Credential Requests

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, media credentials to cover Georgia Tech home and road games will be extremely limited.

For home games, no season-long media credentials will be issued. Media outlets must request credentials on a game-by-game basis via Georgia Tech athletics’ online credentialing platform through SportsSystems (www.SportsSystems.com/GeorgiaTech). Credential requests will be accepted the week of each Georgia Tech home game, beginning on Monday at 8 a.m. and closing on Wednesday at noon (12 p.m.).

Note to NFL scouts: Due to limited space in the press box, NFL scouts are being seated in the stands for the 2020 season. All pro scouts must contact general manager Patrick Suddes (psuddes@athletics.gatech.edu) to obtain tickets to Georgia Tech home games.

With a very limited number of seats available in the Bobby Dodd Stadium press box due to social distancing protocols, requests will likely be greater than the number of seats available. Priority will be given to outlets based on regular coverage of Georgia Tech football, history of coverage and the reach of the outlet.

Per Atlantic Coast Conference guidelines, credentials will not be granted for on-field photographers or videographers. A pool photographer and pool videographer will provide photos and low-shot video footage for all media outlets. Pool photography and video footage will be available via the ACC Media Portal. To register for the ACC Media Portal, please contact Scott McBurney (smcburney@theacc.org).

Television stations may request credentials to shoot video from the Bobby Dodd Stadium press box photo deck. If space on the photo deck is available, credentials will be granted, with priority given as outlined above.

Due to the limited number of seats available, media members who are granted credentials but cannot attend for any reason are asked to notify Mike Stamus (mstamus@athletics.gatech.edu) as soon as possible, so that seat may be filled by another media member. Media outlets that are granted credentials but do not attend without prior notification are subject to having all future requests denied.

For road games, outlets that regularly cover Georgia Tech and wish to request credentials for road games must make that request directly to Georgia Tech assistant A.D. Mike Flynn (mflynn@athletics.gatech.edu). Seats available for media outlets that cover visiting teams will be extremely limited for all games this season. Georgia Tech will work with the host institution to prioritize requests from outlets that cover Georgia Tech should requests be greater than the number of seats available for visiting media.

Covering Georgia Tech Home Games

Parking

Media members that are granted credentials will be emailed a parking pass (location TBD). If the location is not adjacent to Bobby Dodd Stadium, a shuttle service will be available.

Health Screening

Media members that are granted credentials will be required to take a self-assessment disclosing any symptoms or exposure to Covid-19. Assessments will be emailed to credentialed media members the morning of the game via SportsSystems. Media will not be permitted to pick up credentials if the assessment has not been taken and passed.

Credential Pickup

Media credentials must be picked up on game day at Gate 6 of Bobby Dodd Stadium, where media members’ bags will be screened and a temperature check will be conducted.

In order to limit the amount of time that media members are in the press box, media will call will open two (2) hours prior to kickoff.

Face Coverings

All media members attending Georgia Tech football games at Bobby Dodd Stadium are required to wear an approved personal face covering at all times while within the stadium perimeter (stadium perimeter includes security queues at all stadium entrances, as well as queues at ticket and will call windows). Media members are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings at all times on Georgia Tech campus, beginning with when they leave their vehicles.

Approved face coverings must 1) be made with at least two layers of breathable material, 2) fully cover the nose and mouth and secure under the chin, 3) fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face and 4) be secured to allow the guest to not have to keep the covering in place with his/her hands. Based on guidance from health officials, open-chin triangle bandanas and/or face coverings containing valves, mesh material and or holes of any kind are not acceptable face coverings. Additionally, costume masks are also not considered appropriate face coverings and are prohibited from being worn inside Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Exception: when an individual is sitting in his/her assigned seat within the press box, face coverings may be removed while eating and drinking. Face coverings must be reapplied when the individual is not eating or drinking.

Media members that have a documented health condition that does not allow him/her to wear a mask must contact Georgia Tech athletics at gameday@athletics.gatech.edu at least two weeks prior the game(s) he/she plans to attend to request a stadium clearance process exemption. Clearance process requests filed less than two weeks prior to the game (including any requests made in-person on gameday) will not be considered. Any false claims of a health condition in efforts to obtain an exemption may result in suspension of access to Georgia Tech athletics facilities and events.

Press Box Operations

• Press box seats for media members will be socially distanced, with at least six (6) feet of space between all available seats. Seats will be assigned by Georgia Tech athletics.
• While in the press box, media members must remain in their assigned seats at all times except for when picking up a meal or drink or using the restroom.
• Printed materials (including game notes, programs and stats) will not be distributed. These materials will be available online.
• A boxed meal will be provided to credentialed media on a first-come, first-served basis in the press box (one (1) meal per media member). Boxed meals will be available when the press box opens two hours prior to kickoff.
• Bottled drinks will remain available throughout the game.
• The press box will not have an internal public address announcer this season.

Any person entering the premises waives all civil liability against this premises owner and operator for any injuries caused by the inherent risk associated with contracting Covid-19 at public gatherings, except for gross negligence, willful and wanton misconduct, reckless infliction of harm, or intentional infliction of harm, by the individual or entity of the premises.

Postgame

Per ACC guidelines, all postgame media availability will be conducted virtually. For Georgia Tech, head coach Geoff Collins and selected student-athletes will be made available via Zoom, following a cooling-off period of at least 10 minutes. For home and road games, the postgame Zoom link will be sent to all media that regularly cover Georgia Tech football, not just those that are in attendance at the stadium.

The Bobby Dodd Stadium press box will close one (1) hour after the conclusion of Georgia Tech’s postgame press conference.

Other Media Availability

• Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins, defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker and offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude will be made available to media via Zoom following practice on Tuesday morning of each game week.
• Selected Georgia Tech student-athletes will be made available to media via Zoom following practice on Wednesday morning of each game week.
• Zoom links and exact times will be sent to media that regularly cover Georgia Tech at the beginning of each game week.
• Media availability schedule is subject to change.