Tech football tickets went on sale this week. With small updates being made to Bobby Dodd and a growing team energy for the upcoming season, Tech football hopes to make an increase in the impressive number of ticket sales from last year. After a somewhat disappointing performance from the 2019 season, any records Tech fans set will be based upon faith for next year’s team. By May of last year, Tech had already sold more tickets than the entire season of 2018. The excitement came from the arrival of Coach Collins, who brought a new energetic addition to the Tech team. Ticket sales this season will offer a glimpse into the confidence levels Tech fans have going into the season.
Tech has also made some interesting changes to the schedule recently, starting with a game in Mercedes Benz every year for the next four years. This year, Tech will face off against Notre Dame, whose fanbase is so strong the school has its own contract with NBC, unheard of in the college football world. Tech has also scheduled Alabama for 2030 and 2031.
While still far off, these actions convey an overall intention for the Tech team in the upcoming years. Tech is trying to position itself into the fray of the college football arena. Tech will also be playing Clemson at home next year, a game likely to pack every seat in Bobby Dodd. Popular games against big-time opponents are huge factors when it comes to ticket sales.
Last year, Tech experimented with trying out a fluid-price model, one in which tickets to rivalry games were sold at prices that fluctuated according to supply and demand at any given time. The goal was to get more Tech fans involved while keeping prices up for other games. Previously, the institution had sold most rivalry game tickets as packages including other games or as season tickets.
However, this turned out to be an issue, with fans of rivalry teams buying the packages and selling the tickets included to other games on second-hand sites. This pattern ensured that tickets to games with weaker opponents were artificially cheaper, causing the institution to miss out on revenue. The reasoning behind the system was to keep rivalry fans from taking over Bobby Dodd during big-time matchups, a problem often faced by athletically average institutions.
Using the new method should increase revenue for Tech. But at the same time, this might wind up helping invite rival fan bases into Bobby Dodd, making it easier for opponent attendees to purchase tickets.
Another interesting match-up to look at this year is Tech’s home game against UCF. A few years ago, UCF had a perfect season and ended it by proclaiming themselves the true national champions. After being brought down to earth by LSU the following year, the team still garnishes national attention and has been on an upward trend recently. A strong demand by a UCF fanbase could help Tech’s ticket sales.
Tech’s ticket sales generally represent an excitement felt by fans for the upcoming season. While few are expecting sales to surpass the record set the season following a Jackets Orange Bowl victory, Collins’ famous marketing strategies could eventually change that. Even still, a strong showing by the fanbase enforces the loud, colorful displays of team pride felt every Saturday across the college football landscape.