TO: Fans, Friends, and Supporters of Georgia Tech Athletics
FROM: Dan Radakovich, Georgia Tech Director of Athletics
Greetings Yellow Jacket fans. It’s almost showtime! We’ll call this Good Word the “almost everything you need to know” about football season and good times on the Flats in the coming weeks. I’ll do my best to give you the straight scoop on some topics that will come in handy this week and beyond and ways you can best enjoy Tech football this season. I’ll also spice it up with some news and notes from around the department.
Traffic Information
Due to several major construction projects on downtown roadways, there are some changes to the way Yellow Jacket fans will access the campus for this season’s football games.
Perhaps the single biggest traffic change is the closing of the 10th Street/14th Street exit ramp on the southbound side of Interstate 75/85. Fans will need to follow the directions below to access campus during the 2008 season.
We encourage all fans to come early to miss some of the potential traffic tie-ups and take advantage of fun and relaxed pre-game festivities.
Directions
The following directions will be utilized this year due to the local road construction. Please note that updated information will be sent via e-mail weekly to all season long parking permit holders. The directions sent via e-mail will be your fastest possible route to your specific lot.
From North, Traveling South I-75:
Exit at Northside Drive (exit 252). Turn right on Northside Drive.
Turn left on 10th Street.
From North, Traveling South I-85:
Exit at 17th Street(exit 84). Turn right on 17th Street.
Turn left on Northside Drive.
Turn left on 10th Street.
From South, Traveling North I-75/85:
Exit at 10th Street/14th Street/ Techwood Drive (exit 250).
Turn left on 10th Street.
Local Road Construction
The following projects will affect traffic to and from Bobby Dodd Stadium for the 2008 season:
14th Street Bridge Project
Downtown connector repaving project.
Please visit the Georgia Department of Transportation at http://www.gdot.org or by dialing 511 for Georgia travel information. This site and phone number are updated frequently and are good sources of information about the downtown road projects.
Parking Information
Season permits have been sent out by Click and Park for the 2008 season. If you have not received your permit from the e-mail address support@clickandpark.com, please e-mail Parking@athletics.gatech.edu. Parking information can be viewed at www.ramblinwreck.com by clicking on the parking link. Permits can be purchased through www.ramblinwreck.com as well.
Parking lots will be available starting at 5pm for the Thursday night game against Jacksonville State.
New Fan Assist Program
If you encounter a serious or significant issue in Bobby Dodd Stadium while attending a game this year, the first resource should be to find an usher or security personnel located throughout the stadium. If, however, you can’t immediately locate a member of the event staff in your section you can get help by accessing our Fan Assist Hot Line. You can either call or send a text message to 678-429-1413 to inform our Fan Assist Representative of the issue. We urge our fans to restrict their calls to concerns related to serious matters such as a medical emergency or disruptive fan behavior. Our Fan Assist Representative will assess the issue and dispatch the appropriate personnel (EMT or Security) to provide assistance.
Game Night Entertainment
This first game will be chock full of the entertainment and activity you have come to expect with Thursday football games under the lights. Wreckfest, our fan interactive area on Fowler Street, opens at 5 p.m. Catch 790 the Zone’s Ryan Stewart hosting a tailgate party open to the public atop Peter’s Parking Deck. In addition, 790’s “Afternoon Saloon” show broadcasts live from the Plaza at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Wreckfest features bounce houses for the kids, face painters, games, prizes, shopping, music and more.
At 5:15 p.m. the team buses arrive and our coaches and players file down Yellow Jacket Alley to the stadium. Students will unveil their official 2008 football season t-shirt in a united student section “Gold Out”. The official shirt was designed and voted on by students themselves in the spring. You can also enjoy fireworks during the National Anthem and at various points throughout the game. And be sure to stay in your seat at halftime as the Jacksonville State Marching Southerners band and the Georgia Tech Marching Band will perform back to back.
Game Coverage (Just in case you can’t make it to the game)
Obviously, we want you to join us at Bobby Dodd Stadium Thursday night. The beginning of the Paul Johnson era, under the lights, should be a very special evening.
