Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86
Bobby Dodd Stadium 155 North Ave NW Atlanta, GA 30332
Year Opened: 1913
Capacity: 55,000
Welcome to the Flats
When considering historically significant college football programs, schools like Rutgers, Army, Navy, Princeton, Harvard, or Yale may come to mind, or possibly more modern legendary programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. However, one name often overlooked in these discussions is that of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
On what had been dubbed “The Flats,” when it was simply a graded field on the edge of campus in 1905, the stadium around the field would not take shape until 1913. The construction of a grandstand led to the name Grant Field, in honor of Hugh Inman Grant, the eldest son of John and Annie – Hugh died at the age of 10 from peritonitis following surgery for appendicitis.
In 1988, Coach Bobby Dodd’s name was added to the stadium in recognition of his over 30 years of service to Tech Athletics as a football and baseball coach and athletic director. In 2023, however, the stadium dropped Grant’s name from the field in favor of corporate naming rights given to Hyundai; a plaque at the southeast end of the stadium commemorates the Grant family’s contributions. Bobby Dodd Stadium is the oldest on-campus Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football stadium, and it is still in use today.
Throughout its history, Georgia Tech has played as an independent program on several occasions and as a members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Southern Conference, Southeastern Conference, and currently the Atlantic Coast Conference, of which they have been members since 1979. In their history, the Yellow Jackets have captured sixteen conference titles and claimed four National Championships (1917, 1928, 1952, and 1990).
Food & Beverage 4
Bobby Dodd Stadium offers an impressive range of concessions, going well beyond the standard stadium fare – the general concession stands here offer chicken tenders, burgers, hot dogs, and pretzels, along with a variety of snacks and sweets.
The concession stands are fairly evenly distributed around the stadium, though the east and west stands both have some items that are specific to their side of the facility. The eastern side, with more limited space, has converted part of Techwood Drive into a food court with food trucks, beer carts, and snack vendors; the west side does not have food trucks but does have some of its specific concessions.
A bit out of place in Atlanta, but still amazing nonetheless, is the Nola Style Nacho Shop – nacho options include Cajun pot roast, blackened chicken, Cajun hot sausage, shrimp creole, and vegetarian red beans and rice. The menu also includes dessert options, such as Cajun boiled peanuts and bread pudding a la mode. Other notable vendors include Chicken Salad Chick and Williamson Bros. Barbecue, which both have limited but delicious menus.
With Coca-Cola’s headquarters less than a block from Bobby Dodd Stadium, it only makes sense that Coke is the beverage of choice at Georgia Tech athletic events. Georgia Tech has also partnered with New Realm Brewing Company to create two Georgia Tech-branded craft beers, Helluvienna Lager and Ale of an Engineer. There is also New Realm’s Hazy IPA, along with their Cherry Limeade cocktail, and similar cocktails from Wild Leap Brewing Co. Wines. Hard seltzers are also offered.
On the whole, Bobby Dodd Stadium's food and drink choices go above and beyond average stadium offerings.
Atmosphere 4
Though it is the oldest on-campus FBS football venue in the country, Bobby Dodd Stadium has undergone several renovations, but the use of brick and iron gates has helped to maintain its classic charm.
From well before kickoff, there is plenty of excitement surrounding game day here. Beloved mascot Buzz is a consistent presence during the game itself and pregame festivities; it is Buzz who leads the Yellow Jacket Marching Band onto the field for their pregame performance. The cheer squad then leads the team onto the field with a flurry of flags spelling “JACKETS” and riding out on the Georgia Tech “Ramblin’ Wreck,” a 1930 Ford Model A.
Tech’s in-game presentation makes use of the campus’ industrial steam whistle to signify first downs, the need for 3rd down stops, and to celebrate scoring plays. It is also a featured part of stadium concession signage – the whistle that is believed to date back to 1896 is a big part of the game day experience.
What does seem a bit odd is adding the use of what could best be described as minor league baseball-like audio drops following plays; it is definitely not unheard of, but with a band as much a part of the game as Tech’s is, and as responsive as the fans here are to big plays, the latter audio drops just don’t seem to add much to the game presentation.
Before the 2024 season, construction began on the Thomas A. Fanning Student-Athlete Performance Center, set to open in 2026. For the next few seasons, the northeastern corner of the stadium will have an “in-progress” feel due to this project.
Neighborhood 5
Located on the western edge of Midtown Atlanta, Georgia Tech serves as a buffer between Atlanta’s high rises, which provide a breathtaking backdrop for the stadium, as do the city’s historic railroad and warehouse district.
