TO: Fans, Friends, and Supporters of Georgia Tech Athletics
FROM: Dan Radakovich, Georgia Tech Director of Athletics
I hope you all are enjoying the last few weeks of summer and are looking forward to another great year in Georgia Tech sports. For those of you counting, like me, you already know that we are less than 30 days away from our football opener against South Carolina State. Coach Tonya Johnson’s volleyball team can top that, though, as it opens the 2010 season with a home tournament on the 27th and 28th of this month. Point is, the new year is upon us.
Yellow Jacket Fan Day is Saturday
I hope to see many of you on Saturday when we open the doors for our annual Yellow Jacket Fan Day experience at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The fun begins at 3 p.m. with music, inflatables, games and more on Callaway Plaza. We will open the gates to the stadium at 4 p.m. and fans will have the opportunity to meet and greet our 2010 football team and coaches. They’ll be signing autographs and posing for pictures from 4-6 p.m. You’ll be able to pick up copies of our award-winning 2010 football poster, schedule cards, ticket information and other items throughout the afternoon.
No More Printed Media Guides
One thing that won’t be available this year is our traditional Football Media Guide. New NCAA rules designed to cut costs along with cost containment initiatives nationwide have resulted in the elimination of printed media guides at many schools across the country, including Georgia Tech.
New NCAA legislation prohibits sending media guides to potential recruits after Aug. 1, 2010, but allows schools to produce online “publications” that have few restrictions in terms of video, audio and color photographs. The legislation was passed in an effort to cut costs at schools and conferences. Even the Atlantic Coast Conference office, for example, is not printing media guides for the first time in decades.
Obviously, that’s bad news for those of us who have collected media guides for years. The good news is that there will soon be more information than ever before about Georgia Tech football and every Yellow Jacket sport available online. We were able to package this information on a DVD, which was provided to 700 A-T Fund members as a premium for reaching their donation level.
Tech football fans can view an online “Information Guide“. Here you will find the bios, rosters, records and history that you found previously in traditional media guides.
The online “Media Guide”, which includes video, audio and other bells and whistles will make its debut online in September.
Check Your E-Mail for Football Parking
Aside from Saturday’s fun event, you’ll be hearing from us in a couple of ways over the next few days. First, our parking passes are once again being sent via e-mail. Be on the lookout for an e-mail in your inbox with the subject: GTFootball@lanierparking.com. Make sure that this incoming address isn’t blocked as it contains your 2010 parking credentials. For those of you looking to purchase additional parking for single games, be aware that we will open our football parking page on www.Ramblinwreck.com on August 13th.
Football Tickets
Football ticket sales continue to move forward. At this point we have sold about 24,500 season tickets and traditionally add about 1,000 more during the month of August. Obviously, we hope you’ll consider purchasing season tickets if you haven’t done so already. Only fans who purchase season tickets both this season and next, will receive priority on additional tickets to our rivalry game with Georgia in 2011. Aside from that, Coach Paul Johnson and our team really deserve your support as they defend the ACC title this season.
For those of you who have purchased season tickets, we anticipate that those will be sent out by Federal Express by the end of next week.
Basketball Support
I also need to add a word about men’s basketball season tickets and the renewal process which is underway. We have received quite a bit of feedback from our fans regarding Georgia Tech basketball in the last month or so. To all of you who love this Georgia Tech Athletic program and want us to continue to succeed, I say that this is the time to show your support. Nobody can work harder than we are to infuse some positive energy into the basketball program.
In the short term, we are working on a number of initiatives that will bring our program, its coaches and players closer to the fans and community. In the longer term, we are hoping to move forward to the Board of Regents a proposal that will significantly change Alexander Memorial Coliseum. If this effort receives approval this fall, we will be playing our last season in the building as we know it. There would be a one-year hiatus during construction in which we would play off-campus and then a return to a beautiful new facility for the 2012-13 season. We are in the midst of some significant changes, investments and improvements that will fortify our basketball program for the long haul. I urge you to stay strong in your support and help us as we seek to improve and strengthen this critically important program.
It is important to note that those fans who are season ticket holders for this upcoming season and next season (when we will play an abbreviated home schedule) would have priority on selecting seats in the new building in the summer of 2012. I encourage each of you to continue your support of our basketball program through the purchase of season tickets for the 2010-11 season. In addition to the need to support our program after a 23-win season and an NCAA Tournament victory, there are far-reaching benefits to either renewing or purchasing basketball seats this season.
Can’t Wait Till Kickoff Luncheon
Our Second Annual Can’t Wait Till Kickoff Luncheon will be held on Friday, August 27th at the Cobb Galleria. The doors will open at 11:30 a.m. If you missed last year’s event, you really owe it to yourself to try to make this one. We have lined up a list of celebrity speakers, lots of great video, the band, cheerleaders and much more. Of course the highlight of the day will be Coach Paul Johnson’s final comments before starting the 2010 season. Click here to purchase individual tickets or tables of 10. Look for more information to be published on our website in the coming days.
The Gold Standard
Be on the lookout for Georgia Tech’s new sportsmanship initiative, “The Gold Standard”. We are determined to make a difference in the area of fan behavior and respect for our opponents. You will begin to see the new Gold Standard logo in many places around Georgia Tech. We even have a web page (https://ramblinwreck.com/goldstandard) dedicated to the initiative.
The Gold Standard is being given extremely high priority here at Georgia Tech. The lack of sportsmanship and respect at collegiate sporting events has reached alarming proportions across America. We intend to do everything within our power to encourage — even insist — that our fans set the standard in classy and respectful behavior. This movement is important to everyone at the Institute, our alumni, our coaches and to our student-athletes. It is our intention to increase the awareness of the Georgia Tech ‘Gold Standard’ in as many ways as possible. We very much want to be a leader in this effort. I encourage you to help us in the effort.
Sting Daily Returns
Sting Daily, an electronic newsletter that sends the very latest information on Georgia Tech athletics directly to your in-box six days per week, made its debut earlier this week.
If you aren’t already receiving Sting Daily, click here and register for free.
Writers Matt Winkeljohn and Jon Cooper bring their unique writing styles and have outstanding access to Tech coaches, staff and student-athletes.
Video Contest
Fans are invited to join our homemade video contest and win a number of prizes, including a pair of 2010 Georgia Tech football season tickets. Put together a video — lasting 60 seconds or less — on your phone or video camera and tell us why you love Georgia Tech football. Be as creative as you would like. Make sure to go here for all the rules and more information.
