According to statistics released by the NCAA, Georgia Tech in 2010 posted its lowest average per game attendance since stadium capacity was increased to 55,000 prior to the 2003 season. The 2010 figure of 46,449 ranked 50th among 120 FBS teams. Tech was also 58th nationally in percent of capacity, at 84.45%. It is interesting to note that Tech's 2008 and 2010 seasons under Johnson are two of the three lowest in average attendance since the 2003 expansion.
Georgia Tech football attendance figures since 2003:
2003: 52,862
2004: 46,817
2005: 51,607
2006: 50,617
2007: 50,280
2008: 47,489
2009: 51,584
2010: 46,449
Likewise, Independence Bowl attendance and television ratings were down for the 2010 season. While the 2009 edition of the game attracted 49,653 fans, the 2010 version drew only 39,362, a 21% decrease year-on-year. This despite an aggressive campaign by Georgia Tech to push steeply-discounted $14 tickets to the event.
In fact this year's I-Bowl was the lowest-attended since Mississippi State and Texas A&M met in a blizzard in 2000. If you were to discount that total because of inclement weather, you would need go back to the 1994 game between Virginia and TCU to find an emptier Independence Stadium.
The malaise was neither limited to the fans in-person. The 2010 I-Bowl sputtered to a 1.4 rating with 2.234 million viewers on ESPN2, a 30% and 32% decrease respectively from 2009(2.0, 3.276 mil).
Maybe Tech should sponsor a Dungeons and Dragons Night? Maybe Tech should hand out Magic The Gathering cards at the gate?
ReplyDeleteI would suggest having a Singles Night to help attract fans(sic), but then I realized every single home game is ALREADY a "Singles Night".
Hate on UGA all you Nerds want about their "sidewalk fans"and "non students or alumni" who have passion about the Dawgs, but I promise it makes more of an impression on recruits when they visit and see a full house of 92,746 TRULY passionate people in the stands, NOT screaming "To Hell with Georgia Tech" for any ole' opponent, than it does seeing empty seats in a Texas High School sized stadium with fans hating on their rival more than loving their team.
GO DAWGS!!!!
I'm sure you're aware (since you are a GT fan right?) that larger attendance values / $$$ for the AA / GT Football program occur in odd years as the home football schedule is always better during odd years (your facts even show this). GT's home schedule this year (still amidst the worst recession since the 1930's):
ReplyDeleteSC State
NC State
Virginia
MTSU
Miami
Duke
The AA sells more season tickets on odd years as a result of this(this is a FACT as confirmed by my friend at the AA. There's a link also to an article discussing this but I don't have the kind of time you do to dig to find the aa link that shows this). There were also no night games this year either, which quashes attendance figures in a non-college town / major metro area like Atlanta. Last year, the attendance was the highest in 5 years!
The scheduling has NOTHING to do with CPJ as the AA / ACC set the schedule up YEARS in advance.
Attendance figures were down across the board for most major college & pro programs in ALL sports all over the country (Did you know that the Gym Dogs are the 2nd most viewed sport at UGA behind football? I found that while doing research, that's actually kind of a cool fact).
Viewership for the national title game was down 11% (according to ESPN) from the previous year also; does that mean either Oregon or Auburn's programs are irrelevant / on the decline?
I'm sure you'll either not post this or spin it into a way to show just how much Paul Johnson and Georgia Tech's football team sucks. You wanted 'intelligent discussion' and facts, well you got it. Why don't you do a little more research prior to posting irrelevant crap. You hate on a coach and college kids b/c of one down season. Whether you're a GT fan (which I know you're not b/c you would know about the odd year scheduling) or a UGA fan....get a life.
I don't really give a shit who coaches G Tech's football team. As long as they're consistently winning, then they can put 11 punters on the field for all I care. 20 wins in his first two seasons? There hasn't been a football coach like that at GT in a long time. Who would you propose to come in?
ReplyDeleteIf your candidate didn't produce 10 win seasons after 3 years would you run them off? What if they didn't get a 10 win season in his first season (PJ had 11 wins in his 2nd)? You hate on the school, the players, the attendance, the kids, and everything G Tech related. You haven't done anything to propose a solution or a new coach, all you do is hate. That shows the kind of ignorance, simple mindedness that is your existence.
I challenge you to log in to your alumni account on the alumni website. Post a screen shot. Do this and your credibility will have some substance. You won't do this though b/c you didn't go to the school and are a UGA fan.
Hey, I'm just reporting the facts pal. What did I report in that article that was not factual?
ReplyDeleteHow is the team's attendance not relevant to the product that is put on the field? I'd like you to explain that to me.
I am aware of the odd-numbered years argument. The attendance this season was the lowest since expansion, regardless of being even or odd numbered.
On 2009: I find it interesting that despite having Tech's most successful season since 1998 and an "even-yeared" schedule, CPJ still could not eclipse the best two years of Gailey.
I'd actually be interested in seeing the CFB "attendance figures across the board" you are referring to. I was actually looking for such data, but could not find it.
Viewership of the nat'l title game was likely down because the game was on cable for the first time rather than network television.
ESPN's regular season CFB ratings this season were actually its HIGHEST since 1994! http://www.sportsmediawatch.net/2010/12/espn-has-most-viewed-college-football.html
When you complain about the schedule, you are basically bowing down and admitting that our Conference is a joke.
