Ok...let's talk about fan attendence

Read this story first. GT fans have just been "called out"

Georgia Tech is one of the top surprises of college basketball. We also overacheived in football this year. With that attention comes exposure to the fact that we do a generally poor job to support our teams by attending games.....or at least that is the perception. So let's discuss this issue, looking at both football and basketball. First, we get a LOT of smack talked about the terrible fan support in Atlanta. Smack in the media, smack from opposing fans, smack from people who watch our games on TV, and smack from the discussion boards. If you don't believe me, click here. The general perception is that ATL is a terrible sports town. So let's first look at some facts:

FOOTBALL:
Let's look at attendence at 2003 home football games:

Auburn.....55,000
Clemson...53,189
NC ST.......50,113
MD............51,524
UNC..........52,346
UGA..........55,000

Seating capacity is 55,000, so technically we had 2 sellouts this year, both against SEC opponents, both filled with opposing fans. Watching the UGA game on TV I thought I it was in Athens. Everytime they panned the crowd, it was a sea of red. The Auburn game was the same thing. However, without looking at the 2002 attendence figures, it is definitely higher, considering the new stadium expansion. So avg attendence has gone up in football and as a general statement, it seems we are supporting our football team.

BASKETBALL:
Let's look at attendence so far this season

Louis-Laf.....5344
Hofstra.........918
Tenn St........8881
St.Louis.......?????

AMC seating capacity is 9191. So our early game attendence was weak. I mean 918 people at Hofstra? Are you kidding me? I read lots of reasons for the low attendence (rain storm, late game time announcement, 7:00 game on weeknight, ATL traffic). I'm sure they are all valid reasons. I just hope this is an abberation. Now, since those early games, the Jackets went on the road, won the NIT, and captured the imagination of hoops fans. So what happens - we come back home for mediocre Tenn. St. and have a near sellout - great to see!!! Now there was a lot of railing of fan support for the St.Louis game by opposing boards for those who watched the game on TV. Watching myself I was shaking my head and the mostly empty seats at halfcourt - the first 10-20 rows - barely anyone there. After reading some comments there were a few factors for the St.Louis game:

1. The game was played at Philips Arena. This was NOT a GT home game.
2. The GT fan allotment of seats were in the corner, which was rarely shown on TV
3. The GT fan seats were almost completely full
4. This was a double-header with Clemson/UGA in the 2nd game. So many of those seats were bought by people to watch that game and filtered in a varying times. In fact, this game was part of both GT's and UGA's season ticket package and the UGA fans did NOT show up.
5. Many many people were placed in the upper decks, where they could not be seen on TV.
6. All four teams had allotments of tickets and the other 3 schools did a poor job of filling the seats with their fans.
7. Some type of high school football all-day event was going on over at the dome.

As far as baseketball is concerned, I think you will see that our home games the rest of the season will be maxed out or close to it. There won't be another Hofstra turnout, and most of the ticket packages have sold out.

Now let's talk in general about GT and fan support. These are typical things you hear about why GT does not always get support

1. Atlanta traffic sucks. Yes...it does. Is this a valid excuse? No, but it keeps those non-alum's from coming
2. Atlanta has too many pro sports teams to divert attention. True
3. GT is hard to get to (again back to the traffic).
4. Too many corporate ticket sales, where the tickets go unused. Probably some truth.
4. GT Sports office does a poor marketing job (not my complaint, just comments I read)
5. High percentage of GT grads actually move out of state. Very true.
6. Local non-GT alum support is weak. No doubt. Bottom line is that GT does NOT get good support from local ATL sports fans. Most of those who attend are alumni, friends of alumni or family. We just do NOT get support from the Hotlanta crowd not directly tied to GT.

Ok, so what does this all mean? Well, looking at the numbers, we are supporting our football team very respectably, and other than the 1st two games of the year, we should see solid support in hoops the rest of the year. If GT can do a better job of drawing the local ATL non-alumni crowd that would help. Things are not as bad as they seem to others.

Now, I need to make some personal disclosures here. I am a GT alum. I live in Greenville SC, about 2.5 hours from campus (with no traffic problems). I do a TERRIBLE job supporting my team by attending games. This was the first year in ages I have not attended a football game and I have yet to attend a hoops game. I have reasons, but no excuses. I am part of the problem. And I need to change that....and that is my plan.