Tech - uga in 2025 at MB Stadium

[gte447f]

I hate playing home games at MBS, but this one really doesn’t bother me. It’s a good decision by Batt for a $10M payday, and this won’t be much more of a home game for the mutts than it would be if it were played at Bobby Dodd. The real problem here is our putrid attendance at home games throughout the season. It leaves a big revenue hole that has to be filled by these stupid games at MBS. And our crappy attendance has nothing to do with how old our stadium is or how hot it is in the east stands.

 

[MacDaddy2]

I would understand the move if the tickets were included in the season ticket package. Since it forces season ticket holders to shell out extra for the additional home game it seems guaranteed to ensure more USA fans will be in attendance than GT fans.

Great point Augusta. The odds are less than 0% of me shelling out extra for this game, having seats that are significantly worse thanks have a BDS AND being surrounded by those ignorant f%$&^ wearing red. I will simply contribute the difference to GTAA since that is all they apparently care about anyway.

 

[MGTfan]

It’s a damn shame what has happened to GT football. We just keep admitting we are the little brother and that our own stadium isn’t good enough. Crazy

So do our fans by never showing up to the games.

Batt’s hand is being forced. We need money. This was a way to get it.

 

[RonJohn]

It is also interesting that 2025 Season Ticket renewals start now. I wonder how much they have pushed up the deadline to renew Season Tickets for 2025? Are they trying to get cash infusion sooner from this change?

Same as last year. 2024 season ticket renewals and purchases started in late October last year.

 

[MGTfan]

I hate playing home games at MBS, but this one really doesn’t bother me. It’s a good decision by Batt for a $10M payday, and this won’t be much more of a home game for the mutts than it would be if it were played at Bobby Dodd. The real problem here is our putrid attendance at home games throughout the season. It leaves a big revenue hole that has to be filled by these stupid games at MBS. And our crappy attendance has nothing to do with how old our stadium is or how hot it is in the east stands.

Yep. If we sold out BDS on a regular basis then moves like this wouldn’t be necessary.

 

[4shotB]

Wonder how the students will feel? My daughter is a junior and hates the games at Mercedes.

I went to school there many many moons ago, as did many others here on this site. Back when having a female student in any class was a topic worthy of note and much discussion. The classic GT admin mindset has been to ignore/disregard/or most likely not even be aware of student concerns and feelings. I think this has changed a 1,000% over the years but it is still a work in progress apparently.

 

[WreckinGT]

Batt was hired for his ability to raise revenue and increase program funding at a critical time for our future in CFB. He has been quite successful so far. He makes another move to give our finances a significant bump near-term. Fans complain. This seems to be the Tech Way.
I swear I think some of our fans would prefer that our program slowly wither away, as long as we wear the right shade of gold while doing it.

I'm not sure selling our biggest home games every year to the highest bidder is a great long term strategy for the program either.

 

[apatriot1776]

It’s 2025 and 2026.

I called u(sic)ga in 2025 since that would piss the fanbase off the most.

2026 is slim pickings since we have a relatively easy home schedule. I guessed Colorado then but only if they’re still ‘interesting’. There may be too much risk with them slipping back to irrelevance by then.

The ideal move is to work out some deal with Georgia State to move it in 2026 to MBS. Turner Field only holds 24k people now. GT-GSU got 40k this year, that would be a nice crowd at MBS if they closed off the upper deck. Would increase revenue for both teams and fulfill our contract without giving up a home game (if MBS and GSU would go for it).

 

[Thwg777]

The ideal move is to work out some deal with Georgia State to move it in 2026 to MBS. Turner Field only holds 24k people now. GT-GSU got 40k this year, that would be a nice crowd at MBS if they closed off the upper deck. Would increase revenue for both teams and fulfill our contract without giving up a home game (if MBS and GSU would go for it).

Good idea - that’s the first reasonable thing I’ve read today about GT.

 

[GTJacketClaw]

I'm not sure selling our biggest home games every year to the highest bidder is a great long term strategy for the program either.

This contract was in place prior to Batt starting. I think he is just trying to make the best out of the situation. I'm sure GT is not planning this big stadium renovations to then ignore BDS.

 

[Darthdad]

It’s 2025 and 2026.

