Fanbase Size

[Techster]

To each their own, but I've never hesitated to wear GT clothing because of any setting, and I wear GT stuff quite often--and I'm by no means always surrounded by Tech fans. At some point, you gotta represent the "brand" and say **** 'em if someone doesn't like it. I get FAR more "Go Jackets" responses than I do anything negative. I don't remember (outside of a football gameday) ever having even gotten any grief from folks in Athens when I'm there and wearing GT stuff. Not saying this to be macho or whatever, I just figure I like what I like and don't care what some dwag thinks.

I've actually gotten more compliments in the past 4 years when I wear GT gear than I have when we were doing well. LOTS of ACC/SEC/B1G fans have told me how much better GT should be doing, and how great of a school GT is. `I have a lot of high school friends that went to UGA, and they wish GT well...except that one day in November when we play each other. Majority of fans have respect for GT...both our athletics and academics.

Funny story. A few months ago I was in Panama City watching the UGA-Missouri game at the hotel bar. We were surrounded by SEC fans and everyone was ragging on UGA for losing(at the time) to Mizzou. I was walking by a UGA fan when he said "GT fan?! You don't see many of those..." I replied back "Well, GT is pretty selective...very few can actually make it out of there. Unlike UGA where you just have to be able to bark like a dog..." All the SEC fans that heard that started laughing and I just walked off back to my seat at the bar. Got a few drinks sent my way after that.

 

[Lexjacket]

There is an air of alumni eliteness (dare I say snobbish) aire that permeates the Georgia Tech image in the rural and small towns of Georgia. I'm talking about the pulp wooders, peanut farmers, grocery clerks, car mechanics, etc. UGA attracts these fans by the 10's of thousands. Anywhere they go the have access to UGA gear, you can even see an ugly bulldog on 18 Wheeler mudflaps. UGA is the major story on all of Georgia media. Winning is the most important, but identifying and connecting with the general populace is as important. I am a sidewalk fan and have loved Georgia Tech for 52 years. I am a season ticket holder and I would love, love, love to see Georgia Tech be the dominant program in the state. Georgia Tech was dominant in 1961 when I saw my first Tech game and fell in love with the White and Gold. I believe the snooty reserve attitude of the past GTAA is the main problem.

 

[Vespidae]

Forty years ago, the choice was UGA or non-UGA. Tech was the non-UGA.

Today, the non-UGA market is KSU, Ga State, GA Southern, and Tech. Our equity has declined, not risen.

I’ve read these studies for decades. “Sleeping giant”, “potential game changer”, etc.

And yet …. Year after year, it never happens. In finance, there’s a saying that … When special costs happen every year, they aren’t special anymore. They are systematic.

Don’t delude yourself. Tech is a small school with a small fan base. Embrace that. We are never going to be an SEC school in terms of viewership. It’s not mathematically possible.

As my ME prof said, “The goal in problem solving is to deal with the constraints.”

The size of our fan base is a constraint.

 

[Vespidae]

There is an air of alumni eliteness (dare I say snobbish) aire that permeates the Georgia Tech image in the rural and small towns of Georgia. I'm talking about the pulp wooders, peanut farmers, grocery clerks, car mechanics, etc. UGA attracts these fans by the 10's of thousands. Anywhere they go the have access to UGA gear, you can even see an ugly bulldog on 18 Wheeler mudflaps. UGA is the major story on all of Georgia media. Winning is the most important, but identifying and connecting with the general populace is as important. I am a sidewalk fan and have loved Georgia Tech for 52 years. I am a season ticket holder and I would love, love, love to see Georgia Tech be the dominant program in the state. Georgia Tech was dominant in 1961 when I saw my first Tech game and fell in love with the White and Gold. I believe the snooty reserve attitude of the past GTAA is the main problem.

I salute your fandom.

Newsflash: Georgia Tech IS an ELITE school.

I have no desire to market Tech as a welding school. We ARE the best. By far.

 

[cpf2001]

KSU, GS, etc pulling from the prospective GT fanbase instead of from UGA’s is a failure of the Athletic Association both on and off the field.

But the ability of those programs to grow at all is a testament to potential that a less-incompetent GT could tap into…

 

[Dustman]

KSU, GS, etc pulling from the prospective GT fanbase instead of from UGA’s is a failure of the Athletic Association both on and off the field.

But the ability of those programs to grow at all is a testament to potential that a less-incompetent GT could tap into…

That’s an interesting perspective. I haven’t been to a game at KSU or Ga State. How many seats are they filling?

 

[Dustman]

Forty years ago, the choice was UGA or non-UGA. Tech was the non-UGA.

Today, the non-UGA market is KSU, Ga State, GA Southern, and Tech. Our equity has declined, not risen.

I’ve read these studies for decades. “Sleeping giant”, “potential game changer”, etc.

And yet …. Year after year, it never happens. In finance, there’s a saying that … When special costs happen every year, they aren’t special anymore. They are systematic.

Don’t delude yourself. Tech is a small school with a small fan base. Embrace that. We are never going to be an SEC school in terms of viewership. It’s not mathematically possible.

As my ME prof said, “The goal in problem solving is to deal with the constraints.”

The size of our fan base is a constraint.

Yeah this is just one of those topics that doesn’t end well. The truth hurts. But we can still produce a solid football team. We have before and we can again. We have to be willing to write the checks though.

 

[Dustman]

Millionaire ain’t what it used to be either. And probably big spending/donation difference between “millionaire by 35” and “millionaire at retirement.”

True, but that saying has been around for as long as I can remember and I’m over 60.

 

[cpf2001]

That’s an interesting perspective. I haven’t been to a game at KSU or Ga State. How many seats are they filling?

Not a ton. Georgia State reported between 12-20k per home game this year, which isn't nothing, though. Georgia Southern seems to be more like 18-20 consistently. KSU is quite a bit smaller.

But GT shouldn't be afraid of any of those programs - they aren't competing at the same level and "dual allegiance" sidewalk fans shouldn't be too hard to create if GT was winning and marketing well.

But embracing snobbery definitely isn't the way to do it. How often do UGA alum fans act snobbish to UGA non-alum fans who went to a lower-rated school because they couldn't get into UGA? Is that "elite"ness part of their identity in the same way? I bet ya that it's a lot less often than it happens from Tech fans.

 

[Lexjacket]

I salute your fandom.

Newsflash: Georgia Tech IS an ELITE school.

I have no desire to market Tech as a welding school. We ARE the best. By far.

I rest my case......welders are people too. In aviation welding is almost an art form. Georgia Tech engineers are some of the very best I've ever worked with, because they co-op, and get their hands dirty and work in the real world and get practical experience. The point I am trying to make is for years Tech fans have touted how smart they are (in lieu of being on a football level with UGA and the SEC). It turns off the average 'Joe's. The 'Elite attitude ' has become an excuse for not winning. CBK attacked that mindset in his introductory press conference. I have always admired the student athletes at Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech is a special place, but don't look down on welders.

 

[cpf2001]

Georgia Tech engineers are some of the very best I've ever worked with, because they co-op, and get their hands dirty and work in the real world and get practical experience.

Heck, there are other schools and places where that practicality is itself seen as reason to look down on places like GT. It's unproductive snobbery either way. Wish I still had my old North Avenue Trade School shirt from the bookstore...

 

[takethepoints]

There'a a difference between selectivity and snobbishness. A snob is selective because of the antecedents of the people involved. "He's not our kind of people." So when Harvard and Yale didn't admit Jews, it was because they didn't want "that kind of people" to be in their circles and thought (correctly) that a degree from their place would enable Jews ro take a more equitable place in American elites. Being selective is different. It's a matter of whether you can meet the standards, not how or what you are. A truly selective institution will take you regardless of race, color, creed, or social position if you can meet its standards.

Now, admittedly, there's a lot of class differences, long standing social prejudices, and, yes, snobbishness to overcome to be truly selective. But there's no need for any institution that is trying to be selective in the best sense to apologize for it or to condescend to those who try to make the place feel guilty about taking the best. That's what being selective is about. Tech tries hard to meet these standards. The best answer to a disappointed parent is, "Send her to another college and get her grades up. Tech is always ready to give someone who works a second chance." And it is.

And, of course, this applies to football as well as everything else.

 

[yeti92]

I salute your fandom.

Newsflash: Georgia Tech IS an ELITE school.

I have no desire to market Tech as a welding school. We ARE the best. By far.

But, you can learn how to weld there if you want.

 

[Texas_Wreck53]

Just FYI, we had significant discussion about this study back in June. I don't know how to link to the thread, but it was posted by @Texas_Wreck53.

I knew this seemed familiar.

 

[JacketOff]

KSU, GS, etc pulling from the prospective GT fanbase instead of from UGA’s is a failure of the Athletic Association both on and off the field.

But the ability of those programs to grow at all is a testament to potential that a less-incompetent GT could tap into…

None of those schools or programs are competing for new fans, or pulling existing fans from GT. 95% of people who would self-identify as a KSU, State, or Southern fan probably also roots for either GT or UGA, or some other out of state school for the most part. It’s like saying the Falcons are competing with GT and UGA for fans, or your local high school is competing with the college programs for fans. They’re not. They’re on very different levels. Different enough that there’s really no overlap.

I will say for a long time Georgia Southern fans pretty much exclusively rooted for Tech in the COFH rivalry. I don’t mean the people who go to Southern but then every Saturday they’re in Athens trying to party and celebrate with the dwags. I mean the people who actually attend games in Statesboro and contribute(d) to their program. Especially when Paul was here. They saw Tech as like a cousin program, and also a lot of UGA people will turn their nose up at Southern people and act “snobby.” I do think because Tech has been so bad recently that most of the people who are actually supporting KSU, State, and Southern have their second allegiance with UGA now. But I think if Tech were to just get to a point where we were competitive again that needle would shift back.

