Conference Realignment

[GTJohn70]

Since when does playing South Carolina, Vandy, Kentucky, Miss State, Ole Miss, Auburn, TAMU, Arkansas, Missouri, and now even UT and Florida matter? How long has it been since we played and beat UGA, Alabama, and LSU in the same year? The 1950’s. That’s almost 70 years ago now. What you’re talking about hasn’t happened in yours and my lifetimes. Why does that suddenly become the metric for relevance?

It happened in my lifetime. I started GT in 1966 and UT, Auburn, UGA, etc were a big deal.

 

[GTRambler]

According to the Knight database, the biggest difference has been in media distribution. That is more than half of the increase. The second largest increases are from donors and from "other". (in millions of dollars)

	2019​	2023​	Difference
Media distribution	$30​	$55​	$25​
Competition Guarntees	$1​	$4​	$3​
Donors	$13​	$22​	$9​
Sponsorship	$8​	$6​	-$3​
Other	$16​	$25​	$9​
Student Fees	$6​	$6​	$1​
Inisttutional	$3​	$7​	$4​
Tickets	$11​	$9​	-$2​
	$87​	$134​

Georgia Institute of Technology | College Athletics Database

Is the recent deal with Hyundai for the re-naming of Tech’s football field (to Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field) included in one of the above categories for 2023?

If I remember correctly, the Hyundai deal to rename the stadium was $55 million over 20 years, or approximately $2.75 million per year.

 

[RonJohn]

Is the recent deal with Hyundai for the re-naming of Tech’s football field (to Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field) included in one of the above categories for 2023?

If I remember correctly, the Hyundai deal to rename the stadium was $55 million over 20 years, or approximately $2.5 million per year.

The data isn't broken out any more granular. You can open the GTAA financial statements, but the most recent one on the website is fiscal year 2022 I believe. The numbers in the financial statement are probably not going to break out easily into the categories in the Knight Commission report.

However, the fiscal year 2023 was from July 2022 to June 2023. That is the most recent data in the Knight Commision database. The Hyundai deal didn't start until after that, so I would assume it is not included.

 

[stinger78]

Be careful what you wish for. Bobby Dodd might be like COFH at every home game instead of just against u(sic)ga, meaning GT fans overwhelmingly outnumbered.

In COFH, the stadium is almost half filled with UGAg fans. If they buy season seats and come to other games they pull for our opponent. My uncle used to do this. Today many sell those tickets to opposition fans. If we are in the B1G, many of those who pull against us for their game would become Tech fans for other conference games. I think we’d pick up gameday fans for all conference games.

 

[LT 1967]

See attached dates and times for 2024-2025 College Football Playoff. Playoff will start Friday December 20, 2024 through Monday January 20, 2025. A couple of games will be on TNT, the rest on ESPN.

 

[bke1984]

They had two cool periods (2006-11, and 2015-22) but have since proven they can still recruit and play with anyone.

So from 2006 to 2023 they won three championships and you call that “two cool periods?” Sounds more like they had one hot period.

 

[slugboy]

IIRC, Miami had a lot of input on the BC add. Prior to that, it seems like the targets were Miami, BC, Cuse. But UVA flexed and insisted on VT for expansion to move forward at all, period. I was thinking Miami preferred BC as the 3rd team over Cuse. Which is why they got an invite at all.

Anyone else recall why it was BC instead of Syracuse back then?

BC was a solid team until Spaziani and Addazio. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/boston-college/index.html

They looked stronger than Syracuse, and headed in the right direction. Then, they stopped playing well.

 

[stinger78]

BC was a solid team until Spaziani and Addazio. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/boston-college/index.html

They looked stronger than Syracuse, and headed in the right direction. Then, they stopped playing well.

BC was a good program when the ACC invited them, better than Cuse. They had a good coach in Tom O’Brien but they ran him off after Ryan moved on and then he did pretty well at NCSU, but they ran him off after Wilson moved on citing lack of recruiting. He was in his upper 60’s at the time, IIRC, and may have just been getting tired of it.

 

[g0lftime]

BC was a good program when the ACC invited them, better than Cuse. They had a good coach in Tom O’Brien but they ran him off after Ryan moved on and then he did pretty well at NCSU, but they ran him off after Wilson moved on citing lack of recruiting. He was in his upper 60’s at the time, IIRC, and may have just been getting tired of it.

Obrien told Wilson he would lose his starting job if he missed spring practice. Wilson was playing minor league baseball and he chose to miss spring practice so he lost his starting job. The backup (Glenon?) said he would transfer if Wilson was allowed to miss spring. Wilson then transferred instead. The State fans never really forgave Obrien.

 

[stinger78]

Obrien told Wilson he would lose his starting job if he missed spring practice. Wilson was playing minor league baseball and he chose to miss spring practice so he lost his starting job. The backup (Glenon?) said he would transfer if Wilson was allowed to miss spring. Wilson then transferred instead. The State fans never really forgave Obrien.

O’Brien, IIRC, was an ex-Marine. They have a certain persona. We had one of those once. TOB was the better coach. Not close.

 

[LT 1967]

ESPN has issued their Strength of Schedules and Power Index for 2024 College Football. By their estimate, GT comes in at #9 in Strength of Schedule and #54 Power Index. Doesn't sound like a good combination.