The area surrounding Georgia Tech is full of restaurants and entertainment options. One of the pregame traditions of attending a Georgia Tech football game is grabbing a meal and an F.O. (Frozen Orange) at the iconic Varsity, just a block east on North Avenue. Visitors to town might also look to pair a football game at Tech with a trip to the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, which is less than 2 miles to the south, just off Centennial Olympic Park.
In some places, Bobby Dodd Stadium sits just feet from academic buildings – it is part of Georgia Tech’s campus community. However, with its metropolitan location in the heart of one of the country’s largest cities, there is no mistaking Georgia Tech’s location as that of a “college town.”
Fans 3
Recent years have been tough on Georgia Tech fans, with only three winning seasons in the last decade. The national prominence of their in-state rival has further impacted fan enthusiasm – at times, visiting fans from teams like Clemson, Notre Dame, or Georgia can heavily influence the atmosphere at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
The interest in Georgia Tech football has ebbed and flowed with the level of the Yellow Jackets' on-field success. A recent coaching change points to an uptick in on-field success, however, and the start of more local interest from alumni, students, and college football fans in the region.
Access 3
With Bobby Dodd Stadium’s location just off one of the most congested interstate junctions in the nation, it is no surprise that traffic around Georgia Tech’s campus can get significantly backed up. For those simply looking to get to campus, using MARTA, Atlanta’s rail system, could be an option. Make sure to park at the Doraville station to take the Gold Line; the northbound Red Line has limited late-night service on weekends.
Stadium access points are spaced into each corner of the stadium, with entries at each end of the expanded concourse on the facility’s eastern side. Entry is rather smooth, but backups can be expected – they are no worse here, though than at most major sporting events. The east concourse has extremely tight quarters, not much more than 4 feet wide in some places; the western concourse is a bit wider but can still be a bit tight, given this is where the highest concentration of seating is located.
Return on Investment 4
Declining fan support has inversely affected ticket prices. Entering the 2023 season, Georgia Tech significantly dropped ticket prices and donation requirements for season tickets, meaning tickets for non-conference or less prominent conference opponents are typically available right up to kickoff and start at only around $30-$40.
Georgia Tech suggests purchasing parking ahead of time through Park Mobile – parking can run as low as $13, but that level leaves quite a walk from the north side of campus. Parking closer to the stadium can run more than $50 but does sell out quickly, so planning well in advance is a must.
Concessions tend to be consistent with what would be expected at most sports venues. Items from the outside vendors do tend to be a bit more expensive but are of higher quality than the run-of-the-mill concession options.
Extras 4
On game day mornings, North Avenue between Luckie Street and Techwood Drive is closed off to host the “Helluva Block Party” leading up to kickoff. This area is full of vendors with promotional giveaways, a live pregame radio broadcast, and live music.
Georgia Tech recognizes the history of its program both inside and outside of the stadium. The inner concourse pays tribute to Tech’s 20 College Football Hall of Fame inductees, as does the facade of the eastern stands, while the north stands honor Tech’s NFL Hall of Famers, and the facing of the western upper deck memorializes Clint Castleberry, whose B-26 went missing during World War II.
Outside the facility, statues of former coaches recognize the contributions of Bobby Dodd and John Heisman, along with former Athletic Director Homer Rice. The north end also has a series of displays sharing the history of Georgia Tech’s football facilities – it is disappointing that the display is behind barriers and thus not completely accessible.
In addition, large Georgia Tech-branded logos are also placed around the stadium, providing fans with fun photo ops.
Lastly, make sure to stick around after the game is over for the Georgia Tech band’s performance of The Horse. As the song plays, band members, cheerleaders, the spirit squad, staffers, and fans bob forward and back and slide side-to-side as the band plays. Then, at the first musical break, everyone scatters through the stands to finish the performance – it is traditions like this that make college athletics such a special experience.
Final Thoughts
While Georgia Tech is still a competitive college football program, recent inconsistencies that have lasted the better part of a decade have put a dent in the weekly turnout of support. This does adversely impact the overall game experience; it typically takes a high-profile opponent to fill Bobby Dodd Stadium nowadays.
During its history, Georgia Tech has shown it can be a major player, both in the ACC and on the national college football scene, but right now, it is simply searching for the consistency it had when the Yellow Jackets were a ranked program regularly. Signs point to the program moving in the right direction, but time will tell if the turnaround is an upward trajectory or just another brief sign of a turnaround before heading back into the recent inconsistencies and mediocre game-day experience.
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