Operation fill up the Wing - part deaux

GreenFlag · September 9, 2012

For one game just give the tickets away to local business', they can give them away in their stores or whatever type of business they have. See if people will come out for the game, it's not like we would be losing out on ticket sales, and at least people would come in and spend some sort of money, plus it gets butts in those seats.

Just get the thing filled - whatever it takes. There are peeps that think giving away tickets to fill that thing somehow devalues the product. In reality our product is devalued by being completely empty.

I finally figured out a solution that should keep everyone happy.

If it would make people feel better why not have companies "sponsor" this event. Even though the tickets are being given away - someone is paying for it. The AD could sponsor it as well.

Quick math - 5,000 tickets for$7 is $35,000. Let someone (anyone who wants to) pay for the rights (advertising) to give away tickets for that area. Those tickets would be distributed through regular means except they are only available Thursday through Saturday at the ticket office and they are available to be picked up at the place of business that bought the package (if they are interested in walk up traffic) the entire week leading up to the game. Once those tickets are gone - they're gone. If you waited to long to get your free ticket you have to pay for one.

Give the company a package of radio/TV spots, mentions over the PA and whatever else they can think of to make it sweet enough for a company to purchase this package. The package price could even be some low number but it fills up the wing for a "cost". If all of the suites at Apogee sold for $150,000 - I gotta think we could sell 6 of these packages a year for $35,000.

Just fill that Mo-Fo!

Edited September 9, 2012 by GreenFlag

Green Mean · September 9, 2012

Gotta be some type of gimmick to get people out there. The King's Court in Seattle for when Felix Hernandez is a pretty cool thing so I am sure something can be done. Tho there just needs to be enough demand for people wanting to come to the game. Trying to get an extra 6-8k people just to fill up a whole section doesn't seem realistic right now but if we keep on winning and turning things around then it can be done.

GreenFlag · September 9, 2012

Someone mentioned that the Wing only seats 5K. I looked at it last night and if you don't count the bowl area at the bottom it's right. It's an optical illusion as it looks HUGE.

We only have to get 5K and the thing is full.

GoMeanGreen1999 · September 9, 2012

I have said in talking with others for years that we should start selling end zone tickets for $1 each until it becomes a sell out and you can justify raising them. The amount of families and probably food and merchandise you would sell would make up for the loss in ticket revenue (though at this point they aren't getting any since no one buys them). This idea though will NEVER happen.

On a side note, can anyone confirm how much was being charged to park at Fouts? I heard numbers from $10-$20 - surely that is not right?

If we want to truely sell that place out, besides winning, there will have to be much more around Denton on game days in terms of publicity. I was downtown yesturday in Denton and one would have been hard pressed to know that UNT was even playing much less in town.

GreenGuy123 · September 9, 2012

Wholeheartedly agree. Gimmick or not, those UTSA people had the right idea.

Mean Green Matt · September 9, 2012

Someone mentioned that the Wing only seats 5K. I looked at it last night and if you don't count the bowl area at the bottom it's right. It's an optical illusion as it looks HUGE.

We only have to get 5K and the thing is full.

5,900.

oldguystudent · September 10, 2012

I have said in talking with others for years that we should start selling end zone tickets for $1 each until it becomes a sell out and you can justify raising them. The amount of families and probably food and merchandise you would sell would make up for the loss in ticket revenue (though at this point they aren't getting any since no one buys them). This idea though will NEVER happen.

On a side note, can anyone confirm how much was being charged to park at Fouts? I heard numbers from $10-$20 - surely that is not right?

If we want to truely sell that place out, besides winning, there will have to be much more around Denton on game days in terms of publicity. I was downtown yesturday in Denton and one would have been hard pressed to know that UNT was even playing much less in town.

You're right about downtown. Kid wanted to go to burguesa before the tailgate and it was some classic car show or something.

MeanGreenGlory · September 10, 2012

Just get the thing filled - whatever it takes. There are peeps that think giving away tickets to fill that thing somehow devalues the product. In reality our product is devalued by being completely empty.

I finally figured out a solution that should keep everyone happy.

If it would make people feel better why not have companies "sponsor" this event. Even though the tickets are being given away - someone is paying for it. The AD could sponsor it as well.

Quick math - 5,000 tickets for$7 is $35,000. Let someone (anyone who wants to) pay for the rights (advertising) to give away tickets for that area. Those tickets would be distributed through regular means except they are only available Thursday through Saturday at the ticket office and they are available to be picked up at the place of business that bought the package (if they are interested in walk up traffic) the entire week leading up to the game. Once those tickets are gone - they're gone. If you waited to long to get your free ticket you have to pay for one.

Give the company a package of radio/TV spots, mentions over the PA and whatever else they can think of to make it sweet enough for a company to purchase this package. The package price could even be some low number but it fills up the wing for a "cost". If all of the suites at Apogee sold for $150,000 - I gotta think we could sell 6 of these packages a year for $35,000.

Just fill that Mo-Fo!

Contact Buffalo Wild WINGS and see if they'd entertain the idea. If yes, contact RV and give him a hot lead.

PlummMeanGreen · September 10, 2012

This a subject we posted about a year ago; that is, find a way to fill the Wing and the east and west sides will all but take care of themselves (assuming the football program continues its rise which most of us think it will).

Plans for such an under-taking have to be planned (if planned with success in mind) at a time of year other than football season.

UNT officials still seem to not understand the culture of the DFW metroplex with a thousand other things people can do on Game Day than be at Apogee Stadium; thus a reason we very uncannily lose our UNT student body without any sensible reason for 1 (maybe) 2 games each Fall. We don't play Big 12 opponents at Apogee so promotions must give our UNT students a reason to come out and support the team and to not take another Metroplex entertainment option.

