TO: Fans, Friends, and Supporters of Georgia Tech Athletics
FROM: Dan Radakovich, Georgia Tech Director of Athletics
The Chairman of the Board of a Fortune 1,000 company and a former Yellow Jacket football player who has authored one of the most inspirational books about how Georgia Tech changed his life – these two men are ready to talk GT football at our second annual Can’t Wait Till Kickoff Luncheon next Friday, August 27th at the Cobb Galleria.
Tickets are going fast and capacity is limited so don’t wait. Click here to reserve your spot. Individual tickets are $40 with tables of 10 still available for $350. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. with the program beginning just before noon. We’ll have merchandise and apparel available for the 2010 season, door prizes and many other Georgia Tech surprises.
Of course the main attraction of the day – which includes our band, cheerleaders, Buzz, the Wreck and much more – is Coach Paul Johnson’s final preseason thoughts before heading toward a defense of our ACC Championship. He’ll be joined by a few of our players as the Voice of the Jackets, Wes Durham leads the discussion.
Stephen Zelnak, Chairman of the Board of Martin Marietta Materials, a Georgia Tech grad and passionate supporter of intercollegiate athletics, will share his thoughts about the upcoming season. Also, we are delighted to have former Jacket Sam Bracken – author of the landmark book “My Orange Duffel Bag,” impart some thoughts about how Georgia Tech literally saved his life. It’s a fascinating story that will make you feel great about the mission of the Institute and our athletic program.
Football Tickets and Parking
With the big Kickoff Luncheon coming up, the countdown to toe-meets-leather is in full swing. If you are a season ticket holder, you should have received delivery of your 2010 tickets by now. Parking passes have also been distributed through e-mail communication. Be on the lookout for an e-mail from GTFootball@lanierparking.com. Make sure that this incoming address isn’t blocked or filtered as it contains your 2010 parking credentials. For those of you looking to purchase additional parking for single games, be aware that they are available on our football parking page on www.Ramblinwreck.com.
We are still selling football season tickets at a pretty good clip, with good seats in all price ranges available for purchase at 1-888-TECH-TIX (1-888-832-4849). We anticipate that our season ticket sales will reach about 25,500 – with nearly 10 percent of those being new season ticket holders, thanks to the good work of our partners with the Aspire Group.
Paul Johnson Radio Show Starts Next Week
The Paul Johnson Radio Show returns to the Fox Sports Grill in Atlantic Station next Wednesday night at 7 p.m. This weekly appearance has proven to be one of the most enjoyable hours of the week as hundreds of Tech fans join the head coach and Wes Durham for information and fun in a live radio setting. Make plans to attend throughout the season.
Annual Report
I am happy to offer a look at this year’s Annual Report. Just completed in the last few days, the report has just been posted on our web site. Click here to peruse the report at your convenience.
Volleyball Opener
Also upon us is the start of volleyball. Coach Tonya Johnson’s team was picked to finish third in the ACC and should be a solid contender for a title and another NCAA run. Our volleyball team will hold an open scrimmage this Saturday at 2 p.m. in O’Keefe Gym. Following the scrimmage, the players will be available for autographs. Our season begins next Friday, Aug. 27th as we’ll host the Courtyard Marriott Classic. The Jackets will face Indiana in their first action at 7 p.m. Alabama A&M and UAB round out the field. Also, be sure to check out some visual improvements we’ve made to the O’Keefe venue, creating an even more awesome home court look.
Basketball Tickets and Support
Be aware that there is life outside of football currently at Tech, and we need to pass along a few morsels of interest. Men’s and women’s basketball season tickets are currently on sale. The renewal deadline for men’s basketball is upon us. It is at the close of business tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 20th.
We are in the midst of some significant changes, investments and improvements that will fortify our men’s basketball program for the long haul. We are working internally every day with Coach Paul Hewitt and our basketball program to get better in every way. I urge you to stay strong in your support and help us as we seek to improve and strengthen this critically important program. If you consider basketball an integral piece of Georgia Tech’s persona now and in the future, you absolutely need to continue to buy tickets and attend our games now more than ever.
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. There are far-reaching benefits to either renewing or purchasing basketball seats this season.
Women’s Basketball Hosts UConn
Also, don’t forget on the women’s side, Coach MaChelle Joseph’s team is seeking its fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. And they certainly have the team to do it. Most notably, we will be hosting the nationally-renowned UConn Huskies and Coach Geno Auriemma at Alexander Memorial Coliseum on November 21 in a game for the ages. We expect that this game will be a sellout as we get our shot at ending UConn’s historic winning streak. We also have Georgia at home this season in what has become an epic women’s basketball rivalry. Women’s basketball season tickets are only $65 for adults and $45 for students and youth.
The Gold Standard
Be on the lookout for Georgia Tech’s new sportsmanship initiative, “The Gold Standard.” Season ticket holders received a panel of “Gold Standard” schedule cards and key fobs which we hope you’ll find handy. 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 dedicated to the initiative. Let’s make Georgia Tech the model for sportsmanship and respect across all of college sports.
Website and Photo Store
The feedback we have received from the new look of RamblinWreck.com has been extremely positive. We hope that it is a little easier to navigate and a little more user-friendly.
In the next few days, a link to a new Georgia Tech Photo Store will be available at ramblinwreck.com. On this photo site, fans can purchase any of hundreds of available Georgia Tech athletics photos, including most that are posted in the stories of RamblinWreck.com.
