Improving fan experience

[Wrecked]

I've always thought we should crank up the beginning of Thunderstruck by ACDC ala Va Tech and Enter Sandman then roll into Rambling Wreck whe.n the Wreck rolls onto the field. The crowd chanting "Thunder" would be awesome especially at night

 

[bobongo]

You probably walked up hill both ways in the snow to attend games back then, too.

No, but that's an excellent example of an irrelevant non-sequitur.

 

[AUFC]

What don't you like about the SS? We're in the 200 level and it's great especially with a young kid, we can sit 95% of the game.

A few things:

1) The view is awful in the SS. This is the hugest issue...the huge stage in front of the section makes the whole 6 yard box unviewable unless you're sitting in the front row of 136/102. The touchline and corners are unviewable from the club seats but I'd rather miss out on that than the goal and goal-mouth. I hate the anxiety and fight of finding a good seat as the march finishes. They built MBS too much like an NFL stadium and not enough like a Soccer Specific Stadium (which is obviously not a surprise - if you've never sat in an SSS, I'd encourage you to experience one for an ATLUTD away game...it should be the golden standard for small P5, G5 and FCS college football. The seats go upward instead of backward and it makes for a really intimate, intimidating atmosphere where you feel like you're on top of the pitch).

2) The people. Some combination of how drunk everyone is, the chaos that is constant chanting, people who are new to the section, the flags - there are just constant fights going on in the section that you don't experience from the 200s. When having prime location seats, I have had people squeeze into my (saved) seat while in the bathroom at halftime and tell me to my face I wasn't sitting/standing there in the first half. If you sit near someone with a flag, you guaranteed will get people 2 or 3 rows back who have never sat in the SS before screaming at the flag guy and throwing beer and food (that inevitably hits you) all game because of the flag waving during play. The supporters group I'm a member of is a bunch of overgrown 28 year olds still stuck in high school...literally the cliquiest thing I've experienced in a long time.

I wanted to watch the games and participate in the atmosphere when I got supporters section tickets almost half a decade ago at this point (like I did in SWARM at GT games). The games at BDS were great but the whole experience at this point just detracts from my ability to watch and enjoy the games. Me and a buddy started selling our SS ticket early and buying club seats for the same price day-of towards the end of this past season. We stand in club and it's a great experience.

 

[bobongo]

Looks at SunTrust park. People today need distractions. Sure they should not need it. But what sells is distractions. People don't go to games to see a game they go for everything that comes with it. They want entertainment everywhere, and are willing to pay. As seen at SunTrust park. Hell they have carnival games at such trust with ziplines for the kids.

Half the "fans" at Tech games are on their phones. Us die heard fans cannot comprehend not watching the game, but the majority of the people that fill the stands need distractions. Gimmicks if you will.

If you think we will fill stands with fans like us, we are all kidding ourselves. There are probably under 5k of us. We need the average family that wants to go out for a day of entertainment that happens to be a GT game. That's how you build fanbases because once they have a good time they come back. Then it becomes tradition. Then it becomes the kids wanting to go to school here and maybe play here.

That's the theory, but I doubt it. Here's my theory - win and they will come, lose and they will stay home.
If they're not coming for the game, why don't they just go to the circus? I mean, what's the game for, a sideshow?
And why did they come to the games before we had all the distractions? So they could take a nap?
I don't think there should be nothing at the game but the game. I do believe the band should play, which everyone seems to have forgotten. They can barely get a note in edgewise.
I think there should be a PA announcer, just with the volume turned down. Why does it have to be so damned loud? The jumbotron is good, in moderation.
But it's gotten to the point that the "distractions" are just that - distractions from the main event. There can be too much of a good thing, and it's just gotten to be too much.
Canned music is favored over live music played by the band. The game day experience hasn't been enhanced, it's been degraded. But that's just me.
What a lot of people on here seem to think is that the more distractions we have, the more fans we'll have. I doubt that very seriously.

 

[stech81]

You probably walked up hill both ways in the snow to attend games back then, too.

Not to games but to school barefooted in the snow up hill only one way and I lived in Columbus Georgia. Well may be it was in the rain and a slight incline not really up hill.

 

[Animal02]

Not to games but to school barefooted in the snow up hill only one way and I lived in Columbus Georgia. Well may be it was in the rain and a slight incline not really up hill.

I used to go to class all the barefoot.

 

[Animal02]

That's the theory, but I doubt it. Here's my theory - win and they will come, lose and they will stay home.
If they're not coming for the game, why don't they just go to the circus? I mean, what's the game for, a sideshow?
And why did they come to the games before we had all the distractions? So they could take a nap?
I don't think there should be nothing at the game but the game. I do believe the band should play, which everyone seems to have forgotten. They can barely get a note in edgewise.
I think there should be a PA announcer, just with the volume turned down. Why does it have to be so damned loud? The jumbotron is good, in moderation.
But it's gotten to the point that the "distractions" are just that - distractions from the main event. There can be too much of a good thing, and it's just gotten to be too much.
Canned music is favored over live music played by the band. The game day experience hasn't been enhanced, it's been degraded. But that's just me.
What a lot of people on here seem to think is that the more distractions we have, the more fans we'll have. I doubt that very seriously.

Is there a way to like this 100 times?

 

[yoshiki2]

I used to go to class all the barefoot.

Can i know what year was that??

 

[Animal02]

Can i know what year was that??

Late 70's early 80s

 

[majorQ9]

The supporters group I'm a member of is a bunch of overgrown 28 year olds still stuck in high school....

