How to Improve GameDay Experience at UNT

[Glory to the Green]

These are just some ideas. Maybe if we come up with some good ideas, the people in charge will see it and add some of our ideas for this/next season? I LOVE the current tailgate scene, the Alumni Pavilion, and the in game activities already implemented. This would be in addition…

I’m not thinking so much for us, but for the casual UNT fan. I’m bringing my butt to the game rain or shine, but what would bring in the casual fan?  The fan/family that says, “Yeah, Let’s go to the game. The kids/family always have a good time.”

Pregame Ideas:

*Music in the concourse (only UNT music would be a nice touch: Eagles, Orbison, etc…but any type of music to add an ambience would work)

*Meet the Players: Bball, softball, soccer, track, etc.  Kids can ask questions or ask for tips on the sport they play.  Take pics or sign autographs.  The posters are already in the stadium.  The teams are largely already there . 

In Game Ideas:

*Kiss cam

*Dance cam

*Stadium Trivia Sing Along

*Dot Races

*Break between quarters song (same song every time could turn into a little tradition where the whole stadium sings/dances along

Edited October 17, 2022 by Coach Andy Mac
ETA: These are all no/low cost additions. They do require some effort, though.

[northtexassigep]

My buddies 3 year old was at the game with his grandparents and I went into the store to buy him a gift. Something to commemorate his first apogee experience. Was very disappointed that they didn’t have anything but shirts and some basic stuff. Why does rally house have dozens of stuffed scrappys but apogee doesn’t? Not really connected to this topic but I had to vent. The music idea is a good one. Also the beer tent they had at fouts was awesome. If they had something like that for the students to go to instead of the fraternities tailgates that would be cool. I’m sure there are lots of students who want to go to the game but don’t think there is anything for them prior to kickoff. 

[El Paso Eagle]

Up votes for both of these. Do something! Make it an atmosphere that is fun to attend and allows everyone to have a good time.

[Big Z]

Have Stone Cold Steve Austin come out of the tunnel with his entrance music 

[untjim1995]

I just want to PA system and video screen to work…that’s literally all I ask for at a game. Not concessions, not parking issues resolved, not even souvenirs. Just make it to where the fans there can understand the PA and the stats actually match the game we are playing.

[Matt from A700]

In my first game of the season yesterday (due to newborn son Labor Day weekend), I noticed a few things:

1. Instead of a graphic for each starter, the PA just announced the players off a list of Offense/Defense. Since at least my freshman year in 2014, we have never been able to roll the graphics correctly.
2. The PA timed up the "That's good for a Mean Green... first down!" differently/incorrectly. It was more like "That's good for a Mean Green first down!"
3. The band seemed less active, especially when it mattered on defense.

[UNT 90 Grad]

Great ideas.  I received a game experience survey today.  Hopefully you did too and can add these to the survey.  Seems like each week I see that they changed something that seems to be based on survey results.  This week they cut the ADA lot space in half so people could still get to the prime tailgating spots.  They seem to be listening if you share feedback in the surveys.

[Glory to the Green]

14 minutes ago, UNT 90 Grad said:

Great ideas.  I received a game experience survey today.  Hopefully you did too and can add these to the survey.  Seems like each week I see that they changed something that seems to be based on survey results.  This week they cut the ADA lot space in half so people could still get to the prime tailgating spots.  They seem to be listening if you share feedback in the surveys.

I normally get one, but didn’t get one for this game. I entered the game with my scrappy squad member and my tix weren’t scanned. I wonder if only scanned tix get the survey?

[UNT 90 Grad]

I wore my kilt to the game, which I do periodically.  (Don't judge.)  I'm walking in and one of the security guards at the gate said "Sir, she is going to need to check inside your bag."  I looked at her oddly and then looked down at my sporran and said "This?!?"  Sure enough.  I awkwardly opened it up and gave a gentle pelvic thrust so she could see inside it.  That was a first in my history of game day experiences.  I could hold more in my pockets than I could in that thing.  

[Big Z]

Dollar beers and whiskey shots at halftime 

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

I'm going to pay an AD $750k a year to figure it out. 

[Glory to the Green]

17 minutes ago, SteaminWillieBeamin said:

I'm going to pay an AD $750k a year to figure it out. 

I see where you’re coming from, but I don’t share the same sentiment.

Aside from the previously mentioned surveys, wouldn’t crowdsourcing some of the schools most loyal fans be a good place to gather information?

[GMG_Dallas]

I like the idea with one exception. If we want current students and recent alums to get rowdy, playing only the Eagles, Orbison, Meatloaf and others from prior generations doesn't do much. Mix it up. Give everybody some music to be excited about. Doesn't matter if they're not UNT alum. If you want the next generation of alums to have favorable memories, all you have to do is make it a fun experience and win some games.

[Andrew]

What ever happened to the golf ball hitting contest and the legit dancing contest for real prizes and what ever happens to the cars facing on the screen with scrappy and coach etc…. Video boards need upgrading (could be larger at this point) and more fun stuff on the boards. Show other games and scores etc…. 
 

also why does only one half of the end zone have a board but not the other….

[Andrew]

39 minutes ago, SteaminWillieBeamin said:

I'm going to pay an AD $750k a year to figure it out. 

