New Helmet Spotted

The Fake Lonnie Finch · May 31, 2011

I think having "North Texas" on the helmet makes perfect sense for the time being. As much as some, including myself, would like to only have the eagle or some other symbol on the helmet...the fact of the matter is that not many people from around the country know who we are. We don't have the name recognition right now that the likes of UT, Alabama, Auburn, and Oregon have. Whenever people watch a televised game of North Texas and see "North Texas" on the helmet, there is no question as to who we are. Having "North Texas" on the helmet will also help end the confusion of "NTSU" and all of those other names that individuals on this board get so mad about when an announcer refers to us as.

Overall, I think this makes sense for our current situation. 5-10 years from now may be another story if things go well...but right now I think it makes sense.

It doesn't make any sense now. It made no sense in years past. And, it won't make any sense in the future.

Texas Tech has had TT forever, even before they were "relevant." Ditto...TCU? Yeah, ditto TCU.

To me, and many others, saying "North Texas" is like I-AA. Northern Arizona. Northern Alabama.

For crying out loud, Alabama-Birmingham goes by UAB. Who cares? We know what it means even though they've never won crap!

We're UNT! Quitting pussy-footing around and put UNT on the helmet! There are no other UNT's in FBS or FCS. It's already unique. Use it!

Let's grow up and be a program now that we have a stadium and coaching staff.

Nobody watching a college football game is going to be confused by it! No one. Hell, not even the women will be confused.

Green2012 · May 31, 2011

What would generate more publicity for the university?

A helmet that is boring and says North Texas or a helmet that has a SOW on the side?

oldschoollefty · May 31, 2011

The Sports Information Dept. should deliver a memo to every person having anything to do with our games as to what the name of our University is.

I guess they could start putting "The University of North Texas at Denton" (gotta make sure we aren't confused with the Dallas campus) on the helmets. The lettering would be kind of small though. :rolleyes:

Keith7 · May 31, 2011

Really? You guys think our helmets are what have been holding the program back?

UNT Mean Green · May 31, 2011

The University's and Athletic Department's branding are obviously not cohesive. :argue:

LoveMG · May 31, 2011

It doesn't make any sense now. It made no sense in years past. And, it won't make any sense in the future.

Texas Tech has had TT forever, even before they were "relevant." Ditto...TCU? Yeah, ditto TCU.

To me, and many others, saying "North Texas" is like I-AA. Northern Arizona. Northern Alabama.

For crying out loud, Alabama-Birmingham goes by UAB. Who cares? We know what it means even though they've never won crap!

We're UNT! Quitting pussy-footing around and put UNT on the helmet! There are no other UNT's in FBS or FCS. It's already unique. Use it!

Let's grow up and be a program now that we have a stadium and coaching staff.

Nobody watching a college football game is going to be confused by it! No one. Hell, not even the women will be confused.

to only have north texas on a helmet is small time. at least add the logo with it.

UNTFan23 · May 31, 2011

to only have north texas on a helmet is small time. at least add the logo with it.

UCLA, Southern Miss, and Tulsa might disagree with your statement.

Edited May 31, 2011 by UNTFan23

Green Lantern · May 31, 2011

The University's and Athletic Department's branding are obviously not cohesive.

Not really breaking news here.

LoveMG · May 31, 2011

UCLA, Southern Miss, and Tulsa might disagree with your statement.

who?

ColoradoEagle · May 31, 2011

Really? You guys think our helmets are what have been holding the program back?

Holding the entire program back? No. However, the helmet is the 'face' of athletics, and when that face is as boring as it has been the past 10 years, merchandise doesn't sell. When merchandise doesn't sell, awareness of the brand goes down. When awareness of the brand goes down, we end up with 15,000 people at FBS football games.

Don't get me wrong, if we were to go to the Rose Bowl, people would buy whatever crap gets thrown out on the shelves. Since we're not quite there (lol), you have to create incentive for people to buy your product (eg. it looks good and is recognizable). Basically it's just another area where we shoot ourselves in the foot for no good reason.

UNTFan23 · May 31, 2011

who?

I have to call your sports IQ into question if that is your final answer.

greenminer · May 31, 2011

I disagree that the helmet is the face of an athletics program.

Edited May 31, 2011 by greenminer

The Fake Lonnie Finch · May 31, 2011

UCLA, Southern Miss, and Tulsa might disagree with your statement.

UCLA doesn't fit your example. They do use UCLA, they don't spell out University of California at Los Angeles.

Southern Miss's helmet are awful. Does anyone really want a helmet that looks like doodling 5th graders created it? Southern Miss's helmets scream "cheap" and "afterthought." This is not a brand that will ever challenge the best sellers around even the CUSA.

