attendance...

[shaft]

I like how this thread as digressed into back in my day we'd walk ten miles barefoot, up a hill of broken glass to watch UNT football.

Look, everyone knew the early start and playing opposite this year's game of the century was going to hurt attendance. That addresses the people who didn't turn out for the game.

I have a really issue for the students that turned out for the tailgate and either went home when the game started or just stayed on the hill and partied.

"We" have to find away to make the game the central game day attraction.

[UNTFan23]

Winning will help attendance at games. