From a student’s perspective

[bikeseat]

I have to say, I was down on the sidelines versus Pitt & I actually thought the Lower bowl of the North end was more full than I have seen in a while. If anything I left the game feeling pretty happy with Student and fraternity block attendance...that is until I entered this Pit of Misery and saw everyone complaining

 

[Vespidae]

I like how there are the vocal anti Collins crowd on here is nitpicking everything to justify that he's bad and the problem.
I'm sure if our win loss record was better there might have been a few more there over the weekend, but let's not kid ourselves it's been on the decline

CPJ was pretty blunt last year and prior years that Tech has a problem. The institute wasn't putting money forward for the program, they weren't promoting the program, nor the area around was. CPJ called out the attendance issue bunch . Yet now we have a coach trying to shoulder that issue , something the school should be doing.

Even in one of GTs best years under CPJ, 2014 we had issues filling the stadium
Winning isn't the only issue that's going to bring people back, you have to change the culture.and with gt being in a large city that's gonna be hard.

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I am increasingly of the opinion that the athletics program will never rise above mediocrity, regardless of who is coaching.

When Petit was President, he launched the research program which now generates $1B a year to the school and the state. That’s the priority. I also believe that moreso than any other event was the inflection point. Not leaving the SEC, not joining the ACC, research.

Research has fundamentally changed the faculty, the development priorities and the the general culture of the school. Do I like it? No. I want a return to on the field glory as well. But, the President is measured by the BOR on research dollars ... not athletics. What gets measured gets done.

 

[TheFlyest]

Those 404 the culture shirts should literally be all over the metro. Should be selling them at high schools games and events.

To get people at the stadium and in the stands they’ll have to be a concerted effort to getting youth in the game. They not paying $40 to see GT.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

I have to say, I was down on the sidelines versus Pitt & I actually thought the Lower bowl of the North end was more full than I have seen in a while. If anything I left the game feeling pretty happy with Student and fraternity block attendance...that is until I entered this Pit of Misery and saw everyone complaining

The student section was great. I will also add that the club section stayed pretty full as well during the game, which is unusual. The upper north was barren though.

 

[bobongo]

You weren’t even at the game and you’re talking **** to me? lol

At least I was honest about it. I didn't make up straw man arguments, and when called on it try to get out of it by claiming I was just making a "jokey dig".

 

[JacketGirl]

FIFY. But, I'll take you word for it. You were there for both. However, others have contradicted that so I dunno.

I was there for both and I think there were more people there this year.

Unless someone physically counted every person both years this is such a silly debate. It’s not a “winnable” argument and is killing my brain cells.

 

[BleedGoldNWhite21]

At least I was honest about it. I didn't make up straw man arguments, and when called on it try to get out of it by claiming I was just making a "jokey dig".

Sure thing *rolls eyes*

 

[bobongo]

I was there for both and I think there were more people there this year.

Unless someone physically counted every person both years this is such a silly debate. It’s not a “winnable” argument and is killing my brain cells.

Quite true.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

I was there for both and I think there were more people there this year.

Unless someone physically counted every person both years this is such a silly debate. It’s not a “winnable” argument and is killing my brain cells.

There is a gate count. It was less. That's why the AJC reported on the historically low turnout. Eyeballs can be deceiving.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

I was there for both and I think there were more people there this year.

Unless someone physically counted every person both years this is such a silly debate. It’s not a “winnable” argument and is killing my brain cells.

All I know is that the student section, particularly in the south stands, was not full. And for the last two HC's, the upper east was packed with students with date tickets, and there were none up there with me this year.

 

[4shotB]

Unless someone physically counted every person both years this is such a silly debate. It’s not a “winnable” argument and is killing my brain cells.

I don't think you understand or else severely underestimate how important it is to win an anonymous argument on the internet about games played by adolescents. This is serious business. Really.

 

[JacketGirl]

I don't think you understand or else severely underestimate how important it is to win an anonymous argument on the internet about games played by adolescents. This is serious business. Really.

Hahaha!! Exactly. I often want to give a contrary opinion on here just to see how long the message board warriors will argue with me. But I don’t have the time or the patience.

 

[takethepoints]

I am increasingly of the opinion that the athletics program will never rise above mediocrity, regardless of who is coaching.

When Petit was President, he launched the research program which now generates $1B a year to the school and the state. That’s the priority. I also believe that moreso than any other event was the inflection point. Not leaving the SEC, not joining the ACC, research.

Research has fundamentally changed the faculty, the development priorities and the the general culture of the school. Do I like it? No. I want a return to on the field glory as well. But, the President is measured by the BOR on research dollars ... not athletics. What gets measured gets done.

