2012 Attendance Boosters

Stix · January 12, 2012

I agree that the "hill" is just fine the way it is, and makes for a unique tailgating experience. My main suggestion about the Hill is to have some extra paths put in, and paved, to help with access.

There also needs to be pathway put in from the east ticket area to the parking lot area adjacent to the Alumni pavilion.

Absolutely. I only made it to the pavilion once (the first game), and my wife wouldn't go at all, since it meant either climbing over the hill, or walking almost the entire way around the stadium. If you have a green parking pass, great, but otherwise... It made me feel all of my 51 years to make that hike.

Dr. Seuss · January 12, 2012

That's the point, they could have cash parking at the stadium.
The idea of baseball vs parking is a false choice. The real answer is build a parking garage.

And the hill blows. The fact that its hard to access and you have to drop stuff off a day in advance impediments to higher promotions attendance.

Has someone wrote earlier college football is about two things; on the field product, and game day experience.

I can recap every game for you if you like

Houston---Great tailgating experience, best yet

Indiana -- Great tailgating experience, 2nd best

FAU -- Lacking experience because of the weather, but still had a good tailgate

ULM-- Homecoming, wasnt bad but due to the homecoming festivites tailgating was a minimum, less than a hour for most

WKU -- Tailgating on the hill was weak because 5 sororities had there date parties/ formals

MTSU -- Rain game, no one was at the game or tailgate

For everyone that complains about the fraternities and sororities, they are the main groups that are involved in Unt athletics.. Yes some would rather enjoy tailgating more than going into the game but who cares, like you said there is 2 things that impact college football games.. The game and the experience, not everyone will go into the game, thats a fact, deal with it.

The hill isnt made for everyone, its made for students... Most of the alumni park there cars in the premium lot or at Fouts and set up there tailgate on the grass. Which I would recommend you do. So what if you cant pay for cash parking for premium parking, thats why you can buy them in advance, or if you cant do that become a MGC member.. Oh wait, that starts at $125, if you cant pay $10 to park why would you donate $125...

Parking lot vs Baseball field is a choice that the athetic dept is dealing with... What stadium has a freaking parking garage, thats retarted... How are you going to set up a tailgate in a garage??? Dont say the AAC because barely anyone tailgates for Hockey and Basketball games. Name one football stadium that has parking garages

Edited January 12, 2012 by Dr. Seuss

forevereagle · January 12, 2012

Name one football stadium that has parking garages

Jones AT&T Stadium has a parking garage (Texas Tech).

So, what do I win?

Edited January 12, 2012 by forevereagle

Dr. Seuss · January 12, 2012

Jones AT&T Stadium has a parking garage (Texas Tech).

So, what do I win?

Yes you win, but if people are complain about paying $10 for cash parking why would they spend $75 or 60 to park in a parking garage... Next please

Raider Park will offer fans the luxury of covered parking that is easily accessible to Jones AT&T Stadium via a pedestrian bridge. Wait they have to walk over a pedestrian bridge.... Thats outrageous, it shouldnt be more than 100 ft away from the stadium... Absolutely ridiculous

Edited January 12, 2012 by Dr. Seuss

forevereagle · January 12, 2012

Yes you win, but if people are complain about paying $10 for cash parking why would they spend $75 or 60 to park in a parking garage... Next please

You asked me to name a stadium, I did. And people do pay for those spots at Tech. Just because people complain about it now doesn't make it a bad idea for later.

Grant.UNT · January 12, 2012

Mexia.

Nuff said.

What does this even mean. Not that I care cause I'm with Kram on this stuff. However, it seems like you are the one guy sitting in the corner and laughing at your own jokes. -1 that!!

forevereagle · January 12, 2012

What does this even mean. Not that I care cause I'm with Kram on this stuff. However, it seems like you are the one guy sitting in the corner and laughing at your own jokes. -1 that!!

I laugh at his jokes. Does that mean I am in the corner too?

Sometimes you have to have been here for awhile.

Grant.UNT · January 12, 2012

Absolutely. I only made it to the pavilion once (the first game), and my wife wouldn't go at all, since it meant either climbing over the hill, or walking almost the entire way around the stadium. If you have a green parking pass, great, but otherwise... It made me feel all of my 51 years to make that hike.

I agree. I have a 4 line paver at the pavillion and only went over there once.

Grant.UNT · January 12, 2012

I laugh at his jokes. Does that mean I am in the corner too?

Sometimes you have to have been here for awhile.

I've never even noticed his derailings until Kram pointed it out, but I really don't care. It certainly doesn't add any intelect to the conversation though. It just seems very odd.

Dr. Seuss · January 12, 2012

You asked me to name a stadium, I did. And people do pay for those spots at Tech. Just because people complain about it now doesn't make it a bad idea for later.

