Garbage Stadium Rankings from the DMN

Side Show Joe · June 18, 2018

I'm tired of the Dallas Morning News always placing us near the bottom of every list or ranking they post. Apogee is a wonderful stadium and their biased ranking places us 9th out of the 12 college stadiums in Texas, behind both SMU and UTSA. Even Brett seemed to took a shot. I find no reason for him to add the last line. His summary would have been fine without it.

"North Texas has one of the best smaller venues in the state in Apogee Stadium, which opened in 2011. The $78 million stadium has been a huge boost to UNT's program. The environment at night can be terrific when games draw more than 20,000 fans." -Brett Vito

Here is the link.

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college-sports/collegesports/2018/05/27/best-texas-stadiums-can-anyone-offer-college-football-experience-like-aggies-kyle-field

Edited June 18, 2018 by Side Show Joe

DeepGreen · June 18, 2018

Not that it will change anything but Rice Stadium does not seat 70,000 any longer.

HoustonEagle · June 18, 2018

The article does not just judge the stadium but also the atmosphere. Considering that I think they have it about right. I would put Tech over TCU and move SMU to 10. The outside of SMU’s stadium is beautiful but it is all lipstick on a pig and they have a worse game day atmosphere than we do.

Edited June 18, 2018 by HoustonEagle

trud1966 · June 18, 2018

UTSA? The Alamodome??????? Seriously? That place is only bigger, not better. It's a little over 20 years old, but from the state of repair and maintenance, you'd think it's 50 years old. Seriously, the concourse areas are FILTHY....Went to a game there a couple season ago to see Notre Dame vs. Army...We sat in the corner of the end zone, and part of the steel deck we were on was literally repaired with Duct Tape...I'm not kidding....DUCT TAPE...It's dark and dungeon-like under the stands....Honestly dont feel that secure/safe walking inside or around the stadium.

Edited June 28, 2018 by trud1966

drex · June 18, 2018

UTSA has a potential disaster on its hands, and it is dirty. SMU is pretty, but it is a sweatbox with no air circulation.

NM Green · June 19, 2018

With all due respect the sun bowl should be in top 7. An awesome venue to watch a game in. I highly encourage all Mean Green fans to stay at Camino real in early October and witness a Mean Green victory under the desert night. It’s pretty awesome. The Dome belongs on the bottom 2 it’s a dump. GMG

Ben Gooding · June 19, 2018

Brett taking a shot at UNT and its athletics??? Naaahhh, say it ain't so.

greenminer · June 19, 2018

I mean, he isn't wrong; any game will be better with more fans.

Vito showing some strong trolololololl game lately.

drex · June 19, 2018

The whole thrust of the athletic department is New Denton....might be time for old Denton to take a hike, and I'm not just talking about Brett.

greenjoe · June 19, 2018

I have never understood Bret’s obsession with the cost of Apogee. Like that guy that never would scrape the window sticker off his new car. There wasn’t one other mention of price in any of the other stadiums mentioned.

By the way this phone cost me $89. and I’m spending $7.99 in the morning for breakfast.

GO MEAN GREEN

Salsa_Verde · June 19, 2018

I remember this story from last year. It came out right around the same time. In any case there is a link to where you can vote for best stadium. Apogee is in 3rd with 11%

-GMG

SilverEagle · June 19, 2018

8 hours ago, HoustonEagle said:

The article does not just judge the stadium but also the atmosphere. Considering that I think they have it about right. I would put Tech over TCU and move SMU to 10. The outside of SMU’s stadium is beautiful but it is all lipstick on a pig and they have a worse game day atmosphere than we do.

Totally agree. We have a great stadium, but our atmosphere inside the stadium sucks. The spirit traditions at pre-game and game time are, (at best), perfunctory and just going through the motions.

Here is how you set the atmosphere for the game...

or this....

Christopher Walker · June 19, 2018

Ya'll keep saying Brett's ending 20,000+ comment is a cheap shot. I thought it was more earnest compliment. When we find ourselves on those days where Apogee is more than 2/3rds capacity, the atmosphere does change dramatically. That is not always a given, though.

greenjoe · June 19, 2018

Both of those pre-game shows are great. It's hard to know if the crowd feeds off the band or the band feeds off the crowd. In the Texas clip, everything about the band says, "We're Texas and we couldn't be more proud." There isn't one member that has a problem with showing the "Hook 'Em" hand sign, nor does any flag bearer, giant drum pusher, cheerleader, or fan. UT must be a promotions director's dream.

P S A twirler screams big time band. Just sayin'

GO MEAN GREEN

Edited June 19, 2018 by greenjoe

Aldo · June 19, 2018

Ford Stadium smells like piss at concessions.

