Georgia Tech hired Collins in December after longtime coach Paul Johnson retired GETTY IMAGES
The renewed interest in Georgia Tech football spurred by the hire of coach Geoff Collins "translated into financial commitment Monday," as season-ticket sales were up 81% from last year’s first day of sales, according to Ken Sugiura of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. Twenty percent of the sales were from purchasers who "had not held season tickets" in the '18 season. In one day, the number of new season-ticket purchases was 37% of "all new season-ticket sales" for all of '18. A reduction in price also "boosted sales," as the least expensive sideline season ticket this season is $300, which is $50 "less than last season and the lowest pricing" since '14. Georgia Tech’s average home attendance last year was 43,087, the lowest since '01, which was "before the expansion of Bobby Dodd Stadium" (AJC.com, 1/29).
CROUCHING TIGER: In Memphis, Evan Barnes noted Memphis football "struggled to attract fans" in '18 despite winning the AAC West for the second straight season. Average per-game attendance at the Liberty Bowl "declined for the third consecutive season, and actual attendance was even lower." Memphis’ announced attendance over seven home games was 211,247 fans, an average of 30,178 fans per game, down 9.4% from '17’s announced attendance of 233,150. The per-game average is the lowest since Memphis averaged 28,537 fans in '13. Based on actual attendance, Memphis totaled 124,643 fans this past season, which averages out to 17,806 fans per game. That is less than '17, when the school had 127,153 "actual fans for an average of 18,165." Memphis’ biggest home crowd came Oct. 13 against UCF in a nationally televised game. It was announced that 38,831 fans were in attendance as Memphis lost 31-30, though the "actual attendance" was 24,117 -- a difference of more than 14,000 seats (COMMERCIALAPPEAL.com, 1/29).
