School And University Support?

[EagleAlum98]

I graduated in '98 so its been a while since being on the campus. However, I was just curious if

anyone knows if it has changed at all? When I was there it was very much a non-factor that we were playing a home football game that week? I always wished that the school would be more proactive about drawing students' attention about the coming game, random pep rallies, giving away tickets,etc to get more people to the game?

Just my two cents and curiosity.

go Mean Green!

[meangreen]

I'm currently a student at UNT and I can attest to the fact that they are at least trying to draw in people. Things are changing at UNT for the better. They are starting to do more advertising around campus for football and basketball games. I think the new stadium should help ALOT. There are lots of students who could probably care less about athletics but this is the case at many universities around the country. The students and alumni that do care about football need to continue to support the university. But I can say that support is growing all over campus.

[KRAM1]

Well, I would say "yes". Things have changed around campus for the better since you left in '98. How much better would be the question. And, to that i would say "some", but not nearly enough. Now, I am not on campus every day, but my wife still works on campus, so I get some info on a regular basis and I am personally on campus somewhere almost every week for meetings, games or to simply check out the stadium construction, etc. You are not the only one who still desires the athletic dept. and the university in general to be more pro-active regarding student turnout for all its athletic, academic and arts/music events.

Come on back. It's time to see all the new construction and "stuff" that has been added since you left in '98. Besides, every grad needs to see that brand new beautiful stadium being built. If nothing else will do it, seeing that beauty come out of the ground will get you excited about UNT football in 2011!

WELCOME HOME. BTW...are you a member of the Alumni Association and/or the Mean green Club? If so, many thanks...if not, I'd love to chat with you...PM would work.

GO MEAN GREEN!

[meangreendork]

I started at UNT in 2000 and I've been in Denton ever since. All I can say is that it's a big difference between 2000 and this last season. In 2003, when our Dickey-era team was at it's best, you could barely get 15-16k in the stands. This past fall, you'd see an amount around that for a losing team. The basketball attendance is higher, as well. I think that with the new stadium and new coaching staff, we'll see bigger swings upwards.

You should also tour the campus as a whole. Lots of things are changing around here. The library mall looks fantastic in comparison to how it did in 2000. The fountain is now part of a library mall-length fountain system that starts at the giant Son-of-Worm near the admin building and ends with a waterfall near the street. The new business building is pretty close to finished, there's a new parking garage being built, there's the Gateway Center, new dorms, athletics center, the new Life Sciences complex at the center of campus, and of course, the stadium.

[Denia Park Pedro]

I second meangreendork. I got here in 2001 and while it's not a night and day the difference is pretty big. I see a whole lot more people wearing green around campus. It hasn't translated to around town yet, but here's hoping. I'm sure that AD efforts will create a more sustained support level as those wearing green around campus now graduate and move around the area.

[untjim1995]

The combination of hiring Rick Villareal as AD, having Norval Pohl as President, and having has some success in football in the early part of the ought's, as well as our men's hoops team being very good over the last five years have all contributed to more support. The biggest issue that we have to deal with is the reality that the university basically didn't care at all about athletics until this past decade. It will take time to cultivate more support and it is moving in the right direction.

If, however, the college athletic scene gets completely hijacked by the AQs, even with our new commitment to football and mens basketball, we could very well be left behind. I worry about this happening, too, because there will be a huge questioning of why we built the new stadium and facilities if we aren't at the highest level of competition, not to mention the lack of following that will come back in vogue around here again. If there are no changes in college athletics as we know it, then our new commitment to athletics will pay off greatly over the course of the next 50 years. We have already created more connections with students over the last decade than in the previous 20 years combined. The donations, increased media attention, and higher enrollments will take UNT to places that were never imagined. But if we get "phased down" again, like we did in 1982, I fear that our new commitment will just get filed under a depressing headline--"Too Little, Too Late".

[Dr. Seuss]

I wouldn't say it's changed a lot because when we go out to tavern for victory drinks after basketball games. We start doing north Texas chants and my bar tab amost triples bc the bartenders don't like it. For example last night at tavern a group of 8 sorority girls from ou singing boomer sooner. I dont even know 8 girls that know our fight song and if they did they wouldn't be caught dead singing it at a bar. That's the kind of spirit a school needs one that supports and people actually care about

[ColoradoEagle]

There was a spike in the early 2000's when we were going to the New Orleans bowls, but it's been pretty stagnant since (so has the football program). Those bowl trips made some of us fans, others stayed apathetic, and then there was the contingent of diehard t-shirt alumni for other TX and OK schools. I know the biggest reason a lot of students didn't take the program seriously was Fouts, and second after that was the other Sun Belt teams. The new stadium will result in a lot more green shirts around campus/DFW and some marquee wins will boost it more from there. If we ever held a top 25 ranking for several weeks, I would expect to see lots of 'lifelong fans' coming out of the woodwork and NT gear in stores the same way TCU gear is everywhere (including all over Denton) now.

Edited January 6, 2011 by ColoradoEagle

[Harry]

The New Orleans Bowls were great and I thought we represented ourselves quite well in New Orleans.

