Article Updates to Pregame Activities

[Augusta_Jacket]

Georgia Tech shifting pregame festivities at Bobby Dodd Stadium

Pregame activities would move to North Avenue side of the stadium.

www.ajc.com

“We’re going to begin a transition of our football game-day experience to North Avenue,” Batt said at the quarterly meeting of the Georgia Tech Athletic Association board Thursday. “This plan still has several details to iron out and permitting processes to complete, but conceptually, all of the activities that have traditionally been activated on Callaway Plaza – that’s team entrance, the Wreck coming down Yellow Jacket Alley, the band – that’ll be moved to North Avenue.”

 

[JasonJ]

Smart.

 

[AUFC]

I’m all for densifying the game day experience but we’ll see what that looks like in practice. It is simply hard to have a field of tailgates as far as the eye can see with the way our campus is configured in the middle of a city.

 

[TooTall]

I saw the "special announcement" at the spring game that just had a drone flyover of North Ave and that was it. Crappy teaser but I guess we know a little more now. Cant wait to see renderings.
(personal note: I wish Techwood would be the street closed with food trucks and all for all ticketed fans)

 

[bke1984]

So I assume N Ave will shutdown for this. Bar and everything will be down there? Interesting.

 

[Lil G]

Curious to see what the player entrance change will look like over there. Maybe they’re planning on doing some sort of bus unloading entrance like Clemson?

 

[GT33]

I’m sure someone has thought this out but it would seem to be a better plan to bound the area from North Ave and 6th to the freeway and Fowler and allow tailgating in the streets. Turn Peter's Park back into a park. Not sure how shutting down North Ave from Luckie to Techwood is going to work, seems like it would be a mess and it doesn't really fit the campus, the majority to the north side of Bobby Dodd.

I'm not sure a bunch of folks tailgating at the Tit or O'Keefe, on the 5th St Bridge, at the Parking Deck are going to want to walk to North Ave to hear the band. Players have been walking down Brittain for what 2 decades.

Is this all because we're renovating the Edge? If so, maybe it's a 1 year deal and not intended to be a permanent thing?

 

[Vespidae]

I’m sure someone has thought this out but it would seem to be a better plan to bound the area from North Ave and 6th to the freeway and Fowler and allow tailgating in the streets. Turn Peter's Park back into a park. Not sure how shutting down North Ave from Luckie to Techwood is going to work, seems like it would be a mess and it doesn't really fit the campus, the majority to the north side of Bobby Dodd.

I'm not sure a bunch of folks tailgating at the Tit or O'Keefe, on the 5th St Bridge, at the Parking Deck are going to want to walk to North Ave to hear the band. Players have been walking down Brittain for what 2 decades.

Is this all because we're renovating the Edge? If so, maybe it's a 1 year deal and not intended to be a permanent thing?

I’ve long advocated demolishing the Peters Park Deck and returning it to native. It would be an awesome version of the Grove, which is probably the best game day experience in the country. IMO.

 

[GT33]

I’ve long advocated demolishing the Peters Park Deck and returning it to native. It would be an awesome version of the Grove, which is probably the best game day experience in the country. IMO.

The land was deeded by the Peter's family to GT that it be used as a park, not a park............ing deck with a tennis court on top.

 

[Sarrick]

As an old band member, im really curious about the logistics of this being in north avenue. That is where the away team's fans are, and traffic will be a nightmare. And the band will need to restructure where they set up as they normally enter into the stadium by calloway plaza. I can't visualize it going well, but I need to think on it more.

 

[RonJohn]

I think it would be beneficial to have activities on North Ave, Callaway Plaza, Tech Tower green, Student Center lawn, and Burger Bowl. Have things that people in Atlanta will want to come to, even people who have no interest in going to the game. It would be a good way to build sidewalk fans if a large number of kids from around Atlanta enjoy spending Saturday afternoon on the GT campus.

 

[majorQ9]

As an old band member, im really curious about the logistics of this being in north avenue. That is where the away team's fans are, and traffic will be a nightmare. And the band will need to restructure where they set up as they normally enter into the stadium by calloway plaza. I can't visualize it going well, but I need to think on it more.

Former band member as well. I'm sure Chris is working through the logistics. Could be something like warmup remains the same at the (RIP) shaft. Then, parade down North Avenue. Enter through the South entrance. Pregame would have to be reworked to start from the South Endzone instead of the North Endzone, or maybe you just flip everything. Then, exit pregame and sit in the North Endzone.

 

[bke1984]

I think it would be beneficial to have activities on North Ave, Callaway Plaza, Tech Tower green, Student Center lawn, and Burger Bowl. Have things that people in Atlanta will want to come to, even people who have no interest in going to the game. It would be a good way to build sidewalk fans if a large number of kids from around Atlanta enjoy spending Saturday afternoon on the GT campus.

