Attendance

VideoEagle · October 9, 2006

I can guarantee you, that when people read that we gained 26 yards in 7 OT's they think "boring" to themselves reguardless if we won. People outside of die hards come for entertainment, and there is NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING entertaining about this team.
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But the headline which people will remember doesn't include the just 26 yards part. The vast majority of people don't get that far!

GoMeanGreen1999 · October 9, 2006

But the headline which people will remember doesn't include the just 26 yards part. The vast majority of people don't get that far!
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Then explain to me why in less than two years removed from 4 straight Sun belt titles and bowl games do we STILL only have 15,000 at a game. If it is really all about the wins, then why are we not over 20,000 every game? You are not going to win more games at home than we did in that 4 year stretch, though we are still wondering why we don't get more people at the games.

VideoEagle · October 9, 2006

Then explain to me why in less than two years removed from 4 straight Sun belt titles and bowl games do we STILL only have 15,000 at a game. If it is really all about the wins, then why are we not over 20,000 every game? You are not going to win more games at home than we did in that 4 year stretch, though we are still wondering why we don't get more people at the games.
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Excellent question. I wish I had an easy answer. I guess the best answer is finding a way for our fans to want to come out to see North Texas. They should want to come to see us, no matter who we are playing or what our record is. That is the way it works are Baylor or Kansas or even A&M.

But, I should point out that before we went to 4 bowl games in a row, we had actual attendance in the 10K - 12K range. That goes all the way back to the 70s. Now we've upped that by 1/3, even when we are bad.

You are quite correct, we should have better attendance. But even this year when we played SMU - a team everyone had heard of - we still didn't set any attendance records.

MeanGreenBuzz · October 9, 2006

FWIW our attendance average to date (3 home games) is 19,113.
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Like you said thats average. I'm not talking about average. I'm talking about every single game. No games like FIU where we have only 15k and change.

eleazar · October 9, 2006

Then explain to me why in less than two years removed from 4 straight Sun belt titles and bowl games do we STILL only have 15,000 at a game. If it is really all about the wins, then why are we not over 20,000 every game? You are not going to win more games at home than we did in that 4 year stretch, though we are still wondering why we don't get more people at the games.
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3 words: Sun Belt Conference

The casual fan doesn't care about teams in the SBC. "All about the wins" includes outside of the conference. It would be different if we were crushing OOC teams that people knew but when you are only dominating the SBC during those years, attendance is going to be low. Ever meet a person when you are out of state that asks you where you went to school, you say UNT, and they go huh? That's the same reaction casual fans give when you tell them FAU is coming to town.

eulesseagle · October 9, 2006

GoMeanGreen1999-

You are absolutely incorrect on your statement of "put something more exciting on the field than running up the middle."

Whether or not you like the coaching staff or not is not my concern but "IF" you take some time and go back and look at each game's "stats" you will see for yourself that the coaching staff has opened up the game verses years past. By your own statement you have not attended or paid a great deal of attention to games of yesteryear compared to this year. GMG'99, meaning no disrespect but there is a "big" difference in play calling this year. Coach Dickey is throwing more and has done some suprising on side kicks (I really dont know if the on-side kick we had against FIU was intentional or unintentional) and going for it on 4th down.

I have enjoyed the games more this year because of the variety of plays that he is calling instead of trying to run between the tackles or Coach Dickey's old favorite: draw play on 3rd down.

MGBuzz-

19,100 is an excellent average for three home games and the next home game against LaTech, Nov. 4, hopefully will increase this average. I certainly hope that there are some "PROMOTIONS" at LaTech and UNT to "PACK" the stands for this OOC game.

VideoEagle · October 9, 2006

It's not just the Sun Belt Conference.

Look at those attendance figures for Tulane, Rice and SMU. I'm curious about Tulsa's attendance as well.

All of us need to improve attendance.

