50th Anniversary of First Game at the Coliseum

[greenjoe]

For no reason, I looked up the Coliseum on Google.  According to Google, North Texas opened the Coliseum with a 109-93 victory over TCU on December 4, 1973.  So, we have an opportunity to put together a big promotion for whatever game is scheduled on December 4, 2023 (Monday ?).  We should have Frisbee Dogs, Pogo Stick Guys, and the Rolling Stones for the best halftime show ever.  We need to start selling tickets now for what I hope to be a sellout celebrating our 50th year at the Super Pit.  

GO MEAN GREEN

[Mean Green Matt]

3 minutes ago, greenjoe said:

For no reason, I looked up the Coliseum on Google.  According to Google, North Texas opened the Coliseum with a 109-93 victory over TCU on December 4, 1973.  So, we have an opportunity to put together a big promotion for whatever game is scheduled on December 4, 2023 (Monday ?).  We should have Frisbee Dogs, Pogo Stick Guys, and the Rolling Stones for the best halftime show ever.  We need to start selling tickets now for what I hope to be a sellout celebrating our 50th year at the Super Pit.  

GO MEAN GREEN

The Rolling Stones halftime show probably would manage to get the arena close to full.

[drex]

There is no activity that will ever fill up the Coliseum.  The only one thus far was a sellout crowd for the NT vs. SMU basketball game in the late 70's.

[DeepGreen]

1 hour ago, Mean Green Matt said:

The Rolling Stones halftime show probably would manage to get the arena close to full.

Does the UNT Coliseum have ADA compliant wheelchair ramps?

[NT80]

[NT80]

Coach Bill Blakeley was hired a year and a half after the Super Pit opened.  But he made an immediate impact on it:

On March 18, 1975, the sports media announced that Athletic Director Hayden Fry had named Bill Blakeley as the new Head Coach for Men's Basketball at North Texas. The media reported it 10 days after Gene Robbins had resigned the position.^[5][6]

When he was hired, he told the media that, to beat North Texas, opponents will have to score at least 90 points. In his first season, he proceeded to turn around a team that was 6–20 in 1975, to 22–4 in 1976, averaging 96 points a game, the second highest in the nation. North Texas achieved its first and, as of 2010, only top 20 national ranking when the Associated Press Men's Basketball Poll ranked North Texas 20th on February 3, 1976.^[7] and 20th on February 10, 1976.

[Cooke County Kid]

That was my period at NTSU, it was a great time, we won a lot of high scoring exciting games. I was at the aforementioned SMU non conference game, we were independent. Guess what our old MVC foes Memphis, Tulsa and Wichita State are conference mates soon again. Add to that SMU and Tulane I see some great games coming to the Super Pit might get a few more sellouts. See you there!
 

GO MEAN GREEN!!!
WIN GAMES!!!

[letsgiveacheer]

6 hours ago, greenjoe said:

For no reason, I looked up the Coliseum on Google.  According to Google, North Texas opened the Coliseum with a 109-93 victory over TCU on December 4, 1973.  So, we have an opportunity to put together a big promotion for whatever game is scheduled on December 4, 2023 (Monday ?).  We should have Frisbee Dogs, Pogo Stick Guys, and the Rolling Stones for the best halftime show ever.  We need to start selling tickets now for what I hope to be a sellout celebrating our 50th year at the Super Pit.  

GO MEAN GREEN

It was a rather bizarre event. At that first game, there were no speeches, special activities, nothing...just the game.

The coliseum was furnished with burnt orange seats, about 10,000 of them, and it was easy to think were we in Austin, not Denton. The same number of fans came to those early coliseum games, about 4000+, but the raucous atmosphere of the Pit was lost forever and the game experience at North Texas was never the same.

The one good thing about that season, we beat TCU, SMU, and UTA!

[MCMLXXX]

For halftime we should get two teams of the little dribblers and have them play. One team coached by Vic Trilli and the other by Tony Benford.

[wardly]

8 hours ago, drex said:

There is no activity that will ever fill up the Coliseum.  The only one thus far was a sellout crowd for the NT vs. SMU basketball game in the late 70's.

Texas came to Denton in mid 70's and we beat them in what seemed to be a full house.

[untcampbell]

January 1980, we beat Texas in overtime. It was my first game as a Spring transfer to North Texas. From Texas.

The win immediately solidified my love for this school and its teams, and I haven't worn a burnt orange shirt from the moment I transferred.

 

GMG

[bstnsportsfan3]

9 hours ago, MCMLXXX said:

For halftime we should get two teams of the little dribblers and have them play. One team coached by Vic Trilli and the other by Tony Benford.

Benford would just sub out all the kids for new kids 1 minute in

[untjim1995]

14 minutes ago, bstnsportsfan3 said:

Benford would just sub out all the kids for new kids 1 minute in

Ahh yes, the innovative hockey line change for hoops. That’s why Benford has had the success that RV saw in him…

[Shark 64]

19 hours ago, drex said:

There is no activity that will ever fill up the Coliseum.  The only one thus far was a sellout crowd for the NT vs. SMU basketball game in the late 70's.

The Pit hosted some NCAA regional tournament games back in the 1980's and they were sold out. The DePaul and Texas games were near sellouts.

