So... can we raise money like this????

[Vespidae]

I know diddly about raising money but it reading the entries hereabout is interesting, the big vs. little donations debate particularly. It might be instructive, however, to keep in mind that while drooling over Clemson's splashy digs and financial support backed by the booster group IPTAY, that the acronym is for "I Pay Ten Dollars A Year". From such modest beginnings such things grew.

I just got a note that the alumni and GTAA databases have been combined. If so, that’s huge.

 

[TooTall]

I just got a note that the alumni and GTAA databases have been combined. If so, that’s huge.

Saw that in my AT Fund update letter I got but just tossed it away thinking it wasn't accurate lol

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Rhetorical question here, NE Stinger...What are the shear numbers of graduates who actually grew up in the American culture where football, basketball, baseball, etc meant something. While waiting for my daughter's 2016 graduation ceremony to begin, I was reading the roster of graduates. Dare I say that Patel was the predominate last name of everyone receiving a diploma that session? And the names in some fancy computer-related Masters and PHD programs? Hah!!

As far as the funding necessary to make GT somewhat respectable and relevant....Atlas is indeed shrugging.

Whenever I hint at the fact that Tech culture is different I'm accused of being elitist. Of course, I think they are taking me the wrong way but Tech culture is different.

Now that doesn't mean we can't compete but it does mean there are no easy or facile comparisons to be made with other schools.

 

[awbuzz]

I just got a note that the alumni and GTAA databases have been combined. If so, that’s huge.

Just opened mine a few minutes ago. Saw the same. "Many hours and 18 months to complete."

 

[forensicbuzz]

Whenever I hint at the fact that Tech culture is different I'm accused of being elitist. Of course, I think they are taking me the wrong way but Tech culture is different.

Now that doesn't mean we can't compete but it does mean there are no easy or facile comparisons to be made with other schools.

I would agree with this. Tech is a different kind of school than most D1 schools. I don't think anyone debates this. I think the argument comes when people use that difference as an excuse for not recruiting well or playing at the highest level or when we get overlooked by guys we want.

That being said, academically, I'd compare us to Cal Poly, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, University of Chicago, Colorado School of Mines, etc. Tech, historically, has had too small an alumni base to support the arms race. That's why Dodd got out. Tech doesn't have 15,000 graduates a year swelling the alumni ranks, they get about 3-4,000 now, and too large a percentage of those have 0% interest in GTAA.

So, financially, we'll always be behind the eight ball. Academics will always be a way to negatively recruit us. But, we have shown we can compete at the highest level, and I expect us to. There's nothing elitist about this. It's a different kind of school; not for everyone. Unfortunately, we have a higher percentage of non-interested students, so, adapt and overcome this. Finding solutions for the hard problems is what we are about.

yea, rah, rah!

 

[Skeptic]

Whenever I hint at the fact that Tech culture is different I'm accused of being elitist. Of course, I think they are taking me the wrong way but Tech culture is different.

Now that doesn't mean we can't compete but it does mean there are no easy or facile comparisons to be made with other schools.

Elitist, you.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Elitist, you.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Agree completely on all of this.

Every year when graduation rolls around I think to myself Uga just increased their alumni lead on us by several hundred more.

 

[AlaJacket]

I would agree with this. Tech is a different kind of school than most D1 schools. I don't think anyone debates this. I think the argument comes when people use that difference as an excuse for not recruiting well or playing at the highest level or when we get overlooked by guys we want.

That being said, academically, I'd compare us to Cal Poly, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, University of Chicago, Colorado School of Mines, etc. Tech, historically, has had too small an alumni base to support the arms race. That's why Dodd got out. Tech doesn't have 15,000 graduates a year swelling the alumni ranks, they get about 3-4,000 now, and too large a percentage of those have 0% interest in GTAA.

So, financially, we'll always be behind the eight ball. Academics will always be a way to negatively recruit us. But, we have shown we can compete at the highest level, and I expect us to. There's nothing elitist about this. It's a different kind of school; not for everyone. Unfortunately, we have a higher percentage of non-interested students, so, adapt and overcome this. Finding solutions for the hard problems is what we are about.

yea, rah, rah!

I'm not sure if the attendance by students is somewhat driven by just how well the team is doing won/loss wise. I'm sure student attneance must increase, but I'm just not sure how much. I had season tickets when George O was coach, but I can't really remember whether student attendance went up during his head coaching years. I do remember that basketball attendance went from almost nothing to through the roof when Bobby Cremins came, and started making the basketball team nationally competitive. It's never seemed to me that there is a surge in football season ticket sales after great years, but I'm not sure what the student attendance has done. One things for sure if the students don't have an interest while they are in college, it's going to be very difficult to get them interested later.

