Article Updates to Pregame Activities

[stech81]

I really don’t care all I want is to win. Winning is all that matters

 

[UgaBlows]

I really don’t care all I want is to win. Winning is all that matters

It cures all

 

[yeti92]

Seems universal across generations that there’s a fond Tech-alcohol connection, as well-established in the Ramblin Wreck. I’d want to be all over this, and I think our fan base could absorb in stride. Most ACC and many SEC as well. What do you do when Miami and FSU visit? Dilemma.

Require them to be wearing Tech gear to enter. If they want in, they can boost our merch sales while they are at it.

 

[GaTech4ever]

I really don’t care all I want is to win. Winning is all that matters

I’m not on the GT football team and have no control over wins or losses. Therefore, to me, going to games is paid entertainment. Which means I care about the experience I pay for.

 

[BuzzThePlumber]

When he means north avenue I think he’s meaning the northwest part of the stadium, not the northeast. I think he’s gonna use the Tech Tower lawn, as it has plenty of space plus it’s by the west stands which is where most diehard Jackets watch the games.

You mean Southwest

 

[Ramble1885]

You mean Southwest

Yes. I’m a dumbass. My bad.

 

[MidtownJacket]

Yes. I’m a dumbass. My bad.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

So, about the Tech game, pre-game experience. Perhaps there is some come-on, gimmick, enticement that could attract people just looking for a good time. If that’s easily done then most colleges would already be doing it, since most colleges struggle with attendance. If we come up with something innovative that no one has thought of that is successful, everyone will be doing it within a year or two and many will be doing it better, and most will have better success. And the novelty will wear off.

What to do?

I have no answer off the top of my head but I have an idea about the parameters. It needs to be instantly recognizable as a good time when shared by word of mouth. Think Atlanta United. It needs to be accessible to average Joe Blow off the streets. And here is the key. It needs to be uniquely Ga Tech, something commensurate with our history, image, geography, infrastructure, spirit and facilities. Something that can’t quite be duplicated anywhere else. It needs to be a thing in Atlanta that both locals and visitors casually mention to do like The Varsity, hotel glass elevators, civil rights monuments, Coca Cola Museum, aquarium or The Beltline.

Creative minds get to work on this.

 

[ThatGuy]

So, about the Tech game, pre-game experience. Perhaps there is some come-on, gimmick, enticement that could attract people just looking for a good time. If that’s easily done then most colleges would already be doing it, since most colleges struggle with attendance. If we come up with something innovative that no one has thought of that is successful, everyone will be doing it within a year or two and many will be doing it better, and most will have better success. And the novelty will wear off.

What to do?

I have no answer off the top of my head but I have an idea about the parameters. It needs to be instantly recognizable as a good time when shared by word of mouth. Think Atlanta United. It needs to be accessible to average Joe Blow off the streets. And here is the key. It needs to be uniquely Ga Tech, something commensurate with our history, image, geography, infrastructure, spirit and facilities. Something that can’t quite be duplicated anywhere else. It needs to be a thing in Atlanta that both locals and visitors casually mention to do like The Varsity, hotel glass elevators, civil rights monuments, Coca Cola Museum, aquarium or The Beltline.

Creative minds get to work on this.

I've always said the Wreck Parade at Homecoming is the most uniquely Tech thing I can think of in school athletics branding - along with (of course) the Mini 500.

Not saying that can be replicated for each home game - but perhaps those would be things we should focus on generating some more publicity about to the Atlanta public (beyond the footnote mention during the Homecoming broadcast, along with "I'm standing under the West stands, which were designed and built by students...".

As a 20-something living in L.A., I went to several random events, including the World Grilled Cheese Competition, a monster truck rally, and a 500-person+ open-to-all Karate Kid party on the same beach that the Karate Kid bonfire party took place at (the same guy a year later invited a bunch of us to go to Golf N' Stuff from the film, which yes, is a real place).

Point being, the social world is always interested in interesting & fun things. I remember attending the Wreck parade as a kid and being blown away by the fraternity wrecks. I can only imagine what seeing that sort of thing would do for the general public.

