Where do we go from here?

[MeanGreenZen]

Donor fatigue is real and it exists even in the P4. Can you imagine digging deep into your pocket for some real money, landing a targeted player and then the player sucks or the team sucks? Or what if the big money guy you spent for gets beat out by some two-star? Does the coach feel pressure to play the guy your big money booster paid for?

[SMU2006]

35 minutes ago, MeanGreenZen said:

Donor fatigue is real and it exists even in the P4. Can you imagine digging deep into your pocket for some real money, landing a targeted player and then the player sucks or the team sucks? Or what if the big money guy you spent for gets beat out by some two-star? Does the coach feel pressure to play the guy your big money booster paid for?

Yet spending has gone up exponentially across the board each year.

[untcampbell]

It's funny. I get the same adrenaline rush beating a top ranked softball team (and the same funk after a loss) as any G5 or higher football game. We have a poorly funded sports program. I think most of that is because we simply don't have many fans. We get a pretty good bang for our buck for the numbers of people that attend our games, of any sport.

The question is: if we are losing fans in droves, how long will we have a program? 

I'm sticking around as long as they turn the lights on. And when they go off, that will be a tough loss and a funk that won't go away quickly.

 

By the way MGFinNO, your post that started this thread gave me about as much pleasure as one of those player goodbyes you called out. Pursue your happiness elsewhere if you must, but keep an open mind about a return. I'm not sure how the school reacts to this kind of talk, but this fan realizes we don't have that many to lose.

 

GMG

[Aquila_Viridis]

Sadly I have to agree with the concept there has been a continuing failure of the university leadership to go directly to the community and alumni at large and make a pitch. I can’t tell if it’s because they have always been too proud to beg for it, or if it’s because they have been told not to by their overlords in the state government, who are more committed to the other state and even private universities. 

[NT80]

3 minutes ago, Aquila_Viridis said:

Sadly I have to agree with the concept there has been a continuing failure of the university leadership to go directly to the community and alumni at large and make a pitch. I can’t tell if it’s because they have always been too proud to beg for it, or if it’s because they have been told not to by their overlords in the state government, who are more committed to the other state and even private universities. 

I don't know who controls the leashes and muzzles for Athletics Admins now?  Many years ago Athletics at UNT was told "hands off" from big University donors.  They had to go find their own new donors.   

I don't see a lot of any marketing or reach-out to community or alums with Jared & Co. 

 

[Aquila_Viridis]

I really feel like these influences come from outside the university. I feel like there’s a vision of what our university’s role is supposed to be in the overall scheme of Texas universities, and it does not include NT being a big factor in major sports.

[NT80]

1 hour ago, untcampbell said:

It's funny. I get the same adrenaline rush beating a top ranked softball team (and the same funk after a loss) as any G5 or higher football game. We have a poorly funded sports program. I think most of that is because we simply don't have many fans. We get a pretty good bang for our buck for the numbers of people that attend our games, of any sport.

The question is: if we are losing fans in droves, how long will we have a program? 

I'm sticking around as long as they turn the lights on. And when they go off, that will be a tough loss and a funk that won't go away quickly.

 

By the way MGFinNO, your post that started this thread gave me about as much pleasure as one of those player goodbyes you called out. Pursue your happiness elsewhere if you must, but keep an open mind about a return. I'm not sure how the school reacts to this kind of talk, but this fan realizes we don't have that many to lose.

 

GMG

I think our overall game attendance has actually grown a lot compared to what it was 10-15 years ago, back in our Sun Belt days, and before, etc.   Better conference, better known teams.

The ADs have not done a good job getting more students to attend sports, and the city of Denton seems as aloof as ever that UNT even has college sports. 

[NorthTexasWeLove]

11 hours ago, NT80 said:

I don't know who controls the leashes and muzzles for Athletics Admins now?  Many years ago Athletics at UNT was told "hands off" from big University donors.  They had to go find their own new donors.   

I don't see a lot of any marketing or reach-out to community or alums with Jared & Co. 

 

The lazy 'give to us once a year with no transparency whatsoever day' is approaching. They have been marketing that. 

[NorthTexasWeLove]

11 hours ago, Aquila_Viridis said:

I really feel like these influences come from outside the university. I feel like there’s a vision of what our university’s role is supposed to be in the overall scheme of Texas universities, and it does not include NT being a big factor in major sports.

I honestly feel like you are onto something. Gotta cut that person(s) off at the knees... The carrot keeping us hush would certainly have to be funding... always follow the money.. who controls that directly to us? What university affiliation do they have...

Other option...

We could just be that inept? 

[untjim1995]

1 hour ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

I honestly feel like you are onto something. Gotta cut that person(s) off at the knees... The carrot keeping us hush would certainly have to be funding... always follow the money.. who controls that directly to us? What university affiliation do they have...

Other option...

We could just be that inept? 

Its the last part...but apathy isn't really ineptness. Its intentionally not caring, but not wanting to piss of the very few donors the university has that actually make money and like athletics, so we ISD this thing to show we have D-1 sports, but then go and cap the knees of the teams by doing things like hosting a faculty luncheon during the day and saying that we can't host a home game against a regional power school that evening because its too costly.

[wardly]

On 4/13/2025 at 9:53 AM, GMG_Dallas said:

Are big donors upset about the basketball hire?

I know two that are.

[NT80]

7 minutes ago, wardly said:

I know two that are.

Upset at the hire, or upset we couldn't keep Ross, or upset our NIL didn't keep players?....or all the above?

[Shark84]

3 hours ago, wardly said:

I know two that are.

Robinson was a quality hire. Head coaching experience, 3 straight 20+ win seasons and experience at building a competitive roster without lots of NIL money.  Some big basketball donors were not happy with the Hodge hiring but winning quiets a lot of critics.

[MeanGreenZen]

11 minutes ago, Shark84 said:

Robinson was a quality hire. Head coaching experience, 3 straight 20+ win seasons and experience at building a competitive roster without lots of NIL money.  Some big basketball donors were not happy with the Hodge hiring but winning quiets a lot of critics.

Given the resources we have, the hire was fine. The next bad basketball coach Jared Mosley hires will be the first bad basketball coach he has hired. He gets the benefit of the doubt on that from me until he funks it up. 
Now the next time the Super Pit is not available for postseason basketball I am going to climb up to the top of that green lit tower and jump off it headfirst. 

[wardly]

8 hours ago, NT80 said:

Upset at the hire, or upset we couldn't keep Ross, or upset our NIL didn't keep players?....or all the above?

Door #1

[NT80]

2 minutes ago, wardly said:

Door #1

Understand.   

I won't judge him until I see him and the team in action.  Maybe others wanted more of a "name" coach, fired from a bigger program?  We had a rebound HC in football, Bob Tyler from Miss St, that was a huge failure.

I wasn't familiar with Cleveland State, so the context of taking a coach from that far north without any Texas connection seemed like a reach to me.  But, as others said, basketball recruiting is basically National now.   

He checked a lot of boxes we were looking for...a DI coach with three straight 20+ win seasons, and likes a similar defensive style to what we have played...but now all those players are gone anyway so who cares? 

[UNTLifer]

1 hour ago, wardly said:

Door #1

Who did they want?