0footballfan0 · October 9, 2006

Just wanted to say that I usually have good seats, but the guy I went with decided he wanted to go cheap. With that said this put me with an OK view of the parking lot looking toward the tailgaters. I was shocked to see that it was standing room only out in the parking lot while the game was about 5 min. into the second quarter. If those guys could pry themselves away from their beverages for a few hours that place would have been a sell out. I am dissapointed that the tailgaters are there not to support the team and UNT, but just to party. How about do both. (I know some are faithfull fans).

My 2 cents that is worth about 1.

Harry · October 9, 2006

If we could figure out a way to get the tailgaters to come into the game it would increase our attendance by 3-4K easy. The problem is they are having too much fun out there.

pollock · October 9, 2006

I was pretty happy w/ the attendance after the ABSOLUTE PILE OF S**T against MTSU last week, not to mention UT-0U.

One way to get non-attending tailgaters in.... move the free Bud and Miller booths inside Fouts for the first quarter only.

Restricting tailgating is not the answer. Start that, and you'll be under 12K average in short order.

MeanGreenSig · October 9, 2006

The complaining about the tailgaters is TIRED!!!!!!

THE SOLUTION- WIN MORE GAMES AND THEY WILL COME IN

Be thankful we have a chance to get them in the seats, we probably have more that a few people that would not even be in the zip code of FOUTS if were not for the tailgating so, LIGHTEN UP! and quit complaining about a LONG TERM POSITIVE. Has anyone told about the 80/20 rule this applies to about everything, live with it. be happy.

GMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MeanGreenSig · October 9, 2006

If we could figure out a way to get the tailgaters to come into the game it would increase our attendance by 3-4K easy. The problem is they are having too much fun out there.
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WIN MORE GAMES

UNTLifer · October 9, 2006

WIN MORE GAMES
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And, I will add:

Hire a coach that doesn't alienate himself with the fans.

Hire a coach that runs an entertaining style of offense.

I am one that goes to the game to see the game. The fans in the parking lot need a little more incentive to enter Fouts and when their choice is, (1) stay in the parking lot drinking beer and visiting with friends or (2) go into Fouts and be bored to death by Dickeyball, can you blame them for their decision to stay outside?

eulesseagle · October 9, 2006

The parking lots need more trash cans......the place is always trashed.

e-bone ver2.awesome · October 9, 2006

The parking lots need more trash cans......the place is always trashed.
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The complaining about the trash in the parking lot is TIRED! Want tailgaters to throw their trash away? Walk around with trash cans so they don't have to move! Be thankful that they are blessing us by throwing their trash on our parking lot! This is a LONG TERM positive!

October 9, 2006

The staff is doing a WAY better job. They drove around three times and gave us trash can boxes.

NT91 · October 9, 2006

If we could figure out a way to get the tailgaters to come into the game it would increase our attendance by 3-4K easy. The problem is they are having too much fun out there.
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Beer at Fouts would do it!

Eagle1855 · October 9, 2006

yeah and if you want to compare A&M to UNT please do your research. The first 3 home games of the season, A&M COULD NOT fill the place up. Bil Burns, their AD, wouldn't even let A&M games be shown on pay per view because they were not filling the stands. So let's think about it...... they were playing no name opponents and they have NO confidence in the coach and they couldn't get people in the stands... sound vaguely familiar huh? let's not always blame NORTH TEXAS fans, some things are universal.
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ding ding ding...

and on top of that, we play a bunch of never-heard-ofs in the sunbelt.

it isnt surprising that a week after getting shelled by a might as well be div 1aa team we only manage 15k to see FIU, a div 1 startup program from florida that the casual fan (or anyone outside Florida and the SBC) has never heard of, much less even knew it div1a (with a surprisingly large enrollment)...

It is what it is.

want people to come in? Put a decent product on the field. gain more than 200 yards of total offense.

Want people to make trips from out of town to see the team play? win the games you are supposed to win- or AT LEAST make them competitive. We are in the easiest conference in the nation. We shouldnt lose ANY conference games by 35 points. 9 years...

kj86 · October 9, 2006

I was actually pleasantly surprised that 10K (butts in seats) actually bothered to show up. I was expecting a morgue. You can't be disappointed when people are still showing up despite last season and the way this one has started.

