Improvements to BDS and game attendance and atmosphere...

[Whiskey_Clear]

I'd hate to be the one cleaning up the vomit at the beer pavilion

How much vomit gets mopped up at the Benz or the braves new stadium?

 

[Animal02]

I have no idea why the attendance was so bad (apart from zero UVA fans). But let me make sure I have this right. We had 40k at Bowling Green when we were 1-3. Then, after winning 5 of the next 6 in a row with more fans at both Duke and Miami in between, it is your hypothesis that CPJ is the main reason fans suddenly decided not to come to UVA?

Again, not sure why attendance was so bad, but odd that the only difference between having 48k for Miami a week ago and 37k for UVA this week was fans being mad at CPJ.

On a personal note, I don’t know a single person that has stopped going to games because of CPJ, but my season ticket group has gone from 9 to 4 over the last few years for totally different reasons (moved away, new job, had first kids, etc).

I am sure others have antecdotes about a few fans that did stop because of CPJ, but if 8 winning seasons out of 10 including three ACC championship games and two Orange Bowl appearances is enough to make them give up their tickets, I question whether they were ever bound to keep their tickets anyway. Much more likely lots of other factors are the main reason— you know, the same factors forcing declining attendance at 90% of schools around the country—none of which has CPJ as the coach.

But but but......facts like that do not push the narrative that someone is constantly trying to sell.

 

[Animal02]

Imo we should take the south stands away and put the weight room under, like CPJ wants (if I’m not mistaken) make it glass though where you can see the field from the weight room. You could do a “standing room only” on top. Then take out the bleachers and do actually seats. Both of these things take out seats which makes the stadium fuller with fans, it also enhances the game day experience. The other thing I would like is to get the student section full By making a tailgate area for the students.

So many people assume that removing seats will result in a "fuller" stadium. In reality.....it doesn't work that way....it will just result in fewer seats sold.

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

LOL....Tech has had problems filling the stadium since I started going in 1969. It is full when we play Clemson, Georgia, Auburn, Notre Dame and used to be Navy would fill it up. Back in those days we would play Florida State or some other lousy team and that South end of the Horse Shoe would be empty. Bobby Dodd created band day, for those of you that remember that. He invited about 10 high school bands and parents to the games for free. In fact we did that into the 90's. heck let's bring that back, along with the card section.

“used to be Navy would fill it up”

You must have missed the clash with Navy in 1980 when there were about 17,000 there.

As to others comments about beer, I still think this is a BoR decision. Not entirely sure.

Seat backs? In a stadium not originally designed for them - they suck. unc being the biggest example. Might look nice when taking a picture of an empty stadium, but very uncomfortable during a game. And I do not think they would help attendance one bit, therefore they would lose us more gameday revenue.

And we are going through the AI2020 campaign which does not include funding for this. So exactly where are we going to get even more money to do this (and, again, don’t forget lost revenue, redesign cost to include such items as ADA, etc.)?

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

So many people assume that removing seats will result in a "fuller" stadium. In reality.....it doesn't work that way....it will just result in fewer seats sold.

True..........But....

I’d prefer to reduce seats and emilinate the ones that get bought up annually / biannually by mutt fans that either let them go empty or sell them to opposing fans except for hate week at BDS.

Revenue does matter more than my feelings above so if mutt money helps our bottom line appreciably I can put up with them. If we could beat them at BDS more than once every 20 years that would probably help deter their presence also.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

Tech Fund contributions are by definition tied to the purchase of season tickets and as of 1/1/2018 are no longer deductible. AT Fund contributions are still deductible if you itemize which is now quite unlikely given the bump in the standard deduction and limit on deductibility of local income and property taxes.

Yeah, that is correct. The Tech Fund has not been directly tied to the AT Fund. I don't know yet if I can use the standard deduction or not; I guess I'll find out soon.

 

[UpperNorth]

True..........But....

I’d prefer to reduce seats and emilinate the ones that get bought up annually / biannually by mutt fans that either let them go empty or sell them to opposing fans except for hate week at BDS.

Revenue does matter more than my feelings above so if mutt money helps our bottom line appreciably I can put up with them. If we could beat them at BDS more than once every 20 years that would probably help deter their presence also.

We’d have to beat them for who knows how many in a row to deter their presence. They have so little respect for us that when we beat them they can’t accept it, it’s like it didn’t happen. They just show up more arrogant.

I actually completely agree with your comments, would love to reduce seating, play in front of a full stadium of Tech fans, prevent so many dawgs from coming. But if those 2 or 3 games a year when we’re near capacity are vital to our budget then I guess it’s a necessary evil.

Right now it’s so cheap to get tickets on the secondary market for 90% of our games that it deters some fans from committing to season tickets. I know this because our group went that route until recently. My brother bought tickets for himself and his daughter to the UVA game for $11 a piece in the upper north and came and sat with us. We paid much more and Im glad to pay a little extra to support, but a lot of fans are going to choose the more economical option that requires less commitment.

 

[Animal02]

True..........But....

