Bobby Dodd sold out.

SteamWhistle

SteamWhistle

Helluva Engineer
Messages
4,435
Location
Rome, GA
IMG_0707.JPG
Not a big soccer fan but man oh man...
BDS is so beautiful under the lights with a full house.
 
deeeznutz

deeeznutz

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,329
JacketFromUGA said:
soccer has its own concussion problem too. Lots of research showing headers even just little dink ones to yourself all add up to bad effects.
Click to expand...

Yup, football gets all the negative attention on the issue but concussions are a huge issue in lots of other sports. Not just the repeated headers adding up, but head to head hits when two players are trying to control a header are pretty common too.
 
Techster

Techster

Helluva Engineer
Messages
18,237
BDS is such a great venue for events. Really disappoints me that the administration doesn't take advantage of it to make $$$ for our athletic department and student services. There really isn't a bad seat in the house, especially with the expanded field for soccer games that push the action almost to the seats in all directions. It was an especially great scene given that it was a night game with the Atlanta skyline surrounding us.

I'm not sure how involved GT was in the game day process for the Atl United game, but GT was a great host. That's as packed as I've seen our campus in I can't remember when. I don't think I saw an empty seat, and there were many more fans just there to witness history and enjoy the atmosphere. GT handled it without a hitch...at least not any I saw. Kinda torn because as a soccer fan it was a long time coming for the sport of soccer and the city of Atlanta, but it also reminded me that GT has some steps to take to reach that fevered level with casual sports fans in Georgia. I think we can definitely get there, as our basketball team is starting to show, but there's some work to be done for the football team.
 
Jerry the Jacket

Jerry the Jacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,945
Location
Chapin, SC
That was a one off event. I doubt you will ever see a sold out soccer crowd in Atlanta again. Just not that level of interest unless you import the Mexican national team here to play every week. That's not a racist comment, just that soccer is the national sport of Mexico and we have a large immigrant Mexican population in the Atlanta area. It has been proven time and time again, that other than special events, soccer just does not sell tickets in the US.

Go Jackets!
 
JacketFromUGA

JacketFromUGA

Helluva Engineer
Messages
4,897
Jerry the Jacket said:
That was a one off event. I doubt you will ever see a sold out soccer crowd in Atlanta again. Just not that level of interest unless you import the Mexican national team here to play every week. That's not a racist comment, just that soccer is the national sport of Mexico and we have a large immigrant Mexican population in the Atlanta area. It has been proven time and time again, that other than special events, soccer just does not sell tickets in the US.

Go Jackets!
Click to expand...
You were talking about Atlanta then expanded it to the entire US at the end there. Forgetting that the MLS sells enough tickets to exist and even expand with 2 teams this year...
 
GTRX7

GTRX7

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,524
Location
Atlanta
Jerry the Jacket said:
That was a one off event. I doubt you will ever see a sold out soccer crowd in Atlanta again. Just not that level of interest unless you import the Mexican national team here to play every week. That's not a racist comment, just that soccer is the national sport of Mexico and we have a large immigrant Mexican population in the Atlanta area. It has been proven time and time again, that other than special events, soccer just does not sell tickets in the US.

Go Jackets!
Click to expand...

I am assuming you are over 50?
 
ATL1

ATL1

Helluva Engineer
Messages
7,377
For GT to have consistent sellouts in football GT will need to;
1. Provide an exciting brand of football.
2. Consistently win with exciting brand of football.
3. Have star players with exciting winning brand of football.
4. Build a better reputation within the ATL community.
5. Be attractive to the millinials which again includes being cutting edge, exciting, sexy, & fresh. Ways to get bridge technology with the football experience.
6. Better link with Black Atlanta. In what ways does GT interact with the AUC? radio? TV? in the public schools.
7. Consistent alum support. CPJ is the head coach alum should be 100% committed to him.
8. Area youth and community leagues should be invited regularly free entry.
9. Lower prices
10. Enhancements to in game fan experience.
 
