2012 Attendance Boosters

I've got an idea to help with student attendance.

Each student registered at NT is eligible to win free tuition for the spring semester's classes based on how big a load they were enrolled in during the fall. 15 hours in the fall would mean 15 for free in the spring. The student must be present to win and would have to scan their ID before kickoff. The drawing would be held between the 3rd and 4th qtr. This would cover tuition only. No fees, no housing, no meal plan. And if the winner is graduating and not continuing on in grad school, they win the cash equilivant, or something similar.

I've got an idea to help with student attendance.

Each student registered at NT is eligible to win free tuition for the spring semester's classes based on how big a load they were enrolled in during the fall. 15 hours in the fall would mean 15 for free in the spring. The student must be present to win and would have to scan their ID before kickoff. The drawing would be held between the 3rd and 4th qtr. This would cover tuition only. No fees, no housing, no meal plan. And if the winner is graduating and not continuing on in grad school, they win the cash equilivant, or something similar.

Sounds like a good idea. Give one of these away at every game. Would cost about $15,000 for the whole season if no fees were included. I bet we'd see a nice boost.

Sounds like a good idea. Give one of these away at every game. Would cost about $15,000 for the whole season if no fees were included. I bet we'd see a nice boost.

I remember when during the Dickey Era there would be dealerships that would do the compete for the car style games. I remember one girl (I believe) trying to throw a football through a car window and she would have won the car.... she almost nailed it and I never saw that promo again.

I've got an idea to help with student attendance.

Each student registered at NT is eligible to win free tuition for the spring semester's classes based on how big a load they were enrolled in during the fall. 15 hours in the fall would mean 15 for free in the spring. The student must be present to win and would have to scan their ID before kickoff. The drawing would be held between the 3rd and 4th qtr. This would cover tuition only. No fees, no housing, no meal plan. And if the winner is graduating and not continuing on in grad school, they win the cash equilivant, or something similar.

"......must be present to win"

absolutely necessary!

great idea. However, much like a scholarship, I would expect the funding would have to be there - where would the funding come from? Ideas?

Mexia.

Nuff said.

i know this idea is really from "the way back machine",but i remember when high school band day was an annual and well attended event. brought local/regional bands for big halftime show plus their families and friends.

I've got an idea to help with student attendance.

Each student registered at NT is eligible to win free tuition for the spring semester's classes based on how big a load they were enrolled in during the fall. 15 hours in the fall would mean 15 for free in the spring. The student must be present to win and would have to scan their ID before kickoff. The drawing would be held between the 3rd and 4th qtr. This would cover tuition only. No fees, no housing, no meal plan. And if the winner is graduating and not continuing on in grad school, they win the cash equilivant, or something similar.

This is a topic I've thought about transfere a bit and this idea was what came to mind. But, I don't know how much it would increase the odds of someone coming that wouldn't usually come, because the odds of 15000:1 seem unrealistic for most. So, what about increasing the odds and lowering the cost of the prize? Maybe give away a semesters worth of books for 6 students given out throughout the game. Not that it increases the odds all that much, but it helps some and keeps the students there throughout the game and not stumbling from the parking lot at halftime. That's 30 winners a year and then at the last game there could be a grand prize for someone who has been at every game or most spirit throughout the season or something.

Or maybe the prizes could be a free semesters worth of food from Rudy's or ice cream from Beth Marie's, pizza, coke, cash, apartment for 9 months or BEER! You know, things college students need and the university/atheletic department has partnerships with already.

As far as alumni, other sort of give aways maybe, but mostly winning. Both residents and alumni attendance will increase once we start winning and that in my opinion is on it's way. The main focus is the students though. They are the closest to the stadium and would make the biggest impact at the games, volume wise and in numbers.

I think stadium location and parking are huge problems for everyone.

