Georgia Tech estimates that its five-game home football series at Mercedes-Benz Stadium that begins in '20 will generate $10M "more in revenue than if the games were to be held at Bobby Dodd Stadium," according to Ken Sugiura of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. The projection is "based off of conservative ticket-sales figures." That increase is of "no small value to the athletic department, which is in dire need of cash to support its 17 varsity sports against more moneyed ACC members." GT this fiscal year anticipates running a $9.5M deficit, and that shortfall will "entirely deplete the department's reserve fund." The school will receive a $5M payout for the '22 Chick-fil-A Kickoff game against Clemson and will be "obligated to sell or purchase 38,016 tickets" in the 71,000-seat Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The $5M payday is $3M more than GT "would expect to make at a game at Bobby Dodd." Additionally, GT estimated a profit of $4.4M for each of two Notre Dame games in '20 and '24 -- "well ahead" of the $2M it would expect to make at Bobby Dodd -- and that was "using a low-end estimate of 54,000 tickets sold." Selling out the stadium "could be worth" an additional $1.2M (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 5/9).
