Strange and I Need some info...

[UNT_92_Fan]

We both signed up for a round table discussion thing with some lady about students and athletics and other things....

We want your input on what needs to be done to get this basketball stuff out to the pub. and if u got something just put it here and i will print it out or type it up for the roundtable luncheon...thanks meangreenqueen for the info about the luncheon...

[drex]

At the risk of being simplistic, if the athletic department and the administration would put as much effort into the promotion of basketball that they do football the results would be astounding. We gear up for football and then really let both the basketball teams down as we prepare for another football season. There are many many people running around the athletic dept. not doing much. Put a fire under them and make them perform for the basketball season just as we expect them to perform for the football season.

[MeanGreenQueen]

No problem UNT 92 FAN - see you there!!

[Lovesto Pumpfake]

Unfortunetly, $$$ raises it's ugly head again. UNT hoops, unfortunetly, doesn't pay it's own bills, and Football is king here at UNT & just about everywhere else in Texas. The UNT Ath. Admin. will only awaken to hoops if the team goes on a big winning streak or if LOTS of students start coming to the games and become a factor in the home team winning.

Honestly, I wish very good luck to you in getting the students out, I'm behind you any way possible!

[Gakusei]

Football didn't pay its own bills for a long time, but that didn't stop anyone from putting in a little extra effort.

I don't think anyone expects to see TV, newspaper, and radio ads every week, but there needs to be a little advertising going on. It also wouldn't kill the AD to have someone at the games handling video clips on the boards, and music to create some atmosphere. I think everything else will take care of itself.

[Cerebus]

Football didn't pay its own bills for a long time, but that didn't stop anyone from putting in a little extra effort.

Actually, it had to.

Why do you think we had all those game @OU, @UT, @LSU, @RANDOM_TOP_10?

Becasue they would sign a 400k check, thats why, and those types of game pretty much made up the atheltic budget for that year.

[LoveMG]

Maybe if the basketball teams won more.

[Guest e-bone]

Maybe if the basketball teams won more.

Wow, you are such a great supporter of the university!

[IronMan4]

Maybe if the basketball teams won more.

That is truly pathetic.

See you when the weather is clear and fair.

[UNTLifer]

I don't think LoveMG intended that to come out the way it did. I think he is taking FFR's approach about win and they will come.

I will give you my thoughts from when UNT Bball drew good crowds and was successful back in the 70's.

1. We were competitive.

2. Coach Blakely was usually animated and fun to watch.

3. Coach Blakely promoted the program.

4. As a kid, I was 10-12 years old at this time, my friends and I would never miss a game. We knew who all the players were and copied them in our neighborhood pickup games.

5. We played a fast paced exciting type of basketball.

7. They would host pee-wee league exhibitions at half time. These were usually 6th or 7th graders that played shorten games. It was our dream to get to play in the Super Pit.

8. They promoted to the kids. We would bug our parents to take us to all the games. One kid ='s one maybe two parents.

9. Create an exciting atmosphere for the fans. I think Stebo mentioned utilizing an area of the concourse for life sized cutouts of the players so the kids could see how they "measure up" to the Mean Green players.

10. Entertainment at half time. I remember the Budweiser dunk team, frisbee catching dogs, little kids drill teams and cheerleaders.

11 Why not take another page from the Mark Cuban school of Maverick's entertainment and have a concert following the game? Why not get the One O'Clock Lab Band to perform.

12. Host a Taste of Denton in the Men's gym prior to the game. Game ticket is required for entry. I believe this used to be an annual event.

13. Half time contests for students and kids. Free throw shooting, hot shot, 3 point contest and half court shot could all be incorporated.

14. Invite ESPN's big Monday crew.

[LoveMG]

That is truly pathetic.

See you when the weather is clear and fair.

How did we attract more football fans after only 800 showed for NMSU in 2000?

We started WINNING more games and played some KNOWN teams at home. Duh!?!

If you want more fans for basketball, start WINNING and play some KNOWN teams (like Indiana) at home. Duh!?!

[IronMan4]

Sorry. UNTLifer was right, you came across wrong. Could have worded it a little bit differently and got the point across. Duh. <_

[LoveMG]

Sorry.  UNTLifer was right, you came across wrong.  Could have worded it a little bit differently and got the point across.  Duh. 

Sorry about the "duh"; frustration.

UNT is not a program yet where fans will come just because UNT is playing. We attract fans because of :

1.) the opponent,

2.) quality of the UNT team, winning

3.) the entertainment value, fun

You must have at least one of these. If we're not playing a known opponent or winning then the fun is dependent on the fan's opinion of their previous experiences or like of the sport.