J Batt interviewing for USC(e) AD job

[4shotB]

I think you missed my point.

Ha! I was wondering when I replied if maybe that was your point.

 

[laoh]

Volleyball is on a tear since 2019 and as a national trend, volleyball has been on the rise. Go to Lincoln and you'll see just how passionate people are for the sport.

 

[laoh]

If anyone is paying attention, Thamel has broken most of GT's biggest news the past few years. That guy has a VERY VERY good source in our program...

So if we sign J Batt to a 5 year deal, I think he's here to stay for the long term, esp considering he has young boys now... maybe if UNC comes calling in the future and his boys are right at the transition state going into middle school or something, then maybe he leaves?

 

[AUFC]

Volleyball is on a tear since 2019 and as a national trend, volleyball has been on the rise. Go to Lincoln and you'll see just how passionate people are for the sport.

O'Keefe is a great example for what we can hope to expect from a reduced capacity Bobby Dodd. The program sells out O'Keefe every game and single game tickets for the entire season are sold out on the day they are released. There's a waitlist for season tickets. The program has a ton of momentum, wins their home games, and the games are just plain fun to attend - even as someone who knows very little about volleyball, I find myself emotionally invested when I'm at the games and will tune into games on ESPN+ occasionally. That's how you create fans.

 

[Randy Carson]

In terms of attendance potential:

Football, Basketball, Baseball/Softball & Soccer. I wouldn't consider hockey due the costs associated with the facility.

 

[LongforDodd]

So if we sign J Batt to a 5 year deal, I think he's here to stay for the long term, esp considering he has young boys now... maybe if UNC comes calling in the future and his boys are right at the transition state going into middle school or something, then maybe he leaves?

Yes but did you see the look on the face of one of his boys in the picture that was posted here within the past few days? That young man didn't seem to like being in that picture.

 

[4shotB]

Go to Lincoln and you'll see just how passionate people are for the sport.

Lincoln? Maybe there are lurking variables at work here.

 

[57jacket]

Batt. Great fund raiser. Enough said

 

[Randy Carson]

O'Keefe is a great example for what we can hope to expect from a reduced capacity Bobby Dodd. The program sells out O'Keefe every game and single game tickets for the entire season are sold out on the day they are released. There's a waitlist for season tickets. The program has a ton of momentum, wins their home games, and the games are just plain fun to attend - even as someone who knows very little about volleyball, I find myself emotionally invested when I'm at the games and will tune into games on ESPN+ occasionally. That's how you create fans.

Yep.

I think we need to stop giving up our home field advantage by playing at MBS. In Dodd We Trust.

Ticket sales be damned, I think we should limit the visiting section to something more like 20% or so. MAX.

1. Why should a home game at BDS look like we're playing at Sanford Stadium?
2. An empty seat doesn't cheer against us.

And while I'm on this soapbox, I don't know the elasticity of demand for home ticket sales, but I'd rather we have a full stadium at $25.00 per ticket than a half full stadium at $50.00.

 

[AUFC]

By the way, I think women's soccer would do extremely well at Tech. With no NWSL in the area, you have to drive all the way to Athens if you live in the metro area and want to see high level women's soccer. WBB captures a pretty good sidewalk fan audience for this same reason but they have to compete w/ the Dream - I would expect them to match or eclipse MBB attendance (which isn't saying much) if the team continues to win. I expect them to dance come March and they will be in the Top 25 if they can beat Missy St tomorrow.

 

[apatriot1776]

O'Keefe is a great example for what we can hope to expect from a reduced capacity Bobby Dodd. The program sells out O'Keefe every game and single game tickets for the entire season are sold out on the day they are released. There's a waitlist for season tickets. The program has a ton of momentum, wins their home games, and the games are just plain fun to attend - even as someone who knows very little about volleyball, I find myself emotionally invested when I'm at the games and will tune into games on ESPN+ occasionally. That's how you create fans.

I just hope we don't price out the casual fan with a reduced-capacity BDS. We've already seen a move upmarket this year. Don't know if I would've even gone to GT had there not been cheap tickets available on the day of my college visit (against Ga Southern in 2014, and despite the cheap tickets it was still a packed house at 53,173).

 

[AugustaSwarm]

Yep.

I think we need to stop giving up our home field advantage by playing at MBS. In Dodd We Trust.

Ticket sales be damned, I think we should limit the visiting section to something more like 20% or so. MAX.

1. Why should a home game at BDS look like we're playing at Sanford Stadium?
2. An empty seat doesn't cheer against us.

And while I'm on this soapbox, I don't know the elasticity of demand for home ticket sales, but I'd rather we have a full stadium at $25.00 per ticket than a half full stadium at $50.00.