ReplyDeleteIt's very very sad to me that Tech only sells out 1 game every 2 years, when UGA comes calling, and even then its at least 40% Red and Black in the stands.
Try telling UGA or Bama or Auburn or Florida that this was a bad economic year, or their schedules had cupcakes in it. They still sold out every game in stadiums twice the size of ours.
This really is not a CPJ thing, but it does reflect very poorly on our fans and alumni.
To anonymous @ 12:59,
ReplyDeleteI have explained my feelings on what Johnson's previous success has been based upon(Chan's talent link), and why it is not sustainable. Since when is a team's first losing record since 1994 "consistently winning?"(Johnson's accomplishments this year: LINK)
- About providing solutions, I wrote an entire article devoted to changes PJ needs to make: LINK
- As for hiring someone better: LINK We would have had a chance at a variety of attractive candidates if we had an opening this offseason. I'd be fascinated, for instance, in seeing what a guy like Gus Malzahn could do at Tech. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
- About providing my name, picture, phone number, etc, etc, I just had another threat today of personal harm if that particular commenter "found out who I was." Perhaps I should start forwarding such missives to the authorities.
- Be careful what threats you make stalkers. The police WILL track your IP address and follow up if I venture to report you.
Nothing ventured nothing gained.
ReplyDeleteSo why is it that you hate so much on a coach that won 20 games in his first two seasons? Tech wanted a change. Went out, made one, and got results. Now if the teams sucks two / three years from now, go apeshit about changing coaches. Not into a coaches 3rd season and after 1 down year. Jesus you sound like a bitchy fairweather fan.
A lot of people get mad on here because "all the blogger does is HATE on Georgia Tech".....
ReplyDeleteThese same people, think it's OK to have a "To Hell with Georgia Flag" on the Ramblin' Wreck.......
Maybe some should look in the mirror and ask who "constantly hates" on who.
Its not just the "attendance"
ReplyDeleteIts not just the lack of 4-5 star recruits
Its not just the 6-7 season
Its not just the "jail break" of marginal players
Its not just the arrogance & condescending comments
Its not just the silly offense
Its not just the fact we can NOT score TD's
Its ALL of it together people. Read all the blogs and dont pick out one single point to argue.
It makes you look as stupid as the Ugay fan at the top. I saw a lot of empty seats this year in the cesspool for your 6-7 team just loaded with 4-5 star recruits...ya dumb ass...
The overall trend is DOWN!
And seriously...stop calling the blogger a Ugay fan. That is absolutely stupid. NO CHANCE IN HELL A Ugay fan is this detailed & articulate.
To anon @ 1:49PM,
ReplyDeleteWe've made known our feelings on PJ's first two years of success. LINK. May need to go further in depth in the future.
Again, the problem is NOT one year of mediocrity. If this was ONE year, with improvement shown throughout and bright prospects for the future, we would be more than content. Our feeling, as we say in the site description, is that PJ is taking us down the course of Annapolis South. This program is going to be in a BAD PLACE in a few years when PJ hasn't worked out and our roster is filled with mediocre lower-tier BCS, mid-major, and lower division guys recruited to play "team ball" in Johnson's offense. It will take us YEARS to be competitive again.
Tell me, how confident are you that this team is going to be any better next season? Or that it's going to beat UGA? I wouldn't be surprised if we never beat them again under PJ. How does our depth look with all the attrition, plus the string of two-stars we are settling for in recruiting? Is there anything about this program at this point that truly excites you for the future? Or is your hope based more on a leap of faith inspired by the first two seasons?
We won't blame you if you are here to thank us for opening your eyes after the end of next season. I personally told other Tech fans in August that last year would be the best we would see under Johnson, and 2010 would be 7-5(when they were all predicting 10+ wins). They all said I was "crazy" and a "closet UGA fan." Turns out I wasn't crazy enough!
The first two years the fans had all inherited that cocky attitude from PJ that he could field a team full of Colgate transfers and still win ACC titles. We can only hope that some humility has been served The Arrogant One and his worshipers this season, as that is precisely the attitude that will lead this program to ruin.
Glad to see you've turned to obsessing over Vad Lee on twitter. HAHAHA. You're right, you must be a Tech nerd b/c only a tech nerd would obsess this much on a website and on twitter. That and you must be 15 years old. $50 says you don't publish this comment.
ReplyDeleteYo,
ReplyDeleteWhats the point your trying to make? This fan base benfits from the other schools buying tickets and the big games ( UGA, Clemson, Hokies) So your failing to realize it matters who is on the schedule. You go to the fsu game in 08? Why was that game sold out? You guessed it, the fsu fans bought a majority of the tickets.
You are more obsessed with one game than seeing a whole season turn out nicely.
Im more interested in seeing more wins against the turkeys and miami honestly. Sure, winning the last game on the sched is good too, BUT ITS ONE DAMN GAME.
You go to the games because you enjoy the college footabll expereince. NOT WHO THE TEAM IS PLAYING.
To Reality Bites,
ReplyDeleteThat's not me. That is a friend of the blog WrecksNEffect, formerly of the BBuzzoff board. I suggest you read his insight and learn.
You and your boy wrex are in some deep legal doo doo for harassing a ncaa commit on twitter you know that right? Lmao
ReplyDelete