Where do we go from here?

[meangreenfaninno]

NIL and the portal are killing off our already small fan base.  Donors are like rats off a sinking ship after Luncheon-gate and the latest basketball hire.  If Morris doesn’t have a big winning season he will be fired and we will be stuck with paying out another long term contract.  The football and basketball rosters have become revolving doors.  Seems like every day another disingenuous post from a player transferring out but claiming how how much he “appreciates” UNT.

I truly tip my hat to you that can make lemonade out of rotten lemons but Incan’t myself stomach much more of this crap.  I am officially done.

I supported UNT athletics because I graduated from there and I felt like it was a good way to support my university as a whole.

I do not believe that anymore.  We are just a stepping stone for people like Jared and coaches to use us to move up the NCAA food chain.  Until they fix this NIL and portal crap I am officially out.

I refuse to fund this anymore with my money or my time.  Time is too precious and there are endeavors that bring me much more joy and less pain.  I wish all of you the best.

[jtm0097]

Regarding the football team, you can do one of three things.

1. Embrace mediocrity and keep donating to this program.

2. Appreciate this is the school you went to, go to 1-2 games a year, and be apathetic from a financial stand point to the program.

3. Stop following all together and buy a t-shirt of your favorite adopted program that gives you happiness.

I am trending towards 2 after 18 years of following the football team. The lack of regulation by the NCAA is slowly killing programs like ours. In the next 10 years, I imagine a separation of G5 and P4 schools due to the CFP media money. We're going to essentially be an FCS program with no path to the CFP. 

Edited Sunday at 01:47 PM by jtm0097

[Green Lantern]

[GMG_Dallas]

1 hour ago, jtm0097 said:

2. Appreciate this is the school you went to, go to 1-2 games a year, and be apathetic from a financial stand point to the program.

This has always been me and probably always will be. At worst I'll just stop caring but I'll never jump on another school's bandwagon. That's what the powers want so they can effectively eliminate the bottom 70 or 80 programs that don't generate money. 

[GMG_Dallas]

2 hours ago, meangreenfaninno said:

Donors are like rats off a sinking ship after Luncheon-gate and the latest basketball hire.  

Are big donors upset about the basketball hire?

[cousin oliver]

1 minute ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Are big donors upset about the basketball hire?

I think he was referring to the recent post from @flyonthewall

[GMG_Dallas]

1 minute ago, cousin oliver said:

I think he was referring to the recent post from @flyonthewall

That's what I was thinking but the way it's worded makes it appear as though there's a direct correlation.

[NT80]

3 hours ago, meangreenfaninno said:

NIL and the portal are killing off our already small fan base.  Donors are like rats off a sinking ship after Luncheon-gate and the latest basketball hire.  If Morris doesn’t have a big winning season he will be fired and we will be stuck with paying out another long term contract.  The football and basketball rosters have become revolving doors.  Seems like every day another disingenuous post from a player transferring out but claiming how how much he “appreciates” UNT.

 

Why do posters that want to leave always give a speech about leaving?   You sound just like the disingenuous players you despise.   

Take a break for a while, come back later.   I understand the frustrations of NIL, portal, G5, etc.  I had the same depression when Hayden Fry left, coach Blakeley was replaced, we dropped to 1-AA, etc.   But it's constantly changing.   There will be always be more change.

Being an Alum, you can never really "stop" being a fan, even from afar.   Unless you buy a T-shirt from another school and start pretending to have always been a fan of theirs.  Don't turn into "that" Alum!

[UNT86]

I'm with NT80. It was the exact same when Coach Fry left. The main difference is that we've had few coaches since that anyone else would want. It is different now that the players leave too.

Root for the name on the front of the jersey.  Give to the scholarship fund. That way they only get what they've always gotten and they have to stay to get any more.

And really enjoy the good years. They have always been hard to come by.

[Hunter Green]

6 hours ago, jtm0097 said:

Regarding the football team, you can do one of three things.

