Super Pit thoughts

[GreenN'walinsVet]

1 minute ago, meangreenlax said:

This is such a dumb meme. Does it matter who's name is on the deed? The money comes from the same place, and at the end of the day the president and board of regents are in charge. The university isn't going to schedule a HS graduation and force Athletics to move a game. 

Athletics wants a new flashy arena. That's fine. But it shouldn't be because they don't want to share. 

The first game of a season during the successful part of the Johnny Jones era was played in the old Pit (Mens Gym) do to a robotics event that was scheduled at the Super Pit at the same time i believe it was.

Also, someone already mentioned that the woman had to play a game at TWU one year as well.

 

So yes it does happen that athletics gets bumped due to scheduling.  They also want a new arena so they can add in the premium seating options like suites and such that can't be done at the Super Pit unless you decrease the number of seats, and that aint happening due to the College and HS graduation ceremonies, plus the other events that need the 10k seats that the Super Pit provides.

[GrandGreen]

2 hours ago, meangreenlax said:

 

 

2 hours ago, UNT86 said:

GrandGreen, I have a suggestion.  Next time you see Wren, ask him who schedules use of the Pit and who has priority if there is a conflict. 

I don't need to ask Baker, but you are free to do so. 

[FirefightnRick]

6 hours ago, letsgiveacheer said:

  I am not sure what anyone was thinking,....

Certainly not School Spirit or Tradition, that’s for sure.

 

Rick

[Mean Green Matt]

3 hours ago, GreenN'walinsVet said:

The first game of a season during the successful part of the Johnny Jones era was played in the old Pit (Mens Gym) do to a robotics event that was scheduled at the Super Pit at the same time i believe it was.

Also, someone already mentioned that the woman had to play a game at TWU one year as well.

 

So yes it does happen that athletics gets bumped due to scheduling.  They also want a new arena so they can add in the premium seating options like suites and such that can't be done at the Super Pit unless you decrease the number of seats, and that aint happening due to the College and HS graduation ceremonies, plus the other events that need the 10k seats that the Super Pit provides.

Both of those were irrelevant games against lower division schools and it’s rare that that even happens. It’s not like conference games are getting bumped to Ryan high. 

[UNT86]

7 minutes ago, Mean Green Matt said:

Both of those were irrelevant games against lower division schools and it’s rare that that even happens. It’s not like conference games are getting bumped to Ryan high. 

How is the opponent even relevant?

The FACT is that athletics does not control usage at the Pit.

[ADLER]

20 hours ago, UNT19’ said:

I like the idea. I go to every home game and I am happy with what we have, but jesus christ is the super pic a dark, depressing monster.

I too think that the lighting at the pit is horrible and depressing. I have heard opinions that the darkness is used to mask the empty seating away from the court, and that may be a factor in the decision.

Our upcoming three game home stand against Rice, UAB, and MTSU should be very well attended. Maybe the university can turn on adequate lighting in the Super Pit for those three games. It's readily available, why not use it. Then again, maybe the Athletic Department is not confident in their abilities to attract a respectable sized crowd.

 

...and on a side note, that single weak powered flashlight that is used to spotlight players during introductions is so insufficient. That spotlight introduction routine should either be fixed or cancelled. 

 

 

[Elvis]

Unfortunately, budgeting and associated regulations and laws for a state university is not that simple. 

[GrandGreen]

3 hours ago, UNT86 said:

How is the opponent even relevant?

The FACT is that athletics does not control usage at the Pit.

Sure, the AD controls their usage of the SP under the guidance of the Administration.    Just as they would if the SP was technically an AD asset.   

[shootermcgavin44]

Super Pit is solid. Not a bad seat in the house and sight lines are good from any seat. Would prefer it over the cookie cutter POS that UTA built 

[EagleMBA]

Regarding the Pit lighting observations made in this thread, I have been under the impression that it is intentional. I thought it was to provide better visibility of the ball for the players. Fact or just the Pinot Noir impacting my brain?

[Mean Green Matt]

13 hours ago, UNT86 said:

How is the opponent even relevant?

The FACT is that athletics does not control usage at the Pit.

Because of all the arguments that can be made for a new arena, having to move location for a game against a division 3 school once every 5 years isn’t really one of them. That is just my opinion. 

[UNTLifer]

9 hours ago, EagleMBA said:

Regarding the Pit lighting observations made in this thread, I have been under the impression that it is intentional. I thought it was to provide better visibility of the ball for the players. Fact or just the Pinot Noir impacting my brain?

I heard that as well. The lighting mimics that of the Forum in L.A. where it provides a focus on the floor. I am not a huge fan of the look on television, but it is not bad in person. 

[greenjoe]

The original seat and trim color was orange.  More of a Okie State orange.  I spoke with the architect when we were trying to get the seats replaced, and he told me the choices were the orange or a beige.  Both colors for television.  And remember that was 1970-72 or so.  There was a time when some of the seats were orange, some were green, and some were gone. 