Again, it's not something that we could replicate every week. And it's not something that we want to sell tickets to. But it's definitely a way to get some goodwill going from the people of Atlanta, and potentially draw some more people into the fold. If we start with figuring out how to better promote those existing events to the general public, it can lead us to some insight into what sort of other regular pre-game experiences we can put together.

 

[TooTall]

I've always said the Wreck Parade at Homecoming is the most uniquely Tech thing I can think of in school athletics branding - along with (of course) the Mini 500.

Not saying that can be replicated for each home game - but perhaps those would be things we should focus on generating some more publicity about to the Atlanta public (beyond the footnote mention during the Homecoming broadcast, along with "I'm standing under the West stands, which were designed and built by students...".

As a 20-something living in L.A., I went to several random events, including the World Grilled Cheese Competition, a monster truck rally, and a 500-person+ open-to-all Karate Kid party on the same beach that the Karate Kid bonfire party took place at (the same guy a year later invited a bunch of us to go to Golf N' Stuff from the film, which yes, is a real place).

Point being, the social world is always interested in interesting & fun things. I remember attending the Wreck parade as a kid and being blown away by the fraternity wrecks. I can only imagine what seeing that sort of thing would do for the general public.

Again, it's not something that we could replicate every week. And it's not something that we want to sell tickets to. But it's definitely a way to get some goodwill going from the people of Atlanta, and potentially draw some more people into the fold. If we start with figuring out how to better promote those existing events to the general public, it can lead us to some insight into what sort of other regular pre-game experiences we can put together.

Have the winning wreck come on the field....have the mini 500 start 2hrs before kickoff....have the freshman cake race end at the 50 yard line an hour before kickoff. I would love to see those events but I can't get up there that early because of work on Friday.
Are the original west stands that important when regular fans can't access them? If the entire stadium was torn down and rebuilt with out them would anybody care?
Holding on to the past can prevent the future from happening. Thats the hill that ADJB and President C have to conquer. God speed to them.

 

[ThatGuy]

Are the original west stands that important when regular fans can't access them? If the entire stadium was torn down and rebuilt with out them would anybody care?

(The bit about the West stands was just a reference to the played- and played- and played-out segments that happen each and every football game on TV. So the answer to me is no. It's a nice factoid, and I like the info being exposed to new fans/viewers, but I'd rather not see it every game.)

 

[g0lftime]

Have the winning wreck come on the field....have the mini 500 start 2hrs before kickoff....have the freshman cake race end at the 50 yard line an hour before kickoff. I would love to see those events but I can't get up there that early because of work on Friday.
Are the original west stands that important when regular fans can't access them? If the entire stadium was torn down and rebuilt with out them would anybody care?
Holding on to the past can prevent the future from happening. Thats the hill that ADJB and President C have to conquer. God speed to them.

Wreck parade is on Saturday morning. It is nothing remotely like it was in the 60's and 70's. They have gone green and do not let the frat's keep wrecks from prior years on campus anymore so they are hastily built and pretty lame now. Lots of bicycle powered things. I still go since I am staying near campus but not nearly what it was. They have classic cars in the event now which are usually restored muscle cars. The homecoming displays are even worse. The effort just doesn't seem to be there. I have never seen the tricycle race but that looks to be a lot of fun. That one may be on Friday. HC gets it's energy from the north side of campus. Moving pregame events to the tower lawn is not going to work as well but probably necessary due to Edge construction.

 

[Ramble1885]

Have the winning wreck come on the field....have the mini 500 start 2hrs before kickoff....have the freshman cake race end at the 50 yard line an hour before kickoff. I would love to see those events but I can't get up there that early because of work on Friday.
Are the original west stands that important when regular fans can't access them? If the entire stadium was torn down and rebuilt with out them would anybody care?
Holding on to the past can prevent the future from happening. Thats the hill that ADJB and President C have to conquer. God speed to them.

the stadium itself is fine as it is. Old, but has been retrofitted with suites in the last few decades. And the OG west stands are cool as hell. When I snuck into the stadium I checked them out, they're awesome. Maybe we could do a Bobby Dodd Stadium history museum and have the old stands be a public area or club.