The file called Resume is Strength of Schedule.

Note that GT is by far the highest ranked ACC team as far as Strength of Schedule. Next ACC teams are Clemson at #26 and Stanford at #28. Note that there are 9 SEC teams with GT in the top 10 Strength of Schedule.

Reference my post above concerning ESPN's power rankings and strength of schedule, I was surprised and pleased by an article in Athon Sports by Greg McElroy criticizing the ESPN rankings. His point being that it is a paper projection based on returning rosters only. He feels like several ACC teams will contend for the new playoff and that they were under rated by ESPN. I am surprised due to his history as a SEC (Alabama) quarterback and ESPN reporter.

I believe many of our members agree with his comments.

 

[forensicbuzz]

O’Brien, IIRC, was an ex-Marine. They have a certain persona. We had one of those once. TOB was the better coach. Not close.

The only ex-Marine is a dead Marine. (Coming from my Marine father)

 

[Buzztheirazz]

When I or my family & friends can't make it to a game, I donate my two tix in the Letterwinners Section (with catered food & drinks, clean restrooms, & A/C or Heat) to VetTix.org

I get an email from VetTix when they're used & a statement at year's end for the donation.

Have never heard any complaints.

My dad uses these so thank you!!!

 

[gtbb]

Since when does playing South Carolina, Vandy, Kentucky, Miss State, Ole Miss, Auburn, TAMU, Arkansas, Missouri, and now even UT and Florida matter? How long has it been since we played and beat UGA, Alabama, and LSU in the same year? The 1950’s. That’s almost 70 years ago now. What you’re talking about hasn’t happened in yours and my lifetimes. Why does that suddenly become the metric for relevance?

I know a few Auburn fans that remember Tech as one of their biggest games. They used to have a parade when they played us. They called it the "Wreck Tech Pajama Parade" or something like that. And we were still playing them yearly when I was at Tech. And Bama has Tech mentioned in their fight song.

I'm not suggesting we have to go back to the SEC. Even if we wanted to, they wouldn't allow us back in. But we were a big friggin' deal back in the day when we were in that conference, and even beyond. Personally, I'd like to rekindle the Auburn rivalry as a game that's played much more often. It was a great rivalry, and we held our own. Shoot, when we played them in '03 and '05, Chan whipped Tubby twice by an aggregate of 40-17.

 

[MountainBuzzMan]

Sadly all those days are gone and not coming back. The question is how do we make new days that we will call good old days and reminisces about in the future?

CPJ brought us a number of good years on a shoe string budget that I now greatly miss. I believe Key can do the same thing. Maybe 2024 will be one of those pleasant shockingly great years

 

[stingerman]

Sadly all those days are gone and not coming back. The question is how do we make new days that we will call good old days and reminisces about in the future?

CPJ brought us a number of good years on a shoe string budget that I now greatly miss. I believe Key can do the same thing. Maybe 2024 will be one of those pleasant shockingly great years

Agree and he's already started. Last year's UNC game will be on my "good ol' days" list for sure!

 

[lauraee]

Sally Jenkins at the Washington Post has an interesting POV. I made the paywall open for this post.

https://wapo.st/4e7J2Ka

Great article! Agree with all of it.

The way the NCAA is dumping 60% of the legal settlement liability on the smaller conferences is crazy.
"Alabama should have to eat its own rotting meal, not shove it down Seton Hall’s throat."

 

[stinger78]

“Don’t give up… don’t ever give up!” - Jimmy Valvano (1991)

Just watched the show on Jimmy V on the ACC Network. Wow! What a message.

Things are never as bad as they seem. GT sports is still alive. Don’t give up.

 

[GSOJacket]

I know a few Auburn fans that remember Tech as one of their biggest games. They used to have a parade when they played us. They called it the "Wreck Tech Pajama Parade" or something like that. And we were still playing them yearly when I was at Tech. And Bama has Tech mentioned in their fight song.

I'm not suggesting we have to go back to the SEC. Even if we wanted to, they wouldn't allow us back in. But we were a big friggin' deal back in the day when we were in that conference, and even beyond. Personally, I'd like to rekindle the Auburn rivalry as a game that's played much more often. It was a great rivalry, and we held our own. Shoot, when we played them in '03 and '05, Chan whipped Tubby twice by an aggregate of 40-17.

When I was at Tech (Class of '62) the Auburn game was THE big game to most students - especially out-of-state students like me. Auburn had some terrific teams, and the Georgia game over Thanksgiving weekend, when many of us had gone home, was just not that big a deal. I would say Auburn, Tennessee, and Georgia in that order.

 

[neb llarmus]

I know a few Auburn fans that remember Tech as one of their biggest games. They used to have a parade when they played us. They called it the "Wreck Tech Pajama Parade" or something like that. And we were still playing them yearly when I was at Tech. And Bama has Tech mentioned in their fight song.

I'm not suggesting we have to go back to the SEC. Even if we wanted to, they wouldn't allow us back in. But we were a big friggin' deal back in the day when we were in that conference, and even beyond. Personally, I'd like to rekindle the Auburn rivalry as a game that's played much more often. It was a great rivalry, and we held our own. Shoot, when we played them in '03 and '05, Chan whipped Tubby twice by an aggregate of 40-17.

Got Tubby fired.