Meangreen247 host Matthew Brune sits down with AD Wren Baker

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · May 29, 2021

Highly suggest y’all give this a watch, some very interesting tidbits.

PlummMeanGreen · May 30, 2021

👍👍
Interesting......I wonder if they have greenprints🙄 or renderings as to what the expanded Athletic Center will look like? Did “in Wren we trust” say it would double in size?
••• Are they going to bring the AC closer to the field to add seating & maybe even more luxury suites to Apogee’s capacity?

Hunter Green · May 30, 2021

Only time and money will tell.

GMG24 · May 30, 2021

3 hours ago, PlummMeanGreen said:

👍👍
Interesting......I wonder if they have greenprints🙄 or renderings as to what the expanded Athletic Center will look like? Did “in Wren we trust” say it would double in size?
••• Are they going to bring the AC closer to the field to add seating & maybe even more luxury suites to Apogee’s capacity?

Last time I heard anything about it, the plan was to bring the AC all the way up to where the scoreboard is currently, and have some sort of Doubled weight room/Training room, and locker room, where the coaches area on the 3rd floor would be the last to be renovated/expanded but who knows what has changed since then.

I had two semi-disappointing takeaways from that conversation. 1 Baseball is no where in the future plans we could be so good so quick with a baseball program. Most baseball scholarships are between 1/4 1/3 unless you are really good like draft pick type good then you may get 60-75% thrown your way. Take a look at the other schools in metroplex, DBU a kid gets a 1/3 they're still paying 25 grand easily, TCU 35 grand. UNT you're well under 20 grand for a 1/3 scholarship and that doesn't include academics. The 2nd I wouldn't say disappointing thing was the plan to renovate and update the softball complex before baseball is even brought up.

Edit: 11.7 total Scholarships per team. SO 35/36 of the guys can be on a 1/3 scholarship and you can rock and roll, or you want to do less and you take a higher tier kid on 40% and a lesser tier kid only gets 20% instead. It is a numbers game, but with the schools in the metroplex that you would be recruiting from, that $ isn't totally crazy for college baseball AND their families can come to lots of games which seems to be a bigger deal than cost or location in the baseball world (WS level elite teams excluded)

Edited May 30, 2021 by GMG24

NorthTexasWeLove · May 30, 2021

6 minutes ago, GMG24 said:

Last time I heard anything about it, the plan was to bring the AC all the way up to where the scoreboard is currently, and have some sort of Doubled weight room/Training room, and locker room, where the coaches area on the 3rd floor would be the last to be renovated/expanded but who knows what has changed since then.

I had two semi-disappointing takeaways from that conversation. 1 Baseball is no where in the future plans we could be so good so quick with a baseball program. Most baseball scholarships are between 1/4 1/3 unless you are really good like draft pick type good then you may get 60-75% thrown your way. Take a look at the other schools in metroplex, DBU a kid gets a 1/3 they're still paying 25 grand easily, TCU 35 grand. UNT you're well under 20 grand for a 1/3 scholarship and that doesn't include academics. The 2nd I wouldn't say disappointing thing was the plan to renovate and update the softball complex before baseball is even brought up.

The softball program deserves a renovation. Good programs should play in good facilities. However, I'm disappointed in baseball being swept. Again, countless programs JUST LIKE US make it work. So save me from the title 9 or financial comments. Not that you in particular have those comments to make, but many do.

Edited May 30, 2021 by NorthTexasWeLove

GMG24 · May 30, 2021

1 minute ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

The softball program deserves a renovation. Good programs should play in good facilities. However, I'm disappointed in baseball being swept. Again, countless programs JUST LIKE US make it work. So save me from the title 9 or financial comments. Not that you in particular have those comments to make, but many do.

I 10000% agree good programs deserve THE BEST. But, to me there is a way to do that while getting baseball going, then improve as they grow. You get a baseball team going, someone (dad probably) comes in and drops some serious money and you are in business. Just think, Jesuit, Marcus, Flower Mound, Southlake, Keller (all of them) Prosper, Frisco, I can keep going all of those communities have D1 baseball players and families that are not hurting for $$. Just seems really stupid to not jump in, plus you have an easy fan base in the North Texas Area that may not want to go drop 200 bucks at a Rangers game. Now they go buy your 10-20 dollar ticket, and watch some good baseball. I have had more baseball coaches than I can count that are so disappointed that we don't have baseball because they know how good we could be, and quick.