I’d prefer to reduce seats and emilinate the ones that get bought up annually / biannually by mutt fans that either let them go empty or sell them to opposing fans except for hate week at BDS.

Revenue does matter more than my feelings above so if mutt money helps our bottom line appreciably I can put up with them. If we could beat them at BDS more than once every 20 years that would probably help deter their presence also.

Need to get creative....especially with the students........give aways, maybe a free date ticket if you get there 30 minutes before KO. Should not allow season tickets sales on years with UGA unless you have a connection to the school....alumni, staff etc, or are renewing.

 

[tech_wreck47]

So many people assume that removing seats will result in a "fuller" stadium. In reality.....it doesn't work that way....it will just result in fewer seats sold.

Disagree, I don’t think attendance would lower and if that’s the case you would have less open spaces which would look like a fuller stadium. If you have 45,000 seats and 35,000 are filled it will look way fuller than having 55,000 seats and 35,000 filled. It’s also about the experience, something like that could attract more to come. I have two kids and I’d be a lot more interested in coming because of comfort. Also those other things I mentioned all play a part on getting the attendance up.

 

[Animal02]

Disagree, I don’t think attendance would lower and if that’s the case you would have less open spaces which would look like a fuller stadium. If you have 45,000 seats and 35,000 are filled it will look way fuller than having 55,000 seats and 35,000 filled. It’s also about the experience, something like that could attract more to come. I have two kids and I’d be a lot more interested in coming because of comfort. Also those other things I mentioned all play a part on getting the attendance up.

You assume a constant attendance......it doesn't work that way.

 

[tech_wreck47]

You assume a constant attendance......it doesn't work that way.

I’m assuming it will be the same as it has been for years now. Regardless, no matter how many fans are there, when you have less seats it will look fuller, unless you have a major drop off in attendance. Even then, the stadium would still look fuller than it would if you had a drop off in attendance but the same amount of seating as you currently have. 55,000 seats with 35,000 people looks more empty than 45,000 seats with the same 35,000 people. The same goes for less fans, 55,000 seats vs 45,00 seats with 25,000 fans and the stadium still looks fuller with 45,000 seats. The ratio of fans to seats gets better when taking seats out, no matter how many fans are there.

 

[GTBatGirl96]

That’s where the beer pavilion should go also....a very big beer pavilion. Want to bring in sidewalk fans....this would help more than anything else outside of regular 10 win seasons.

Maybe they can even extend it back over Bobby Dodd and have a bridge to Peters parking deck. Maybe make it a special entrance or something.

 

[MikeJackets1967]

I’m assuming it will be the same as it has been for years now. Regardless, no matter how many fans are there, when you have less seats it will look fuller, unless you have a major drop off in attendance. Even then, the stadium would still look fuller than it would if you had a drop off in attendance but the same amount of seating as you currently have. 55,000 seats with 35,000 people looks more empty than 45,000 seats with the same 35,000 people. The same goes for less fans, 55,000 seats vs 45,00 seats with 25,000 fans and the stadium still looks fuller with 45,000 seats. The ratio of fans to seats gets better when taking seats out, no matter how many fans are there.

A 40,000 seat stadium would be in my opinion better for GT than a 55,000 seat stadium

 

[Animal02]

I’m assuming it will be the same as it has been for years now. Regardless, no matter how many fans are there, when you have less seats it will look fuller, unless you have a major drop off in attendance. Even then, the stadium would still look fuller than it would if you had a drop off in attendance but the same amount of seating as you currently have. 55,000 seats with 35,000 people looks more empty than 45,000 seats with the same 35,000 people. The same goes for less fans, 55,000 seats vs 45,00 seats with 25,000 fans and the stadium still looks fuller with 45,000 seats. The ratio of fans to seats gets better when taking seats out, no matter how many fans are there.

So you would sacrifice $$$$ for the "look" Not really smart considering the arms race Tech is in with the factories.

 

[Vespidae]

Leave my damn upper North seats alone! Us STHs up there are among the most rabid Tech fans in BDS!

My seats are West 107. At the half, I went over to North 117. WOW was it loud. And a much better experience. I might change next year.

 

[stech81]

A 40,000 seat stadium would be in my opinion better for GT than a 55,000 seat stadium

I agree but would go about 48,000.

 

[MidnightJacket]

Here's a simple, realistic solution that I'm surprised hasn't been suggested by anyone yet. Buy season tickets and invest in one of those fanzone seats that get ziptied down to your spot. That way you don't have to get uncomfortable with anyone, and your seat is defined and cannot move.

 

[stech81]

So you would sacrifice $$$$ for the "look" Not really smart considering the arms race Tech is in with the factories.

Rremember the ACC channel next year will be more money. And it helps with recruiting if the Stadium is full of our fans

 

[MikeJackets1967]

I agree but would go about 48,000.

That's sounds pretty good also

 

[gtg970g]

Rremember the ACC channel next year will be more money. And it helps with recruiting if the Stadium is full of our fans

But everyone in the ACC will receive more from the media deal so it won't help us relative to most of our competitors.