New G-5 Conference for NT?

[MCMLXXX]

35 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

I believe it was the Phillipino or Thai businessman, if memory serves me correct.  I don't recall his name.

Charn Usawachoke from Thailand read in the North Texan that we needed to have a certain attendance to reobtain D1 football status. He had attended games as a student and enjoyed them so he sent $10,000 to the Athletic department to buy tickets for distribution to support the effort. Up until then the University Admins had no idea who he was. UNT contacted him and he later gave a $1,000,000 academic gift and has since given a $22 million donation. The expansion of Fouts was from a temporary Student Fee increase.

Edited April 19, 2020 by MCMLXXX

[UNTLifer]

Thank you @MCMLXXX

[GrayEagle]

4 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

I believe it was the Phillipino or Thai businessman, if memory serves me correct.  I don't recall his name.

My recollection, which gets more clouded due to age, is that the donor for 10,000 season tickets was from Singapore or Thailand.  The stadium expansion was primarily paid for by the university through budget changes and student fees.

I believe that President Vandiver was hired with the understanding that he was to correct shortfalls resulting from President Nolen's manipulations to advance athletics at UNT.  But the real culprit on our staying 1-AA was President Al Hurley.  He either froze or lowered athletic funds and used the money to improve academics.  He said at the time that he wasn't doing athletics any favor.  To his credit he did what he said he'd accomplish.  He improved curriculum, brought in noted professors, changed the structure with more schools and colleges and lowered the acceptance rate.  

It took about ten years to accomplish this but enrollment kept increasing so by the time Dr. Pohl became president of the university we began slowly progressing toward a change for the better in athletics.  

Edit.  I was typing this while MCMLXXX was replying so I wasn't aware that he had found the donor's name and that it was $10,000 toward the purchase of season tickets, not 10,000 season tickets so my thanks too.

Edited April 19, 2020 by GrayEagle

[GrandGreen]

On 4/15/2020 at 10:30 AM, untjim1995 said:

Until schools look at conferences as a way to reduce costs instead of increased exposure/revenue, the G5s will remain as they are. The idea of P5s that are large state schools being associated with G5s in a conference just isn't going to happen. The networks/alums/legislatures won't allow the state schools in power conferences to join lesser brands. As evidenced by the Big XII, the networks PAID their conference more to not accept anyone from a G5 league--so UH, UCF, USF, etc...yall are stuck just like we are, albeit with a much better TV contract than the SBCUSA has...

Geez, I thought it is sure to happen.  

 

[wardly]

21 hours ago, MCMLXXX said:

Charn Usawachoke from Thailand read in the North Texan that we needed to have a certain attendance to reobtain D1 football status. He had attended games as a student and enjoyed them so he sent $10,000 to the Athletic department to buy tickets for distribution to support the effort. Up until then the University Admins had no idea who he was. UNT contacted him and he later gave a $1,000,000 academic gift and has since given a $22 million donation. The expansion of Fouts was from a temporary Student Fee increase.

Thanks for correcting my post on this issue. I remember the $1million gift from an international graduate but mistakenly thought it funded the bleachers. My Bad!