DRC: In this week's UNT newsletter is out and examines why UNT is playing slower than anyone in the country despite Grant McCasland's vow to pick up the pace

[Brett Vito]

 

Edited February 22, 2023 by Brett Vito

[untbowler]

why change something that is not broken? That's why. 

[Cooley]

It’s not exciting basketball; despite the winning seasons. Is there a comparable size program, with 40k students, with a similar record, that averages the same or less fans?

With the winning percentage over the last 5 years you’d think there would be much greater interest from top recruits to sign on. 

 

[chrisfisher]

I am hopeful that AAC teams will invigorate our fan base. Can you imagine bringing Memphis, Wichita State, Temple, Tulane, etc. to Super Pit on regular basis? Any of these teams have a opportunity to be ranked any given season... and this would be regular ole conference games too... Never mind if we can attract some decent OOC games.  And never mind too that some of these games will be nationally televised on ESPN, if the contract remains same with AAC. The future is exciting, all we have to do is keep winning. 

[meangreenfaninno]

  On 2/22/2023 at 12:44 PM, chrisfisher said:

I am hopeful that AAC teams will invigorate our fan base. Can you imagine bringing Memphis, Wichita State, Temple, Tulane, etc. to Super Pit on regular basis? Any of these teams have a opportunity to be ranked any given season... and this would be regular ole conference games too... Never mind if we can attract some decent OOC games.  And never mind too that some of these games will be nationally televised on ESPN, if the contract remains same with AAC. The future is exciting, all we have to do is keep winning. 

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Agree. This is a super solid conference and a lot better than the Big West and Belch etc.

[CMJ]

Unfortunately I don't have high hopes for when we enter the AAC.  Virginia didn't draw particularly well, which admittedly big time surprised me.  We'll draw a bit better than we did these last couple of seasons, but I don't have high hopes for that much more.

[Brett Vito]

 

[Green Otaku]

  On 2/22/2023 at 2:18 PM, CMJ said:

Unfortunately I don't have high hopes for when we enter the AAC.  Virginia didn't draw particularly well, which admittedly big time surprised me.  We'll draw a bit better than we did these last couple of seasons, but I don't have high hopes for that much more.

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Virginia was an eye opener for me too. I thought for sure we would have 8-9k fans there. 

IMO we need to change our train of thought that better opponents will bring more fans, because you are hanging your hopes that outside forces will dictate how many fans show up. Charlotte, FAU, UAB, etc., will still be in our conference so we would essentially be saying we will expect lower attendance for those games. Instead we should focus on building the fanbase so we have a rock solid foundation of fans that want to see North Texas basketball, regardless of who the opponent is. Some programs might give us a nice boost, if they are ranked or are big names, but again you are relying on things out of your control. Instead we need to focus on what we can do, and that's reaching out to UNT fans, promoting games, and building our own fanbase. 

[ADLER]

Grant didn't Pick Up The Pace?

Get A Rope!

 

Grant and the team are doing their part, honestly, more than their part. It's up to the athletics department to promote the successful basketball program. There are some very simple items to correct.

North Texas Super Pit

Here's a photo outside the Super Pit at night. How does anybody ever know there's an event there?

You have got to make it be an event before people will want to attend the event.

 

.

Edited February 23, 2023 by ADLER

[Brett Vito]

 

[Brett Vito]

 

[NorthTexasSportsNetwork]

Really great article, Brett! Enjoyed the read

[untphd]

  On 2/22/2023 at 5:41 PM, ADLER said:

Grant didn't Pick Up The Pace?

Get A Rope!

 

Grant and the team are doing their part, honestly, more than their part. It's up to the athletics department to promote the successful basketball program. There are some very simple items to correct.

North Texas Super Pit

Here's a photo outside the Super Pit at night. How does anybody ever know there's an event there?

You have got to make it be an event before people will want to attend the event.

 

.

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That is awesome, that took me a minute, but I got it.

[greenminer]

@ADLER, is it possible the Super Pit is failing at attendance because it is not dressed in Green and White?

[Glory to the Green]

  On 2/23/2023 at 2:44 AM, greenminer said:

@ADLER, is it possible the Super Pit is failing at attendance because it is not dressed in Green and White?

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“Mean Green” on the Pit similar the IPF would look SWEET!

