North Texas Homecoming Parade

[greenjoe]

I just got back from the July 4th Parade at Robson Ranch.  The best parade I’ve even been in.  As I was driving and waving, I thought, let’s have the NT Homecoming Parade at Robson Ranch.  
 

The participation was incredible and the number of residents, all sitting in golf carts was staggering.  If we could get half those people to come out the HC parade would be a success.  
 

True, it’s out of downtown but there would be no intersections to close and no need for security.  There is a large parking lot near the Club house for staging and they already have a route.  
 

I talked with the coordinator if the July 4th Parade and he’s willing to help.  
 

THOUGHTS ?

Edited October 19, 2023 by greenjoe

[Dannymacfan]

2 minutes ago, greenjoe said:

I just got back from the July 4th Parade at Robson Ranch.  The best parade I’ve even been in.  As I was driving and waving, I thought, let’s have the NT Homecoming Parade at Robson Ranch.  
 

The participation was incredible and the number of residents, all sitting in gold carts was staggering.  If we could get half those people to come out the HC parade would be a success.  
 

True, it’s out of downtown but there would be no intersections to close and no need for security.  There is a large parking lot near the Club b house for staging and they already have a route.  
 

I talked with the coordinator if the July 4th Parade and he’s willing to help.  
 

THOUGHTS ?

Yes yes I agree!

[Green Crazy]

What was the reason the homecoming parade stopped?

[DentonLurker]

3 minutes ago, Green Crazy said:

What was the reason the homecoming parade stopped?

Not enough interest from the students for what UNT was spending on it.

Edited July 4, 2023 by DentonLurker

[greenminer]

I worked a dance event at RR a few weeks ago.  Those folks go hard.

[Greenrex]

I think it's a grand idea, greenjoe! Let the naysayers say what they always say but, I say celebrate with whomever you can whenever you can wherever you can!  I live in Sun City Peachtree, Georgia, where there are 1700 homes and I can guarantee if we staged the North Texas Homecoming Parade here, there would be be a minimum of 1700 households in attendance and most of them would dress up in green and decorate their golf carts in Green! And then maybe, just maybe the following season would see an uptick in support from those wonderful people!

[Green Crazy]

50 minutes ago, DentonLurker said:

Not enough interest from the students for what UNT was spending on it.

That's what I thought.  Why would there be more interest from our students and alumni if we had the parade 15-20 minutes off campus at Robson Ranch? 

[greenjoe]

From what I saw this morning, the residents at RR will come out and party strong and support what’s put in front of them.

It would see  little cost in putting on a parade at RR.

A good turnout might make the University re-consider their stance on a homecoming parade.

Edited July 4, 2023 by greenjoe

[Green Crazy]

1 minute ago, greenjoe said:

From what I saw this morning, the residents at RR will come out and party strong and support what’s put in front of them.

It would see  little cost in putting on a parade at RR.

I got ya. But isn't the real problem the lack of interest from the people that should be interested?

[greenjoe]

Well, maybe, but it’s a HOMECOMING parade.  The students are already “at home.”

In years past, the people lining the street weren’t students.  They were townspeople and former students in town for the festivities and the game.

Edited July 4, 2023 by greenjoe

[emmitt01]

I don’t know about the homecoming parade being in Robson, but I have always wondered why North Texas athletics doesn’t come to my neighborhood.  Every time Harvest has an event, there is a minimum of 300 to 500 kids there with their parents. Seems like a great time to sell a football ticket to someone.

Hell, I’ve even help man the booth.

Edited July 4, 2023 by emmitt01

[97and03]

6 hours ago, greenminer said:

I worked a dance event at RR a few weeks ago.  Those folks go hard.

[NT80]

5 hours ago, greenjoe said:

From what I saw this morning, the residents at RR will come out and party strong and support what’s put in front of them.

 

Is NT Athletics actively recruiting RR folks to come to games?   

This seems like a perfect group-rate target audience.

