College Football has always seen change through its history, but any major change was slow and heavily debated. Most would argue that each successive change was sure to bring about the doom of the sport. Instead, college football sits entrenched as the second most valuable media commodity, with only the NFL sitting higher upon its lofty throne.
Change now happens at the turn of every season, with even the decision makers unable to keep all the new rules, or lack thereof, in order. We’re not here to debate those changes and which way the sport should go, but rather Georgia Tech’s current place and potential future.
Now, anyone who barely scratches the surface of college football news is aware of the Big Ten’s and SEC’s power grab by absorbing the most profitable brands into their leagues. Florida State and Clemson are considered the final two major brands left to be absorbed, but the consensus is that a few more would be swallowed up with them. The new payout scheme the ACC entered into pays out based on performance and TV ratings, along with significantly reducing the Grant of Rights buyout by 2031, which is the year the SEC and Big Ten can renegotiate their media deals. All to say, where will Georgia Tech be when that time comes?
Had these events taken place sooner, such as during the Geoff Collins era, Georgia Tech may have been left for dead. Those left outside the coming absorption will be left in a bleak place when it comes to propping up their programs with the leftover money. Georgia Tech has always been a step behind even its conference brethren in spending, and money is proof that a program is willing to commit its resources to compete. There is good news, though. Georgia Tech’s addition of J Batt as their Athletic Director has turned the ship around.
J Batt came over from Alabama, where his role was focused on revenue generation for the Crimson Tide program. Most would think Alabama’s never-ending revenue stream would be credited to the dynasty of Nick Saban. While that is true, Nick Saban began that dynasty by laying down his requirements for a program to succeed financially, as the Alabama boosters were notorious for being comprised of splintered factions. This issue has plagued Georgia Tech for some time, as “Institutional Alignment” was generally in disarray.
We only have to look at his first year, where the Alexander-Tharpe Fund that supports athletics across the board raised $78.2 million. A single-year record by a 43% margin. He also began the Full Steam Ahead initiative to generate $500 million to upgrade facilities across all athletic programs. He also undertook two controversial but critical revenue streams by leasing the naming rights of Grant Field to Hyundai and moving the home date with UGA to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Both of these moves have added to Georgia Tech’s coffers, which has allowed the football program to be a player in the NIL and transfer market among its peers. Tech’s overall revenue from football last year increased by over 100% to $59 million. Making a leap from 66th to 38th in overall revenue among Division 1 programs.
Another factor that will bode well is that Tech’s schedule is built to feature matchups against major brands. An annual date with UGA, rotations with Notre Dame, future match-ups with Tennessee, and the media darling Colorado have pushed Georgia Tech into the elite category for viewership. Tech was once sought after by the Big Ten because of its media market being in the heart of Atlanta. Streaming has since dampened the value of a dedicated market, but building schedules to command attention will pay dividends because if you win them, you will build a new perception.
Coach Key has already done an outstanding job of raising the outside perception of the program from the dark days of Coach Collins. Talks of Georgia Tech being a contender for the ACC Championship are sprinkled into off-season banter among national media. Had the UGA game gone a few inches the other way, the talk would be louder. This year is where the program should take its largest leap. Clemson and UGA are the heavy hitters on the schedule, but neither looks invincible. The rest of the schedule comprises teams Tech should be favored against.
They must create a positive narrative into the recruiting and transfer cycle to build upon an already improving roster. The last two classes ranked 33rd and 18th in the nation. Top classes will be crucial to facing tougher schedules in the coming years, but it will be those games where the case will be made on who deserves to compete at the top of the sport. If Tech can beat the lineup of SEC teams in the remaining decade, there will be little argument about whether they belong.
The teams of the Big 12 were available for plucking by the SEC and Big Ten this last round, so their time may have come and gone. It’ll be the ACC when the Grant of Rights breaks loose that will take the brunt of the expansion. Clemson and FSU will be the first choice by brand alone, but Georgia Tech can position itself in the coming years to stand above the others in the conference. It could be the SEC calls Tech back to its original home and renew old rivalries, or the Big Ten uses them as a foothold within the heart of the SEC’s recruiting grounds. It’ll be up to Georgia Tech Football with the backing of the new revenue to find its place when the landscape shifts once more.