I called u(sic)ga in 2025 since that would piss the fanbase off the most.

2026 is slim pickings since we have a relatively easy home schedule. I guessed Colorado then but only if they’re still ‘interesting’. There may be too much risk with them slipping back to irrelevance by then.

We could move Louisville there again. BC would be best since they’re the least played of our ACC home games that year, IIRC

 

[Bogey]

I would understand the move if the tickets were included in the season ticket package. Since it forces season ticket holders to shell out extra for the additional home game it seems guaranteed to ensure more USA fans will be in attendance than GT fans.

Exactly! Assuming The Tech Fund contribtion for premium seating will not be discounted and they charge a premium for the MBS game for season ticket holders in BDS premium seats, seems a bit unfair and unreasonable to me.

 

[WreckinGT]

This contract was in place prior to Batt starting. I think he is just trying to make the best out of the situation. I'm sure GT is not planning this big stadium renovations to then ignore BDS.

We have other games that could have been used for this. Even the former guy didn't mess with the UGA game when he obviously could have for a bigger payday. And I highly doubt this is the only COFH game that will be played at MBS.

 

[gtchem05]

Only one group ahead of ST holders this game instead alof 3 or 4.

One time only, back at BD for '27.

To simplify what J Batt is saying into terms some of you complainers can understand:

Because of decisions made by our previous athletic director, we had 2 options:

A) Accept the $10 million offer to play UGA at MBS which will help provide necessary funding for quality coaches and players (indirectly) so that Tech can actually be competative in that game.

B) Decline the offer in favor of putting some other 2025 game in MBS, probably VT or Clemson, which would significantly decrease revenue greatly reducing our chance to be competative against UGA, Clemson, and others on our schedule.

I would much rather watch the Jackets play a competative game against the Dawgs in MBS than be blown out at Bobby Dodd particularly if it allows for renovations at BDS to get underway in a more timely manner.

I, for one, am thrilled Batt chose option A, and these types of savvy decisions, which the GTAA has botched in the past, make me optimistic about the future of GT Athletics.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

We have other games that could have been used for this. Even the former guy didn't mess with the UGA game when he obviously could have for a bigger payday. And I highly doubt this is the only COFH game that will be played at MBS.

I don’t think we have other games that can garner a guaranteed $10 million for a single game.

We typically make $2 million per home game vs. uga. This is a decades worth of revenue.

Like I said earlier, I get the move to MBS for the money, I just don’t get soaking the loyal STHs by forcing them to purchase this game as an extra. It’s destined to ensure we are playing in a hostile environment in our own town for what should be a home game for us.

 

[gtjackets930]

I don’t think we have other games that can garner a guaranteed $10 million for a single game.

We typically make $2 million per home game vs. uga. This is a decades worth of revenue.

Like I said earlier, I get the move to MBS for the money, I just don’t get soaking the loyal STHs by forcing them to purchase this game as an extra. It’s destined to ensure we are playing in a hostile environment in our own town for what should be a home game for us.

My guess is the STH tix were either a sticking point with AMB or a bet by J Batt to double down on getting as much money as possible (potentially both).

I am not sure how revenue is distributed for this game, but I always assume GT gave a portion of it away to AMB.

This way they get to further increase revenue with extra tickets while also selling seats at a premium.

The expense is knowing uga fans will fill the stands unfortunately.

 

[bucknellbison31]

I would be less upset about this had I not been to previous Tech games at the Benz. Even though they're technically home games, MBS treats them as neutral site — blows the horn when the other team scores, plays their fight song if needed, gives visiting fans an equal opportunity to buy tix, etc. It's not just that it won't feel like a Tech home game — it literally won't be.

 

[bikeseat]

I don't like this but I feel like J Batt is making lemonade out of the lemons that the previous AD (who couldn't even manage his own personal finances let alone the GTAA's...) left him. This MBS contract stunk & if we can end it sooner rather than later with a big payday, that's understandable.

 

[tmhunter52]

UGA would probably sweeten the Tech payout just to play the game in Sanford Stadium instead of MBS. The demographics in the stands would be about the same…

 

[billga99]

I hope they are making provisions for students which have been a significant home field advantage at Bobby Dodd this year. Clearly students are not likely to pay full boat for prices if these tickets are expensive (which I assume they will be).