New Proposed Unt Football Stadium

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

It really bothers me that after several decades of stadium talk the new proposed stadium is going to be set at 30,000 seats, yet expandable to 50,000 seats, whenever that happens.

A new conference, with in-state rivalries

UNT becoming the metroplex's team

Having an established top 25 program

Hosting a large opening game against Tech, A&M, or O-state

I think that anything less than 40,000 seats is completely ridiculous. If we have a better looking stadium, with better seats to see the action, more people will come.

I.

I agree... anything under 40,000 is completely ridiculious.... especially considering the size of North Texas.

To me the main purpose is a NEW stadium is to have one that can attract teams that will not play us now because we have such a small stadium... If we just willing to have a small one then spend money upgrading what we have... much cheaper to get a get a rather decent one that way than just build another. None of the major state universities in Texas have a new one, just rebuilt ones that appear to be new. .

Secondary to me is the fact that is stadium is old and that the existing track puts the crowd so far from the action. New to just have a new stadium is not going to help us that much.. Most of our fans that like football don't come because of the old stadium but because we aren't playing "name opponents" or "opponents of interest".

A larger stadium is what will increase attendance by bringing allowing us to bring in more interesting opponents that will not come to a small stadium.... a new one might help some but not all that much.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Building in phases is sometimes what you have to do.

And for those that say why build it at all if it isn't big, I reference the FIU AD:

It doesn't have to be big to be effective.

Disagree ---A small stadium will not permit us to have home games with many of the teams we would like to bring in... They won't come because they might even be able to bring enough of their own fans to fill much of it. I agree with the phase thing some ...but we need to start at 40,000 to get name opponents into Denton.

There is a good joke here that good taste doesn't permit me to comment on.....LOL..

Edited June 3, 2008 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[UNTflyer]

This is crap. Let's all just write RV and tell him "No thanks, if you can't get us a 45,000-seat stadium then don't bother."

I can't believe what I am reading. Nothing in the history of this team warrants a stadium that big.

Build the 30,000 seat stadium to demonstrate we are committed to building the program. Then we need to win, and win consistently. Then if Dodge does what we brought him here to do (win SBC championships, win bowl games, and get us an invite to a better conference), THEN we can expand the stadium to 45,000.

[KingDL1]

This is crap. Let's all just write RV and tell him "No thanks, if you can't get us a 45,000-seat stadium then don't bother."

I can't believe what I am reading. Nothing in the history of this team warrants a stadium that big.

Build the 30,000 seat stadium to demonstrate we are committed to building the program. Then we need to win, and win consistently. Then if Dodge does what we brought him here to do (win SBC championships, win bowl games, and get us an invite to a better conference), THEN we can expand the stadium to 45,000.

I am for that, don't waste the money on a stadium unless it is done correctly, past has no bearing on this. IF you are planning on the past you might as well have us head back to D1aa. 30,000 is not moving forward, especially with this commitment to the state to bring our enrollment to 45,000 in the very near future.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

I am for that, don't waste the money on a stadium unless it is done correctly, past has no bearing on this. IF you are planning on the past you might as well have us head back to D1aa. 30,000 is not moving forward, especially with this commitment to the state to bring our enrollment to 45,000 in the very near future.

I fall right into this line of thinking. Of course, in my mind it is probably a mute point, because as another poster has explained, without a student fee, we are not building a new stadium, regardless of the seating capacity.

[kj86]

30K is definitely too small. 45K, on the other hand may be too big (look too empty) and expensive. I'll take my porridge at about 37-38K. Just right.

[AnotherEagleFan]

I fall right into this line of thinking. Of course, in my mind it is probably a mute point, because as another poster has explained, without a student fee, we are not building a new stadium, regardless of the seating capacity.

Nopt if done correctly... Close of the ends of the stadium with big North Texas Banners. They do the same thing in the endzones at Bowl games.

[ShopMeanGreen]

I would guess there will not be a ground breaking anytime before the end of the next football season, maybe 2. There can and should be 2 sets of plans done, 1 of 30K and one with the addition to 50K. If the stadium starts filling up consistently the next 2 seasons then the 50K plan can be used. If 30K is filled up on a regular basis then there will likely be enough money to add on. There is no reason to build anything bigger than 30K if there is no chance to fill it up.

[DeepGreen]

My two cents. Give me a stadium the size and capacity of SMU's and I'll be happy. This is not a matter of whether we build a 30K capacity stadium or a 45K capacity stadium. We need to think about the cost of a 45K stadium. I doubt we'll build a stadium that will costs as much as our total endowment at UNT. Quit dreaming about a 47,000 student university needing a 45K stadium. It's just not necessary at UNT and would be cost prohibitive. Hell, we can only account for $6 mil in hand for a smaller stadium and we still haven't started.

[keith]

UCF started its football program in 1979 in Division III. They just built a stadium with a seating capacity of 45,301 and hosted the University of Texas to break it in.