1. They need more parking at the stadium.

2. They need cash parking at the stadium.

3. They need free shuttles to run from Fouts parking to the stadium.

4. Drop the price on Fouts parking. ($5 bucks if we have to keep hiking).

I think tailgating blows at Apogee

1. Bulldoze that stupid hill & build a tail gating park

2. Consolidate the beer tents. Why is Miller Lite out in BFE.

3. Give away free tailgating stuff. Beer, hot dogs, face painting, ect.

4. Provide bathrooms. Why the outside stadium bathrooms by the ticket office is locked makes no sense.

Students,

I think the giveaway of tuition/books etc is a great idea to attract more students. Especially if you require that the participants all have to have their ID's scanned as they enter the stadium. And I agree that awarding the prize between the third and fourth quarter would be ideal. In addition, recording the event and then sending the link to the recorded event to all student e-mail accounts might increase awareness.....and interest in participating.

Also, how about the Talons (with their talon gear on) staging impromptu spirit demonstrations during the week of the game.....especially home games. Driving around the campus with well decorated vehicles (classic cars/pickups painted the school colors would be ideal) and honking their horns and waving battle flags would be better than nothing. Also, any of the cars owned by a Talon could install this on their vehicle.

http://store.aumauto.com/prmucarho.html

The North Texas fight song could then be programmed into it.

For that matter ANY FAN/ALUMNI could do the same thing.

Alumni/community

Have as many "events" as possible at the Apogee stadium parking lot. Ideally by the Alumni pavilion. For example, classic car shows, chili cook-offs, and as the fall season is close at hand, have a tailgating food cook off with awards for various types of food.

As to the community, I'll once again bring up the name of Hayden Fry and suggest what he (or his staff) came up with. They had a caravan of cheerleaders/pep-band members and spirit organization members go around to the various small towns and set up an impromptu pep-rally on the town squares. The cheerleaders and other spirit members went around to the various businesses and handed out schedules and season ticket applications. The message was "we are a different North Texas from the past, and we want you to consider us YOUR UNIVERSITY".

Mexia.

Nuff said.

Nice to see you adding substance to this thread. Thanks for that. What do you think you are accomplishing by continually doing this sort of thing? Really, just wondering? Why would a mod want to screw up a decent thread with this sort of thing time and time again?

Nice to see you adding substance to this thread. Thanks for that. What do you think you are accomplishing by continually doing this sort of thing? Really, just wondering? Why would a mod want to screw up a decent thread with this sort of thing time and time again?

He knows he can no longer be -1'd. Thank you for your courage.

I see no idea in this thread that hasn't already been done in the last decade, yet here we are.

I think one of the biggest expansion opportunities is the train and creating a full experience that starts with killing the hassle of getting to Denton, but it would take a lot of work from a lot of people (and some flexibility that has not been there for all groups) to make it work.

Nice to see you adding substance to this thread. Thanks for that. What do you think you are accomplishing by continually doing this sort of thing? Really, just wondering? Why would a mod want to screw up a decent thread with this sort of thing time and time again?

Nice to see you adding substance to this thread. Thanks for that. What do you think you are accomplishing by continually doing this sort of thing? Really, just wondering? Why would a fan want to screw up a decent thread with this sort of thing time and time again?

PS...My idea would only cost anything if it were won.

If students came, scanned an ID and left right after the winner was announced between the 3 and 4qtr, we might make up the prize pay out in increased concession sales.

I'd also like to see the winner's name printed in the next edition of the Daily. Sort of a "see there...You should have gone to the game."

GO MEAN GREEN

Good thread! I would be interested in hearing what some of the current students think would help.

Good thread! I would be interested in hearing what some of the current students think would help.

I don't think I can give you a completely accurate student viewpoint, but I can tell you what I saw on campus when it wasn't Saturday. First of all, I think that overall, the students did pretty good this year until the last game when they didn't feel like sitting in a cold rain for a game that didn't matter. Unfortunately somebody saw 50 guys getting drunk on the hill during a game, ignoring completely the thousands of students that were in the stadium at the time, and raised hell about it internally and externally, resulting in an article in the North Texas Daily, Lane Rawlins shutting down tailgating for a week, and police presence so prominent I expected to be asked for my papers inside and out of the stadium.