[Mike Jackson]

I don’t have a hard stance one way or another on Roberson Ranch  but I do believe a change in the parade route that goes through the population and business growth centers inside Denton was overdue.  That is part of the reason student and alumni interest diminished.  Another reason is that Denton just isn’t passionate about UNT in general.  It gotten better in the last 20 years but growing up in Denton the UNT community was very segregated from the rest of Denton socially.  The only way you change that is by doing things a different way; stopping any tradition cold turkey  without trying to do it a slightly different way should never be an option.   If I could send a message to the past I would tell the leadership that Fouts must be built on top of Eagle Field.  A stadium more centrally located in Denton would have had a more unifying impact on the community and we probably aren’t discussing a cancelled homecoming parade today. 

Edited July 5, 2023 by Mike Jackson

[UNTLifer]

7 hours ago, Green Crazy said:

I got ya. But isn't the real problem the lack of interest from the people that should be interested?

I recall Smatresk also stating it didn’t fit with the university’s position on sustainability and complained about the east it created, or some such BS. The one thing the university did that brought the community out and they dropped it. I think the message about the lack of interest from the students was ridiculous and an easy out. 

[greenjoe]

I bet if we held a un-authorized parade at Robson Ranch and Dr Smatresk were invited he would attend.  And ride in the lead car.

[TripleGrad]

22 hours ago, Green Crazy said:

What was the reason the homecoming parade stopped?

Honest to goodness, the official answer was climate concerns and sustainability.  

I read that as "we, the University, don't care that much about athletics."  If the school doesn't care, why should the town?  And frankly, the town and the school have been adversaries for quite a while.

The freaking FARMERS have a parade through downtown when the Fair opens.  

[NTEdgex2]

I live in Justin. I’d go. Might get others from there. They are always looking for stuff for kids to do. 
 

GMG!

[trud1966]

Don't get me wrong, I love the planet, but I dont always agree with sustainability guidelines.  But, I do see the need for them as time goes on, so I'm always willing to accept the challenge...

That being said...Can they NOT show/illustrate what "said Guidelines" are?  I work in architecture and we constantly deal with jurisdictions that have different guidelines/requirements on minimum and maximum types of sustanable material and methods of construction.  So,  we review those requirements, then apply them to the proposed design to the client.  In short, we're basically telling the client "ok, we have some rules we have to go by, so here's what we CAN do....

But UNT just seems to put out the Optics of "well, no use even trying....lets forget the whole damn thing, just not worth it..." 

REALLY UNT?  It's a PARADE....It's not a "Green-Building/LEED certified 100 million dollar addition to the Tokyo International Airport.   It's 3 hours of a marching band and people pulling flatbed trailers with kids throwing terrible candy to spectators...  

I'm sure I might be over-simplifying the issue, because I don't have all the details....But for the love of GAWD, give us the details.     It my experience, there is ALWAYS a work-around...

Every College has a Homecoming...(yes, even those without football programs)    But I'd dare to say ALL of them with football programs are having a parade..

My question is, how many colleges/universities, in the State of Texas, are deciding to forgo a Homecoming Parade this year?  My guess UNT will be the ONLY school to just skip this tradition, because it's easier....

This is one of those "little things" that UNT does, that doesnt seem like much, but adds up to us not looking like a legit program, or getting student body involved, or connecting with the community.  May not seem like a big deal, but alot of little things, add up to big things eventually.

Do better, UNT...

[greenjoe]

Now to be clear, I was told the parade, last year, was canceled because it no longer “ met the needs of the students.”  Nobody ever said to me it was for sustainability or to save the planet,  I actually thought those earlier posters were joking.  I simply believed the reason for canceling was that the person making the decision didn’t want to work on the parade.  I still believe that.

Let’s make our own parade.  I saw it done and done well July 4.  I never even saw a police officer except those riding in the parade.  

[UNTLifer]

On 7/4/2023 at 12:18 PM, DentonLurker said:

Not enough interest from the students for what UNT was spending on it.

What were they spending?  Seems it would be pretty minimal.

Here are the old threads:

 

In the second link you will find the email I received from Andie Jackson, Coordinator for Campus-Wide Events.  I called b.s. on the lack of community interest as I would also come to town and bring my boys.  When they got older, we still all came but started bringing my nieces and nephews.  There was always a crowd.