1. Embrace mediocrity and keep donating to this program.

2. Appreciate this is the school you went to, go to 1-2 games a year, and be apathetic from a financial stand point to the program.

3. Stop following all together and buy a t-shirt of your favorite adopted program that gives you happiness.

I am trending towards 2 after 18 years of following the football team. The lack of regulation by the NCAA is slowly killing programs like ours. In the next 10 years, I imagine a separation of G5 and P4 schools due to the CFP media money. We're going to essentially be an FCS program with no path to the CFP. 

I'm right there with you. For too long UNT has only pretended to be a Div. 1 program. I am on the fence at this late date to renew my FB season tickets. Luncheon-gate really took the wind out of my sails and if there was any doubt in my mind that this school doesn't give two shits about athletics, that confirmed it. From an outsider, it doesn't appear Jared does, or is doing anything to advance our cause. Just an obligatory, recorded PSA during basketball games re. NIL while we continue to lag behind other American conference mates. In my mind, UNT just caters to the music, teacher and DEI crowd while giving athletics short shrift. Way back when, I chose UNT over UTD because of the commitment to play division one football.  I felt I would get the total college experience. I question that commitment now. Someone prove me wrong.

[NorthTexasWeLove]

6 hours ago, NT80 said:

Why do posters that want to leave always give a speech about leaving?   You sound just like the disingenuous players you despise.   

Take a break for a while, come back later.   I understand the frustrations of NIL, portal, G5, etc.  I had the same depression when Hayden Fry left, coach Blakeley was replaced, we dropped to 1-AA, etc.   But it's constantly changing.   There will be always be more change.

Being an Alum, you can never really "stop" being a fan, even from afar.   Unless you buy a T-shirt from another school and start pretending to have always been a fan of theirs.  Don't turn into "that" Alum!

If you understand the frustration then you understand why. It's disappointment in their school and the system and this is the place to vent that shit, no? 

[NorthTexasWeLove]

2 hours ago, Hunter Green said:

I'm right there with you. For too long UNT has only pretended to be a Div. 1 program. I am on the fence at this late date to renew my FB season tickets. Luncheon-gate really took the wind out of my sails and if there was any doubt in my mind that this school doesn't give two shits about athletics, that confirmed it. From an outsider, it doesn't appear Jared does, or is doing anything to advance our cause. Just an obligatory, recorded PSA during basketball games re. NIL while we continue to lag behind other American conference mates. In my mind, UNT just caters to the music, teacher and DEI crowd while giving athletics short shrift. Way back when, I chose UNT over UTD because of the commitment to play division one football.  I felt I would get the total college experience. I question that commitment now. Someone prove me wrong.

I can't prove you wrong. I went to UNT over TCU so my wife wouldn't have gigantic student loan bills (I used GI bill). I don't have wholesale regret, but I do rearview mirror that decision from time to time. 

[NT80]

12 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

If you understand the frustration then you understand why. It's disappointment in their school and the system and this is the place to vent that shit, no? 

I do understand the frustration and the disappointments following this program.   A lot of leaders have let us down, current ones and past ones.  Same for players and coaches that appear to quit.  This is the place to vent those frustrations...and we do it well!   

But this not the place to quit as a fan.   There is no quitting!   You may not post anymore, or follow games or scores as closely, but we will all continue to follow in some form.   There is no NIL to keep you here, but you are MEAN GREEN for life!

[NorthTexasWeLove]

1 hour ago, NT80 said:

I do understand the frustration and the disappointments following this program.   A lot of leaders have let us down, current ones and past ones.  Same for players and coaches that appear to quit.  This is the place to vent those frustrations...and we do it well!   

But this not the place to quit as a fan.   There is no quitting!   You may not post anymore, or follow games or scores as closely, but we will all continue to follow in some form.   There is no NIL to keep you here, but you are MEAN GREEN for life!

I won't ever quit, and the people that found this forum will never quit either. They will just quit wasting their money until rules change. I don't blame them. We can't keep up. We won't. So, why pretend? 