Change my mind.

southsideguy · June 19, 2018

so it good when we are over 20k fans at the game, so SMU would be great if 1,500 showed up for the game?

Edited June 19, 2018 by southsideguy

Cerebus · June 19, 2018

30 minutes ago, Aldo said:

Ford Stadium smells like piss at concessions.

Change my mind.

I decided to soften your assertion:

Feel free to take the template and do whatever you want though.

Aldo · June 19, 2018

Nice.

Withers940 · June 19, 2018

17 hours ago, DeepGreen said:

Not that it will change anything but Rice Stadium does not seat 70,000 any longer.

From being there this last fall it looked to only hold about 7,000

uTsa stadium smells like a bar bathroom....Like Vomit and piss and they make it seem like you're at an arena league football game. Way too many bits going on to keep those simpletons interested in the game.

El Paso Eagle · June 19, 2018

16 hours ago, NM Green said:

With all due respect the sun bowl should be in top 7. An awesome venue to watch a game in. I highly encourage all Mean Green fans to stay at Camino real in early October and witness a Mean Green victory under the desert night. It’s pretty awesome. The Dome belongs on the bottom 2 it’s a dump. GMG

2

I think the Camino Real might actually be shut down for now undergoing a major renovation. There are a few new Hotels that have/ are opening downtown.

DeepGreen · June 19, 2018

9 hours ago, SilverEagle said:

Totally agree. We have a great stadium, but our atmosphere inside the stadium sucks. The spirit traditions at pre-game and game time are, (at best), perfunctory and just going through the motions.

Here is how you set the atmosphere for the game...

or this....

2016 Notre Dame vs Texas. I was at that game with my older brother. He's a big UT Alum and fan, and season ticket holder. Love or hate the horns, the pre-game pageantry is great. So much tradition.

Let SilverEagle and I take over UNT's Green Brigade pre-game and half time and we'll get it right!!

UNT's halftime perfromances remind me of high school band competition.

Edited June 19, 2018 by DeepGreen

SilverEagle · June 19, 2018

2 hours ago, Christopher Walker said:

Ya'll keep saying Brett's ending 20,000+ comment is a cheap shot. I thought it was more earnest compliment. When we find ourselves on those days where Apogee is more than 2/3rds capacity, the atmosphere does change dramatically. That is not always a given, though.

You feel more positive about this than me. The way I see it (based on the historical lack of attention to promoting game time traditions) with a 2/3rds capacity @ Apogee we would have a larger, and louder unorganized rabble, instead of a smaller unorganized rabble.

Edited June 19, 2018 by SilverEagle

SilverEagle · June 19, 2018

18 minutes ago, DeepGreen said:

2016 Notre Dame vs Texas. I was at that game with my older brother. He's a big UT Alum and fan, and season ticket holder. Love or hate the horns, the pre-game pageantry is great. So much tradition.

Let SilverEagle and I take over UNT's Green Brigade pre-game and half time and we'll get it right!!

UNT's halftime perfromances remind me of high school band competition.

You are too kind if you are talking about pregame. I've always characterized it as Jr. High. You know, I would be glad to co-coordinate it with you IF "Letsgiveacheer" would volunteer to be the musical director.....and/or Christopher Walker.

Their halftime is "acceptable', but only after they have entered the field and started the musical core of the show.

Edited June 19, 2018 by SilverEagle

GrandGreen · June 19, 2018

Not really sure what they are rating. The stadium, the atmosphere or just who is big time or not. UT and A$M stadiums are big and costs were astronomical and if you get 100,000 fans; it is certainly a great football experience. The Alamo Dome is an indoor dump. SMU's stadium is fine if you forget about access and love disinterested small home fan crowds.

Frankly, I don't go to a ball game to see a band and in my opinion the UT band would be far down my favorite list. I don't really understand how someone can criticize the NT band for lack of innovation and praise UT's band which has about as vanilla program as any band in D1 football.

I have no idea why Vito harps on the price tag of Apogee. I think it was a good deal and if you add in a land value would produce a much larger number.

untjim1995 · June 19, 2018

Apogee is great. It was a bargain for the cost we paid, it fits where our attendance is right now, and it looks like the taj mahal because it replaced the biggest toilet of a stadium in the country.

In my opinion, the best stadiums when somewhat full (over2/3rds) in this state are:

Kyle Field

DKR

SBC Jones Stadium

Amon Carter

Sun Bowl

UH Stadium

Apogee

McLane Stadium

Ford Stadium

Rice Stadium

Whatever Texas State plays in