Bobby Dodd Renovation in the NE Stands

stinger78

Helluva Engineer
Messages
4,279
One would hope that a school that teaches physics, mechanical and electrical engineering, and has classes on audio engineering could have a good sound and PA system. However, that has been an issue for many years now.
In my day, the clocks at the north and south ends of Grant Field were never in synch. It was a running joke.
 

Northeast Stinger

Helluva Engineer
Messages
10,769
It’s all a matter of personal tastes. If GT moved all their home games to Mercedes Benz, I’d cancel my season tickets. I hate that stadium. Seats and sight lines are horrible there compared to BDS.
Admittedly I haven’t been to a large number of other stadiums but of those I’ve been to none made me feel as close to the action as BDS. Depending on where you sit the Gator Bowl wasn’t bad but a lot of other stadiums I felt like I was a passive (distant) observer rather than feeling like part of the action.
 

MWBATL

Helluva Engineer
Messages
6,526
Admittedly I haven’t been to a large number of other stadiums but of those I’ve been to none made me feel as close to the action as BDS. Depending on where you sit the Gator Bowl wasn’t bad but a lot of other stadiums I felt like I was a passive (distant) observer rather than feeling like part of the action.
QFT
 

stinger 1957

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,473
I see those triple deck stadiums that don't have monstrous number of seat rows from bottom to top that appear to view the game closer to the field and also some seats are partially covered.
 

stingerman

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
90
Bobby Dodd is one of the coolest, most unique stadiums in FBS on the backdrop alone. I've been to games in 15 FBS stadiums now and the only thing that rivals it is the Flatirons behind Folsom Field (Colorado). We also have one of the best basketball arenas in D1.
I think we all would agree that Bobby Dodd is a cool and unique stadium. But does it hold us back in some ways for the next 30+ years, especially if we were to attempt to develop alternative revenue streams?

Old Yankee Stadium was cool and unique but they went and built a new one with modern amenities. They have exceeded 40k fans per game 9 times since the new stadium was built. In the entire history of the old stadium (which had 4k more capacity), attendance exceeded 40k fans per game only 9 times.
 

Flajacket

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
121
One would hope that a school that teaches physics, mechanical and electrical engineering, and has classes on audio engineering could have a good sound and PA system. However, that has been an issue for many years now.
Funny thing. When I was in school in the 70s, there was an article in the Technique about how the audio delay in the PA was corrected by staff from the Physics department. Of course, everything was analog back then.
 

RonJohn

Helluva Engineer
Messages
4,994
Funny thing. When I was in school in the 70s, there was an article in the Technique about how the audio delay in the PA was corrected by staff from the Physics department. Of course, everything was analog back then.
i don't think echo or delays have been issued that I have noticed. It has been more around EQ and sound quality. I don't remember if it was last year or year before last, but in one game the mid-frequency was so high that it was actually painful to my ears. I guess they kept turning it up to get the bass levels up, but I don't know. They turned the volume down at later games, but the sound quality was still bad. I don't know if it was Eq settings, some other settings, speaker problems, or equipment problems. But whatever it was, I would think that with all the smart people on campus and the entertainment people in Atlanta, that somebody could have figured out how to get the sound quality improved.
 

yeti92

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,042
Ok, the seats suck. Stadium location and sight lines are good. Very uncomfortable to sit in. West Stands are not great to walk up or down steps for the Older Boomers.
We can put the "older boomers" in the flat area underneath the scoreboard and setup some couches to keep them comfy. Easy access, minimal steps, and the sound system shouldn't bother them - I understand they don't hear too good anyway and the higher frequencies are usually above their hearing range ;)
 

bobongo

Helluva Engineer
Messages
7,571
We can put the "older boomers" in the flat area underneath the scoreboard and setup some couches to keep them comfy. Easy access, minimal steps, and the sound system shouldn't bother them - I understand they don't hear too good anyway and the higher frequencies are usually above their hearing range ;)
This boomer sits at the tip top of the stadium and wears earplugs to fend off the teeth-rattling muzak, thank you.
Hearing's fine per se but accompanied by now constant tinnitus, augmented no doubt by the overloud P.A. system.
 
