What Was The Thinking Around The Time When The Pit Was Built ?

[calvin]

I am just curious, what was the thinking of building it so big. It holds what, almost 11K, right ? I know there used to be big crowds in the Snake Pit, so did they think there would be big crowds at the Super Pit as well or did they plan on making it an events type center where it could be used for a lot different things ?

I want to say and i would have to look back for sure but the first year it was opened it average about 5K but ever since then it hasnt been close to averaging that. There has only been like 6 or 7 years since it has been opened that it averaged more than 3K for a season. Its a wonderful venue and I wish that we could average 5 to 6K a game but not sure if we ever will again.

So for the people that were around during that time, what were the thoughts ?

[gangrene]

Someone else will have to offer more insight as to the grand vision of the Super Pit, but I recall watching a few rounds of the NCAA Final Four there as a kid. It was a pretty big deal (as it is today) to host a few rounds of the tourney. It was sometime in the late 70s, I believe. Keep in mind, we didn't have to compete with the Mavericks back then for basketball events and the concept of playing basketball in football stadiums (Texas Stadium) was non-existent.

[foutsrouts]

Someone else will have to offer more insight as to the grand vision of the Super Pit, but I recall watching a few rounds of the NCAA Final Four there as a kid. It was a pretty big deal (as it is today) to host a few rounds of the tourney. It was sometime in the late 70s, I believe. Keep in mind, we didn't have to compete with the Mavericks back then for basketball events and the concept of playing basketball in football stadiums (Texas Stadium) was non-existent.

The concept of playing in a football stadium wasn't totally non-existent (UCLA vs. UofH - Astrodome) but it was rare. I guess with Jerry World it won't be so rare from here on out. Also, I don't think anyone can say that we will never average 5k again, because I think all it will take is for our program to step up onto the national stage a bit. Not an easy task of course, but certainly possible with a couple of tourney and big OOC wins. No doubt we have a few thousand dormant fans out there who would wake up from their slumber if we were to make the front page of the sports section on occasion. I guess we just have a lot of fickle fans who will only support a big-time winner, and who aren't overly impressed with our conference affiliation. Btw, a successful football program wouldn't hurt the basketball program much either.

[foutsrouts]

I am just curious, what was the thinking of building it so big. It holds what, almost 11K, right ? I know there used to be big crowds in the Snake Pit, so did they think there would be big crowds at the Super Pit as well or did they plan on making it an events type center where it could be used for a lot different things ?

I want to say and i would have to look back for sure but the first year it was opened it average about 5K but ever since then it hasnt been close to averaging that. There has only been like 6 or 7 years since it has been opened that it averaged more than 3K for a season. Its a wonderful venue and I wish that we could average 5 to 6K a game but not sure if we ever will again.

So for the people that were around during that time, what were the thoughts ?

I wasn't around until the late 70's, but I think it was pretty much designed as an all-around events center rather than strictly for basketball. We couldn't even get green seats until Trilli came along. It's amazing how few large basketball venues there were in the state back then. I remember the new Hoffheinz Pavillion (Rockets/Cougars) as being the only arena with similar capacity, and I have personally always preferred The Pit. My first visit to The Pit was NT vs. Depaul 30 or so years ago, and it really rocked when full. Hope it happens again soon.

[GrandGreen]

The Superpit was build as an all events arena and public funds were used. Note, it is still not under the supervision of the athletic department, hence robot games booting the team out of the venue. The SP was build partly to accommodate a large part of the student body for special events as well as the hope that NT would continue to grow the basketball audience. Remember, that the pit with a capacity of around 4400 was sold out a lot of the time with a student body of around 14,000. I would estimate that at least 2/3 of the attendance in those days were students. So it is not difficult to see how a 10,000 seat arena could have been justified based on the projected student body.

Sadly the deterioration of the MVC as most of the marquee teams moved out and the increasing competition from tv and the pros were probably not anticipated. I really believe that there were a few in the administration that had the vision of building up the NT basketball program, but sadly they never provided the funding necessary to maintain NT as one of the premier Texas basketball programs.

[calvin]

I am not saying or inferring that it was a dumb idea, i was just curious if they thought they were going to be able to fill it consistently or if it was going to be used for other events. Did they used to hold concerts there ?

[Smitty]

We had some large crowds in the Bill Blakely era when NT had a reputation for being a really tough place to play. We had big crowds for Texas (win), SMU (win), Kansas State with Rolando Blackman (win), and DePaul with Mark Aguirre (narrow loss).