 

[greenjoe]

The seats, railing, and press box were actually Tennessee/Oklahoma State orange.  The decision for the orange color was based on contrasts  for television of the day.  It was believed that there would be a lot of TV broadcasts and the choices were beige, grey and the orange we got.  The color had nothing to do with the college the architect or the university president attended.  By the way, the architect for the Coliseum was a fellow from Dallas named Klutz.  I spoke with him when we were changing out the orange seats for green ones  ( we sent the seats from about 2 or 3 sections at a time to a company in San Antonio to be recovered).   

GO MEAN GREEN

[NT80]

44 minutes ago, greenjoe said:

The seats, railing, and press box were actually Tennessee/Oklahoma State orange.  The decision for the orange color was based on contrasts  for television of the day.  It was believed that there would be a lot of TV broadcasts and the choices were beige, grey and the orange we got.  The color had nothing to do with the college the architect or the university president attended.  By the way, the architect for the Coliseum was a fellow from Dallas named Klutz.  I spoke with him when we were changing out the orange seats for green ones  ( we sent the seats from about 2 or 3 sections at a time to a company in San Antonio to be recovered).   

GO MEAN GREEN

Thanks for the info.  A lot of urban myths over the years about the origin/approval of those orange seats.  Many felt it was a UTexas conspiracy, much like when UT-lover Craig Helwig was AD and changed the NT athletics logos to add burnt orange and navy blue in 1995. 

BTW, all the UT-Something campuses had to add orange to their logos several years ago if not already using it.  

 

Edited January 19, 2022 by NT80

[NorthTexasSportsNetwork]

35 minutes ago, greenjoe said:

The seats, railing, and press box were actually Tennessee/Oklahoma State orange.  The decision for the orange color was based on contrasts  for television of the day.  It was believed that there would be a lot of TV broadcasts and the choices were beige, grey and the orange we got.  The color had nothing to do with the college the architect or the university president attended.  By the way, the architect for the Coliseum was a fellow from Dallas named Klutz.  I spoke with him when we were changing out the orange seats for green ones  ( we sent the seats from about 2 or 3 sections at a time to a company in San Antonio to be recovered).   

GO MEAN GREEN

Is that the reason there is that ugly concrete camera “well” at the top of the pit on the bench side? Never understood why that and the room across from it at the top of the Pit were there because I don’t ever see anyone in them.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Why don’t they build out suites in the upper bowl……like get rid of the upper bowl completely so the suites are right over the action?  We don’t get people up there anyway and could use the suite revenue. 

[Andrew]

On 1/18/2022 at 1:56 PM, greenjoe said:

For no reason, I looked up the Coliseum on Google.  According to Google, North Texas opened the Coliseum with a 109-93 victory over TCU on December 4, 1973.  So, we have an opportunity to put together a big promotion for whatever game is scheduled on December 4, 2023 (Monday ?).  We should have Frisbee Dogs, Pogo Stick Guys, and the Rolling Stones for the best halftime show ever.  We need to start selling tickets now for what I hope to be a sellout celebrating our 50th year at the Super Pit.  

GO MEAN GREEN

Those pogo stick guys were super impressive! 

[Andrew]

8 hours ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

Is that the reason there is that ugly concrete camera “well” at the top of the pit on the bench side? Never understood why that and the room across from it at the top of the Pit were there because I don’t ever see anyone in them.

 

They were used often back in the day. Especially during the orange seat days. Pretty sure radio was up there too. When I was younger the light was always on and people were in the room. 

[Andrew]

8 hours ago, greenjoe said:

The seats, railing, and press box were actually Tennessee/Oklahoma State orange.  The decision for the orange color was based on contrasts  for television of the day.  It was believed that there would be a lot of TV broadcasts and the choices were beige, grey and the orange we got.  The color had nothing to do with the college the architect or the university president attended.  By the way, the architect for the Coliseum was a fellow from Dallas named Klutz.  I spoke with him when we were changing out the orange seats for green ones  ( we sent the seats from about 2 or 3 sections at a time to a company in San Antonio to be recovered).   

GO MEAN GREEN

Any news on when we get the season ticket name plates on the seats? 🤔 15 plus years and waiting…

[NT80]

14 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

Why don’t they build out suites in the upper bowl……like get rid of the upper bowl completely so the suites are right over the action?  We don’t get people up there anyway and could use the suite revenue. 

Graduation uses some of the upper bowl.  But putting Suites at mid-court on each side might work, just leave the seating on the upper ends for overflow, graduations and large crowds.

Edited January 20, 2022 by NT80

[greenjoe]

Andrew is referring to the original perk of having seat refinishing donor’s name put on their seats.  If I recall correctly, the cost to re-upholster each seat, remove, ship to SA, re-upholster, ship back, and re-install was $250.  We sold subscriptions to g ft und this projects.  We couldn’t come up with a proper place to install the plaque.  The decision was made to list all donors on a big tablet on the wall between the concession stand and restrooms near gate D (I think).  Stop by and thank those donors that changed the Coliseum from orange to green,  

GO MEAN GREEN

[MeanGreenHoops]

23 hours ago, NT80 said:

Thanks for the info.  A lot of urban myths over the years about the origin/approval of those orange seats.  Many felt it was a UTexas conspiracy, much like when UT-lover Craig Helwig was AD and changed the NT athletics logos to add burnt orange and navy blue in 1995. 

BTW, all the UT-Something campuses had to add orange to their logos several years ago if not already using it.  

 

Interesting, that logo looks more like a sports logo than our current one kind of. Especially if update to current colors (quick edit)