[trud1966]

Thanks for re-posting the link to Andie Jackson's letter.   It does clear up their "stance",  but I'm GRAVELY disappointed in my school.   I apologize in advance to be suspicious and my tone, but how much of this decision is really "lack of student participation" vs. a committee just not wanting the challenge that's been around for what, maybe 75 years?  I'm sure there's guilt on both sides, but i find it hard to believe its for lack of interest.   

a Greek Organizations live for this kinda stuff.   Many Frats/Sororities require members to volunteer for activities to accrue a certain amount of points.   A parade is an easy no-brainer.  Can't have ALL of them on the floats?  Worried about the extra "waste" generated by a parade?  Fine, assign surplus members volunteer for clean-up duty.

b. The Green Brigade, by default adds 500'+ to the length of the parade, just by showing up....

c. What business, in Denton, does not WANT to drive SLOWLY in front of hundreds spectators, with their name on the side of a vehicle, handing out SWAG, at the price of the most affordable marketing you could possibly get?

d. There are now FOUR large High Schools in Denton ISD.  ALL with great marching bands.  You mean to tell me, if UNT extends an invite to their bands,  to march in the homecoming parade, ALL of them will decline?

I'm a director at my company, and have been doing it for 30+ years.....I can smell when someone just doesnt want to try...

Do better, UNT.

Edited July 12, 2023 by trud1966

[DentonLurker]

Maybe I’m in the minority on this, but I’d much rather see the university put their money into enhancing the fan experience in and around the stadium for 6 games a year than a couple of hours one Saturday a year.

[NT80]

7 minutes ago, DentonLurker said:

Maybe I’m in the minority on this, but I’d much rather see the university put their money into enhancing the fan experience in and around the stadium for 6 games a year than a couple of hours one Saturday a year.

Both of these should be happening.  Why can't we do both?  One should be University funded (parade) and the other AD funded (fan experience).

A homecoming parade may be considered "old school" by newer generations but it is part of our history, and is a "tradition" that is/was part of being a student at UNT.  Are we throwing away more traditions now?  I'm curious to know what peer FBS programs still have homecoming parades?

As for game fan-experience, this greatly needs stepped up like the conference step up.  I think the AD has plans for more music and student-engagement on the "hill".  The problem has always been getting students OFF the hill and into the Stadium in a timely manner.  Again, I'm curious about other AAC fan experiences pre-game and in-game.  Why do our students go to pre-game but resist going to the game?

 

[UNTLifer]

I emailed Christa Coffey, head of Student Affairs or some such, again yesterday.  She passed that along to a Tracy Frier and here is "her" response.  

Christa forwarded me your email to give some answers to why UNT is no longer putting on the Homecoming Parade.

After not having the parade in 2021 and 2022, there is currently no plan to resume the parade again. A lot of thought and discussion went into our decision to not hold a Homecoming Parade. A major factor we took into consideration when making this decision is campus and community interest and participation. In the past several years, we have seen a significant drop in student participation and community attendance of the parade. This has led us to move our focus and resources to events and activities that we know our community enjoys and engages in robustly such as the Homecoming Picnic and the Bonfire. Another factor we took into consideration is the amount of waste that the parade generates each year, which does not align with UNT’s commitment to sustainability and eco-friendly practices.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance

 

Tracy

 

Tracy Frier, M.Ed

She/Her(s)

Assistant Director for Spirit and Traditions

University of North Texas

Student Activities

University Union 345

(940) 565-3807

Gee, that looks familiar which explains why I put her response in quotes.  I did respond thanking her for her reply, but I also challenged the decision since the "lack on interest" occurred post-Covid (seems convenient), and the waste issue since the materials are biodegradable or able to be reused/recycled.  I stated that this was a disappointment to the many alumni I come in contact with and suggested creating a task force/committee of current students, administration and alumni (yes, I volunteered to be involved) to revisit this decision and to find a way to recreate excitement around this tradition.  I will let you know what I hear.