 

[Gold1]

Student attendance will be a lot better this year. They had a great showing for the spring game

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

Student attendance will be a lot better this year. They had a great showing for the spring game

But will they get to their seats before the 2nd quarter? I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[LongforDodd]

I'm not sure if the attendance by students is somewhat driven by just how well the team is doing won/loss wise. I'm sure student attneance must increase, but I'm just not sure how much. I had season tickets when George O was coach, but I can't really remember whether student attendance went up during his head coaching years. I do remember that basketball attendance went from almost nothing to through the roof when Bobby Cremins came, and started making the basketball team nationally competitive. It's never seemed to me that there is a surge in football season ticket sales after great years, but I'm not sure what the student attendance has done. One things for sure if the students don't have an interest while they are in college, it's going to be very difficult to get them interested later.

Students go to a game for the potential for a rush/high provided by an exciting atmosphere. Winning at any sport in the big three will bring out the students...even the Patels...if the atmosphere gets charged like during a thunderstorm.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Students go to a game for the potential for a rush/high provided by an exciting atmosphere. Winning at any sport in the big three will bring out the students...even the Patels...if the atmosphere gets charged like during a thunderstorm.

Moving away from Noon games will get more students to the games, especially in September and early October. We need 4-5 night games early on when it's so damn hot during the day.

 

[Skeptic]

I'm not sure if the attendance by students is somewhat driven by just how well the team is doing won/loss wise. I'm sure student attneance must increase, but I'm just not sure how much. I had season tickets when George O was coach, but I can't really remember whether student attendance went up during his head coaching years. I do remember that basketball attendance went from almost nothing to through the roof when Bobby Cremins came, and started making the basketball team nationally competitive. It's never seemed to me that there is a surge in football season ticket sales after great years, but I'm not sure what the student attendance has done. One things for sure if the students don't have an interest while they are in college, it's going to be very difficult to get them interested later.

Did not Bobby Crimmins once ride horseback around the campus, exhorting students to show up? Or did I imagine that?

 

[forensicbuzz]

I remember Bobby bringing the players to a small, informal gathering on the 2nd floor lounge of the Student Center (outside the record room) and giving a 10 minute talk the a bunch of us and then mingling with the students for a while. That was in 1987. We were pretty good then. I remember Hammonds, Ferrell, Neal, and a really young Dennis Scott being there. I remember Dennis being a little fleshy as a freshman. Bobby kind of rode him hard that year until he "got it."

 

[yrp]

Students go to a game for the potential for a rush/high provided by an exciting atmosphere. Winning at any sport in the big three will bring out the students...even the Patels...if the atmosphere gets charged like during a thunderstorm.

I agree with your point, but I'm sure international students don't like being referred to as "The Patels"

 

[Sonsir]

I think we could raise a significant amount of money if we all supported the GT Athletic association with our AmazonSmile purchases. It doesn't cost you anything extra, you just choose the GTAA as your charity and make your amazon purchases through smile.amazon.com and a perentage of your purchase goes to your charity.

 

[GCdaJuiceMan]

I think we could raise a significant amount of money if we all supported the GT Athletic association with our AmazonSmile purchases. It doesn't cost you anything extra, you just choose the GTAA as your charity and make your amazon purchases through smile.amazon.com and a perentage of your purchase goes to your charity.

Especially with Prime day (7/15-16: major deals for amazon prime members) right around the corner - I am guessing that you have done this already?

Another note - I think you can get in on a free month subscription from Amazon and still use Prime and get the benefits of discounts on prime day.

 

[LongforDodd]

I agree with your point, but I'm sure international students don't like being referred to as "The Patels"

You may not (or perhaps you did) see my earlier post about my observations of the make-up of my daughter's graduating class in 2016. "The Patels" is not a slight but it is an indication of another hurdle GT has to overcome in amassing a support system to help with our funding problem.

 

[iceeater1969]

You may not (or perhaps you did) see my earlier post about my observations of the make-up of my daughter's graduating class in 2016. "The Patels" is not a slight but it is an indication of another hurdle GT has to overcome in amassing a support system to help with our funding problem.

Your overall point about the description of the problem is spot on. We need all fans we can get from the student section.

It only takes a small slight to make a non fan for life.



All of us older guys know u don't intend "talk down" .

Wife writes for an alumni fund raising consultant. Most important thing w alumni comunication is to focus on something they really enjoyed WHILE A STUDENT .

I trust tstan and cgc to change.