The students, as a general rule, don't put much stock into UNT athletics as it is. Creating an atmosphere, perceived or actual, of antagonism from the faculty and alumni, isn't going to bring them in. Believe me, there are plenty of other pursuits when you're between the ages of 18 and 22.

Pardon the horrific comparison, but if you want to increase student attendance, you gotta' think like the big tobacco companies. That is to say, acknowledge that you're not going to get organic growth in your existing customer base. You need to get 'em young. Like real young.

Attack two fronts here.

1) Incoming freshman. Emphasize the football program like crazy to incoming freshman. Emphasize it at that first flight week. Make them tour the stadium. Have some kind of dorm wars thing at the games. Have dorm sponsored tailgating in the student premium lot. Have the talons go roust them out of bed on Saturday mornings and get their butts over to the stadium. Walk them there, drive them there. Hell, give them piggy back rides. But get them there. And when they're there, welcome them with open arms. Even if they're wearing a burnt orange sweatshirt. Even if they don't stand. Even if they don't know how to wave their arms during the alma mater (something I still have yet to figure out. I guess they don't emphasize that in grad school).

2) Area elementary and middle schools. I was listening to the women basketball team against Texas Tech a while ago. They bussed up a thousand DISD elementary school kids for that game and they had a blast. They were loud. They were nuts. They were 1,000 butts in the seats. Why the hell can't football do this? Is it demeaning? Does it reduce revenue to fill a couple thousand otherwise empty seats? Bring in the kids and make them fans. Hell, pay for the busses to bring them in and make that money up in concession sales.

Attack these two fronts and accomplish two things

1) Bring an immediate and statistically significant increase in butt count at each and every home game.

2) Create a future revenue stream of dedicated alumni donors when we are rooting for the Mean Green from six feet under, shouting for the worms to get the hell out of our view.

I think stadium location and parking are huge problems for everyone.

1. They need more parking at the stadium.

2. They need cash parking at the stadium.

3. They need free shuttles to run from Fouts parking to the stadium.

4. Drop the price on Fouts parking. ($5 bucks if we have to keep hiking).

I think tailgating blows at Apogee

1. Bulldoze that stupid hill & build a tail gating park

2. Consolidate the beer tents. Why is Miller Lite out in BFE.

3. Give away free tailgating stuff. Beer, hot dogs, face painting, ect.

4. Provide bathrooms. Why the outside stadium bathrooms by the ticket office is locked makes no sense.

Stadium Location and Parking

1. There is plenty of parking at the stadium, but it is for donors. This is how all big programs operate. If you want to park close you have to join the Mean Green Club. Years at Fouts spoiled everyone.

2. See number 1.

3/4. Offer $5 to park at Fouts and walk or $10 and include a roundtrip shuttle.

Tailgating at Apogee

1. The hill and trees is what makes tailgating at Apogee unique. What is a tailgating park?

2. Agreed.

3. Bring your own beer and hotdogs or have food services set up and accept student meal tickets and sell to the public. Face painting was offered to my kids once by some Talons walking the Red/Blue lot. I think the 4 that offered are the only 4 still involved in Talons.

4. The bathrooms on the east side are open prior to the game. Not sure why they weren't on the west side.

Giveaways work for a while, but the product (team) and the pre-game experience are what will drive the numbers in the long run.

The biggest problem last year was disciplining everyone over the acts of a few stupid, passed out, drunken students. The solution would have been to address the problem at the time it occurred and get those morons out of there. Coming down on all the students ruined it for everyone.

I see no idea in this thread that hasn't already been done in the last decade, yet here we are.

The problem with many of the ideas is that it tends to be done/tried only once. If it didn't work the first time, people immediately give up. If it did work the first time, they don't see the need to do it again. My observations, "down the corridor of years" has been that we don't have any group or organization that is committed to work long term on any idea/project.

I think one of the biggest expansion opportunities is the train and creating a full experience that starts with killing the hassle of getting to Denton, but it would take a lot of work from a lot of people (and some flexibility that has not been there for all groups) to make it work.

The train?