However, we understand that some of our fans can not make it to Atlanta for the game, and we want to make sure you can follow the game live. Here are a few options:
ESPN360.com – You can watch and listen to the game live via this website at no charge, but there is a catch – not all internet providers are compatible with ESPN360.com. If you click on this website, you can determine if your internet service provider carries ESPN360.
On The Radio – The Georgia Tech/ISP Radio Network will, of course, be broadcasting the game. Wes Durham (play-by-play), Rick Strom (color) and announce team newcomer Jeff Woolverton (sidelines) will call the action. To find a complete list of affiliates near you, click here.
Radio Broadcast via RamblinWreck.com — If you do not live near one of our radio affiliates, you can listen to the radio broadcast of the game on our website. Go to www.RamblinWreck.com and click on the All-Access button. From there, you can listen to the radio broadcast.
Live Statistics — The Gametracker feature on our website provides the latest team and individual statistics, a play-by-play, scores from other games across the country and more. You can connect to Gametracker at no charge by going to the front page of RamblinWreck.com, scrolling down to the Event Calendar, and clicking on the GT next to the listing of Jacksonville State.
Listen Live To The Postgame Press Conference — A new feature on our website. You can now listen to the postgame press conference, as well as Paul Johnson’s weekly press conferences, live on our website at no charge.
Game Day Recycling
Georgia Tech will be expanding our “Game-Day” recycling program this football season, which begins on Thursday August 28 vs. Jacksonville State. GTAA has been working closely with numerous campus stakeholders and its vendors to initiate this program. In addition to focusing on the most populated tailgating areas around campus, this year we will be introducing in-stadium recycling. Student volunteers will be handing out blue recycling bags to tailgaters. Please assist our student volunteers by using these blue bags for your aluminum, plastic and glass containers. Please do not place other waste in these bags. Your participation in expanding our campus-wide sustainability efforts, recycling programs and keeping our campus beautiful is greatly appreciated.
Scanning Tickets Will Help Prevent Counterfeits
For the first time, we will be scanning bar-coded tickets as you enter Bobby Dodd Stadium. Digital Ticketing curbs the threat of counterfeits and protects you with optimal security at the game. Plus single tickets can now be purchased online and instantly printed at home.
Can’t make a home game? You now have the option to e-mail unused tickets to friends and family and they in turn can simply print the tickets at home. No more mailing tickets or meeting face to face for an exchange! Click here to learn more.
Ticket Information
Good seats remain available for next Thursday’s opener. Just go to ramblinwreck.com/tickets or call 1-888-TECH-TIX. Despite recent headlines to the contrary in our local newspaper, our season ticket sales have been encouraging. We have now surpassed the number of season tickets sold last year and the number continues to grow as we approach the opener. This is very positive in our current tough economy and in a year in which we have neither Georgia nor Clemson on our home schedule.
Why not go on line or call up and take the plunge with a season ticket purchase. Jump on board right away to support the Paul Johnson era.
No Smoking at Bobby Dodd
By order of the Georgia Tech Fire Marshall, smoking is not allowed in Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Georgia statute prohibits smoking in any public building defined as any building owned or operated by the State of Georgia.
ESPN, Gameday Show, Will Be In Atlanta
ESPN will be broadcasting from Centennial Park next Thursday through Saturday with its afternoon College Football Live show and its Saturday morning College Gameday show. While those shows center around the August 30th Clemson-Alabama game, it would not be a bad thing if there were some Gold and White in the audience.
ACC Honor Roll
Six All-Americans, including tennis players Amanda McDowell and Kristi Miller, volleyball player Ulrike Stegemann, track national champion Shantia Moss, diver Stephanie England and golfer Cameron Tringale, highlight a list of 151 Georgia Tech student-athletes honored in the 2007-08 Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Honor Roll.
To be considered, an athlete must maintain a 3.0 GPA for the entire academic year.
Go to our website to see a complete list of these student-athletes.
