Unt Baseball

[GrayEagle]

What's missing is not the $$$$ per se. What we really need is a stadium.

We have the land to put it on. We have dedicated funds (somewhere in the 3/4 million range) that should cover the startup costs with enough left over to prepare a field. We are in well enough with Title IX that we might not even have to have another women's sport to match.

I don't think that temporary bleachers are the answer but the cost shouldn't hold us back for long if all goes well with the new stadium. Just hurry.

[ColoradoEagle]

What's missing is not the $$$$ per se. What we really need is a stadium.

We have the land to put it on. We have dedicated funds (somewhere in the 3/4 million range) that should cover the startup costs with enough left over to prepare a field. We are in well enough with Title IX that we might not even have to have another women's sport to match.

I don't think that temporary bleachers are the answer but the cost shouldn't hold us back for long if all goes well with the new stadium. Just hurry.

I would vote for no unless we can have a ballpark at least on the level of Lupton at TCU ($7 million) or preferably Baylor Ballpark ($9 million). If we're talking about 'acting like a big time program', that doesn't involve putting up a small time venue and being at a disadvantage from day one.

[oldguystudent]

I would vote for no unless we can have a ballpark at least on the level of Lupton at TCU ($7 million) or preferably Baylor Ballpark ($9 million). If we're talking about 'acting like a big time program', that doesn't involve putting up a small time venue and being at a disadvantage from day one.

Agree. There are severe disadvantages to throwing in a rag tag temporary bleacher ballpark. Every OOC game will be on the road, you will NEVER host in the post season, and it reallly hurts recruiting. Somehow, the west coast gets away with crappy stadiums, but in Texas, you need to put up a proper stadium with at least 3,000 seats, permanent restrooms, and really nice dugouts. TCU's joint isn't nearly as nice as Baylor, but it's enough to keep the afloat on the national baseball scene, and it's good enough to host in the post season. Otherwise, unless the team starts to attract 7,000+ to every game (an extreme rarity reserved for SEC teams), there's not much reason to build something like the Box at LSU.

[UNTFan23]

Agree. There are severe disadvantages to throwing in a rag tag temporary bleacher ballpark. Every OOC game will be on the road, you will NEVER host in the post season, and it reallly hurts recruiting. Somehow, the west coast gets away with crappy stadiums, but in Texas, you need to put up a proper stadium with at least 3,000 seats, permanent restrooms, and really nice dugouts. TCU's joint isn't nearly as nice as Baylor, but it's enough to keep the afloat on the national baseball scene, and it's good enough to host in the post season. Otherwise, unless the team starts to attract 7,000+ to every game (an extreme rarity reserved for SEC teams), there's not much reason to build something like the Box at LSU.

I think TCU has plans to do some work on their ballpark pretty soon.

[KRAM1]

Seems to me that if there is that much interest in starting baseball at UNT that someone would step forward and start a financial campaign to help get it started and rolling. Is there no one with any "deep pockets" in the entire DFW metroplex interested enough to do this? What about a corporate sponsor for a baseball park? I know UNT is working on naming rights for the football stadium, but seems the cost for a baseball stadium named in one's honor would be much less. If there truly is a good bit6 of interest in seeing baseball "re-ignited" at UNT, why is there nothing more than talk at this time?

Just wondering. It seems baseball is "on the agenda", but when will there actually be any movement in that direction? Seems the department could work on more than one thing at a time. I know most, if not all, of us "poor working stiffs" are required to multi-task on a very regular basis.

Any baseball fans out there with corporate contacts or "deep pocketed" friends/relatives? Really, what's holding up the show?

[ColoradoEagle]

Same reason that the football stadium was nothing but talk until the student fee passed, and the same that there still isn't a corporate name secured for it. If we're able to get naming rights on the football stadium, then I would expect baseball to pick up rather quickly. If we're stuck dedicating 50% of the student fee towards the stadium for the next 10-15 years, then it's going to be a while.

I believe we do already have the money to start the team donated (unless it was re-allocated to the stadium). The ballpark is the holdup at this point.

[ColoradoEagle]

Here are the aforementioned awful ballpark renderings:

[KRAM1]

What exactly is awful about the drawings?

[ColoradoEagle]

It's basically Mack Park, but bigger. There's no overhang or luxury suites. All the seats look to be metal bleachers and the landscaping is minimal. If that were built, we'd instantly be non-competitive with other Texas schools.