Edited January 11, 2012 by SilverEagle

Yup, the train. I know it's not a headline grabber like marching band fanfare, but hear me out. We now have a connection into Dallas and a chance to create an entire experience around it -- IF -- the DCTA, DART, university and athletics all work together. If you could create basically a moving game day experience six times a year (but the home schedule only says 5 right now and is obviously permanent /hits self in balls with mallet), you can bring in the large group of people who see Denton as a pain in the ass and start building a regional connection to this thing. It's a series of small events everywhere. It's a visible coaching staff all off season. It's events to show off the stadium when a football is not inside it. It's showing off our game day experience in as many places as possible -- both in and out of Denton. You can dismiss the train idea if you want, but, if used right, having a train nearby could be a huge asset to connect us to the bigger region.

From what I've gathered from the Apogee folks, none of them will be content to let their investment collect dust the majority of the year. There will be updates and I think both sides will push each other to get the most of the sponsorship.

All the other stuff in this thread (more ads, people driving around campus, go after the freshman, free tickets, etc.) is done in some form every year. I have no idea what the numbers are on what's effective and isn't, but I imagine they do.

Edited January 11, 2012 by Quoner

Nice to see you adding substance to this thread. Thanks for that. What do you think you are accomplishing by continually doing this sort of thing? Really, just wondering? Why would a mod want to screw up a decent thread with this sort of thing time and time again?

3 words, comprehensible only to those with a long GMG memory.

Darn me.

Yup, the train.

I really wanted to like the train. I mean, I really wanted to like the train. Kid and I rode it the week it opened. Since I live in Lewisville, I don't even have to deal with DART. Win! Right? Yeah, not so much.

First, it goes to the other side of Denton over by Industrial. As a destination in and of itself, not bad, but pretty far from Apogee. As the connecting bus schedule is currently set up, it's incredibly inconvenient to get from the A-Train to Apogee.

Second, like you said, you'd need to alter the A-train schedule. It's pretty crappy right now. At night, like once an hour if that crappy.

Third, you really think DART's gonna' play ball?

Fourth, so let's say I wanna indulge in a beer or 12 while tailgating. The connecting busses at the Lewisville station stop running at 5pm. This leaves me with a two-mile walk home or a night of free accommodations courtesdy of LPD.

Or....OR!!!! I could...wait for it....drive 15 minutes up 35, park, and have at it.

I truly wish the train was built and run in a fashion to get people to games, but I don't see it happening.

I really wanted to like the train. I mean, I really wanted to like the train. Kid and I rode it the week it opened. Since I live in Lewisville, I don't even have to deal with DART. Win! Right? Yeah, not so much.

First, it goes to the other side of Denton over by Industrial. As a destination in and of itself, not bad, but pretty far from Apogee. As the connecting bus schedule is currently set up, it's incredibly inconvenient to get from the A-Train to Apogee.

Second, like you said, you'd need to alter the A-train schedule. It's pretty crappy right now. At night, like once an hour if that crappy.

Third, you really think DART's gonna' play ball?

Fourth, so let's say I wanna indulge in a beer or 12 while tailgating. The connecting busses at the Lewisville station stop running at 5pm. This leaves me with a two-mile walk home or a night of free accommodations courtesdy of LPD.

Or....OR!!!! I could...wait for it....drive 15 minutes up 35, park, and have at it.

I truly wish the train was built and run in a fashion to get people to games, but I don't see it happening.

Oh, I know all of this and I know it would take a lot of work. You'd have to give four parties that have never played together a reason to make a lot of changes. Like Silver said, not something we have a history of doing, but I figured rather than dissecting the same crap we read every offseason with snark, I'd throw out something different and see what sticks.

More nookie

Nice to see you adding substance to this thread. Thanks for that. What do you think you are accomplishing by continually doing this sort of thing? Really, just wondering? Why would a fan want to screw up a decent thread with this sort of thing time and time again?

Cute...you obviously have no creativity. Go back to work!

I hear Yahoo Groups are free.

You might even be able to be your own mod and thus weed out all the shenanigans, tomfoolery, and ballyhoo.