Last edited:

Root4GT

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,040
We can put the "older boomers" in the flat area underneath the scoreboard and setup some couches to keep them comfy. Easy access, minimal steps, and the sound system shouldn't bother them - I understand they don't hear too good anyway and the higher frequencies are usually above their hearing range ;)
Actually having an area where standing wasn’t the norm, there were hand rails and chair backs would keep the Older Boomers coming. They are the ones who Do make a financial positive impact to the GTAA. Don’t really want them getting turned off of GT Football.

Until you age you really can’t understand the impact aging has on one’s body regardless of how well one works at keeping healthy.
 

roadkill

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,823
i don't think echo or delays have been issued that I have noticed. It has been more around EQ and sound quality. I don't remember if it was last year or year before last, but in one game the mid-frequency was so high that it was actually painful to my ears. I guess they kept turning it up to get the bass levels up, but I don't know. They turned the volume down at later games, but the sound quality was still bad. I don't know if it was Eq settings, some other settings, speaker problems, or equipment problems. But whatever it was, I would think that with all the smart people on campus and the entertainment people in Atlanta, that somebody could have figured out how to get the sound quality improved.
I’ve seen complaints on this board about the stadium PA for quite some time over multiple seasons. The solution to the sound problem may be simple, but like most issues, there needs to be:
  1. A recognition by those in charge that there’s a problem;
  2. A high enough priority by those in charge that it gets addressed;
  3. A readily available solution, be it technical or something addressed by human choice.
We can help with 1 and 2 by making our voices heard via contacting Batt’s office. For #3 I suspect the DJ and/or Sound Tech can easily adjust things to address the issue. One problem that crops up nowadays with the ready availability of gobs of cheap amplification power is that it's very easy to have too much sound volume for a venue, and many DJs only know one volume setting – 11. It's also possible that an independent, knowledgeable sound reinforcement contractor could be brought in to evaluate what the DJ is doing on game days.
 

AUFC

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,846
Location
Atlanta
While we're talking sound systems and DJs, can we finally give Emcee Terry the boot? I've been to one Tech game where he wasn't present and his replacement brought about 10x more energy to the building. Dude just sucks life out of the stadium with his drab and disinterested delivery every freaking game. We're in Atlanta and we can't find a better hypeman/hypewoman?
 

MacDaddy2

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
433
Location
The Island of Relevancy
We can put the "older boomers" in the flat area underneath the scoreboard and setup some couches to keep them comfy. Easy access, minimal steps, and the sound system shouldn't bother them - I understand they don't hear too good anyway and the higher frequencies are usually above their hearing range ;)
Oh, you mean the people that contribute most of the $$ :)
 

apatriot1776

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
590
While we're talking sound systems and DJs, can we finally give Emcee Terry the boot? I've been to one Tech game where he wasn't present and his replacement brought about 10x more energy to the building. Dude just sucks life out of the stadium with his drab and disinterested delivery every freaking game. We're in Atlanta and we can't find a better hypeman/hypewoman?
It’s been a running joke among my friends for probably 10 years to make fun of Terry’s halfhearted “Yel-low…. Jac-ketss” chant.
 

AUFC

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,846
Location
Atlanta
It’s been a running joke among my friends for probably 10 years to make fun of Terry’s halfhearted “Yel-low…. Jac-ketss” chant.
I cringe every time he implores people to stand til the first made basket with music blaring in the background and about 5% of the arena gets up.
 

gte447f

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,085
I cringe every time he implores people to stand til the first made basket with music blaring in the background and about 5% of the arena gets up.
Agree, it’s awkward and embarrassing. I stand, but frankly, I feel bad about it sometimes because there is a couple in their 70’s who would rather be sitting in the seats behind me.

On the other hand, we are doing this particular gimmick all wrong. I attended a GT bball game at Notre Dame a few years ago, and they do the same thing, except they stand until the visiting team makes its first basket. It’s a subtle difference, but the crowd is much more motivated to stand and remain standing and be loud when they think they are negatively impacting the opposing team.
 
Top