Theres 2 +1's for you... Yes people do pay for them there but I will be shocked when UNT fans will pay over $25 for parking.. People were complaining about paying $15 for a freaking ticket and $10 for parking... I do know a lot of fans that think $250 is dirt cheap for college football season tickets but the majority dont

TIgreen01 · January 12, 2012

I think the board has found a happy medium from the constant highjacks that were once common. Granted, I liked Quoner and Tasty better when they were at their filthy peak (somewhere during the Tina Yothers years). The problems started when all the tag-a-longs tried to extend the jokes. Not everyone has the gift of comedy (I don't). Those that don't just need to STFU and enjoy the show so as not to screw it up for the rest of us.

Quoner · January 12, 2012

Jones AT&T Stadium has a parking garage (Texas Tech).

So, what do I win?

Kyle Field does too. DKR is surrounded by garages (by necessity.)

EDIT: Not taking a side in this, just pointing it out.

Edited January 12, 2012 by Quoner

Green P1 · January 12, 2012

Soooo..... what happened to the series of posts with action packed attendance ideas that were promised? Why did I even vote in this damned poll?

Dr. Seuss · January 12, 2012

Kyle Field does too. DKR is surrounded by garages (by necessity.)

EDIT: Not taking a side in this, just pointing it out.

K, I was wrong yes other stadiums have parking garages, but tech. so does UNT, its just a little further away and its hourly...lol

From what I have seen is that most of them still require permits before or they jack up the parking... The main difference between those schools to is that they seat over two and three times as many fans... Texas held over 100k, Kyle field 90k, AT&T 60k... Unt only seats 30k, people are just making this more of a deal than it needs to be

foutsrouts · January 12, 2012

With the exception of smu, whose fans could fit into a Taco Cabana parking lot, UNT has the only new college football stadium in Texas. All the others are very old and have simply been gradual add-ons. As basically the only new venue around these parts, it would have been nice if we would have at least worked a parking garage into the master plan. Maybe we did and I'm not aware of it, but it would be a nice thing since our fickle fringe fans (try repeating that 10 times) need every leisurely advantage they can get.

THOR · January 13, 2012

What does this even mean. Not that I care cause I'm with Kram on this stuff. However, it seems like you are the one guy sitting in the corner and laughing at your own jokes. -1 that!!

why do you think i made my comments...and i've been here a shit ton longer than you have...attempted humor and worthwhile conversation are totally different...sadly...you just have to deal with it or ignore it...

NewUNTFan8 · January 13, 2012

To get back to ideas - there's a mantra in university circles to get students to attend anything: "If you feed them, they will come." Putting together a club meeting? Feed 'em! Need students to show up for orientation? Promise 'em free food! I don't have a creative bone in me, but I've learned through the years that students respond to free food. Someone else will have to come up with the nuts and bolts to make it happen.

As far as parking, right now, keep the premium spots for the donors; however...to get people there and interested enough to keep coming, I see nothing wrong with opening up the other closer lots. Once the program becomes "big time", you will have more donors and sponsors and people willing to pay the price. THEN you jack up the price, limit the spaces again, and people will still pay.

Seems someone in the UNT academic marketing department should add this dilemma as one of their course projects and see what exciting, innovative ideas students could come up with. Gets student input AND ideas at the same time.

And doesn't Apogee (the company) have marketing people that could help? Since they paid for the naming rights, it seems like they would want a full stadium, too!

buff64 · January 13, 2012

I think stadium location and parking are huge problems for everyone.
1. They need more parking at the stadium.
2. They need cash parking at the stadium.
3. They need free shuttles to run from Fouts parking to the stadium.
4. Drop the price on Fouts parking. ($5 bucks if we have to keep hiking).

I think tailgating blows at Apogee
1. Bulldoze that stupid hill & build a tail gating park
2. Consolidate the beer tents. Why is Miller Lite out in BFE.
3. Give away free tailgating stuff. Beer, hot dogs, face painting, ect.
4. Provide bathrooms. Why the outside stadium bathrooms by the ticket office is locked makes no sense.

Totally agree with #3, I know several older fans who did not attend games due to the walk to and from the stadium to and from the Fouts parking.

forevereagle · January 13, 2012

Theres 2 +1's for you... Yes people do pay for them there but I will be shocked when UNT fans will pay over $25 for parking.. People were complaining about paying $15 for a freaking ticket and $10 for parking... I do know a lot of fans that think $250 is dirt cheap for college football season tickets but the majority dont

When we start winning and demand goes up, people will pay what they need to see the game. The money I pay for my tickets is definitely cheap (football and basketball) for college sports and we should be glad for it.