Don't be disappointed in attendance, be disappointed in the product!

GoMeanGreen1999 · October 9, 2006

GoMeanGreen1999-
You are absolutely incorrect on your statement of "put something more exciting on the field than running up the middle."
Whether or not you like the coaching staff or not is not my concern but "IF" you take some time and go back and look at each game's "stats" you will see for yourself that the coaching staff has opened up the game verses years past. By your own statement you have not attended or paid a great deal of attention to games of yesteryear compared to this year. GMG'99, meaning no disrespect but there is a "big" difference in play calling this year. Coach Dickey is throwing more and has done some suprising on side kicks (I really dont know if the on-side kick we had against FIU was intentional or unintentional) and going for it on 4th down.
I have enjoyed the games more this year because of the variety of plays that he is calling instead of trying to run between the tackles or Coach Dickey's old favorite: draw play on 3rd down.
MGBuzz-
19,100 is an excellent average for three home games and the next home game against LaTech, Nov. 4, hopefully will increase this average. I certainly hope that there are some "PROMOTIONS" at LaTech and UNT to "PACK" the stands for this OOC game.
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If we are doing something more exciting then "running up the middle" then why is we had a significant drop off in attendence from the first to the second home game? If it is so much more exciting, where is everyone and why are we not seeing anyone report that this team is doing so much more exciting stuff. 5 - 0 at half time is not very different. We might be running a couple of more passes, and a trick play here and there, but come on.

I believe it was late second quarter of the game saturday night where we had 3rd and 27 and we ran.......................drum roll please...................delay handoff to JT. Seems the same to me.

Edited October 9, 2006 by GoMeanGreen1999

eulesseagle · October 9, 2006

GMG'99-

I appreciate your candor. If you go back and look at the number of times that Coach Dickey ran the ball vs. throw the ball from '99 to 05 (and I do not have the stats in front of me nor do I care to look them up) you would discover that he ran the ball about 80-85% of the time. Hence, Dickey Ball.

This year if you take a look at the stats Coach Dickey is running the ball about 55-60% of the time.

GoMeanGreen1999 · October 9, 2006

GMG'99-
I appreciate your candor. If you go back and look at the number of times that Coach Dickey ran the ball vs. throw the ball from '99 to 05 (and I do not have the stats in front of me nor do I care to look them up) you would discover that he ran the ball about 80-85% of the time. Hence, Dickey Ball.
This year if you take a look at the stats Coach Dickey is running the ball about 55-60% of the time.
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Awesome - glad you are enjoying it.

Green Crazy · October 10, 2006

If we are doing something more exciting then "running up the middle" then why is we had a significant drop off in attendence from the first to the second home game? If it is so much more exciting, where is everyone and why are we not seeing anyone report that this team is doing so much more exciting stuff. 5 - 0 at half time is not very different. We might be running a couple of more passes, and a trick play here and there, but come on.
I believe it was late second quarter of the game saturday night where we had 3rd and 27 and we ran.......................drum roll please...................delay handoff to JT. Seems the same to me.
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The reason why we had a severe drop off between the first and second home game is obvious, if you remember who we played in the first game. From your post it sounds like you are the kind of fan that distances from a team until they do something you approve of, like winning. If so, that is not a fan. Fans are the reason why Fenway is packed and has been packed for the last 50 years, through the good seasons and the bad seasons, regardless of their feelings for the management of the team.

The reason why I had a rampage of a post (earlier) is because if there is one game an alumni goes to a year, it should be homecoming.

Cr1028 · October 10, 2006

I honestly think that allowing or selling beer inside the stadium would increase attendance by at least 1K.

ntexeagle · October 10, 2006

There were over 17,000 fans at the West Texas A&M vs Midwestern State game this past weekend in Canyon, Texas. It was homecoming for WT and BOTH teams were undefeated and run high scoring offenses.

I am sure that if we can ever be 5-0, we will have standing room only and all of these other arguments will be forgotten.

If you win, they will come.