The Importance of Proximity: A Clemson Preview

by BirdGT on Oct 28, 2011 7:00 AM EDT in Georgia Tech Football

Bobby Dodd Stadium's running attendance numbers since expansion.

Let's talk about attendance because it's probably my favorite stat to track regarding our team. It's the only statistic related to the game that is truly dictated by the fans. First number: 2,711,526. This number is how many people have attended Bobby Dodd Stadium since its expansion to a 55,000 capacity limit. Second number: 214,853. This is how many people have attended the four Clemson games since 2003 (average attendance of 53,713). Clemson games have accounted for 7.27% of our total games since 2003 but have accounted for 7.92% of the ticket sales. Clemson games outsell non-Clemson games at Bobby Dodd by 4,759 tickets. Even at the cheapest ticket prices available that's around +$200,000 per Clemson game in average ticket revenue.

According to Common Census, Clemson fans are concentrated in four major areas of South Carolina: Greenville, North Augusta, Charleston, and Florence. The Midlands and rural Pee Dee are mostly Coot Country. Considering the next closest ACC-laden city is the UNC stronghold of Asheville, this makes the Tigers a fairly important rival for Tech outside of Georgie. Everyone loves road trips and when 90% of your rival's fan base is within a 5 hour radius, it makes the rivalry that much more tangible.

But I think what makes the rivalry even more enjoyable than the Georgie rivalry is that most Tech fans don't have to live within a stone's throw of Clemson fans. The proximity is within arm's reach but outside the media coverage radius so fans don't really have to listen to each others exploits or failures on a daily basis. Clemson lives just far enough away to keep the rivalry heated but hospitable (as opposed to Georgie which is just heated and terrible).

The preview will be short for the game because I'm not really up for predicting this game. Predicting the Clemson game ever has been a travesty. Out of 10 different predictions From the Rumble Seat bloggers have only been within a touchdown of either Clemson or GT's score twice. No one knows who the Hell is gonna win. Vegas currently has the game with Clemson as a 4.5 point favorite with an over/under of 63.5 points. Vegas thinks Tech is going to score around 4 touchdowns based on that logic despite the fact that Tech hasn't scored 4 offensive touchdowns in a game since October 1st. Someone in Vegas knows something I must not about Clemson's D or Tech's O...

I do like Tech's small and vastly improved defense against Clemson. I think we've got the ability to slow down the deep passing game. With Andre Ellington possibly out, I like Tech's 3-4 against the Clemson O-line, which has already given up 16 sacks in 2011. Young RB's are gonna have a hard time stopping our blitzing linebackers.

I think the real question is whether or not our offense will show up to play. It is a rivalry game and we struggled mightily against Clemson in 2010. Clemson returns about 68% of the tackles against Tech's 2010 squad so hopes of an improved offensive performance are probably out the window.

Prediction
Tech is not good offensively and needs to develop some toughness before we win a game like this. If we win, I will be immensely happy. However, I cannot pick a Tiger. Go Tech. 20-14 win.

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ZOMG!!!1 TECH NEVER SELLS OUT A GAME AND THEY CAN'T EVEN PUT 20,000 IN THE STANDS AND THEY DON'T DESERVE FOOTBALL BECAUSE THEY'RE A BUNCH OF NERDS THEY NEED TO PLAY IN DIVISION 1-AA BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO FANBASE!!!!!!1

50,000 a game since 2003…Eat it Haters!

"Reach down in there...TURN THAT DAMN THING UP!" - Coach Paul Johnson

by TBuzz on Oct 28, 2011 7:55 AM EDT reply actions

I really think

the economy is killing us now. Games like UNC and Maryland a few years ago would have had 5-6,000 more people.

I write stuff From the Rumble Seat.

by BirdGT on Oct 28, 2011 8:04 AM EDT up reply actions

Correct me if I'm wrong...

But it seems our home schedule is feast or famine from year to year. It seems like in odd years we get UNC, Clemson, VPI, and U(sic)GA at home…while in the even years we only get Miami and maybe every other even year we host FSU.

Our attendance should greatly improve now that our last 3 home games are pretty much our best 3 home games.

"Reach down in there...TURN THAT DAMN THING UP!" - Coach Paul Johnson

by TBuzz on Oct 28, 2011 9:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Average Empty Seats per Game

2003 – 2,138*
2004 – 8,183$
2005 – 3,393*
2006 – 4,383
2007 – 4,720*$
2008 – 7,511
2009 – 3,417*$
2010 – 8,551
2011 – 10,772*$

- uga/Clemson year
$ – VT year

I write stuff From the Rumble Seat.

by BirdGT on Oct 28, 2011 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions

That 2011 gap will start closing quickly though…

"Reach down in there...TURN THAT DAMN THING UP!" - Coach Paul Johnson

by TBuzz on Oct 28, 2011 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm ready to call Clemmins our sort of biggest rival

u(sic)GA
#1A Clemmins

I spend all week in Sow Kerlina, and it has an interesting CFB flavor. The state is 49% vs 51% for the two teams, and I can’t tell you which is higher. It is the most evenly matched rivalry I’ve ever seen, especially compared to the South Georgia dawg rage. It is city vs. country, and law firm vs. fertilizer sales.

Their fans are worried that we might bring the WCU, MTSU, KU offense to the field, in which case they feel that their QB/WR can’t score fast enough to beat us. I’m not so sure….

Come worship at the Heavy Metal Altar of Molten British Steel....
Come...Smoke with the Priest

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Oct 28, 2011 8:06 AM EDT reply actions

it is very split

I live in the Pee Dee, which is about an hour from the ‘Cock Capitol and it’s 50/50. Gotta be the most even split in the country outside of maybe New Mexico/New Mexico State or Ole Miss/Miss State.

