was done to improve the queuing at your stadium, and it seems to me that this should be an ongoing effort. Use the brains of your students, and your football program to benefit each other, giving students real world experience that they can put on their resume right away, and getting what amounts to a high level engineering team for the football program for free.

 

[LibertyTurns]

Hey put someone in charge of a damn study to figure out what cleats we should be wearing. I'm tired of hearing we've got the wrong cleats. You basically have type of grass, density of grass, height of grass, wet/dry, etc. How hard could that be for the greatest technological institute in the world to figure out?

Second thing I'd do is partner with sports equipment companies to evaluate and prototype their new stuff. Heaven knows we should have a ton of on campus support that can set up tests, etc and it gets the geeks out of the library and into the world for a few hours. Win-win. Hell, they might even become sports fans and it becomes a Win-win-win.

 

[GTBatGirl96]

Maybe have a special fundraising drive to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first Natl Champ in 1917. Get less-involved fans to donate $100 each. I think they missed a good opportunity last year with the Cumberland anniversary (even ESPN had a little segment on it before Game Day) where they could have asked for $222 from everyone (or maybe they did do that and _I_ missed it).

 

[Deleted member 2897]

Hell, they might even become sports fans.

Now you're just talking crazy.

 

[1939hotmagic]

What an excellent opportunity with the new AD.

This fan is interested in learning if Tech has plans -- or for that matter, already has in place -- to acquire the STriVR virtual reality training tech, such as already used by Clemson, Stanford, and other programs. Apparently several of us on the board are interested in hearing about teams using VR training.

 

[tech_wreck47]

Update the locker rooms. Would be cool to do a free season ticket package for an underprivileged family. Food trucks somewhere near the stadium before games would be awesome. Better in stadium food as well.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

I know this could end up biting us in the butt if we had another 2015 season, but I have always thought a "Walking Dead" day at a home game would be a hoot and garner a lot of publicity, since the show is produced in Atlanta and is the highest rated show on cable. Additionally, one of the regular cast members is from the Atlanta area and tweeted a picture of himself with Paul Johnson 2 years ago at his high school. Maybe even get (or try to get) some cast members to come to the game. Perhaps also try to arrange for the Talking Dead talk show on after each episode to be televise from the Tech campus. I bet Tech students would go crazy over that, and again it would garner a helluva lot of publicity. I know that an old ME lab was used as a setting in several of the shows, both last season and this season, so it's not unreasonable to try to capitalize on that.

 

[strong90]

Find a way to solicit from the 5 out of 6 of us who aren't millionaires. We don't get buildings named after us, but, together, we can potentially fund an extra recruiter or "analyst" (or two).

I follow GT football more than the overwhelming majority of my alumnae classmates but I don't have a clue where/how to donate to the football program. Never have before but, hey, I had a good year.

So, a quick Google search for "GT (or GA Tech) football donation" forces me to read through a bunch of press releases about donating tickets to charity. Then I saw the "Tech Fund". Is that it? Need to buy seats? Rabbit hole.

After 7 links (and a scroll on my extra large font smartphone screen), I got to the Alexander Tharpe Fund. Is that it? Never heard of the dude, but it looks right. Still, I'm not 100% sure, so not likely to hit the "Give now" button. If that is it, then tell me. Clearly. Then, give me some drop down choices for an amount...like $20, $50, $100, $500 or "other". Don't make me type out a dollar amount unless I'm giving a chunk of change. I want to feel appreciated for my contribution of $20, not some embarrassment as I'm forced to type it out. Then, immediately after I select a $20 amount, ask me if I want to automatically continue that monthly thereafter. I might press yes.

Also, tell me if there's a way that I can direct my contribution to say... facilities? Or recruiting? If not, tell me. Probably not best for a small contribution to be directed by the donor, but hey, I'm interested in knowing because I'm already skeptical about where my $ is going. Or even if I'm on the right website.

Obviously, Tech has at least one search engine optimization guru that can make the donation link pop up quickly and be easily understood. And there's at least one other kid who knows how to design a website that maximizes revenue generation from small donors. If not, call Bernie.

That's my $.02
The other $19.98 went to the football program. I think.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

Find a way to solicit from the 5 out of 6 of us who aren't millionaires. We don't get buildings named after us, but, together, we can potentially fund an extra recruiter or "analyst" (or two).

I follow GT football more than the overwhelming majority of my alumnae classmates but I don't have a clue where/how to donate to the football program. Never have before but, hey, I had a good year.

So, a quick Google search for "GT (or GA Tech) football donation" forces me to read through a bunch of press releases about donating tickets to charity. Then I saw the "Tech Fund". Is that it? Need to buy seats? Rabbit hole.

After 7 links (and a scroll on my extra large font smartphone screen), I got to the Alexander Tharpe Fund. Is that it? Never heard of the dude, but it looks right. Still, I'm not 100% sure, so not likely to hit the "Give now" button. If that is it, then tell me. Clearly. Then, give me some drop down choices for an amount...like $20, $50, $100, $500 or "other". Don't make me type out a dollar amount unless I'm giving a chunk of change. I want to feel appreciated for my contribution of $20, not some embarrassment as I'm forced to type it out. Then, immediately after I select a $20 amount, ask me if I want to automatically continue that monthly thereafter. I might press yes.

Also, tell me if there's a way that I can direct my contribution to say... facilities? Or recruiting? If not, tell me. Probably not best for a small contribution to be directed by the donor, but hey, I'm interested in knowing because I'm already skeptical about where my $ is going. Or even if I'm on the right website.

Obviously, Tech has at least one search engine optimization guru that can make the donation link pop up quickly and be easily understood. And there's at least one other kid who knows how to design a website that maximizes revenue generation from small donors. If not, call Bernie.

That's my $.02
The other $19.98 went to the football program. I think.

The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is where all our ticket fees go, so that would be a good place to start. Prior to the ticket fees, that fund solicited annually. I don't think they solicit like that anymore, but I'm sure you (we) could make contributions directly to that fund.

 

[takethepoints]

Fix Ramblingwreck while you are at it. The site is hard to navigate and has a plethora of pop-up ads that make life difficult. And, given that Tech has a great sports history, why is it so hard to find out about it? I don't want a "history of <your favorite sport here>". We have seen many you tubes on this site of Tech games in the past and there are still sites with a lot of info about our great coaches. Why isn't all that in one place and why isn't it the first thing people see when they come to the official site for Tech sports? We have great traditions here. They should be front and center in our web presence.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

Find a way to solicit from the 5 out of 6 of us who aren't millionaires. We don't get buildings named after us, but, together, we can potentially fund an extra recruiter or "analyst" (or two).

I follow GT football more than the overwhelming majority of my alumnae classmates but I don't have a clue where/how to donate to the football program. Never have before but, hey, I had a good year.

So, a quick Google search for "GT (or GA Tech) football donation" forces me to read through a bunch of press releases about donating tickets to charity. Then I saw the "Tech Fund". Is that it? Need to buy seats? Rabbit hole.

After 7 links (and a scroll on my extra large font smartphone screen), I got to the Alexander Tharpe Fund. Is that it? Never heard of the dude, but it looks right. Still, I'm not 100% sure, so not likely to hit the "Give now" button. If that is it, then tell me. Clearly. Then, give me some drop down choices for an amount...like $20, $50, $100, $500 or "other". Don't make me type out a dollar amount unless I'm giving a chunk of change. I want to feel appreciated for my contribution of $20, not some embarrassment as I'm forced to type it out. Then, immediately after I select a $20 amount, ask me if I want to automatically continue that monthly thereafter. I might press yes.

Also, tell me if there's a way that I can direct my contribution to say... facilities? Or recruiting? If not, tell me. Probably not best for a small contribution to be directed by the donor, but hey, I'm interested in knowing because I'm already skeptical about where my $ is going. Or even if I'm on the right website.

Obviously, Tech has at least one search engine optimization guru that can make the donation link pop up quickly and be easily understood. And there's at least one other kid who knows how to design a website that maximizes revenue generation from small donors. If not, call Bernie.

That's my $.02
The other $19.98 went to the football program. I think.

Yup, the AT Fund is where its at. Every single time I log in, it tells me it doesn't recognize my password and I have to re-set it. I'd be interested to see if anybody else has that problem. If you read my post above, you'll note that if you want to see your giving and overall ranking based on points, you have to essentially run a Crystal Report. As you show, all this stuff should be numbingly simple. The website should be visually stunning and easy to navigate. Thanks for sharing these suggestions. With how many Computer Engineers we have on campus, its really kind of sad when you think about it.

 

[TampaGT]

Each home game they should do a 50/50 raffle. The Lighting do it here every home and it seems that it raises a decent amount of money each game. People sell ticket before the game an during the game until mid way through the 3rd period. Towards the end of the 3 period they draw a number. The winner gets half the $ and the charity gets the other half. Gt could do it and the $ could go to football program. I think The way they get around laws for gambling is that your money that purchases the ticket is actually a nondeductible tax donation. They could have people in the different parking lots before the game selling tickets. It's not going to raise millions of $ but could be enough to pay for an extra football staff member. Have a contest for student organizations for attendance at the game. The winner each week will get "Jacket pizza" at the stadium. Make it more of a party atmosphere during timeouts, like throw out T shirts in all the sections and good current music. Sell customized jerseys at the game, the Lighting sell jersey that you can customize. It is the same as players wear, not the cheap crap at Walmart. work on merchandise as a whole. Ps if he uses any of this I want credit!!!!!