Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86
O’Keefe Gym 151 Sixth Street N.W. Atlanta, GA 30313
Year Opened: 1995
Capacity: 1,500
POINT TECH!
Originally the gymnasium of O’Keefe High School, which opened in 1923, Georgia Tech was given control of the building from Atlanta Public Schools in the 1960s, after which it remained home to both high school and middle school teams until 1973.
Georgia Tech began sponsoring volleyball as a varsity sport in 1980, playing their home matches at the then Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Yellow Jacket Volleyball would move next door to O’Keefe Gym in 1995, just before the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. While the team plays nearly the entirety of their schedule at O’Keefe, they will play a match or two back at their original home, the now McCamish Pavilion.
Since the inception of volleyball at Georgia Tech, they have played as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), winning five regular season titles (1994, 1995, 2000, 2004, and 2005) and two ACC tournament titles (1995 and 2002).
Food & Beverage 2
Georgia Tech serves a rather basic menu comprised simply of hot dogs, nacho chips with cheese sauce, and Bavarian pretzels. Candy and snacks are also available. Soft drinks come from the Coca-Cola family of beverages.
The alcoholic beverage selection is more extensive, featuring domestic beers, Georgia Tech-branded beers like New Realm Brewing’s Ale of an Engineer and Helluvienna Lager, and Hazy Like a Fox IPA, along with Bud Light and Nutrl seltzers, wines from Stella Rosa, and a Sauvignon Blanc spritzer.
Atmosphere 5
O’Keefe Gym is a great example of a historic building being preserved and repurposed for present-day use. To call O’Keefe Gym cozy would be a massive understatement – given its limitation of space and near-capacity crowds nearly every match, crowds are shoulder-to-shoulder.
The gym’s acoustics enhance the energy of the fans and band, producing an electric atmosphere, but can muffle in-house speaker calls, making them a bit difficult to understand.
The Georgia Tech pep band plays an integral role in creating a college atmosphere with their in-match drops and performances. Every point is celebrated with music clips, and the arena announcer quickly calls out “POINT TECH!” as the band responds with an equally rhythmic drumbeat. It truly is a fun atmosphere that is easy to get caught up in.
Neighborhood 5
Situated in the shadows of the Midtown Atlanta skyline, just a step out of O’Keefe Gym leaves no doubt you are in the heart of Atlanta. O’Keefe Gym is neighbored by McCamish Pavilion and Mewborn Field, Tech’s basketball and softball venues, respectively. This is also where the main concentration of Georgia Tech’s athletic facilities are located; the gym directly abuts Atlanta’s Downtown Connector.
The main concentration of restaurants in the area can be found across the highway, just a short walk across the 5th Street bridge. A bit further, but in the neighborhood to the north of campus, is one of Atlanta’s top pizzerias, Antico’s Neapolitan-style pizza, about a mile to the west of campus. Also less than a mile away is Vortex, known for its specialty burgers. Just be aware some of the décor at Vortex might not be the most family-friendly.
For those seeking more entertainment, Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park is only a short distance away from O’Keefe Gym – the park is home to attractions such as the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, and the Children’s Museum of Atlanta.
Fans 4
Tech fans pack O’Keefe Gym close to its 1,500-seat capacity on a match-by-match basis and create a lively college volleyball environment. Each point is enthusiastically celebrated with “POINT TECH!” and for set points, fans rise to their feet and circle their index fingers above their heads with a synchronous “oh” in anticipation of calling out “POINT-TECH!”.
Rallies with a lot of action save, and flat-out hustle plays are commonly celebrated with a standing ovation. In general, Tech fans are appreciative of good volleyball and quick to celebrate the success of the Yellow Jackets.
Access 3
Reaching Midtown Atlanta for an evening match can be challenging due to Atlanta’s notorious traffic, especially on the I-75/I-85 Downtown Connector. Although match start times aim to avoid the worst of rush hour, traffic can still be problematic.
Parking can be found in the lot behind McCamish Pavilion or in the smaller lot down 6th Street. Friday night parking especially can create some angst when football plays at home the following day since signs are posted regarding on-campus towing starting at 8 pm on Friday. Assurances are made that despite the posted signs, ticketing and towing do not begin in this area until well after the match ends.
The lot on 6th Street does provide the most direct access to O’Keefe Gym while parking at McCamish requires traversing several sets of stairs, going in through the O’Keefe Building, then exiting to access the front doors of the gymnasium. Upon entry, the lobby houses a long concession and apparel stand that makes an already narrow area feel even tighter.
Once in the gym, a large game operations and media table at the center court makes accessing the far side of the seating a bit challenging during the match – the layout of the facility and playing surface requires fans to exit to the lobby to get to seats on the opposite side of the venue. These inconveniences can be attributed to playing in such a historic facility, where there simply is not enough space to accommodate any sort of concourses.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets go for $12, which seems to be consistent with most Division-I volleyball programs. If purchasing tickets online, many matches may show up as sold out, but if you are willing to take the chance, there are often tickets still available for purchase at the door.
Concession pricing is consistent with what would be found at any other athletic event on campus – there is not necessarily the feel of items being overpriced when considering concession prices in general and during sports events.
Extras 4
During player introductions, the starters take the court and throw mini volleyballs to fans in the crowd.
Georgia Tech’s ever-present mascot, Buzz, makes his way around the stands, interacting with practically every fan in attendance.
Banners recognizing Georgia Tech’s All-Americans and ACC and NCAA tournament successes cover roughly three-fourths of the wall space of O’Keefe Gym.
After the match, stick around for a bit to witness one of the great but lesser-known traditions in college athletics, namely the Georgia Tech band playing “The Horse” – the band, spirit squad, and fans bob-and-slide while the song is played and then scatter throughout the stands at the break to finish the remainder of the performance. It is a fun way to end the evening.
Final Thoughts
There is no denying that O’Keefe Gym might be one of the most intimate Division-I volleyball settings in the nation. There certainly is not a lot in the way of amenities or comforts at Georgia Tech volleyball matches, but this is part of what makes O’Keefe Gym such a special place for Yellow Jacket Volleyball.
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