The G5 commissioners, the ADs, and head coaches had the opportunity to bond together 5-10 years ago and fight like hell with anti-trust lawsuits. They chose not to in fear of being black listed from their hopeful new job. We, the alum, are the only ones who suffered. Zero reason to financially support this shit until real change for the betterment of US, UNT and the like, takes place. 

[MAX KOCH]

On 4/13/2025 at 8:46 AM, jtm0097 said:

Regarding the football team, you can do one of three things.

1. Embrace mediocrity and keep donating to this program.

2. Appreciate this is the school you went to, go to 1-2 games a year, and be apathetic from a financial stand point to the program.

3. Stop following all together and buy a t-shirt of your favorite adopted program that gives you happiness.

I am trending towards 2 after 18 years of following the football team. The lack of regulation by the NCAA is slowly killing programs like ours. In the next 10 years, I imagine a separation of G5 and P4 schools due to the CFP media money. We're going to essentially be an FCS program with no path to the CFP. 

4. GO TO EVERY HOME GAME AND TAILGATE. TRAVEL TO AT LEAST ONE AWAY GAME. GMG!

[untjim1995]

16 hours ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

I won't ever quit, and the people that found this forum will never quit either. They will just quit wasting their money until rules change. I don't blame them. We can't keep up. We won't. So, why pretend? 

The G5 commissioners, the ADs, and head coaches had the opportunity to bond together 5-10 years ago and fight like hell with anti-trust lawsuits. They chose not to in fear of being black listed from their hopeful new job. We, the alum, are the only ones who suffered. Zero reason to financially support this shit until real change for the betterment of US, UNT and the like, takes place. 

They knew that the lawsuit angle had zero chance, too.  No way that a legislative or judicial decision would hurt the $$$ of the power leagues. Zero chance. It’s not hard to see. 
 

What needed to happen 5-10 years ago was that the Power Schools create their own division and no be able to poach our players to move ASAP. That’s the killer to all of this, not even NIL. Because once the Supreme Court let genie out of the bottle for portal transfers AND NIL, the Wild West has become the norm. The portal ruins it for all of the fans of schools that can be raided fully after each season. We could see it coming. This was the beginning of the end. It’s just a matter of watching it all burn down.

[SMU2006]

4 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

They knew that the lawsuit angle had zero chance, too.  No way that a legislative or judicial decision would hurt the $$$ of the power leagues. Zero chance. It’s not hard to see. 
 

What needed to happen 5-10 years ago was that the Power Schools create their own division and no be able to poach our players to move ASAP. That’s the killer to all of this, not even NIL. Because once the Supreme Court let genie out of the bottle for portal transfers AND NIL, the Wild West has become the norm. The portal ruins it for all of the fans of schools that can be raided fully after each season. We could see it coming. This was the beginning of the end. It’s just a matter of watching it all burn down.

Or you could mobilize the 300,000 plus DFW alums of North Texas to contribute (even marginally) to NIL.  If you did that UNT would be among the upper crust of the G5. 

Its transactional now.  If you want your team to retain players (and win) you have to pay for it.  Period.

[untjim1995]

20 minutes ago, SMU2006 said:

Or you could mobilize the 300,000 plus DFW alums of North Texas to contribute (even marginally) to NIL.  If you did that UNT would be among the upper crust of the G5. 

Its transactional now.  If you want your team to retain players (and win) you have to pay for it.  Period.

Yeah, because nobody else could ever pay more for a player than we would, huh?

Spoken like an entitled, born-with-a-silver-spoon, SMU alum. If it wasn't for NIL, you guys wouldn't even be a blip on the radar. But the time is coming when y'all will be back to being a non-power team...and it will be even more glorious when it happens again.

[NT80]

18 minutes ago, SMU2006 said:

Or you could mobilize the 300,000 plus DFW alums of North Texas to contribute (even marginally) to NIL.  If you did that UNT would be among the upper crust of the G5. 