NorthTexasWeLove · May 30, 2021

3 minutes ago, GMG24 said:

I 10000% agree good programs deserve THE BEST. But, to me there is a way to do that while getting baseball going, then improve as they grow. You get a baseball team going, someone (dad probably) comes in and drops some serious money and you are in business. Just think, Jesuit, Marcus, Flower Mound, Southlake, Keller (all of them) Prosper, Frisco, I can keep going all of those communities have D1 baseball players and families that are not hurting for $$. Just seems really stupid to not jump in, plus you have an easy fan base in the North Texas Area that may not want to go drop 200 bucks at a Rangers game. Now they go buy your 10-20 dollar ticket, and watch some good baseball. I have had more baseball coaches than I can count that are so disappointed that we don't have baseball because they know how good we could be, and quick.

Preach.

Jonnyeagle · May 30, 2021

3 hours ago, GMG24 said:

I 10000% agree good programs deserve THE BEST. But, to me there is a way to do that while getting baseball going, then improve as they grow. You get a baseball team going, someone (dad probably) comes in and drops some serious money and you are in business. Just think, Jesuit, Marcus, Flower Mound, Southlake, Keller (all of them) Prosper, Frisco, I can keep going all of those communities have D1 baseball players and families that are not hurting for $$. Just seems really stupid to not jump in, plus you have an easy fan base in the North Texas Area that may not want to go drop 200 bucks at a Rangers game. Now they go buy your 10-20 dollar ticket, and watch some good baseball. I have had more baseball coaches than I can count that are so disappointed that we don't have baseball because they know how good we could be, and quick.

Amen!!

GrandGreen · May 30, 2021

NT has 16 sports like most of CUSA and G5. NT has always seemed paranoid about funding men sports without adding more women's teams.

Baseball is an semi-expensive sport and frankly doesn't draw that many fans. Look at TCU which has a very good program and averaged around 4,000. NT probably wouldn't get close to that number.

The athletes available in the metroplex argument can be used in just about in any sport. Yet, NT attendance numbers even with almost 40k students has always been mainly disappointing. Case in point, men basketball attendance last year.

I would also like NT to field a baseball team, but realize it is not going to happen any time soon. It is thought that less than 10% of college baseball program turn a profit. The cost of a baseball stadium could never be financially justified and even it 100% donation built; the cost of maintenance would be a major expense.

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · May 30, 2021

5 hours ago, GMG24 said:

Last time I heard anything about it, the plan was to bring the AC all the way up to where the scoreboard is currently, and have some sort of Doubled weight room/Training room, and locker room, where the coaches area on the 3rd floor would be the last to be renovated/expanded but who knows what has changed since then.

I had two semi-disappointing takeaways from that conversation. 1 Baseball is no where in the future plans we could be so good so quick with a baseball program. Most baseball scholarships are between 1/4 1/3 unless you are really good like draft pick type good then you may get 60-75% thrown your way. Take a look at the other schools in metroplex, DBU a kid gets a 1/3 they're still paying 25 grand easily, TCU 35 grand. UNT you're well under 20 grand for a 1/3 scholarship and that doesn't include academics. The 2nd I wouldn't say disappointing thing was the plan to renovate and update the softball complex before baseball is even brought up.

Edit: 11.7 total Scholarships per team. SO 35/36 of the guys can be on a 1/3 scholarship and you can rock and roll, or you want to do less and you take a higher tier kid on 40% and a lesser tier kid only gets 20% instead. It is a numbers game, but with the schools in the metroplex that you would be recruiting from, that $ isn't totally crazy for college baseball AND their families can come to lots of games which seems to be a bigger deal than cost or location in the baseball world (WS level elite teams excluded)

I want to see the plans that they might’ve redone for the ac renovation. Hopefully we see a large scoreboard replacing the one we have now that goes on top of the facility. Don’t really know how to explain it over the phone, but I hope you get the idea. Kinda like Oklahoma State even tho there’s is on the basketball arena.