[adman]

I am not saying or inferring that it was a dumb idea, i was just curious if they thought they were going to be able to fill it consistently or if it was going to be used for other events. Did they used to hold concerts there ?

Pearl Jam and The Butthole Surfers shared a bill there in the 90's.

[Stan R]

Pearl Jam and The Butthole Surfers shared a bill there in the 90's.

I had heard that pearl jam was there - before my time at NT but - wow, what a great place that would have been to watch Pearl Jam.

[Green P1]

I had heard that pearl jam was there - before my time at NT but - wow, what a great place that would have been to watch Pearl Jam.

I'll bet we could convince the Butthole Surfers to come back and play a gig.

[Green Lantern]

I'll bet we could convince the Butthole Surfers to come back and play a gig.

The anus is on North Texas to make that happen.

Edited February 25, 2010 by Green Lantern

[Stan R]

The anus is on North Texas to make that happen.

Brilliant..

[UNTflyer]

UNT needs to get involved with NX35 and try to snag one of the headliners of SXSW to play in the pit

[Stan R]

To answer the question the thread poses:

"Hey man, far out- that is one groovy place. Can you dig it?"

[aztecskin]

So if it is not completely under Athletic Dept supervision, who runs the thing? Let's get a hold of that dude/chick and use the power of Internet to make stuff happen.

Or not.

You know, whatever's cool with everyone.

[Quoner]

So if it is not completely under Athletic Dept supervision, who runs the thing? Let's get a hold of that dude/chick and use the power of Internet to make stuff happen.

Or not.

You know, whatever's cool with everyone.

It's Steve Selby and friends, right? The AD has to ask to use it and there can be conflicts - like say a basketball opener and a robotics competition. Totally hypothetical scenario.

EDIT: Whoops, missed GG's previous robot reference.

Edited February 25, 2010 by Quoner

[Stan R]

I see no conflicts here. You just need to program the robots to play basketball. BAM! Problem solved.

[untgeorge]

I am just curious, what was the thinking of building it so big. It holds what, almost 11K, right ? I know there used to be big crowds in the Snake Pit, so did they think there would be big crowds at the Super Pit as well or did they plan on making it an events type center where it could be used for a lot different things ?

I want to say and i would have to look back for sure but the first year it was opened it average about 5K but ever since then it hasnt been close to averaging that. There has only been like 6 or 7 years since it has been opened that it averaged more than 3K for a season. Its a wonderful venue and I wish that we could average 5 to 6K a game but not sure if we ever will again.

So for the people that were around during that time, what were the thoughts ?

The Pit is used for many events including but not limited to graduation. It has become too small for graduation, was always too large for basketball. I have been told that it is used 200 times a year, but I could not attest to that number. Whatever it is used for, the other events have interfered with basketball scheduling many times over the years. Once we played in Dallas (opponent was Southern Miss, as I recall) because the pit was unavailable, recently we played in the old pit.

[NTEdgex2]

I believe my class was the first to graduate in the Super Pit, May 1974.

GMG!

[McKinneyMiner]

I worked security as a student for a Pat Benatar concert at the Super Pit in the late 1980's...

Also remember my freshman year (1986) the Pit being unavailable and having to watch a game at the smaller gym that was used for rec sports... It was a game against Lamar who had a Charles Barkley clone as their best player...

Ah, the days when all you had to do was flash a student ID to get in a game...

[Mad Hatter]

Pearl Jam was fall of 1993.

Didn't we almost sell it out for Oklahoma State?

[NT80]

Once we played in Dallas (opponent was Southern Miss, as I recall) because the pit was unavailable,

Yes, we played USM at Loos Fieldhouse near Addison, wooden bleachers and all. Wonder why USM has never come back?

[H-towngreen]

UNT needs to get involved with NX35 and try to snag one of the headliners of SXSW to play in the pit

Tonight at The Pit Everyone Gets Laid

[greenjoe]

Bob Hope performed there. Also the Shirells and Lou Christy (ask your Mom). the original orange seats were put in becasue they were the best color for television contrast. I did a lot of research on the seat fabric when we recovered the seats. there were rumors about the color being a tribute to the architect and of the presdent of the University at the time. None were true. I even talked with the man that made the decision on the orange seats. Believe it or not, his name was Klutz.

[BleedGreen]

I believe in JJ. I think we lift the Pit to 5,000 - 6,000 people next year. It's up to some of us to continue to recruit people to come. It's the best entertainment value in town. $12.00 to watch a good Division I team in action. Are you kidding me? Everyone commit to inviting someone new to games next year.