The real problem is season ticket holders selling their tickets...especially for the uGA game. That has nothing to do with Batt or the AA. If the games are more competitive and our fans actually think we can compete, they might not sell their tickets. It really grates my nerves to see half or more of the Club Seats wearing red and black...

 

[Ramble1885]

The real problem is season ticket holders selling their tickets...especially for the uGA game. That has nothing to do with Batt or the AA. If the games are more competitive and our fans actually think we can compete, they might not sell their tickets. It really grates my nerves to see half or more of the Club Seats wearing red and black...

The only time I've seen that be a problem was 2019 and 2021 when it looked like uga home games.

Last year our fans did a good job and it was about 50/50 at the Dodd which isn't GREAT but is historically around what it usually is. (in 1985 it was nearly a 50/50 split, and it's been around 50/50 to 60/40 Tech since then)

 

[apatriot1776]

The real problem is season ticket holders selling their tickets...especially for the uGA game. That has nothing to do with Batt or the AA. If the games are more competitive and our fans actually think we can compete, they might not sell their tickets. It really grates my nerves to see half or more of the Club Seats wearing red and black...

I know UGA tracks whether their students have sold their season tickets to an opposing fan and will move them to the back of the line of ticket allotment. Maybe they should dock A-T points from season ticket holders for selling it to an opponent...

 

[MacDaddy2]

I know UGA tracks whether their students have sold their season tickets to an opposing fan and will move them to the back of the line of ticket allotment. Maybe they should dock A-T points from season ticket holders for selling it to an opponent...

I do not disagree with this but how would you monitor the activities at Seatgeek? A participating sponsor.

 

[AUFC]

Having opposing fans in our stadiums/arenas is an unfortunate side effect of the school being located in a major metropolitan city. If you see someone wearing Carolina Blue in Bobby Dodd Stadium and they aren't in Sections 130/131, they purchased their seats via RamblinWreck.com or a reseller platform. The reality is that many ACC graduates relocate to Atlanta after graduating because there are so many jobs here. Their games in Atlanta are their easiest and cheapest way to see their team play and support their school. Georgetown basketball has this same problem in DC where Big East alums take over their arena and get very loud chants going.

Another unfortunate problem is that Atlanta is a fun and easy place to get to for a long weekend vacation so I suspect a lot of traveling away fans pick us as their yearly destination.

 

[Oakland]

Perhaps but do they generate more revenue than expenses? Let's focus and improve the sports we have now. Then consider expansion at that time. IMO. I don't believe growth in and of itself is necessarily a good goal (assuming of course that it does NOT generate income in excess of expenses).

I really don't want to look at the figures, but when you take a look at men's basketball you got to ask, which sport keeps within budget, men's basketball or women's volleyball? Both get television coverage through the ACCN, both have their own courts, tickets are harder to get to women's volleyball, the men's basketball team maybe had 300 people there for their game against Texas Southern. I think the women's volleyball team either breaks even or makes a small profit. Right now, I think the men's basketball team is a drain. You're right, we need to improve the sports we have now.
Edit: Why are the students staying away from basketball, but go nuts over the volleyball team? Is there some disconnect going on?

 

[apatriot1776]

I do not disagree with this but how would you monitor the activities at Seatgeek? A participating sponsor.

I believe they use a camera to review whether the person coming in is the same as the person on the ticket. That's too intrusive but it shouldn't be too hard to take a 360-view of the field and review whether the butt in the seat you own is wearing red or gold. There's a few edge cases (for example, I would likely be dinged if I bought season tix because I have a wife that went to the other school) but in general would help as long as the A-T penalty isn't too intrusive.

UGA also makes it easy to "donate" your student tickets back to the school for someone else to claim them - perhaps GT could have a similar deal where you can sell a specific ticket back to the athletic dept for face value or X% of face value. I realize UGA fans could buy through GT but maybe that would at least cut down on it?

 

[laoh]

I miss the old days when I can walk up to BDS 5 minutes before kickoff and buy a good seat from a desperate scalper for $20.

 

[AUFC]

I really don't want to look at the figures, but when you take a look at men's basketball you got to ask, which sport keeps within budget, men's basketball or women's volleyball? Both get television coverage through the ACCN, both have their own courts, tickets are harder to get to women's volleyball, the men's basketball team maybe had 300 people there for their game against Texas Southern. I think the women's volleyball team either breaks even or makes a small profit. Right now, I think the men's basketball team is a drain. You're right, we need to improve the sports we have now.
Edit: Why are the students staying away from basketball, but go nuts over the volleyball team? Is there some disconnect going on?

The atmosphere is much better in O'Keefe than McCamish and you get more invested in the games due to it. McCamish could be an insane atmosphere, but it's a chicken & egg problem.

The games are fun when McCamish is sold out --> I don't want to go to the game because McCamish won't be sold out and won't be fun --> attendance stays poor.