UNT leaders are really going to have to in due time hire professional college athletic promotions people with proven records elsewhere who will promote each Game Day as if their jobs actually depended on it.

GMG!

Edited September 10, 2012 by PlummMeanGreen

mgfan · September 10, 2012

Just hand out tickets left and right, just for one game and see if it works. Do w.e. It takes just fill the damn thing

risinggreen · September 10, 2012

It's an eyesore when it's empty, so we've got to find a way to fill it. Block it off so people can't move to better seats, and figure out a way to practically give the Wing seats away. Otherwise, it appears that it will remain empty against anyone other than a local rival, or a big name opponent from the Big 12 or SEC. Of course heavy duty winning would probably take care of the problem all by itself.

Daddy Dumpsalot · September 10, 2012

I think it's time we cover up the wing with a green tarp and call it a day.

Rudy · September 10, 2012

What if we formed an inner city ministy and gave them free tickets?

UNT 90 Grad · September 10, 2012

I like the idea of giving tickets to elementary school kids as a reward for good grades. We did something similar to this at a company I used to work for. The kids will look at the tickets as something of value, giving them bragging rights for what they earned. The parents will feel obligated to take them to the game because otherwise they wouldn't be letting their kids cash in on something they earned.

You'd need to give the tickets to the schools to give out. None of this "turn your report card in to the ticket office for a ticket" stuff.

Edited September 10, 2012 by UNT 90 Grad

casual fan · September 10, 2012

Repeating what I wrote last time:

Use the wing zone as a recruiting tool for the university. Have a high school night for Denton students. They get a free wing zone seat if they show their high school ID name tag. Build a local fan base by using the wing zone. Empty seats don't buy concessions.

It could be done with a couple of phone calls and one e-mail to the schools the week of the game. No passing out tickets. Just have students show their school picture ID and they are in the wing zone. Parents who show up buy their own tickets. Make it a one time deal and see if it works. The wing zone is empty. It produces NO $$$.

shutter · September 10, 2012

I think if we give away tickets to the wing, that those folks will fill in unused seats on the alumni side. In section 107 we get students and other folks come in and sit in the open seats. So I think we are going to have to fill the stadium to be able to fill those seats.

MeanGreenTexan · September 10, 2012

Repeating what I wrote last time:

Use the wing zone as a recruiting tool for the university. Have a high school night for Denton students. They get a free wing zone seat if they show their high school ID name tag. Build a local fan base by using the wing zone. Empty seats don't buy concessions.

It could be done with a couple of phone calls and one e-mail to the schools the week of the game. No passing out tickets. Just have students show their school picture ID and they are in the wing zone. Parents who show up buy their own tickets. Make it a one time deal and see if it works. The wing zone is empty. It produces NO $$$.

Why stop there? Engage the local Community colleges as well. Heck, several of their students may wind up transferring to UNT anyway. May as well try to 'recruit' those students as well?

Grant.UNT · September 10, 2012

Just keep winning. It'll fill. Everybody wants an easy fix. If there were an easy fix then we would have done it already.

If you win and keep winning then people will come. This reminds me of a story where this guy had a fridge to get rid of so he put it out on the corner with a sign that said free. It sat there for weeks, but nobody took it. Then he put a sign on it that $25 and it disappeared that very night.

People don't want free. People to see some exciting winning football. They'll pay $7 for a ticket if there a chance that we will win. We just have to keep winning.

casual fan · September 10, 2012

And the moral to the story is, if you want something stolen out of your yard put a $$$ sign on it.

I tried to give away two extra tickets last year and had no takers. On the upside my son and I had more room. On the down side those two empty seats didn't buy any consessions.

Leaving seats empty is one way to go, but if locals came out have a good time they might just become fans. The problem is getting them there the first time.

UNTLifer · September 10, 2012

1. Finish the pedestrian bridge making it easy for the casual fan to get to the stadium.

2. Give away wingzone tickets to the kids in the local schools.

3. Ensure a good time by having Scrappy come up and mingle with the kids.

4. Special contest for those kids, best shirt, face paint, etc..., and give a free Beth Maries' scoop of ice cream or something.

I also believe that if we get them to Apogee they will want to return.

Stan R · September 10, 2012

This is a marketing info issue I think. We need to hire a PR firm to study our target audience: Denton/Lewisville.

Here is the set of poll questions:

1.) Do you enjoy sports?

2.) Do you enjoy college sports?

3.) Why do you hate UNT?

4.) Could you be bribed to like UNT?

5.) etc.

...

Take their suggestions, then.. WINNING !

GreenPepper · September 11, 2012

Why stop there? Engage the local Community colleges as well. Heck, several of their students may wind up transferring to UNT anyway. May as well try to 'recruit' those students as well?

What's what i'm saying! Right on..

CurveItAround · September 11, 2012

I have said in talking with others for years that we should start selling end zone tickets for $1 each until it becomes a sell out and you can justify raising them. The amount of families and probably food and merchandise you would sell would make up for the loss in ticket revenue (though at this point they aren't getting any since no one buys them). This idea though will NEVER happen.

On a side note, can anyone confirm how much was being charged to park at Fouts? I heard numbers from $10-$20 - surely that is not right?

If we want to truely sell that place out, besides winning, there will have to be much more around Denton on game days in terms of publicity. I was downtown yesturday in Denton and one would have been hard pressed to know that UNT was even playing much less in town.

We paid $10 to park in Fouts across from the pit. I saw a sign indicating $20 that looked like closer parking. The area that I assume was $20 was pretty full, but did not see the parking attendants directing any traffic that direction, but we didn't get to the stadium until close to gametime..

Edited September 11, 2012 by CurveItAround