Its transactional now.  If you want your team to retain players (and win) you have to pay for it.  Period.

Even Tennessee (SEC) has limits to what it will pay a QB, and they just let their starter from a CFP spot walk away.   That says it's more than just money.   It's about fulfilling a commitment and deal previously agreed to.

The collegiate model of paying for player salaries (paid by fans, donors, businesses) differs from the NFL model (paid by owners).

I can see a time soon when College Athletic Programs will have to sell stock (ownership) of the Program by fans and business.  This will result in revenue returned to investors.   The "giving" for NIL is drying up and schools are starting to have limits on what value players bring.

[SMU2006]

1 hour ago, untjim1995 said:

Yeah, because nobody else could ever pay more for a player than we would, huh?

Spoken like an entitled, born-with-a-silver-spoon, SMU alum. If it wasn't for NIL, you guys wouldn't even be a blip on the radar. But the time is coming when y'all will be back to being a non-power team...and it will be even more glorious when it happens again.

Attended SMU on an academic scholarship.  Son of two public school teachers.  Afraid I don't exactly fit the stereotype.

[SMU2006]

1 hour ago, NT80 said:

Even Tennessee (SEC) has limits to what it will pay a QB, and they just let their starter from a CFP spot walk away.   That says it's more than just money.   It's about fulfilling a commitment and deal previously agreed to.

The collegiate model of paying for player salaries (paid by fans, donors, businesses) differs from the NFL model (paid by owners).

I can see a time soon when College Athletic Programs will have to sell stock (ownership) of the Program by fans and business.  This will result in revenue returned to investors.   The "giving" for NIL is drying up and schools are starting to have limits on what value players bring.

There is more to the Nico/Tennessee story than just money.  He was skipping meetings, practices, etc.  Ghosting on previously agreed upon appearances and endorsement deals.  Now you can look at it two ways:  1) Nico felt he was being low-balled by Tennessee and was using the NFL "holdout" approach to extort them for money money or 2) He's an immature college kid who has people in his ear telling him he's worth more than he actually is.

 

Either way, the market will dictate the outcome.  I can't blame Tennessee if they decide they don't want to set the precedent that this kind of behavior will be rewarded but it wouldn't shock me if a school like UNC suddenly decides to spend big money on a starting QB.

[SMU2006]

1 hour ago, NT80 said:

Even Tennessee (SEC) has limits to what it will pay a QB, and they just let their starter from a CFP spot walk away.   That says it's more than just money.   It's about fulfilling a commitment and deal previously agreed to.

The collegiate model of paying for player salaries (paid by fans, donors, businesses) differs from the NFL model (paid by owners).

I can see a time soon when College Athletic Programs will have to sell stock (ownership) of the Program by fans and business.  This will result in revenue returned to investors.   The "giving" for NIL is drying up and schools are starting to have limits on what value players bring.

Where is NIL drying up?  For a lot of schools that is absolutely not the case at all.  I'm sure there are exceptions but NIL spend is up across the board.

[NT80]

9 minutes ago, SMU2006 said:

Where is NIL drying up?  For a lot of schools that is absolutely not the case at all.  I'm sure there are exceptions but NIL spend is up across the board.

 

"Donor Fatigue and Concerns:

• As the initial excitement fades and NIL becomes more established, some donors are experiencing "donor fatigue," meaning they are less willing to continue contributing at the same level.
• This is partly due to the increased financial burden on donors, as they are being asked to contribute not only to traditional athletic programs but also to support NIL deals.
• Donors are also questioning the value of their contributions, especially if teams aren't achieving on-field success or if they perceive that their money is not directly benefiting student-athletes.
• A lack of transparency and accountability within NIL collectives is also adding to donor concerns." 

[SMU2006]

Did you really just pull that from ChatGPT?  lol

[MeanGreenZen]

On 4/13/2025 at 8:46 AM, jtm0097 said:

We're going to essentially be an FCS program with no path to the CFP. 

We aren’t already?