GO MEAN GREEN

[Cerebus]

The Super Pit is under control of an auxiliary body of the university.  It has to be self funding.   So yes, they have control over scheduling, and I can tell you there have been times when the athletic department and that aux org have not seen eye to eye and the org usually wins because they have to schedule paid events.  Mean Green athletic teams have had to give way and either rescheduled events, or played them somewhere else. 

Most fans don't realize this, and that is why they never understand why the athletic department wants their own venue very badly.  If WB is here long enough, the department will build that new arena before they ever build a baseball program.  They will just move to their own facility and let the Super Pit be used by the aux organization to keep making money.

 

[MeanGreenTexan]

35 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

The Super Pit is under control of an auxiliary body of the university.  It has to be self funding.   So yes, they have control over scheduling, and I can tell you there have been times when the athletic department and that aux org have not seen eye to eye and the org usually wins because they have to schedule paid events.  Mean Green athletic teams have had to give way and either rescheduled events, or played them somewhere else. 

Most fans don't realize this, and that is why they never understand why the athletic department wants their own venue very badly.  If WB is here long enough, the department will build that new arena before they ever build a baseball program.  They will just move to their own facility and let the Super Pit be used by the aux organization to keep making money.

 

Though I totally believe there have been times they've butted heads, those times seem to be few & far between.  I mean, we were able to schedule an entire postseason tournament there last Spring without issue.

I can see why we'd need a new basketball arena prior to starting baseball from scratch, but that new arena should be near the bottom of the list of things to be completed on the old golf course.   
Now that we have the new Track/Soccer stadium, and the IPF is going up, Athletics Center expansion (with an expanded weightroom) has to be at the top of the list.  The tennis ladies deserve their center court.  The Volleyball Gym can be made nicer or torn down & rebuilt altogether.  Lovelace Stadium could use some improvements. Lockerrooms can be upgraded probably 4 or 5 times.   Do whatever they're going to do with the Apogee Scoreboards....

[Cerebus]

13 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

  I mean, we were able to schedule an entire postseason tournament there last Spring without issue.

That was more or less luck.  Without a cancellation we wouldn't have been able to host.

 

[Cerebus]

15 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Now that we have the new Track/Soccer stadium, and the IPF is going up, Athletics Center expansion (with an expanded weightroom) has to be at the top of the list.  

Track/soccer stadium happened first because the university paid for it fully, in order for it to claim the area Fouts sat on.  IPF and AC were/are top priority.   Locker rooms are a high priority as well.  

The other things you listed will happen if they find the right donor that wants to target that area.  Not sure any of them would have general funding priority over a new arena.  

[forevereagle]

1 hour ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

The Volleyball Gym can be made nicer or torn down & rebuilt altogether. 

Volleyball could be hosted in a new arena once it was built with the old gym mainly being a practice facility.

[GreenN'walinsVet]

8 minutes ago, forevereagle said:

Volleyball could be hosted in a new arena once it was built with the old gym mainly being a practice facility.

Isn't a volleyball gym in the plans of the new arena?  As well as a separate mens and woman practice court, golf facilities, and coaches offices, locker rooms, sports medicine facilities, and weight rooms for these 4 sports?

[Cerebus]

1 hour ago, GreenN'walinsVet said:

Isn't a volleyball gym in the plans of the new arena?  As well as a separate mens and woman practice court, golf facilities, and coaches offices, locker rooms, sports medicine facilities, and weight rooms for these 4 sports?

Yes.  

[Mean Green Fan4Life]

Personally, I've always liked the Super Pit.  The venue (while outdated) still is impressive when compared to most schools.  I have so many memories here (like I'm sure others do in the Snake Pit).  Out of the many memories, some of the funniest come to mind.  Anyone else remember the late 80's games with the Poster Guys (distracting opposing free throw shooters behind the basket) and Sidney Bradford barking behind the visitor's bench?  

[FirefightnRick]

2 hours ago, Mean Green Fan4Life said:

Personally, I've always liked the Super Pit.  The venue (while outdated) still is impressive when compared to most schools.  I have so many memories here (like I'm sure others do in the Snake Pit).  Out of the many memories, some of the funniest come to mind.  Anyone else remember the late 80's games with the Poster Guys (distracting opposing free throw shooters behind the basket) and Sidney Bradford barking behind the visitor's bench?  

Yes....Greenbat and I would like to thank Spencer’s Gifts for supplying those great posters.

Best memory of those was against UTA.  The UTA coach called timeout and motioned an  official over and demanded we be removed from the stands.  The official then walks across the court towards us and demands that an NT policeman standing in front of us remove us from the stands, to which the cop points back to the middle of the court and yells back at the official..”Don’t worry about these guys, your problem is on the court!”.

Hilarious!

 

 

Rick