Give me a quarter of that to do the job and use the rest for in game promos and prizes. 
Maybe Wren needs to step up and put up his deep pockets for some prizes and fun….

[Glory to the Green]

6 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

I like the idea with one exception. If we want current students and recent alums to get rowdy, playing only the Eagles, Orbison, Meatloaf and others from prior generations doesn't do much. Mix it up. Give everybody some music to be excited about. Doesn't matter if they're not UNT alum. If you want the next generation of alums to have favorable memories, all you have to do is make it a fun experience and win some games.

Ha!  Yeah…fair points. The concourse feels like it needs a bit more vibe to it. The music would help. And yes, winning definitely helps. I attended from 2001-2005 and those teams got me hooked!

[Andrew]

14 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

I like the idea with one exception. If we want current students and recent alums to get rowdy, playing only the Eagles, Orbison, Meatloaf and others from prior generations doesn't do much. Mix it up. Give everybody some music to be excited about. Doesn't matter if they're not UNT alum. If you want the next generation of alums to have favorable memories, all you have to do is make it a fun experience and win some games.

Agreed. The guest we have taken love the DJ for the game, but the band has been super bland this year. Especially during games. They need to step it up cuz otherwise the DJ will be all we have. They need to work on their songs during the game. 

[MeanGreen22]

The Under The Wing Pub was a great idea with such poor execution. How do you announce something like than then it just be a fenced off area with a few tables and couple of TVs? Make the investment and give it an honest chance at being something. 
 

Less so gameday experience and more of getting butts in seats.. I’d like that pub to have some sort of pre-game special. Something like half off beers starting an hour before gametime up until kick. Might get people in the the gate and ready to go from the jump. Idk. 

[Tom McKrackin]

30 minutes ago, MeanGreen22 said:

The Under The Wing Pub was a great idea with such poor execution

Most definitely- had such great potential but the beers were warm and expensive.

[El Paso Eagle]

1 hour ago, Glory to the Green said:

I see where you’re coming from, but I don’t share the same sentiment.

Aside from the previously mentioned surveys, wouldn’t crowdsourcing some of the schools most loyal fans be a good place to gather information?

Problem is not the most loyal, it the causal fans. How do they compare their UNT gameday experience to that at other places? Hell, send staff members to other games in the region. Nothing wrong with Benchmarking and borrowing good things from others. 

Edited October 16, 2022 by El Paso Eagle

[Big Z]

Get Mudvayne to play before the show 

[Glory to the Green]

34 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Problem is not the most loyal, it the causal fans. How do they compare their UNT gameday experience to that at other places? Hell, send staff members to other games in the region. Nothing wrong with Benchmarking and borrowing good things from others. 

100% agree.   No need to reinvent the wheel

[El Paso Eagle]

Just now, Glory to the Green said:

100% agree.   No need to reinvent the wheel

Years back when Bob Stull was the AD at UTEP he went out of his way to have pregame activities for everyone. It was an event and people came. Concerts, a lot of kids activities, etc. I know a lot of people who had no ties to UTEP that would attend their games. There is a lot going on and the AD needs to fight for the attention of the fans. Get sponsors and have give-aways for fans and students. Start smaller at the beginning of the game and give out larger prizes as the game goes on. Make it an event that people want to attend.

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

I think the pressure to upsell parking and the counting all pennies mentality has killed game day. You want to charge people hundreds of dollars to park an RV or limit where blue lot people can congregate -when no one is even there? Truly kills the desire. I haven't tailgated in years at UNT because i hated the unknowns every week. I used to love setting up early morning or the night before - but under Wren they constantly applied more pressure and took all the fun out. I notice all the people that used to be out no longer show. There's barely any presence of a real game day - outside of @flyonthewall setup with RV - it's really a downer.. That's all on Wren. The concept of tailgating on a hill far from your car is stupid BTW.

I'd open up tailgating by the stadium - pay lots only in the dirt across the streets or by be fouts. As many buses as possible to bring people from the tennis/softball lots. 

Have a crap ton of bounce houses and be slides for kids - not the ones that require some BS junior mean green membership.

Have a relevant sounding band - modern folk? Or hell, some frat party wedding cover band.. ben e keith free drinks. 

How about a party bus that picks up people on the square or by fry - for the sole purpose of getting butts NEAR the stadium. 

Let people bring RVs FREE - a line of RVs makes it feel like a real game day. One sad ass RV amongst the "reserve not sold" spots away from everything - is sad as AF.

Without people NEAR the stadium, you can't get them IN the stadium.

Edit: oh yeah - I'd fix the damn ingress/egress situation. It's absurd. If someone does that once, they don't want to come back. 

Another, side note, to tailgating - prior to electronic tickets with no cell phone data, high ass daily RV fees and the unknowns of parking, I used to buy up to a dozen extra tickets to the game and would always have the pitch "come and tailgate - yeh, yeh, I know you don't have a ticket, I have an extra don't worry." I would personally get butts, into the stadium from my pride of wanting my friend to enjoy what I enjoy. Now, I really just only worry about me getting into the game. I don't see that changing with this AD. 

Edited October 17, 2022 by SteaminWillieBeamin

[THOR]

51 minutes ago, Big Z said:

Get Mudvayne to play before the show 

or just new in game music.  it has been the same since apogee opened.