UCF has vision.

Keith

[MeanMag]

Disagree ---A small stadium will not permit us to have home games with many of the teams we would like to bring in... They won't come because they might even be able to bring enough of their own fans to fill much of it. I agree with the phase thing some ...but we need to start at 40,000 to get name opponents into Denton.

There is a good joke here that good taste doesn't permit me to comment on.....LOL..

Kinda like SMU has to have a big stadium to get a&m and tech to play here? That is bogus, it just has to be nice for them to come here. What the hell do they care how many it seats? They don't get the gate.

[UNTflyer]

It wouldn't surprise me if Fouts played a big part in UNT not getting the invite to C-USA. It's ugly, the visitor locker room is like a Turkish prison cell, 1/3 of the seating is aluminum bleachers, there are no luxury boxes, the sightlines suck, and it is unexpandable.

Now... a new 30,000 seat stadium with luxury suites, a new press box, new locker rooms, no track, and it can be expanded to 50,000 seats... that is the stadium we need to get heads to turn our way. We'll get better home OOC games, maybe even a Big 12 school for the first game.

[KingDL1]

It wouldn't surprise me if Fouts played a big part in UNT not getting the invite to C-USA. It's ugly, the visitor locker room is like a Turkish prison cell, 1/3 of the seating is aluminum bleachers, there are no luxury boxes, the sightlines suck, and it is unexpandable.

Now... a new 30,000 seat stadium with luxury suites, a new press box, new locker rooms, no track, and it can be expanded to 50,000 seats... that is the stadium we need to get heads to turn our way. We'll get better home OOC games, maybe even a Big 12 school for the first game.

It had nothing to do with it, lack of Baseball, and SMU had more money. The numbers are the numbers to them, at the end of the day Fouts is not that bad, just old, and it helps if you have good eyesight. I would love a new stadium but it seems OK with some of you if we shoot ourselves in the foot to get it. Screw that. Expandable to a total of 50,000 lacks any vision at all for a University that is going to an enrollment of 45,000. If we are not going to shoot for better we might as well not play.

And as for SMU, Gerald Ford Stadium has a capacity not counting the hill on the south end of 32,000 nearly three times their total enrollment.

[NT80]

It had nothing to do with it, lack of Baseball, and SMU had more money. The numbers are the numbers to them, at the end of the day Fouts is not that bad, just old, and it helps if you have good eyesight. I would love a new stadium but it seems OK with some of you if we shoot ourselves in the foot to get it. Screw that. Expandable to a total of 50,000 lacks any vision at all for a University that is going to an enrollment of 45,000. If we are not going to shoot for better we might as well not play.

And as for SMU, Gerald Ford Stadium has a capacity not counting the hill on the south end of 32,000 nearly three times their total enrollment.

I believe Fouts was part of the problem. Facilities were cited as a reason, and face it , Fouts says "high school". Lack of baseball was not the reason, it was mostly lack of attendance. UTEP got the pick. They do not sponsor baseball, but they do average 40K for football and 10K for basketball. SMUt and Tulsa likewise do not have baseball programs and were picked in the original CUSA expansion. We need baseball eventually, but need a new football stadium first.

[Green Mean]

UCF started its football program in 1979 in Division III. They just built a stadium with a seating capacity of 45,301 and hosted the University of Texas to break it in.

UCF has vision.

Keith

I love you

[Green Mean]

Kinda like SMU has to have a big stadium to get a&m and tech to play here? That is bogus, it just has to be nice for them to come here. What the hell do they care how many it seats? They don't get the gate.

I think they have done well and SMU's stadium is georgous. But why are we comparing our standards based on SMU. Lets thing bigger and better than that. I think most people still think that its better to play SMU than play NT. Atleast SMU is located in the heart of Dallas and they have a clear cut history with A&M and Tech. I dont think thats a good comparison.

[KingDL1]

I believe Fouts was part of the problem. Facilities were cited as a reason, and face it , Fouts says "high school". Lack of baseball was not the reason, it was mostly lack of attendance. UTEP got the pick. They do not sponsor baseball, but they do average 40K for football and 10K for basketball. SMUt and Tulsa likewise do not have baseball programs and were picked in the original CUSA expansion. We need baseball eventually, but need a new football stadium first.

Money I think was the real deal in the end, and I think it was either us or SMU not both.

[Green Mean]

Another problem I have is we are setting our standards solely based on SMU and our chance to get into CUSA. From what I am seeing IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN! Of all the CUSA talk in other boards and articles theres been NO discussions about CUSA having an interest in NT...NONE, ZILCH, NADA! Good lord people lets come up with other plans. Seems like everyone on this board is either CUSA or bust. Not very smart. We need to analyze everything and think of other possibilities for this program. If RV has this same thinking then that man needs to get booted!