Techster

Techster

Helluva Engineer
Messages
18,237
Sheldon's said:
I live in the Orlando area. Brand new stadium. Several sold out games already. Orlando City, in it's second year, averaged over 23k last year. Soccer is gaining in popularity.
Click to expand...

Atl United sold over 30,000 season tickets. Season tickets. I don't expect Atl United to pack the house with 55K fans every game, but what happened Sunday night was a strong statement for soccer and Atlanta's sports appetite. MLS average attendance is around 25K. Anyone who craps on it is an idiot and doesn't see the big picture of what an opportunity it is for GT to have that many people on campus for 8 games.

The difference with soccer and football is supporters clubs. Supporters clubs are basically booster clubs on steriods. Atlanta United already has one of the biggest supporters clubs in MLS, with several smaller clubs developing. These supporters clubs consistently come to support the team because soccer fanaticism is lunacy at times (think SEC fandom x 10). They pride themselves on coming to games win or lose, rain or shine...though rain won't be much of a factor with the 'Benze dome.

One of the things people don't get about soccer is more kids play soccer than any other sports, and soccer at the youth and prep levels is HUGE in GA. Given the long term concerns with participating in football, and an upfront view of kids seeing you can make a lucrative living playing soccer, I only expect soccer to become a bigger professional sports presence in Atlanta and around the nation.

As sports fan, I think it's nothing but good for Atlanta to have a great soccer team. It also helps with having to wait out the football offseason!
 

Philhutch80

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
221
MikeJackets said:
By 2030 I think there will probably be just as many or more soccer fans in comparison to American football fans.
Click to expand...

Football(soccer) is the king of sports worldwide. It is unquestioned as to how popular that sport is compared to American Football around the world. Remember that we have approxiamately 330 million people here with probably 2/3(being generous I know...) watching football. Considering the USA only has about 3% of the world's population that should give you some contrast as to how small time American Football that we love really is on a comparative world stage. Plus, they do not have football in the olympics yet baseball and basketball ( two sports created in the USA!) are there. It can be hard to wrap our minds around that but it is fine with me. Just makes opportunities for GT to shine even brighter when it has to cross sports! And it shined bright and beautiful yesterday!!!
 
GTFLETCH

GTFLETCH

Banned
Messages
2,639
ATL1 said:
For GT to have consistent sellouts in football GT will need to;
1. Provide an exciting brand of football.
2. Consistently win with exciting brand of football.
3. Have star players with exciting winning brand of football.
4. Build a better reputation within the ATL community.
5. Be attractive to the millinials which again includes being cutting edge, exciting, sexy, & fresh. Ways to get bridge technology with the football experience.
6. Better link with Black Atlanta. In what ways does GT interact with the AUC? radio? TV? in the public schools.
7. Consistent alum support. CPJ is the head coach alum should be 100% committed to him.
8. Area youth and community leagues should be invited regularly free entry.
9. Lower prices
10. Enhancements to in game fan experience.
Click to expand...
100% SPOT ON!!!!!!!!
 
SolicitorJacket

SolicitorJacket

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
296
Location
McDonough, GA
ATL1 said:
For GT to have consistent sellouts in football GT will need to;
1. Provide an exciting brand of football.
2. Consistently win with exciting brand of football.
3. Have star players with exciting winning brand of football.
4. Build a better reputation within the ATL community.
5. Be attractive to the millinials which again includes being cutting edge, exciting, sexy, & fresh. Ways to get bridge technology with the football experience.
6. Better link with Black Atlanta. In what ways does GT interact with the AUC? radio? TV? in the public schools.
7. Consistent alum support. CPJ is the head coach alum should be 100% committed to him.
8. Area youth and community leagues should be invited regularly free entry.
9. Lower prices
10. Enhancements to in game fan experience.
Click to expand...

I would be interested what "letter grade" everyone would give Tech on each of these points.
 
Top