Best stadium experience?
KQ- Probably LSU in 2003 when they beat UGA. I could feel the earth moving under my feet on the field at the end of the game as the Tigers came back and won the game. They also had killer press box food that was Cajun stuff and it was totally nuts from driving in with a bad bad bad hangover from NOLA to leaving and people throwing shit before and after at my friend's car that drove us.
Worst stadium experience?
KQ- Independence Bowl in Shreveport was probably the worst all-around experience and as I recall the freaking food was like a mile away from the press box in the end zone or something stupid like that. Game was awful as well.
Your go to favorite away game restaurant?
KQ- Alpaca Chicken in the Triangle area. There are a couple but my favorite one is the OG one on Davidson Ave just off the Duke campus.
Restaurant you'd never frequent again?
KQ- Probably Taylor's Maid-Rite and their loose burger meat burger. That thing about ruined a rental car I had up in Iowa.
Which GT football player has the largest NIL deal?
KQ- I have no idea. My gut says LaMiles Brooks but that is just a wild guess.
1. Any news on additional unique seating options under consideration at BDS (or whatever the new moniker is post-Hyundai investment)?
KQ- From the conversations I've had everything is on the table, but they have their hands full right now until the Edge construction begins as well as trying to get things set up for the season. They had people working in the suites as offices and all kinds of stuff going on in BDS. They only have so much bandwidth at the moment.
2. Have you heard anything about likely scheduling model for 2024, and if there's a better than not opportunity that GT will make a biennial CA or TX road trip?
KQ- I've heard that Cabrera wants GT to play one of the Cal schools as part of the rotation maybe getting out of Wake or Louisville (I'm sure they'd like to drop Clemson but that won't fly) if they are keeping the permanent rivals thing. That's just something I heard though through the grapevine. I have no idea how it will work honestly. Once the season got going I pushed that out of my brain for the moment.
I'd think that Louisville and SMU might play since geographically that makes a little sense. I'd think SMU and Wake would make sense as well.
I assume the ‘24 FSU Week 0 game is set in stone with all the travel packages being sold, but do you think the two Colorado games will still be season openers? I know you’re tired of P5 openers every year and covering a team that is always 0-1. Chances you think GT either pushes those games or tries to ease into the season those two years by moving Georgia State to Week 0 in ‘26 or moving the FCS game to Week 0 in ‘25?
KQ- GT won't push games. You have to pay money to do that and it is not a small amount. That is why the Ole Miss and Bama series are still on the books. Those two programs had to pay GT to not play them and push those games. You'd need both programs to want to push a game to avoid paying for it. Also Colorado has an issue now because they are moving back to the Big XII and they had a non-conference game in 2025 with Houston set up so that has to go away so there is no way in hell they want to reschedule two non-conference games two years out and have to get FBS opponents and have at least one be a P5. So no is the answer to your question.
Why did UNC, CU, and FSU vote no to the expansion. These three teams offer the ACC a foot into Texas (Dallas) and a foot isn’t California tv markets.
I would think this adds TV$. I would also think it would help with recruiting in these talent rich states. They are also not tapping the ACC TV money for 7-9 years.
Thoughts?
The SEC and the B1G think those states are important.
KQ- FSU is just pissed and wants to get out. That's how I read their posture. UNC and Clemson can raise an extra $5 million through multiple means so they didn't care and it just complicates things for them so it was an easy no if their leadership didn't see the rewards being lucrative enough.
The PAC XII disappears next year. What happens to the money that was suppose to go to these teams from TV. If a former team is on TV how do they get paid.
Example
2024. Stanford plays someone on TV. How does Stanford get compensated?
KQ- Stanford will be in the ACC. The Pac-12 TV deal expires after this year that was the whole issue and why the league broke up. They could not get a deal the majority of the programs agreed to.
The ACC will have more potential games to show. If the ACC gets $x per year, how are the extra games compensated to the league?
KQ- That is where the new money comes in. That is all in the contract with ESPN and there is language on how much money the league gets for adding additional teams. Those are baked into these TV deals.
Does the league just rotate in these three new teams as part of their 50(?) game package?
KQ- No the package expands.