 

[Dustman]

Not a ton. Georgia State reported between 12-20k per home game this year, which isn't nothing, though. Georgia Southern seems to be more like 18-20 consistently. KSU is quite a bit smaller.

But GT shouldn't be afraid of any of those programs - they aren't competing at the same level and "dual allegiance" sidewalk fans shouldn't be too hard to create if GT was winning and marketing well.

But embracing snobbery definitely isn't the way to do it. How often do UGA alum fans act snobbish to UGA non-alum fans who went to a lower-rated school because they couldn't get into UGA? Is that "elite"ness part of their identity in the same way? I bet ya that it's a lot less often than it happens from Tech fans.

12-20k is significant. But we play better at a higher level against better opponents, and you’re right about dual allegiance fans in the same city. We can do that.

I guess everybody’s experience with snobbery depends on what they’ve experienced. I tailgated with four other guys for over 10 years, all of them sidewalk fans. Young and old. They all despised ugag every bit as much as I do. I’m probably your average older GT alum. When I meet other alums, we trade stories of drownproofing and shaft professors. When I meet sidewalk fans, I want to know their story and why they love Tech. I hold sidewalk fans in high regard. They choose to follow us instead of following the pack of mutts. I sure hope I don’t come across as a snob.

 

[BleedGoldNWhite21]

As a sidewalk fan, the only snobbery that I find annoying is when we lose a game and certain fans say things like “well our guys are actual student athletes. They take real classes”. There are plenty of real student athletes elsewhere, just as there are some prominent Tech players I know who got off relatively easy for GT standards. Most importantly though, it’s just sore losing.

 

[jgtengineer]

Not a ton. Georgia State reported between 12-20k per home game this year, which isn't nothing, though. Georgia Southern seems to be more like 18-20 consistently. KSU is quite a bit smaller.

But GT shouldn't be afraid of any of those programs - they aren't competing at the same level and "dual allegiance" sidewalk fans shouldn't be too hard to create if GT was winning and marketing well.

But embracing snobbery definitely isn't the way to do it. How often do UGA alum fans act snobbish to UGA non-alum fans who went to a lower-rated school because they couldn't get into UGA? Is that "elite"ness part of their identity in the same way? I bet ya that it's a lot less often than it happens from Tech fans.

Paulson only holds 25k. Prior to tyson summer sit was always a sell out but still its a small stadium. Georgia State over reports.

 

[wesgt123]

As a sidewalk fan, the only snobbery that I find annoying is when we lose a game and certain fans say things like “well our guys are actual student athletes. They take real classes”. There are plenty of real student athletes elsewhere, just as there are some prominent Tech players I know who got off relatively easy for GT standards. Most importantly though, it’s just sore losing.

Can’t stand it either. Also a sidewalk fan, so I have no true understanding of what it’s like to be a student at Tech.

But I’ll be damned when I hear we have smarter players than the other team. Nothing infuriates me more. I don’t care about grades. I don’t watch football to feel good after a loss because the quarterback has a difficult major. I care about winning.

 

[85Escape]

There is an air of alumni eliteness (dare I say snobbish) aire that permeates the Georgia Tech image in the rural and small towns of Georgia. I'm talking about the pulp wooders, peanut farmers, grocery clerks, car mechanics, etc. UGA attracts these fans by the 10's of thousands. Anywhere they go the have access to UGA gear, you can even see an ugly bulldog on 18 Wheeler mudflaps. UGA is the major story on all of Georgia media. Winning is the most important, but identifying and connecting with the general populace is as important. I am a sidewalk fan and have loved Georgia Tech for 52 years. I am a season ticket holder and I would love, love, love to see Georgia Tech be the dominant program in the state. Georgia Tech was dominant in 1961 when I saw my first Tech game and fell in love with the White and Gold. I believe the snooty reserve attitude of the past GTAA is the main problem.

There is also a heavy dose of urban vs rural thing we see played out in politics all over the country. No matter how much we try, being in ATL will put us in the 'city slickers' category as it relates to small-town GA. I don't think it near as much snobbery as it is a presumed snobbery.

I grew up as country-as-they-come in small-town GA, and still have that world-view in lots of things. But when I go home I have to try extra hard not to be seen as a sell-out to urbanity.

I think getting the boys at the Feed and Seed to care about GT football will be really, really hard. It might not even be worth the effort. They aren't in our target demographic and we'd have to change our brand to identify with them (to put it into stark business words.)

Our Brand and Points of Difference for attracting fans need to be authentic to who we are, and trying to appeal to everyone is always a mistake. I think our best brand is to be the "Dr. Pepper" of the state's football.

We are bold, quirky and, most importantly, an alternative to the 'norm'.