Bad season, economy keep Tech fans away

Georgia Tech season ticket holder Gordon Pfeiffer planned to take a family member to the Jan. 31 basketball game against then-No. 6 Wake Forest.

“My wife was like, ‘Nah, I don’t want to go.’ My son didn’t want to go, either,” said Pfeiffer, 49, a database administrator and Tech alum. “My daughter, a sophomore at Mercer, was home that weekend, and she was the same way. I couldn’t give the ticket away.”

Pfeiffer ended up taking a friend who’s a Wake Forest alum. His family, and a couple of hundred others, missed seeing Tech win 76-74 at the buzzer.

After four consecutive years of sellouts, Tech basketball is no longer a hot ticket.

The Jackets have drawn an average of 7,448 to 14 games at Alexander Memorial Coliseum, which holds 9,191. It’s the smallest average attendance since Tech drew 6,190 in 2001-02.

The lack of sellouts has cost Tech about $275,000, according to associate director of athletics Wayne Hogan. He blamed the combination of a disappointing season —- Tech is 1-9 in the ACC —- and the economy.

“It’s been hit or miss this year,” Hogan said. “The excitement and exuberance have not hit the peak we’re used to.”

Tech fell 1,100 short of selling out its 7,500 season tickets before the season, the first time in five years Tech didn’t sell its allotment.

And the Jackets’ performance hasn’t helped with single-ticket sales. The team has plunged to last place in the ACC with a series of close losses. Just 7,183 fans saw last week’s loss to Maryland, the second-smallest home crowd Tech has had for an ACC game this year.

“Our fans have been terrific this year,” said coach Paul Hewitt, who also surmised that the attendance drop stems from his team’s record and the economy. “Walking off the court after Boston College [80-76 OT loss] and Maryland [57-56 loss], I was thinking, ‘If these people wanted to throw rotten food at me right now, I probably wouldn’t blame them.’”

As frustrated as coaches and players are, Hewitt added, “It’s equally frustrating for them, and I’m appreciative of how supportive they are.”

The Jackets (10-13, 1-9) have three home dates left, starting with today’s 1:30 p.m. game against N.C. State (13-9, 3-6). Tickets are $30, and plenty are available.

Dick Eskew, another longtime season ticket holder, said some of his friends’ seats have gone unused this year.

“There’s definitely a reduced enthusiasm,” said Eskew, 51, a construction project manager and Tech alum. “Guys have other things to do, and it’s not that important. It used to be every game you wanted to be there.”

Pfeiffer said if the product doesn’t improve soon, he might give up his season tickets. “We have that recruiting class and it will be interesting to see, but all three of us [who share season tickets] are really disappointed,” Pfeiffer said. “I think we have better talent than we show. The thing that disappoints me the most is we’re not improving.”

ACC AVERAGE HOME ATTENDANCE

…………….Attendance..Capacity..Difference

North Carolina..20,922……21,572……650

Maryland……..16,790……17,100……310

N.C. State……13,127……19,722….6,595

Wake Forest ….11,491……14,407….

Virginia……..10,005……15,219….2,916

Virginia Tech….9,847 ……9,847……—-

Duke …………9,314 ……9,314……—-

Clemson……….8,311……11,020….2,709

Georgia Tech ….7,448 ……9,191….1,743

Florida State….7,379……12,500….5,121

Boston College ..5,202 ……8,606….3,404

Miami…………4,261 ……7,000….2,739

Source: ACC.com; Tech stats are from the Institute

NEXT FOR TECH

> Who: vs. North Carolina State

> When: 1:30 p.m. today

> TV; radio: WATL; 790 AM