[KRAM1]

It's basically Mack Park, but bigger. There's no overhang or luxury suites. All the seats look to be metal bleachers and the landscaping is minimal. If that were built, we'd instantly be non-competitive with other Texas schools.

Really? More than UNT is now in baseball? I do think that what you are seeing is some "conceptual" work that probably has little to do with what would actually be built after further study and review. It is way too early in this process to get overly worried about what a baseball stadium complex may or may not look like when actually built. Heck, we all saw several renditions of the new football stadium before it was finalized. That seems to have worked out pretty well in my opinion that is. I would imagine that when and IF UNT reinstates baseball it will be done with a very nice baseball complex that we can all be very proud of for the team and program. Now, about those baseball specific cash donations.....

[Mean Green Matt]

It's basically Mack Park, but bigger. There's no overhang or luxury suites. All the seats look to be metal bleachers and the landscaping is minimal. If that were built, we'd instantly be non-competitive with other Texas schools.

I played at Mack Park for a couple games in High School. It really isn't even that great as a High School facility. Also, nothing against the UNT softball facility, but the baseball version of that is not going to cut it either.

I honestly think we need to look at the Baylor baseball stadium and make that our goal. Yes, it is going to cost lots of money, but someone pointed out earlier in this thread that a corporate sponsorship for the football stadium opens up a good deal of money that could be used for a baseball facility.

Hopefully the baseball domino will fall quickly so we can move on the men's soccer and men's tennis.

[GrayEagle]

If I recall correctily those drawings resulted from what was to be the home of the Denton Outlaws in the college summer league.

Unless our ship comes in we can't start with a Baylor Stadium (and they didn't either). We need something that we are not ashamed of but it does not need to be the Ballpark in Arlington. I'd say just build something that will hold a couple of thousand with plans for expansion to 5-7 thousand, depending on interest.

[MDH]

We can't seat 5-7k for our basketball games, why do you think this is the field of dreams? College baseball attendance is extremely low! Luxury suites?? Jesus.

[MeanMag]

Seems to me that if there is that much interest in starting baseball at UNT that someone would step forward and start a financial campaign to help get it started and rolling. Is there no one with any "deep pockets" in the entire DFW metroplex interested enough to do this? What about a corporate sponsor for a baseball park? I know UNT is working on naming rights for the football stadium, but seems the cost for a baseball stadium named in one's honor would be much less. If there truly is a good bit6 of interest in seeing baseball "re-ignited" at UNT, why is there nothing more than talk at this time?

Just wondering. It seems baseball is "on the agenda", but when will there actually be any movement in that direction? Seems the department could work on more than one thing at a time. I know most, if not all, of us "poor working stiffs" are required to multi-task on a very regular basis.

Any baseball fans out there with corporate contacts or "deep pocketed" friends/relatives? Really, what's holding up the show?

To my knowledge - there was a donor a while back, who offered to bank roll baseball operating expenses. Don't know if that had anything to do with building a stadium.

[ColoradoEagle]

We can't seat 5-7k for our basketball games, why do you think this is the field of dreams? College baseball attendance is extremely low! Luxury suites?? Jesus.

It's not that we need 5-7k, who said that? It's more about the fit and finish that goes into the ballpark. Something along the lines of Lupton at TCU would work well enough to start out with. It blows my mind that some of us talk about how bad Fouts is, but then want to turn around and open the baseball equivalent. Either build it right or put the money back into football/basketball.

[oldguystudent]

You want to start with a minimum capacity of 3,000, even if average attendance is 1,000 for regular season games. Believe me on this point. Grass berms contributing to that capacity don't count either. It needs to be fixed, assignable seating.

[UNTcrazy727]

I think whenever we build a baseball stadium built we can expect something in this range...

Ohio State's Bill Davis Stadium (Capacity: 4,450)

Long Beach State's Blair Field (Capacity: 3,238)

[wardly]

Seems to me that if there is that much interest in starting baseball at UNT that someone would step forward and start a financial campaign to help get it started and rolling. Is there no one with any "deep pockets" in the entire DFW metroplex interested enough to do this? What about a corporate sponsor for a baseball park? I know UNT is working on naming rights for the football stadium, but seems the cost for a baseball stadium named in one's honor would be much less. If there truly is a good bit6 of interest in seeing baseball "re-ignited" at UNT, why is there nothing more than talk at this time?