Also, after the fantastic season put on by most of the CUSA in baseball this year, I feel even more sad that we aren’t in it. The support, in my opinion, would be huge because so many people want it. I even had football players talking to me about it. I think the only way it would happen is if football starts winning.

GMG24 · May 31, 2021

2 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

NT has 16 sports like most of CUSA and G5. NT has always seemed paranoid about funding men sports without adding more women's teams.

Baseball is an semi-expensive sport and frankly doesn't draw that many fans. Look at TCU which has a very good program and averaged around 4,000. NT probably wouldn't get close to that number.

The athletes available in the metroplex argument can be used in just about in any sport. Yet, NT attendance numbers even with almost 40k students has always been mainly disappointing. Case in point, men basketball attendance last year.

I would also like NT to field a baseball team, but realize it is not going to happen any time soon. It is thought that less than 10% of college baseball program turn a profit. The cost of a baseball stadium could never be financially justified and even it 100% donation built; the cost of maintenance would be a major expense.

maintenance is bs excuse IMO. If that is the excuse then turf it and be done. Are you meaning this past seasons bball attendance during COVID? I am talking about the kids we are bringing in on "Scholarship" contributing 2/3 or more to tuition to the school *bringing $$ in that otherwise would not be coming in*

PlummMeanGreen · May 31, 2021

Indiana U new end zone facility with about 1,000 red seats, a veranda & giant video board.

DEF39FE3-A181-4FE9-B4DD-E038126656E1.jpeg.4135471770312199fb1da02ffb60197e.jpeg EA678069-6040-4CCA-9461-34B02139E6EB.jpeg.aec0acae334857a5637173dd76b4ab72.jpeg

❇️🦅❇️ GMG!

Edited May 31, 2021 by PlummMeanGreen

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · May 31, 2021

2 hours ago, PlummMeanGreen said:

Indiana U new end zone facility with about 1,000 red seats, a veranda & giant video board.

❇️🦅❇️ GMG!

Yeah that’s a good idea. Adding some special premium seats in the endzone along with a nice big scoreboard attached to the facility

greenminer · May 31, 2021

3 hours ago, PlummMeanGreen said:

Indiana U new end zone facility with about 1,000 red seats, a veranda & giant video board.

Some clarity:

IU's stadium has two end zone facilities, a Development Center on one end, an Excellence Center on the other. Both with video boards. They were built about 5 years apart.

UNT 90 Grad · May 31, 2021

The master plan from 2018 for reference: image.jpeg.59a56112cd09f05877a7033639b89eec.jpeg

Edited May 31, 2021 by UNT 90 Grad

GrandGreen · May 31, 2021

11 hours ago, GMG24 said:

maintenance is bs excuse IMO. If that is the excuse then turf it and be done. Are you meaning this past seasons bball attendance during COVID? I am talking about the kids we are bringing in on "Scholarship" contributing 2/3 or more to tuition to the school *bringing $$ in that otherwise would not be coming in*

No, 4000 average is their highest average per wikipedia.

Recruiting partial scholarship players for their tuition is an unique argument. It makes no sense, but unique. Why not just recruit regular students and get the full tuition and fees?

meangreenJW · May 31, 2021

I didn't take it as negative against adding baseball. The talk about current facilites not having enough space to accomodate all athletes so expanding the athletic center would be step 1 to ever adding sports. Secondly, people can say they don't want to hear about title IX but Smatresk and Baker (and the UNT regents) have no choice but to follow title IX laws. I just tried a quick count of UNT athletes on the rosters at meangreensports.com. Because of football it looks like we have about the same number of males as females on our rosters. But UNT is nearly 54% female according to my friend google. So most likely the next sport UNT adds will have to be a women's team or teams in order to add a male sport like baseball (title IX requires female to male athlete ratio be roughly equiavlent to campus ratio). All of that would require more weight room and athletic training space since we can barely accomodate what we have now. Secondly, I'd imagine (and hope) we'd want to build a facility if we added baseball. Judging how we build facilities now, it would be first class. Having softball in an average facility (if you've been to Lovelace, it's utility at best) would also be a title IX issue. So my takeaway is these two projects are important (I've long said softball can be consistent top 25) and probably required if we are ever to add baseball. Just my 2 cents.

