Tech fans need to pay heed to signage as they return to Tucker Stadium for Saturday’s football opener against Cumberland.
Tech Athletic Director Casey Fox said while the project continues, the west side of the stadium will be completely unavailable.
“All of our fans have to walk around to the east side to come in the entrances and you know, sit on the east side for this season,” Fox said. “And next year we will reconfigure the whole stadium and you know, have people go and select seats.”
Fox said the biggest game day challenge will be faced by visiting teams. He said the construction work has made the west sideline very narrow, so space is an issue.
Fox said the biggest change for football players, coaches, and staff will not come for another year, since they spent last season adjusting to the new construction. With this, they’ll continue to use the same facilities as they did last year.
Fox said next year, the team will be able to move into and utilize a new locker room and laundry room and other facilities.
“There isn’t a lot of impact compared to the season they just went through,” Fox said. “They’re used to it. Their locker room is still on the east side of the stadium. The training room, the equipment room is all over there. In the future, all of those will be moved.”
Since this will be Fox’s first football season at Tech, he is still learning the ins and outs of how the program has navigated the project. Fox said the biggest hurdle for the department has been getting him up to speed.
“[Returning staff] know what they’re doing,” Fox said. “Really, the challenge is me and understanding it and getting to know how that is, what it is, and why it is. And my staff has been great in holding my hand through that.”
Fox said weekly meetings have been helpful, and he will be part of a final review of everything later in the week. Fox said the staff will share the final plans for things like entry and ticketing at a game operations meeting Thursday.