Just wondering. It seems baseball is "on the agenda", but when will there actually be any movement in that direction? Seems the department could work on more than one thing at a time. I know most, if not all, of us "poor working stiffs" are required to multi-task on a very regular basis.

Any baseball fans out there with corporate contacts or "deep pocketed" friends/relatives? Really, what's holding up the show?

naming rights for football stadium cost $20million, which is about 25% of stadium cost. of $78million stadium cost,i was told alumni donated about $5+million, or aproximately 6.5%. based upon this, i don't know if we have a friend with deep pockets, but we could. i also think we will get the football stadium up and running before adressing baseball, as we don't have enough staff to properly do both at same time.i do have a question;of 120 schools that play 1a football, how many also have a baseball program? for instance, smu, colorado, and iowa state do not, and they have a lot more $ than north texas. just asking.

[Mean Green Matt]

naming rights for football stadium cost $20million, which is about 25% of stadium cost. of $78million stadium cost,i was told alumni donated about $5+million, or aproximately 6.5%. based upon this, i don't know if we have a friend with deep pockets, but we could. i also think we will get the football stadium up and running before adressing baseball, as we don't have enough staff to properly do both at same time.i do have a question;of 120 schools that play 1a football, how many also have a baseball program? for instance, smu, colorado, and iowa state do not, and they have a lot more $ than north texas. just asking.

We are the only team from the Sun Belt with football that does not also have a baseball team. Almost all of those schools have less money than we do.

[oldguystudent]

Just as a benchmark, Sunbelt baseball stadiums:

South Alabama (Pretty nice digs. They put some effort into the place)

Ark. St (Not good when this is the only pic available)

UALR (First view, I thought it was a softball field)

FAU Different view (For a pretty decent program, I honestly expected something more.)

FIU (This little thumbnail seems to be the only thing available)

ULala (No frills, but looks pretty good)

MUTS (Now this place looks like a great place to watch a game)

Troy (Decent. Could host. Expansion seating planned.)

WKU(Tough to tell. Not many pics available for this place)

Anyhoo, going down this list, South Alabama and MUTS look to be the class of the conference in baseball facilities. Any kind of financial and architectural effort whatsoever would put UNT right up there. The baseball stadiums get a lot better as you move up in conference.

Rice

Baylor

And the crown jewel of them all, LSU.

[oldguystudent]

I didn't even notice Long Beach's Blair Field up there. When Long Beach makes the post season, they almost ALWAYS host. As a bonus, since that stadium isn't on campus, they are one of the rare college baseball facilities that sells beer in the stands. (Louisville has them beat on this one though. They have free admission and dollar beer nights in their joint)

[wardly]

We are the only team from the Sun Belt with football that does not also have a baseball team. Almost all of those schools have less money than we do.

some of the states,[not all of them,] allocate state funds for construction of athletic facalities. i know new mexico does, but don't know which do in the belt. makes a big difference if you don't need a construction campaign. also, we only average 3,000 in basketball for a team that has been to ncaa's twice in past 4 years. i doubt you would average 300 for a start-up baseball program. what does uta averge?

[DeepGreen]

Seems to me we already have the material for a 5,000 seat capacity baseball stadium- one of the Fouts end zones. I don't know if it's cost effective or not but that metal seating can be disassembled and re-erected at the proposed baseball field location. Those bleachers can easily be dressed up, brick and mortar enclosing the exterior. Just a thought....

[UNTLifer]

That is a great idea, Deep. I wonder if that has ever been considered?

[Stix]

Seems to me we already have the material for a 5,000 seat capacity baseball stadium- one of the Fouts end zones. I don't know if it's cost effective or not but that metal seating can be disassembled and re-erected at the proposed baseball field location. Those bleachers can easily be dressed up, brick and mortar enclosing the exterior. Just a thought....

I thought about that too, but unless there was some significant re-cutting of the metal decking, we'd have a horseshoe for a baseball stadium. I don't know if that would be desireable, and I don't know that the labor to re-cut the decking would be cost-effective.

It probably would be better to sell the end-zone bleachers to someone who has a track around their football field. TSU-SM, maybe?