[ADLER]

  On 2/23/2023 at 2:44 AM, greenminer said:

@ADLER, is it possible the Super Pit is failing at attendance because it is not dressed in Green and White?

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Well, yes. The Super Pit exterior would look much better if it was lit up with Green and White lighting.

Thank you for making an intelligent suggestion concerning our school colors.

[UNTLifer]

  On 2/23/2023 at 3:43 AM, ADLER said:

Well, yes. The Super Pit exterior would look much better if it was lit up with Green and White lighting.

Thank you for making an intelligent suggestion concerning our school colors.

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The corner columns should have green up lights, the roof should have something on he facing and run spots.  I attended the FAU game and am coming back to town for the WKU affair on 3/4.  The outside of the SP was dark prior to the FAU game and nothing exuded excitement.  We really need to work on our game day presentation.

[Zeleny' Orel]

  On 2/23/2023 at 4:47 PM, UNTLifer said:

The corner columns should have green up lights, the roof should have something on he facing and run spots.  I attended the FAU game and am coming back to town for the WKU affair on 3/4.  The outside of the SP was dark prior to the FAU game and nothing exuded excitement.  We really need to work on our game day presentation.

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Seems like I remember that in the past searchlights were used around the Super Pit on game nights...very effective because they could be seen at a distance

[golfingomez]

  On 2/23/2023 at 3:43 AM, ADLER said:

Well, yes. The Super Pit exterior would look much better if it was lit up with Green and White lighting.

Thank you for making an intelligent suggestion concerning our school colors.

Expand  

Looks like Adler is falling into the old-man category of his approach to school colors... or maybe he has been bought by 'big brick'

It's sad how you dont even address the actual construction materials used for the building and how there was ZERO consideration for school colors when laying the concrete or picking out brick colors... 

At least the landscaping crews utilize green as much as possible.

[MeanGreenGlory]

  On 2/22/2023 at 12:44 PM, chrisfisher said:

I am hopeful that AAC teams will invigorate our fan base. Can you imagine bringing Memphis, Wichita State, Temple, Tulane, etc. to Super Pit on regular basis? Any of these teams have a opportunity to be ranked any given season... and this would be regular ole conference games too... Never mind if we can attract some decent OOC games.  And never mind too that some of these games will be nationally televised on ESPN, if the contract remains same with AAC. The future is exciting, all we have to do is keep winning. 

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I wish this were true, but unfortunately, I don't think our challenge is invigorating the fan base...

I think the challenge is making students and alumni aware of what's happening, when it's happening, where it's happening, and the fun that they're missing out on if they don't show up. 

The AD has neglected to promote our teams and home games over the years. Winning is certainly the foundation of strong attendance, but we'll never see an increase in attendance (even with a perfect record) until the AD starts making a visible and sustained effort to fill seats and the game experience is fun enough to make people want to return. 

In short:

Winning ≠ Increase in Attendance

Winning + Visible and Sustained Promotion + Fun Game Experience = Increase in Attendance

The first piece in place. The AD needs to significantly improve efforts in the second and third.

[ADLER]

  On 2/23/2023 at 5:44 PM, golfingomez said:

Looks like Adler is falling into the old-man category of his approach to school colors... or maybe he has been bought by 'big brick'

It's sad how you dont even address the actual construction materials used for the building and how there was ZERO consideration for school colors when laying the concrete or picking out brick colors... 

At least the landscaping crews utilize green as much as possible.

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I'm sorry if the wisdom of learned experience confuses you.

Place one of these on each side of the Super Pit and that illuminated brick building will be noticable all over campus, the interstate, and the entire city of Denton.

[ADLER]

  On 2/23/2023 at 5:37 PM, Zeleny' Orel said:

Seems like I remember that in the past searchlights were used around the Super Pit on game nights...very effective because they could be seen at a distance

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A bunch of us on Gomeangreen.com pitched in to rent a searchlight for a game many years ago. Multiple Skytrackers, one placed on all four sides of the Pit would really light up the facility and make EVERYONE aware that that a major event was taking place.

[Zeleny' Orel]

  On 2/24/2023 at 3:15 AM, ADLER said:

A bunch of us on Gomeangreen.com pitched in to rent a searchlight for a game many years ago. Multiple Skytrackers, one placed on all four sides of the Pit would really light up the facility and make EVERYONE aware that that a major event was taking place.

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Any idea of the cost of doing this?