I believe that there is a plan to build a garage where Fouts is now. That would put the garage in walking distance, but not against the stadium. I am all for a garage as it saves space for other things, but I am also glad that it will not be right next to the stadium. As we hopefully need to add seating, more parking will be needed. For a lot of people, tailgating is not part of the game day experience, so having a place that they can drive up for parking that is close to the stadium will be a good thing. Once the pedestrian bridge is completed, the walk will be pretty short.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · January 13, 2012

There's no canard - if we get home and homes with even lesser Big 12 schools, there'll be attendance.

Hook up with UTSA as well...instead of trying to laugh at them. As I recall, this was based on some sort of basketball attendance theory. Because, well...you know...basketball is a bigger draw in Texas than football. Surely disinterest of a student body in basketball would produce the same disinterest in football. It's why the Dallas Cowboys would never hold summer camp down there...I mean, no one in San Antonio would stop by to watch that. Crazy.

SIDENOTE: UTSA went big immediately. People (crazily) pooh-pooh the hiring of Larry Coker. I predicted then, as now, that he's well-connected enough in the college football world to make that thing run quickly. Keep pooh-poohing him and watch the Roadrunners fly past us.

We also need to get real about scheduling Texas State annually again.

"Oh. Fake Lonnie...Texas State is so beneath us." Oh, alright...then Transfer complaining about poor attendance at FAU and Middle Tennessee games...you know, schools that are "at our level" and all.

Finally, Tina Yothers should be invited to do one of the coin flips. America loves a comeback story, and Denton is in America. And, Tina Yothers would be in Denton, U.S.A. if she were here to do a coin flip.

[insert penis joke here]

[insert Denia Neighborhood put down here]

[insert uniform preference here]

[insert opinion of Rick Villareal here]

[insert Dickey/Dodge reference here]

THE END

KRAM1 · January 13, 2012

I think the board has found a happy medium from the constant highjacks that were once common. Granted, I liked Quoner and Tasty better when they were at their filthy peak (somewhere during the Tina Yothers years). The problems started when all the tag-a-longs tried to extend the jokes. Not everyone has the gift of comedy (I don't). Those that don't just need to STFU and enjoy the show so as not to screw it up for the rest of us.

Hmmmmm...you may have hit on something here.

KRAM1 · January 13, 2012

Absolutely. I only made it to the pavilion once (the first game), and my wife wouldn't go at all, since it meant either climbing over the hill, or walking almost the entire way around the stadium. If you have a green parking pass, great, but otherwise... It made me feel all of my 51 years to make that hike.

Agree 100%. A little background...there was a walkway in the original plans as I am told. The original stadium plans that is...not the Pavilion. Budget constraints necessitated some revisions...the walkway was something cut. Everyone interested is trying to find a way to create a walkway that is accessible for everyone to the Pavilion. Everyone realizes it is a problem. Just try getting to the Pavilion from any lot other than the one nearest the Pavilion and you will know what I mean.

I don't have any info on what the status of the situation is, but I do know that it is being approached on several levels.

SilverEagle · January 13, 2012

Agree 100%. A little background...there was a walkway in the original plans as I am told. The original stadium plans that is...not the Pavilion. Budget constraints necessitated some revisions...the walkway was something cut. Everyone interested is trying to find a way to create a walkway that is accessible for everyone to the Pavilion. Everyone realizes it is a problem. Just try getting to the Pavilion from any lot other than the one nearest the Pavilion and you will know what I mean.

I don't have any info on what the status of the situation is, but I do know that it is being approached on several levels.

Do you mean administratively or idea-wise. I prefer the idea approach and leave the administrators out of it.

oldguystudent · January 13, 2012

I'm still trying to understand the purpose of the pavilion. Is it for alumni who have traveled from afar and don't have the wherewithal to tailgate? As someone who lives locally, I don't see a use for it. I don't in any way mean to deride it. Maybe I'm just fortunate to have a great tailgate crowd.

DeepGreen · January 13, 2012

Good thread with a lot of good ideas. Free tuition or free books drawing at the games....good stuff.

"The Hill" is an excellent tailgating venue and should stay like it is. Very impressive when it's full of tailgaters(Houston, Indiana). Improvement could be made on new pathways for fans convenience.

I keep hearing that people are complaining about parking at Fouts for $10. If it keep people from attending a game, then eliminate the problem. LET FANS PARK AT FOUTS FOR FREE AND PROVIDE FREE SHUTTLES TO THE STADIUM. Texas A & M has been doing this for ions(or is it eons?). Let's say, for a long time. Sure A & M has the money. North Texas has to eliminate any excuse for not attending a game at Apogee Stadium. And yes, that means having a winning program.

For now, let people park at fouts for FREE!

Surely out Athletic Department brainstorms for football attendance ideas like we are doing on this thread. Surely. Oh, wait! They do. They send out emails reminding fans that there is an upcoming game. Problem is, I get my AD game announcements one day before, or the day of the game. Hard to make plans.

Edited January 13, 2012 by DeepGreen