Ahh so Resurgence

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I said, "Speaking strictly for myself", and the things I suggested are simply a throwback to the good old days, so you're equating the football game experience of old to nap time. It most certainly was nothing of the kind. I don't see anything suggesting "nap time" in wanting to hear the band, which is LIVE in contrast to the piped-in music, which is CANNED and can be heard anytime, anywhere. I find the band exciting, myself. Sorry you don't appreciate it. I come to a football game, not a concert or a video show. I think all this extra crap takes away from the experience, instead of enhancing it. But I know I'm in the minority, and I'm not suggesting we do these things. As I clearly indicated when I said, "Speaking strictly for myself".

I agree but it doesn't have to be either or. Let's make it a FOOTBALL experience primarily while mixing in some "urban Atlanta" cutting edge experiences at carefully planned strategic moments. I would not mind dancing during a timeout in the middle of a tense game to relieve tension.

 

[bobongo]

I agree but it doesn't have to be either or. Let's make it a FOOTBALL experience primarily while mixing in some "urban Atlanta" cutting edge experiences at carefully planned strategic moments. I would not mind dancing during a timeout in the middle of a tense game to relieve tension.

Wouldn't mind that a bit, and I think it's a great idea to get the community involved. You're right, it's not "either or", but we should be tasteful and smart about how we "enhance" the football experience, lest we degrade it. And don't forget the BAND. Everyone should keep in mind that it is our band, and we should take more pride in it than to have it crowded out by canned music. Adding some urban Atlanta experiences would be fantastic, and it should always be LIVE.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Wouldn't mind that a bit, and I think it's a great idea to get the community involved. You're right, it's not "either or", but we should be tasteful and smart about how we "enhance" the football experience, lest we degrade it. And don't forget the BAND. Everyone should keep in mind that it is our band, and we should take more pride in it than to have it crowded out by canned music. Adding some urban Atlanta experiences would be fantastic, and it should always be LIVE.

We are on the same page.

 

[AUFC]

Ahh so Resurgence

Nailed it. Lmao...I only joined when it was getting off the ground because a close friend of mine started it and they had free tailgates - good enough for me!

I'm probably switching this year to Footie Mob. The people in it who I've met are a little more my style anyway and they used to do watch parties like a mile from my place at Midway Pub (though I think now they do them in Decatur).

 

[Northeast Stinger]

No, but that's an excellent example of an irrelevant non-sequitur.

Are non-sequiters ever relevant?

 

[bobongo]

Are non-sequiters ever relevant?

Come to think of it, no - an excellent example of excess superfluity.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

1. You could remove a portion of the bleachers in the upper north stands and turn it into a bar/dining/party area for VIP access. View of ATL Skyline could make this a cool party place for folks who aren’t diehard football fans.

2. Take out all bleachers and replace with more comfortable seating.

Just spitballing here. Please respect my decision (always wanted to say this). [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

“that wouldn’t increase cost”

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Wouldn't mind that a bit, and I think it's a great idea to get the community involved. You're right, it's not "either or", but we should be tasteful and smart about how we "enhance" the football experience, lest we degrade it. And don't forget the BAND. Everyone should keep in mind that it is our band, and we should take more pride in it than to have it crowded out by canned music. Adding some urban Atlanta experiences would be fantastic, and it should always be LIVE.

I’m with ya. Can the canned music “our band can play any music “old” or “current” they want to. And yes it can get current players hyped when they do.

I’d love to give the band some home field advantage vs visiting bands with some amplification. Piped through the sound system or otherwise. Mutt band plays tunes primarily designed to out decibel other bands imo. I’d like to see us drown them out for a change. This would increase costs away from the op original request for ideas though.

So back to op.
1. Beer concessions
2. Play historic game (can even be from earlier games in the current season) replays on the jumbo tron pregame and simultaneously to TVs in the concourses. Some montages of great football game wins / plays would get folks hyped and their minds right pregame imo. Celebrate our history and successes.

Edit: disregard #2.......the stadium is pretty empty pregame so it wouldn’t reach a very large audience.

Onward to #3. When visiting teams don’t bring a band have some local talent perform at halftime either before or after the band takes the field. (Although that might increase costs?)

Onward to #4 then. Seat all away fans in the upper north and upper corners of the stadium. Divide and conquer.

 

[Granite City Jacket]

Put the visiting band in the upper north stands and mic our band

 

[bobongo]

I’m with ya. Can the canned music “our band can play any music “old” or “current” they want to. And yes it can get current players hyped when they do.

I’d love to give the band some home field advantage vs visiting bands with some amplification. Piped through the sound system or otherwise. Mutt band plays tunes primarily designed to out decibel other bands imo. I’d like to see us drown them out for a change. This would increase costs away from the op original request for ideas though.

So back to op.
1. Beer concessions
2. Play historic game (can even be from earlier games in the current season) replays on the jumbo tron pregame and simultaneously to TVs in the concourses. Some montages of great football game wins / plays would get folks hyped and their minds right pregame imo. Celebrate our history and successes.

Edit: disregard #2.......the stadium is pretty empty pregame so it wouldn’t reach a very large audience.

Onward to #3. When visiting teams don’t bring a band have some local talent perform at halftime either before or after the band takes the field. (Although that might increase costs?)

Onward to #4 then. Seat all away fans in the upper north and upper corners of the stadium. Divide and conquer.

Local bands would perform pretty cheap, IMO. Think of the exposure they're getting. And free tickets, to boot. Put them on the jumbotron, of course. Good idea to have them perform in lieu of absent visiting bands.

I think crowding our band out by canned music is the absolute wrong thing to do. This is OUR band. It must be somewhat demoralizing for the band to see their hard work and talents shunted aside for something people can hear anywhere, any time they want. We can only hear the band, live, at the game. I know I'm repeating myself, but I can't stress this enough.