Jonnyeagle · May 31, 2021

4 minutes ago, meangreenJW said:

The talk about current facilites not having enough space to accomodate all athletes so expanding the athletic center would be step 1 to ever adding sports.

Why not build the original athletic center to meet the needs? I don’t get why they built it so small on the first place. Seem short sided.

greenminer · May 31, 2021

33 minutes ago, Jonnyeagle said:

Seem short sided.

👀

bstnsportsfan3 · May 31, 2021

1 hour ago, Jonnyeagle said:

Why not build the original athletic center to meet the needs? I don’t get why they built it so small on the first place. Seem short sided.

Wasn’t it built like 20 years ago? Hard to predict what your going to need. I see no problem adding on

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · May 31, 2021

6 hours ago, meangreenJW said:

I didn't take it as negative against adding baseball. The talk about current facilites not having enough space to accomodate all athletes so expanding the athletic center would be step 1 to ever adding sports. Secondly, people can say they don't want to hear about title IX but Smatresk and Baker (and the UNT regents) have no choice but to follow title IX laws. I just tried a quick count of UNT athletes on the rosters at meangreensports.com. Because of football it looks like we have about the same number of males as females on our rosters. But UNT is nearly 54% female according to my friend google. So most likely the next sport UNT adds will have to be a women's team or teams in order to add a male sport like baseball (title IX requires female to male athlete ratio be roughly equiavlent to campus ratio). All of that would require more weight room and athletic training space since we can barely accomodate what we have now. Secondly, I'd imagine (and hope) we'd want to build a facility if we added baseball. Judging how we build facilities now, it would be first class. Having softball in an average facility (if you've been to Lovelace, it's utility at best) would also be a title IX issue. So my takeaway is these two projects are important (I've long said softball can be consistent top 25) and probably required if we are ever to add baseball. Just my 2 cents.

Coach Delong even said, if you’re gonna build a baseball program, make the top 25 softball program facilities top notch.

meangreenJW · June 1, 2021

2 hours ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

Coach Delong even said, if you’re gonna build a baseball program, make the top 25 softball program facilities top notch.

I hear you. But it doesn't really matter, what coach DeLong says or wants. The federal government through Title IX requires the softball team have facilities that would be equal to a baseball program. So UNT would have to invest in softball facilities if it were to build a baseball facility. There is no way around that. Regardless of what fans want (and I want baseball) softball would have to play in a facilty that had every bell and whistle a new baseball stadium would or we'd be out of compliance.

NorthTexasWeLove · June 1, 2021

3 minutes ago, meangreenJW said:

I hear you. But it doesn't really matter, what coach DeLong says or wants. The federal government through Title IX requires the softball team have facilities that would be equal to a baseball program. So UNT would have to invest in softball facilities if it were to build a baseball facility. There is no way around that. Regardless of what fans want (and I want baseball) softball would have to play in a facilty that had every bell and whistle a new baseball stadium would or we'd be out of compliance.

Well, lol, that is laughable. Compliance or not, athletic programs scattered all over the country are not just breaking that rule, but mutilating it.

meangreenJW · June 1, 2021

1 hour ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

Well, lol, that is laughable. Compliance or not, athletic programs scattered all over the country are not just breaking that rule, but mutilating it.

Not trying to be a smartass here, but who? Who has a sport with a direct comparison (men's and women's golf, men's and women's track, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball, etc.) where one team has clearly better facilities? Because that is a lawyer's dream in today's sue happy society.

Edited June 1, 2021 by meangreenJW

NorthTexasWeLove · June 1, 2021

1 hour ago, meangreenJW said:

Not trying to be a smartass here, but who? Who has a sport with a direct comparison (men's and women's golf, men's and women's track, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball, etc.) where one team has clearly better facilities? Because that is a lawyer's dream in today's sue happy society.

A legitimate argument could be made in comparison to baseball vs softball facilities. Start there. And I know there isn't a direct sport for women that peers with football, but the money, maintenance staff, renovations, bells/whistles, etc. dwarfs any and all women's sports, combined. It's all cute and fun to push this athletic gender equality argument. But athletics will never legitimately be financed equally regardless of how much law and policy rains down. Simple reason: women's athletics doesn't produce the same interest/money.