Ford Stadium To 45,000 ?

MeanGreen61 · May 17, 2010

Saw a post on the CUSA board that SMU could possibly be planning to expand Ford to 45,000 seats. Could this somehow be triggered by the new Mean Green stadium ?

UNTLifer · May 17, 2010

Why? As in, why do they need the additional seats?

Edited May 17, 2010 by UNTLifer

MeanGreen61 · May 17, 2010

Why? As in, why do they need the additional seats?

Don't gag

From what I've heard, its a decision driven upon the future direction of this program. Becoming Dallas' team now that the Cowboys have moved to Tarrant County, etc. Plus, it's possible that we've got an offer from a conference that would require us to expand the stadium.

From a thread "SMU and TCU a package deal for a bigger conference"

UNT has a large DFW alumni base, but their program has fallen on hard times and their alumni do not show very good loyalty to their school as measured in percentage of Dallas alumni who attend home football games, etc. Simply put, a large amount of UNT alumni are not likely to tune in to a UNT game, and the likely viewer numbers are too low to force a cable system to add the Conference X network.

Edited May 17, 2010 by MeanGreen61

Travis · May 17, 2010

can you imagine how empty that place would look if it was even bigger than now.

That would be funny.

SUMG · May 17, 2010

Don't gag

From what I've heard, its a decision driven upon the future direction of this program. Becoming Dallas' team now that the Cowboys have moved to Tarrant County, etc. Plus, it's possible that we've got an offer from a conference that would require us to expand the stadium.

From a thread "SMU and TCU a package deal for a bigger conference"

UNT has a large DFW alumni base, but their program has fallen on hard times and their alumni do not show very good loyalty to their school as measured in percentage of Dallas alumni who attend home football games, etc. Simply put, a large amount of UNT alumni are not likely to tune in to a UNT game, and the likely viewer numbers are too low to force a cable system to add the Conference X network.

That's total crap about us and TV ratings. This goes all the way back to 1983....when we were on ABC TV against NLU (now ULM). Then DMN sports reporter, Cathy Harasta griped about such a lousy game being shown (back then ABC was required to carry one game from every conference--even the SLC. Our game with NLU was for the conference title). After assuring all the Metroplex that our game would get bad ratings...Harasta had to eat her words....as our game got great ratings.

When all 11 of our games were televised in 1995....then Associate AD Tim Fitzpatrick told me that the station that carried the games (27?) was thrilled with the ratings. And this was a year when we went 2-9.

When we were in the NO Bowls....correct me if I'm wrong....but didn't those bowls get some of the best ratings of the minor bowls?

So SMU fans can throw out this crap....but as far as I know....our games on TV get relatively good ratings. And I would bet they get better numbers than when SMU is on TV. (but that I don't know).

Edited May 17, 2010 by SUMG

drex · May 17, 2010

I second that emotion. SMU prays every day that the big beast up north never gets rolling.

UNT90 · May 17, 2010

Long term vision, folks. THey see themselves as Dallas's team. They see June Jones leading them to bowl game after bowl game. They see themselves as relevant.

Plus, they have the money.

I think if we had the money, this stadium would be 50K instead of 31-32K. At least I hope that is how we view ourselves.

UNTFan23 · May 17, 2010

I can't see a SMU football ticket becoming a hot commodity just because the Cowboys no longer play in Dallas county.

UNT90 · May 18, 2010

I can't see a SMU football ticket becoming a hot commodity just because the Cowboys no longer play in Dallas county.

If they keep winning, they become relevant, especially if Jones can do in University Park what he did at Hawaii.

Dallas is a town that loves a winner. If Jones can pull an 11-0 or 10-1 season, Ford will be over capacity.

That is what the alums expect to happen.

NT80 · May 18, 2010

If they keep winning, they become relevant, especially if Jones can do in University Park what he did at Hawaii.

Dallas is a town that loves a winner. If Jones can pull an 11-0 or 10-1 season, Ford will be over capacity.

That is what the alums expect to happen.

Smu alums alone won't fill half of Ford Stadium. The average Dallas/Metroplex sports fan does not care about or attend Smu football games. Unless your name is Biff or Buffy and you drive a BMW or similar don't expect to see your peers there.

Edited May 18, 2010 by NT80

MeanGreen61 · May 18, 2010

Smu alums alone won't fill half of Ford Stadium. The average Dallas/Metroplex sports fan does not care about or attend Smu football games. Unless your name is Biff or Buffy and you drive a BMW or similar don't expect to see your peers there.

Couple of comments from the CUSA board thread:

[quote='KnightLight'

SMU is a long-long-long way for ever expanding their 30,000 seat stadium.

As the Dallas Morning News article pointed out in yesterday's article:

"But SMU averaged 21,000 fans this season at 30,000-seat Ford Stadium, a number inflated by some major ticket initiatives."

If SMU's best season in 25 plus years needed accounting/tix gimmicks to reach an "ANNOUNCED" average attendance of 21,000 (i.e. not ACTUAL attendance), I think its safe to say that SMU's 30,000 seat stadium (which is beautiful by the way) is safe from becoming a construction site anytime soon.

TIgreen01 · May 18, 2010

TCU's attendance numbers do not help SMU, btw....that or years and years of historically poor attendance even while they were in the SWC.

Come to think of it....it probably doesn't help us sell our case either. Those 2 schools poor attendance reflects poorly on all DFW area colleges....even if we have a higher ceiling due to the simple fact that we are not a private school.

El Paso Eagle · May 18, 2010

TCU's attendance numbers do not help SMU, btw....that or years and years of historically poor attendance even while they were in the SWC.

Come to think of it....it probably doesn't help us sell our case either. Those 2 schools poor attendance reflects poorly on all DFW area colleges....even if we have a higher ceiling due to the simple fact that we are not a private school.

I would probably help all of us if the 3 area schools would play each other every year.

houstonmeangreen · May 18, 2010

Perhaps you didn't read the SMU newspaper article where the athletics dept was blocking audit and cost info....reportedly they have a defecit of some 90 million bucks....that means the are in the red 90,000,000. Doesn't sound like they have the money....sounds like the SMU of old.

forevereagle · May 19, 2010

Perhaps you didn't read the SMU newspaper article where the athletics dept was blocking audit and cost info....reportedly they have a defecit of some 90 million bucks....that means the are in the red 90,000,000. Doesn't sound like they have the money....sounds like the SMU of old.

At least they are under the cap.