Edited June 4, 2008 by Green Mean

[Guest 97and03]

Another problem I have is we are setting our standards solely based on SMU and our chance to get into CUSA. From what I am seeing IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN! Of all the CUSA talk in other boards and articles theres been NO discussions about CUSA having an interest in NT...NONE, ZILCH, NADA! Good lord people lets come up with other plans. Seems like everyone on this board is either CUSA or bust. Not very smart. We need to analyze everything and think of other possibilities for this program. If RV has this same thinking then that man needs to get booted!

I am not sure that CUSA is the only idea out there. There are also possibilities that there may be new realignments, including CUSA expansion or break-up. I don't think anyone should pin there hopes solely on moving conferences. We need to take care of business in the Belt again anyway. If we aren't going anywhere, then I want to win the Belt every year. And have a wicked cool stadium.

Oh crap this thread just started down the conference track. I am getting off this train...

[Green P1]

Oh crap this thread just started down the conference track. I am getting off this train...

Gagree. No more for me.

[Green Mean]

Oh crap this thread just started down the conference track. I am getting off this train...

Did not mean to start conference talk. Now back to stadium talk. Lets for for 50K and I will buy into NT's desire to do better in athletics.

[UNTflyer]

You guys are talking as if we build a 30k stadium that we are locked into that. We're not. An expandable stadium is key. If they built a 30k stadium that couldn't grow any further, I'd be right with you. If we are having trouble raising money for 30k, how the hell are we going to get the money for a 50k stadium?

No, I say build the 30k stadium, use that to build the fanbase to a point that a 50k stadium makes sense. This "all or nothing" talk is foolish.

[Stan R]

Agree with UNTflyer. I kind of feel like the 50K seat crowd would be the ones saying HELL NO TO CUSA - SEC or D1AA!!!! It is an incremental step people. One we can afford (hopefully within the next 5 years ???)

[KingDL1]

You guys are talking as if we build a 30k stadium that we are locked into that. We're not. An expandable stadium is key. If they built a 30k stadium that couldn't grow any further, I'd be right with you. If we are having trouble raising money for 30k, how the hell are we going to get the money for a 50k stadium?

No, I say build the 30k stadium, use that to build the fanbase to a point that a 50k stadium makes sense. This "all or nothing" talk is foolish.

If you are going down this road, I think we should be talking about a stadium built for three to four phases, but the cap needs to be more on lines of 65-70K or more. If UNT is committed to get the football program moving forward and starts scheduling teams like Oky State, Tech, Baylor, A&M, and others attendance won't be a problem. You guys need to start thinking big school because we are there. I still think it is very small time, and a metroplex joke if we do 30,000 seat studium. Smu at 32,000 (SMU total enrollment 11,000) and TCU at 44,008 (TCU total enrollment just under 9,000) and we are building the smallest with an enrollment that will more then double the combination of TCU & SMU. Just sad.

[gangrene]

I think I have the perfect solution to seat 60K+.

First, let's build the new 30K stadium. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis with 100% of the tickets being sold at full price (no free student tickets and no discounts). Here's where we have to get creative...if we actually sell 30K tickets and need more seats, then we turn to Fouts. All students can get in free or with student discounts. And, to further entice student attendence (because I've had a hard time finding much more than 5K students at most games), we will enact a BYOB policy at Fouts. Students will be encouraged to bring the tailgating inside, kegs, open flames, ice chests...virtually anything goes.

Now, you may be asking yourself...how would this work. Two stadiums filled to capacity to watch ONE game. Well, it's quite simple actually. The first half would be played in the new facility, while the live telecast played on the Jumbotron in Fouts, and the second half would be played in Fouts (because this would allow sufficient time for all of the students to exit the parking lot) and broadcast on the new state-of-the-art Jumbotrom in the new stadium. Teams would head to locker rooms for the halftime and then be bussed over to Fouts for the second half.

We would be considered the most innovative school in the country and the media coverage would be astounding!!!

This sounds ridiculous???

Well, so does this argument of how many seats our proposed new stadium will contain. Fouts is worse than playing in the Roman Coloseum. High school teams even complain when they play there for playoff games. If we get a new stadium that only seats 30K how would we be worse off then we are with Fouts? If it sells out the first two years, how is that a problem? That would signify ticket demand and we'd be generating revenue that could pay for the expansion. Let's face it, it's going to take some serious swaying to get our BOR to jump on the athletics bandwagon. UT didn't expand their stadium for the hell of it. They've continuously sold out game after game and the demand dictated the need for the expansion. If we could do the same it would be obvious to all involved parties that an expanision was necessary. Now I wouldn't complain if we had a bigger stadium, but it seems a little silly to me to build a 45K stadium when we only average 15-20K in any given season. If we were filthy rich I guess that wouldn't be a big problem but we're having a hell of a time raising enough money to even break ground. I'm beginning to wonder if we'll even be able to afford a 20K seat stadium.