Hey, I want to offer an alternative line of reasoning. Certainly the Braves seem to do well offering a Premium Experience (TM). Maybe. Maybe they suck, they knew they were going to suck, and stabbed Atlanta in the back because they figured they didn't intend to be a serious baseball team again in the next 20 years, so why not make your money being a landlord on the backs of Cobb County taxpayers, like all good wealthy parasites do?
Sorry, I may be a bit angry still. It is hate week and all.
Anyway, as it happens through various connections I watch around a third of my games every year in a box seat. There's food, there's booze, there's comfy chairs.
I'm not a huge fan. I miss the swarm. If I wanted (and please pardon my crudity) fellation while I watched a game I'd stay home and ask my wife. And I wouldn't have to put my pants back on after, either.
We need to have a better atmosphere that's present in the moment. The swarm standing and cheering every down with prescribed motions for each situation? Awesome.
The 80 year old man who attends like 3 games a year and stands 10 mins at a time because that's all his legs can handle, but screams the good word at half time? Triple awesome. I want to put that old man on my shoulders when we rush the field after running over the mutts.
Sitting in a "premium" lounge buying booze and sitting at a nice bar while a game is played? Look, no offense, but I built my own company. I don't need the GT stadium to tell me I'm special. I won't deny that that's a draw, but I want to work on how to get those people out of the lounge and to open the box windows and join the stadium.
I think we need to do a few things. First, send staff on fact finding missions for dead sections. Next season, don't let the folks who won't stand up and cheer sit together. I don't care how much cash you give, if you can't muster a response to the Good Word you need to get your head on straight.
Second, engage with lively groups. Seed the dead sections (you know who you are) with 4 x 20 sections reserved for last 5 year alumni who joined the swarm every year they were a student.
Engage the frats. My Dad's plege class showed up for homecoming for the new Delta Sig house. The wreck parade ain't what it used to be. But approach the frats and help them send a pledge class to games on a rotation, like every X years your class goes to the Xth game and sits together.
Do the same with the IEEE, the ASME, etc. Have sections sold to the local sections, and have rotations for out of town sections. We're not poor, and it's not that hard to get Tech alumni to commit to one or two games a year, especially if you're caught up in supporting the team.
Hell, offer packages to GTSwarm members. I know y'all know how to cheer. Put us in the middle of a section and we'll change the atmosphere.
Ask Atlanta United- the Mercedes Benz clusterdome may be good for premium nickle and dining, but it kills fandom where BDS rocks. We can do things to accentuate that strength.
That's what's key in my view. Whatever my wife's talents (and they are many) or the wideness of my screen, or my affinity for no pants, there is no feeling of belonging like a good Tech game in the right section. That's what we ought to be selling. That's what gets folks out of their living rooms. Screw selling 10k plus seat lisences, up with the White and Gold.