Well, we were 11 - 3 and 7th ranked in football a mere 5 years ago and won 9 games in 2016. And we had a winning record last year. I don't know if I agree that we are doomed to "mediocrity". But that depends on how you define it. If by "above mediocrity" you mean that we win 8 - 10 games every year and beat Ugag every other year, then you're right. We aren't going to do that; very, very few programs do. Tech has always won consistently, but only reaches the heights every now and then. We can recruit much better and still not do it. When Tech has been consistently good, we have done it by great Xs and Os, not by great Jimmys and Joes. I've said here many times that I don't think we will be able to recruit enough good/great players to "avoid mediocrity" in this sense while playing conventional college football. I continue to think that's true. I also have said I could be wrong and that I hope I am. We're in the middle of a giant natural experiment that will tell us soon enough.

But … everything you say about the changes in at Tech are true. And good thing too. Tech is one of the biggest reasons Georgia continues to be a place where businesses, especially high tech ones, want to invest. No amount of yearning for football glory by Tech fans will lead to the changes needed to turn the place into a football factory; there is simply no constituency for that in positions of power to do it. Good thing for the state's economy too. We have to keep our eyes on the prize here.

 

[bobongo]

There is a gate count. It was less. That's why the AJC reported on the historically low turnout. Eyeballs can be deceiving.

Not contradicting you - maybe you know this, and maybe I'm missing it, but I don't see anyone counting people going in the gates. I always assumed the announced attendance was the paid attendance. The crowd announced this year was forty something thousand, and I'm quite sure almost everyone would agree there were not that many at the game. Was there a "gate count" less than the announced number? What was it?

 

[Vespidae]

Well, we were 11 - 3 and 7th ranked in football a mere 5 years ago and won 9 games in 2016. And we had a winning record last year. I don't know if I agree that we are doomed to "mediocrity". But that depends on how you define it. If by "above mediocrity" you mean that we win 8 - 10 games every year and beat Ugag every other year, then you're right. We aren't going to do that; very, very few programs do. Tech has always won consistently, but only reaches the heights every now and then. We can recruit much better and still not do it. When Tech has been consistently good, we have done it by great Xs and Os, not by great Jimmys and Joes. I've said here many times that I don't think we will be able to recruit enough good/great players to "avoid mediocrity" in this sense while playing conventional college football. I continue to think that's true. I also have said I could be wrong and that I hope I am. We're in the middle of a giant natural experiment that will tell us soon enough.

But … everything you say about the changes in at Tech are true. And good thing too. Tech is one of the biggest reasons Georgia continues to be a place where businesses, especially high tech ones, want to invest. No amount of yearning for football glory by Tech fans will lead to the changes needed to turn the place into a football factory; there is simply no constituency for that in positions of power to do it. Good thing for the state's economy too. We have to keep our eyes on the prize here.

I haven’t decided whether you’re agreeing with me or not.

In simplest terms, while Tech *may* win, I don’t think the school (not the AA), *cares* if it wins. If you were to poll the faculty, I’ll bet 80% would say to end sports all together.

That’s what I mean by mediocrity. The Hill could care less whether we’re Rice or Alabama. And I think that mentality finds itself into the student population and to some extent, the fan base.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Not contradicting you - maybe you know this, and maybe I'm missing it, but I don't see anyone counting people going in the gates. I always assumed the announced attendance was the paid attendance. The crowd announced this year was forty something thousand, and I'm quite sure almost everyone would agree there were not that many at the game. Was there a "gate count" less than the announced number? What was it?

They scan every single ticket when you enter. It's not hard to count the scans electronically.

 

[coldbeer]

Not contradicting you - maybe you know this, and maybe I'm missing it, but I don't see anyone counting people going in the gates. I always assumed the announced attendance was the paid attendance. The crowd announced this year was forty something thousand, and I'm quite sure almost everyone would agree there were not that many at the game. Was there a "gate count" less than the announced number? What was it?

The GTAA, like most other orgs, won't announce that lower amount (tickets scanned).

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[bobongo]

They scan every single ticket when you enter. It's not hard to count the scans electronically.

I'm curious as to the actual attendance. It cannot possibly be over 40,000, either for this year's homecoming or last years (the stated figures in the AJC article). I can't believe there were that many people actually there. What was the "gate count"?

 

[coldbeer]

You won't ever know.

It's used internally by the GTAA.

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[Augusta_Jacket]

I'm curious as to the actual attendance. It cannot possibly be over 40,000, either for this year's homecoming or last years (the stated figures in the AJC article). I can't believe there were that many people actually there. What was the "gate count"?

That is the gate count. Don't trust your eyes, they will deceive you. GTAA reports scanned tickets at the gate as attendance.