Tulsa's is fine. The script is unique and they've had it for years - they don't change it every three or four years like we have. When Captain Dickfilch coached them in the early 2000s, he changed the colors, but Kragthrope thankfully brought back the classic colors upon his arrival.

UNT. It's unique. Do in some sort of block font, white letters outlined in black or silver, on a green helmet flecked in black or silver. And, please...let's lose the Chronicles of Narnia/Hobbit font we now have. We play in Denton, a city in Texas, loosely part of what is known as America, not Middle Earth.

I'd also say curve the UNT the way LSU, UNLV, and UAB do. Damn, we'd look so business if we'd just hop to it!

Edited May 31, 2011 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

greenminer · May 31, 2011

Actually, I kinda dig the idea of some Middle Earth correlation. Even if it is just type face.

As an aside, I visited Midlothian yesterday. Unfortunately, I did not kill any orcs but there were some mean looking hens out there and a rooster on a mission.

ColoradoEagle · May 31, 2011

I disagree that the helmet is the face of an athletics program.

If not the helmet, what else would you say the average DFW TV viewer or newspaper reader sees of the program?

KRAM1 · May 31, 2011

It is, indeed, the "dead season"...that period of time between spring ball and the fall practice start. The time for all good helmet, uniform, logos, etc. threads to be reborn once again.

Hey, maybe the ladies of the Mean green nation will get a "look-see" at this Saturday's FOOTBALL 101 for the ladies under the direction of none other than Coach mac himself. I know, they are not calling it "Football 101" any longer, but I don't recall just what they are now calling it. Maybe a new uni and helmet showing is on tap for the ladies...who knows. Well, the Phantom knows....

greenminer · May 31, 2011

If not the helmet, what else would you say the average DFW TV viewer or newspaper reader sees of the program?

Well, lets be honest with ourselves: the average DFW sportster is not attending UNT games. But they might read about it in the paper or espn.com

If I had to single out any element of marketing, which I don't like to do because I think it is a combination of winning and whole efforts from internal (marketing department, students) and external (alumni) efforts...if it was a single element I would say the logo.

It is the logo, not the helmet (with rare exception) that spatters the DMN into the homes and eyes of 250K subscribers, in addition to the North Texas team page on the national outlets (ESPN.com, etc). It is merely preference whether the logo is repeated on the helmet, or we go with some kind of lettering/script. What is my helmet preference? I prefer we find something and stick with it. I feel like UNT is in this mentality where we are associating what should be OUR image with, instead, a coach regime.

UNT is bigger than that and it should be. We are bigger than any single coach. Bigger than RV. You get the point.

All this is moot, because marketing efforts/results become watered down when 1) You are changing your image and shade of green every 3 years, and 2) you are winning < 3 games a year.

/.02 cents

Edited May 31, 2011 by greenminer

Censored by Laurie · May 31, 2011

Project Runway GMG?

MeanGreenTexan · May 31, 2011

Project Runway GMG?

Work it Richard Abbe! That jersey is so slimming on you!

MeanGreenEagle1 · May 31, 2011

I too have no clue why the SOW or some other non type logo will not be used on the helmets. Having "North Texas" puts us in a sub par category in the NCAA as far as branding. Makes no sense. I confirmed this past weekend with a UNT athletic official the SOW will not be on the helmet. RV needs to reconsider or leave it up to people who know about branding. Listen to the people who potentially will be buying tickets RV.

-A Frustrated MGE1

DallasGreen · May 31, 2011

:growl:Do you really want to see our womens teams have to use UNT---there is a reason that the campus radio station is KNTU !!!

ColoradoEagle · May 31, 2011

Listen to the people who potentially will be buying tickets RV.

Just being completely honest, I can't remember this AD being very receptive to constructive criticism by students or alums all that often. The same topics are being brought up today as almost 10 years ago.

LoveMG · June 1, 2011

Hey, maybe the ladies of the Mean green nation will get a "look-see" at this Saturday's FOOTBALL 101 for the ladies under the direction of none other than Coach mac himself. I know, they are not calling it "Football 101" any longer, but I don't recall just what they are now calling it. Maybe a new uni and helmet showing is on tap for the ladies...who knows. Well, the Phantom knows....

postponed till july.

Edited June 1, 2011 by LoveMG

keith · June 7, 2011

There is a video on MGS on the making of the commercial that shows a quick glimpse as well.

This one...

and then the video ends.

Keith

cdizzle86 · June 7, 2011

I'm going to be really unhappy if the helmets in the videos we've seen are the actual helmets. What a half ass job. The same helmet circa 05-06, with an added black stripe. I would take the white helmets over that any day!