ATLANTA - Georgia Tech has already started marketing its basketball program to displaced NBA fans left with no basketball action this season.
There's an ad out already that says, "Big time basketball is alive and well in Atlanta," as the school has decided to move 10 games to the now-all-but-empty Philips Arena. In seasons past, Philips would have played home to the locked-out Atlanta Hawks, as well as the now-defunct Atlanta Thrashers. That leaves plenty of empty dates at the downtown arena.
Georgia Tech had already made plans to move all of its home games to Duluth's Gwinnett Center, since the on-campus Alexander Memorial Coliseum is under renovation this winter. Moving 10 of those dates downtown simply makes sense for the school.
HoopsWorld.com quotes Tech's Wayne Hogan as saying that putting Atlantic Coast Conference games downtown is a good move.
"The longer the lockout goes, the more people will be looking for alternatives," he said. "ACC basketball in Philips is a pretty good alternative."
Tech plays their first game at Philips Arena on November 29 against Northwestern. Additionally, the ACC Basketball Tournament will be played at Philips Arena in March.