Georgia Tech’s mascot Buzz is seemingly everywhere: dancing his way through the crowd at volleyball games, doling out high-fives during Helluva Block Party, even conducting the band after the third quarter at Tech football games.
Buzz is one of the more prominent figures on Tech’s campus, and plenty of work goes into his appearances regardless of whether it’s a retirement party or a basketball game. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution spoke with Buzz coordinator Jocelyn Kavanagh and the Buzz team Nov. 18 to learn more about the role. Here’s what Tech fans may not know about Buzz:
Buzz’s ‘crowd surfing’ almost ended during pandemic
Fans at Tech football games can look to the student section or the video board before kickoff and watch Buzz working his way through the crowd, held up by a sea of students.
The mascot’s crowd surf is a long-time tradition, Kavanagh said, but was put on pause during the height of COVID-19 because of the smaller crowds in the student section. Kavanagh said the team made an effort to bring the tradition back during the 2023 football season, executing several successful crowd surfs pregame.
The secretive nature of being Buzz
Members of the Buzz team remain anonymous until graduation. Few people in their lives know about their role – including roommates. Team members keep it vague when telling their roommates about why they’re busy on game day, just saying they’re working the game.
As for parents? One team member said their parents “barely” know about their responsibilities as Buzz. Kavanagh said the people who end up learning about team members’ roles usually are parents and roommates, “eventually.”
One team member said it’s fun to run into people they know when they’re dressed as Buzz – but their friends have no idea it’s them.
“It’ll be like, ‘I sleep in a bed that’s next to yours, but you don’t even know you’re talking to me,’” the team member said. “It’s funny to see how people act around Buzz.”
Buzz’s many appearances
Kavanagh said Buzz makes around 300 appearances a year outside of game days. Requests come from alumni, student organizations, families and more. Types of events can range from retirement parties to weddings to even a holiday-themed Buzz photo shoot. Kavanagh places the events on a Google calendar, where students can pick and choose. During typical weeks, students work one to two events.
Among the busiest times of year for Buzz: graduation, “Week of Welcome” when students return to campus and homecoming. Kavanagh said team members may work 20-30 hours during those weeks because of the combination of events, practices and games.
Team members tend to pick and choose events depending on their strengths. For example, a team member who excels at working with kids might take a preschool graduation while someone who likes to dance might work volleyball or baseball games.
Roles beyond the Buzz suit
Members of the Buzz team stay busy even though only one team member is in suit at a time. On game day, team members not in suit help with keeping an eye on the clock during games, coordinating when team members will swap out of suit, assisting with marketing events during games and ensuring the visiting cheerleaders and mascots have meals and credentials.
Outside of events and games, the Buzz team will get together and work on social-media content. They also take photos and videos when not in suit on game day.
Buzz’s stadium home
The Buzz team’s home during football games is a closet nestled in the depths of Bobby Dodd Stadium. The room was brimming with items such as rows of blue-and-white athletic wear, Powerade coolers and Buzz’s props for his Fruit Ninja-themed skit during Helluva Block Party.
They share the space with the opposing mascot during games; one focus Nov. 18 was keeping it clean for Syracuse’s Otto the Orange, who takes up lots of space in his suit.
Just one Buzz at a time
Just one member of the Buzz team is dressed out in suit at a time. The only time multiple mascots are in the suit is when they swap out during the tunnel at football games, with one Buzz running onto the field as the other leaves.
The lifespan of a typical Buzz suit
Several of the Buzz team’s suits are in their fourth year of use and have been repaired twice. Buzz’s antenna and a patch of fur on the front of his face are the most likely areas to see wear-and-tear. One team member attributed the loss of fur to members of the Buzz team not lifting their heads up when skateboarding on their stomach while wearing the suit.
Buzz’s game-day snacks
Kavanagh keeps a down-to-the-minute schedule for the Buzz team on football game days, planning when the mascot needs to be set for typical events such as entering the stadium and marching to Yellow Jacket Alley.
What’s not on that schedule: a snack break. This is by choice, however, because of the physical activity required to be Buzz. Food choices differ by person, Kavanagh said. When she was part of the Buzz team as a student, she never ate. Team members who choose to eat said their typical choices are Chick-fil-A, fruit and sweets.
Buzz stays busy on game days
While Buzz team members are unable to wear Apple Watches or have their phones on them in suit, they know regardless of the data that they have a walking-heavy game day. One team member said their phone typically tracks them doing more than 19,000 steps on game day, which didn’t include their time in the suit.
The warm-up routine varies for each team member. Some say they stretch, while others listen to music or dance to get ready.
The Buzz team’s favorite part of game day: the fans
Buzz interacts with hundreds, if not more than a thousand fans each game day. The mascot hands out fist bumps, high-fives and hugs, along with taking photos with many passersby.
Meeting alumni and their families is rewarding, one team member said.
“I love the slower parts of the game when I can go up and down the stands and interact with parents and kids, especially parents who went here and remember Buzz,” they said. “They’ll be like, ‘Oh, it’s been so long.’ Then they’ll get to introduce their kids to Buzz for the first time.”
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