Buzz (mascot)

The original Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket mascot was Judi McNair who, according to the Winter 2004 edition of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Tech Topics magazine, donned a homemade yellowjacket costume in 1972 and performed at home football games.[12] She rode on the Ramblin' Wreck and appears in the 1972 Georgia Tech Blueprint yearbook.[12] McNair's mascot was considered a great idea, as it was a big hit with the fans.[12]

Buzz playing Twister at a basketball game

In 1979, McNair's idea for a Yellow Jacket was reintroduced by another Georgia Tech student, Richie Bland.[5] Bland, who was apparently unaware of McNair's prior initiative, paid $1,400 to have a local theme park costume designer make a yellow jacket costume that he first wore at a pep rally prior to the Tennessee football game.[5] Rather than obtain permission from Georgia Tech as Judi had done in 1972, this student, a few weeks later simply sneaked onto the field in costume during a football game and ran across the field.[5] The fans naturally believed that this costumed character was acting as an official member of the cheerleading squad and responded accordingly.[5] By 1980 this new incarnation of the yellow jacket mascot was given the name Buzz Bee and was adopted as an official mascot by Georgia Tech.[5] This new Buzz character would be the model for a new Georgia Tech emblem, designed in 1985 by Mike Lester.[11]

In 1998, Georgia Tech filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the Salt Lake Buzz, a Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team.[13] The Institute had negotiated a deal with the team,[14] but the team backed out of the agreement before it was finalized and filed suit in Utah for the right to use the mark.[13] Tech filed a countersuit and won in 2001.[15] As a result, the team was forced to change its name (to the "Salt Lake Stingers"; several years later, it would adopt its current name of the "Salt Lake Bees") and pay Georgia Tech $600,000,[15] although Georgia Tech spent $700,000 to $800,000 during the dispute.[14]

Buzz participates in several mascot contests.[6] In 1997, Buzz won an Access Atlanta poll due to creative ballot stuffing by Tech students.[16] In 2005 and 2006, Buzz was named to the Capital One All-American Mascot Teams and participated in the Capital One Mascot Challenge.[17] In 2000 and 2001, Buzz won the NCA (National Cheerleaders Assoc.) mascot of the year and in 2004 and 2006, Buzz received second place in the NCA Mascot Competition in Daytona, Florida.[6][18] On June 14, 2008, Buzz rappelled down the 40 story Viewpoint lofts building in Midtown, Atlanta as part of a university fundraiser.[19]