Burger Bowl? That’s about as far from the stadium as you can get on campus. I’m not sure I’d put anything over there. I do like the idea of the green space in front of the tower though.

 

[TromboneJacket]

Former band member as well. I'm sure Chris is working through the logistics. Could be something like warmup remains the same at the (RIP) shaft. Then, parade down North Avenue. Enter through the South entrance. Pregame would have to be reworked to start from the South Endzone instead of the North Endzone, or maybe you just flip everything. Then, exit pregame and sit in the North Endzone.

As long as the trombones get to line the stairs by the library and tell people they’re going the wrong way, this could work. But I agree with the other poster that Calloway Plaza is still a more ideal location long term. The logistics of getting the band to the farthest corner of the stadium from the library and timing everything to be festive along the way are going to give Chris and BJ some headaches early on.

 

[FlatsLander]

I'm a band alum too, hopefully they can keep the campanile concert and even Bud at the library. Usually after that, there's like a 10 minute lull before we would march down Freshman Hill to play on the stairs, so maybe you just replace the march down the hill with a march down Cherry street (assuming North Ave is shut down from traffic) and play O Fortuna/W&G/RW on Tech Green. Even then, there was usually a 10-15 minute lull until marchout for pregame, so they could still go into the North tunnel. I'm interested to see how it all shakes out.

 

[DeepSnap]

I’m sure someone has thought this out but it would seem to be a better plan to bound the area from North Ave and 6th to the freeway and Fowler and allow tailgating in the streets. Turn Peter's Park back into a park. Not sure how shutting down North Ave from Luckie to Techwood is going to work, seems like it would be a mess and it doesn't really fit the campus, the majority to the north side of Bobby Dodd.

I'm not sure a bunch of folks tailgating at the Tit or O'Keefe, on the 5th St Bridge, at the Parking Deck are going to want to walk to North Ave to hear the band. Players have been walking down Brittain for what 2 decades.

Is this all because we're renovating the Edge? If so, maybe it's a 1 year deal and not intended to be a permanent thing?

Having twice walked across North Avenue at GT Alumni House before the Ole Miss game last year, IIRC west bound traffic on North Avenue was routed by APD south on Techwood & there was almost no traffic at all west of there. Getting to the parking lots east of the 3rd Street tunnel was another story.

As for Peters Park, from my time at NATS 1968-1972, it was home to the GT Tennis Team Courts, single wall paddle/racket ball courts, and basketball courts. The only green space was at the north end where the spring Greek Week mud tug o'wars were staged.

And yes, in 2025 there'll be another marketing opportunity for the return to Bobby Dodd Way.

Just sayin'.......

 

[RonJohn]

Burger Bowl? That’s about as far from the stadium as you can get on campus. I’m not sure I’d put anything over there. I do like the idea of the green space in front of the tower though.

What I am saying is to make the entire campus a destination spot on Saturdays in the fall. Get people who don't even care about football on campus. Then you can try to get them to care about football. A lot of people say that there are too many things to do in the city, and that is part of the reason that the stadium isn't full. Make the GT campus THE place to be on Saturdays.

EDIT: And I agree with @DeepSnap . I think this is only because of the Edge renovations that will be in place next year. When the construction is finished, there will be announcements about the popular return of the activities to Callaway Plaza.

 

[AUFC]

What I am saying is to make the entire campus a destination spot on Saturdays in the fall. Get people who don't even care about football on campus. Then you can try to get them to care about football. A lot of people say that there are too many things to do in the city, and that is part of the reason that the stadium isn't full. Make the GT campus THE place to be on Saturdays.

EDIT: And I agree with @DeepSnap . I think this is only because of the Edge renovations that will be in place next year. When the construction is finished, there will be announcements about the popular return of the activities to Callaway Plaza.

There’s nothing you can do short of giving away free beer that will make campus the hot destination for randos in Atlanta. We should be turning Bobby Dodd into the hottest outdoor bar in the city to attract young alumni. Tiered, standing room only, shaded bar behind the south end zone. Make it a social place rather than a football game.

I biked by the new Westside Motor Lounge after the spring game and it was jammed. Why can’t we just do that?

 

[Ramble1885]

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.

 

[Recleb]

There’s nothing you can do short of giving away free beer that will make campus the hot destination for randos in Atlanta. We should be turning Bobby Dodd into the hottest outdoor bar in the city to attract young alumni. Tiered, standing room only, shaded bar behind the south end zone. Make it a social place rather than a football game.

I biked by the new Westside Motor Lounge after the spring game and it was jammed. Why can’t we just do that?

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.