I write stuff From the Rumble Seat.

by BirdGT on Oct 28, 2011 8:09 AM EDT up reply actions

what kind of region is called Pee Dee?

Better to have died a small boy than to drop this football - John Heisman FromTheRumbleSeat

Twitter, twitter, twitter

by Winfield Featherston on Oct 28, 2011 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions

The region with the Pee Dee River flowing through it....

They took the bar! The whole fucking bar!

by Profoundly Vague on Oct 28, 2011 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Wofo is so silly

I write stuff From the Rumble Seat.

by BirdGT on Oct 28, 2011 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

now i get it

Better to have died a small boy than to drop this football - John Heisman FromTheRumbleSeat

Twitter, twitter, twitter

by Winfield Featherston on Oct 28, 2011 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

The greater

Florence, Lake City (or Lake CEE TEE), Dillon, Latta MetroPlex.

See: Ben Bernanke waiting tables at South of the Border in Hamer, SC.

Come worship at the Heavy Metal Altar of Molten British Steel....
Come...Smoke with the Priest

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Oct 29, 2011 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions

After last week's loss I told myself that I can't pick us again until Dook

It’s a shame, but Climpsun wins by 7-10pts.

Our best chance is coming out hot to a great atmosphere and taking a lead early, but our offense just doesn’t seem to have that in them lately.

The Church of Paul Johnson - There's not much to it outside of whooping ass and giving haters the finger. To HELL With georgie!

by LilBroey700 on Oct 28, 2011 8:26 AM EDT reply actions

If we go outside of South Carolina,

the next highest concentrations of Clemson alumni are probably Atlanta, Charlotte, and DC. Not that anyone cares, but I just felt like sharing.

by OrangeBritches on Oct 28, 2011 8:27 AM EDT reply actions

Do y'all have an alumni distribution map

with your Alumni Association or anything similar?

I write stuff From the Rumble Seat.

by BirdGT on Oct 28, 2011 8:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Meant to reply here.

Oops. Look lower.

by OrangeBritches on Oct 28, 2011 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions

I run into very few Clemson alums in ATL

and its strikingly odd

Better to have died a small boy than to drop this football - John Heisman FromTheRumbleSeat

Twitter, twitter, twitter

by Winfield Featherston on Oct 28, 2011 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

I work with 2...

Of course, they both went to Tech for their graduate work.

Here's one for all the hardened Welsh supporters. For a time when we've all got doctor's papers, not one of us in pain, and Harry Morgan buries his granny, once again.

by gth863x on Oct 28, 2011 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions

That's odd.

I met a Georgie grad who went to Clemson for his grad work because “I couldn’t get into Tech.” I informed him he was what I like to call a “super rival.” If he hadn’t been handing out beer he woulda been heavily taunted.

by GT_Jason on Oct 28, 2011 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Just found one

http://www.clemson.edu/alumni/dashboard/

Only broken down as far as state though.

by OrangeBritches on Oct 28, 2011 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions

I think there will be

A lot of point scored by both teams. I think whoever scores the most will win.

by AugustaTigerFan on Oct 28, 2011 8:27 AM EDT reply actions

good point

I also think that whoever kicks a field goal will be awarded 3 points. I just hope GT doesn’t try to kick any field goals. Those things are damn near impossible to make with our kicking unit.

I write stuff From the Rumble Seat.

by BirdGT on Oct 28, 2011 8:43 AM EDT up reply actions

My prediction is that

whomever holds the other team to the lowest points will win.

by Atlanta's original team on Oct 28, 2011 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions

I can definitely proclaim...

that each team has a 50/50 chance to Win.

"Reach down in there...TURN THAT DAMN THING UP!" - Coach Paul Johnson

by TBuzz on Oct 28, 2011 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions

Now your going out on a limb

by Atlanta's original team on Oct 29, 2011 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions

That was my

John Maddenism for the day.

by AugustaTigerFan on Oct 28, 2011 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Been saying it for years...

…want to bring new fans? Play the schools within the closest 200 miles of campus. Names, you ask? Ah, yes, they are as follows:

1)Georgie
2)Auburn
3)Clemson
4)Bama
5)FSU
6)Flarduh
7)Tennessee

Ladies, and gentlemen, THOSE are our rivals by proximity. THOSE teams would fill the stadium and build local interest in Tech football if we loaded the schedule with them. Why? Because THOSE are the fans who live around us and get the bragging rights over us. Local bragging rights rule perception in Southern football and is the engine that makes fans. Remember, it was only after we stopped playing these guys as independents (joined the Metro and then the ACC) that attendance numbers dropped to these current levels. There was a time we played those guys every year as conference opponents and we had the largest attendance in the Southeast.

/rant

by GT_Jason on Oct 28, 2011 9:42 AM EDT reply actions

We play Clemson and Georgia every year, and FSU like once every 5. We schedule the others sometimes, but we aren’t going to play them every year because we don’t want to be 0-3 going into ACC play.

by a5ehren on Oct 28, 2011 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe missing the point?

The point is what we do now sucks. We obviously get more fans interested in us by beating Georgie, and that should stay number one. But, playing CU as the only other big local rival won’t be enough. One of Bama, Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee need to be on our schedule EVERY year on a rotating basis. Preferably all of them at once, but we left their club and never got back in. The rest of the ACC outside of CU and FSU are just uninteresting games to the fence-sitting local Atlantan. You’d have to be a pretty committed fan of CFB in general or GT in specific to care that Tech is hosting yet another geographical non-sequitor from the ACC any given home game. That’s why our current scheduling (and maybe even conference affiliation) is not great for longterm growth.

by GT_Jason on Oct 28, 2011 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions