May 9, 2006
TO: Fans, Friends, and Supporters of Georgia Tech Athletics
FROM: Dan Radakovich, Georgia Tech Director of Athletics
I’m excited to launch this series of letters to you, our supporters of Georgia Tech Athletics, to outline our vision for excellence for your athletics program. “The Good Word” will deliver to you regular updates on the issues facing our athletics program as well as provide a forum for feedback and discussion on topics that are important to you.
Our vision is simple but challenging: to position Georgia Tech to be one of the top athletics programs in the nation – year in and year out – for the next quarter of a century.
Let me begin this first letter by telling you a few things that are important for our future.
First, Georgia Tech needs to alter the way business is conducted in the Athletic Association. We must become more transparent in our dealings and more cognizant of the needs of our customers.
Second, we must grow our customer base. Our location in the city of Atlanta provides tremendous marketing opportunities, but we must provide value for the competitive entertainment dollar. We must make each customer feel that no matter the outcome of the contest they have attended, they made a wise choice by attending a Tech event.
Third, we must value our product. College athletics has grown into a very large industry, one that requires a substantial revenue stream each and every year. In subsequent writings, I will detail more about our financial status, both present and future, and how we may need to alter our current business practices to achieve a level of financial stability.
Over my first six weeks on the job, I have met with many Tech alums and supporters. One message has come through loud and clear: There is a deep passion for the Institute and a great sense of philanthropy. We must continue to capitalize on that generosity and grow it to constituents who may reside outside the current Tech family. We need to announce that there is room on the Ramblin’ Wreck for everyone.
In the coming months, through this correspondence, I will continue to paint a detailed picture of the state of Georgia Tech Athletics so that you can have a better understanding of our goals and plans.
We have some very important decisions to make in the near future. We want you to play a role in the future success of Tech Athletics, so we welcome your feedback at goodword@athletics.gatech.edu
While I cannot guarantee a personal response to every email that we receive, please know that they will all be read, so I do encourage your participation in this process. Some of your questions could become topics for future issues of the The Good Word.
I also encourage you to share this letter with any Tech fan who may not have access to the Internet. Our goal is to inform and engage as many Yellow Jacket supporters as we possibly can.
I want to personally thank you for your continued support of Georgia Tech Athletics as we move forward with our vision for excellence.
Go Jackets!