It has gotten MUCH better but to quote a former coach, "we still have a long ways to go...."

My biggest beef is advertising. I saw a UNT add in a prominent location off of 635. It said "UNT Dallas" and the UNT was green and the Dallas was Blue. Why not do an add with a picture of the new stadium. Or maybe Johnny Jones and the NCAA tourney? It just seems like athletics is not getting their piece of the pie when it comes to advertising revenue.

The other thing I will say is we have to increase our statewide tv/radio broadcasts. I know that a lot of people pull up the games on the internet now but I would like to see our fans in Houston, Austin and San Antonio have a connection.

[Green P1]

I wouldn't say it's changed a lot because when we go out to tavern for victory drinks after basketball games. We start doing north Texas chants and my bar tab amost triples bc the bartenders don't like it. For example last night at tavern a group of 8 sorority girls from ou singing boomer sooner. I dont even know 8 girls that know our fight song and if they did they wouldn't be caught dead singing it at a bar. That's the kind of spirit a school needs one that supports and people actually care about

Step #1 Avoid the Tavern at all cost.

Step #2 Enjoy

Step #3 Your Welcome.

[EagleAlum98]

Its good to hear all of the feeback about our University. I have been around campus a number of times since graduation, and the growth is simply awsome. (its always after you leave it happens!)

The new stadium is looking great, can't wait to get there for a game.

I know its always been a big commuter school, but we still have to get a stronger following, and UNT pride, flourishing around the town and University...

The story about the bar-keep getting mad about UNT chants pisses me off a little btw...

Lets just keep wearing green and UNT stuff anytime we can and try to do our part to get the awareness and excitement up!! (sorry if that sounds sappy)

[Mean Green 93-98]

I also graduated in '98, and the changes have been tremendous. I left the area in 2000, so I wasn't able to attend a home game for several years, although I did catch a N.O. Bowl and several other away games. But when I set foot back on campus a few years ago, I couldn't believe the change. When I left Denton (Lewisville, actually, but a suburb of Denton), there was no tailgating. Attendance was weak. But when I came back, I saw thousands of people tailgating. Even though the team wasn't winning much, attendance was probably double what it was back in '98-99. Much more green in the stands. I can only imagine how all of that will be amplified once games move to the new stadium.

[jtm0097]

Step #1 Avoid the Tavern at all cost.

Step #2 Enjoy

Step #3 Your Welcome.

Agree, go to Lous,Riprocks, or the square.

[FirefightnRick]

CLICK HERE and scroll down to the Rice game photos.

Plenty of students in green in the background.

Rick

[meangreendork]

Agree, go to Lous,Riprocks, or the square.

Pretty much. The Tavern isn't nearly as good as it used to be. Thankfully, more than enough new places have opened to make up for it.

[UNT90]

You people drink too much.

[forevereagle]

I wouldn't say it's changed a lot because when we go out to tavern for victory drinks after basketball games. We start doing north Texas chants and my bar tab amost triples bc the bartenders don't like it. For example last night at tavern a group of 8 sorority girls from ou singing boomer sooner. I dont even know 8 girls that know our fight song and if they did they wouldn't be caught dead singing it at a bar. That's the kind of spirit a school needs one that supports and people actually care about

Well, in their defense, the OU fight song only has about 5 unique words repeated over and over. They don't ask a lot from their fans.

[KRAM1]

Well, in their defense, the OU fight song only has about 5 unique words repeated over and over. They don't ask a lot from their fans.

EXCELLENT...+1 for you, Sir!

[NT91]

It is much much better that it was in 1991!!!!!

[NT91]

My first day back posting so you will see a lot of crap from me today, but this post is a serious one.

We have improved so much since you have been here. I think that other posters have pretty much covered it in many ways, but I want to reiterate the point a bit.

Athletics has increased its funding and footprint on campus by adding the AC, women's facilities, and now the stadium. Perhaps more significantly, UNT has raised standards, built acamdeic buidlings, and worked very hard to increase its research profile.

In concrete terms, there are MANY students that work towards attending UNT. It is no longer just a fall back school. So many students now see it as a destination school.

And UNT has made the commitment to hold up their end of the bargain.

GO MEAN GREEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now we need to get a baseball team added to that list.

[pastorgrant]

My first day back posting so you will see a lot of crap from me today, but this post is a serious one.

We have improved so much since you have been here. I think that other posters have pretty much covered it in many ways, but I want to reiterate the point a bit.

Athletics has increased its funding and footprint on campus by adding the AC, women's facilities, and now the stadium. Perhaps more significantly, UNT has raised standards, built acamdeic buidlings, and worked very hard to increase its research profile.

In concrete terms, there are MANY students that work towards attending UNT. It is no longer just a fall back school. So many students now see it as a destination school.

And UNT has made the commitment to hold up their end of the bargain.

GO MEAN GREEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Completely agree. I graduated in Dec of '03 and even though the football team was good at the time, school spirit in general is much better now. I can't wait to see what the atmosphere will be like when UNT football reaps the benefit of their new committment to athletics.