How big do you think our fanbase is?

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Whereas the peach bowl still has plenty of tickets left despite it being so close to us.

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The Peach Bowl is sold out - the only tickets available are on the secondary market. Peach Bowl tickets are also significantly more expensive than Fiesta Bowl tickets on the secondary markets (most upper level Fiesta Bowl tickets are $75, Peach Bowl are $180).

I think a lot of people have big game fatigues, both in travel and their pocketbooks. Personally, I went to both the Cotton Bowl and National Championship last year, but that was a decision based on the fact that my wife and I had not been to any of the national title games yet and we decided we'd do it all the way through last year. I'll be going to both this year (just got confirmation on Tide Pride tickets for Tampa if we go), but I am ONLY doing that because (a) I live 6 miles from the Dome and (b) Tampa is driveable. I wouldn't be doing it if either game was more than 7 hours away by car.

The Clemson game was last was their first national title shot in 35 years, and on top of that Phoenix is probably the most expensive big game trip via travel. Clemson people didn't care about that while a lot of Alabama people had made expensive trips like that for the last few years and sat it out. Notre Dame in 2012 was also unique, as they were in the same boat Clemson was AND have TONS of incredibly wealthy alums willing to pay whatever to go to a game like that.

I expect the Peach Bowl to be packed out with Alabama people. I expect Tampa to be pretty near a split.

To answer the original question, we are still very much a regional fanbase. A big one, but one concentrated in Alabama with large contingencies of alums and non-alums in nearby states. Old, huge schools like Ohio State, Michigan, etc and national schools like Notre Dame and USC have much bigger "fanbases". Ohio State and Michigan probably have 4-5 times as many alums alive today AND have giant in-state non-alum populations compared to Alabama.

There is no excuse for Alabama people not to dominate the Peach Bowl. Relatively inexpensive ticket for a game like this (compared to the Title game cost especially) and a 3 PM game in Atlanta that can easily be a day trip. However, years like last year where BOTH trips are plane rides AND we play a neutral site game far away...........I just can't expect people to pay $4,000 every year for 3 football games. It's not rational, no matter how much you love the Tide (on top of Tide Pride dues and season tickets). It certainly doesn't make people bad fans.

Just think of all the traveling and big games BAMA has had the last several years. That adds up quickly, and people they probably want to travel and spend money are just waiting for the NC which we stand a good chance of making.

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Stewart Mandel

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Yea - Peach Bowl tickets are a hard sellout and only Top 25-30% Tide Pride folks were able to get tickets. The Fiesta Bowl is struggling to fill the stadium.

And, it's totally understandable. Clemson went out there last season, and just a plane ticket to Phoenix cost $800-1,200 out of Atlanta at New Years, not to mention the tickets, hotel, etc. And that's for 1 person. Our trip to the CFP NCG last year probably cost $3,000, and we got steals on plane tickets to San Diego and basically got every at a discount (except the tickets, those were face from the University).

That's a tough arse sell for Clemson people.

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The Peach Bowl is sold out - the only tickets available are on the secondary market. Peach Bowl tickets are also significantly more expensive than Fiesta Bowl tickets on the secondary markets (most upper level Fiesta Bowl tickets are $75, Peach Bowl are $180).

I think a lot of people have big game fatigues, both in travel and their pocketbooks. Personally, I went to both the Cotton Bowl and National Championship last year, but that was a decision based on the fact that my wife and I had not been to any of the national title games yet and we decided we'd do it all the way through last year. I'll be going to both this year (just got confirmation on Tide Pride tickets for Tampa if we go), but I am ONLY doing that because (a) I live 6 miles from the Dome and (b) Tampa is driveable. I wouldn't be doing it if either game was more than 7 hours away by car.

The Clemson game was last was their first national title shot in 35 years, and on top of that Phoenix is probably the most expensive big game trip via travel. Clemson people didn't care about that while a lot of Alabama people had made expensive trips like that for the last few years and sat it out. Notre Dame in 2012 was also unique, as they were in the same boat Clemson was AND have TONS of incredibly wealthy alums willing to pay whatever to go to a game like that.

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Nailed it

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Brookhaven

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neighbor

Im in Chamblee right at the edge of Brookhaven.

Keswick Village

America's Team.

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We've probably literally crossed paths before. We take our daughter on neighborhood strolls a couple of times a week and often stop for a few minutes to watch the games.

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Probably have, then. Mine is the 5 year old girl that won't stop asking the umpire questions about the game and what the score is (they don't keep score). For future reference, Chamblee does a great job with those kids sports programs. I highly recommend them.

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Random PSA: There are goats fenced in behind the t-ball field now. Apparently to clear out all the underbrush. Definitely had a WTF moment when I saw them for the first time the other day.

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That doesn't surprise me at all. Those goats are hot commodities. I've seen them clearing out the pinestraw area next to Chamblee Middle, behind Ashford Park ES and a couple of other places. They get the job done too. Cracks me up to see them wondering around in their little portable fenced area.

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That's awesome. More places should use goats like that.

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....yep, and you can always throw one (preferably a nanny) on a spit and barbecue it if you got a crowd coming over for a special occasion.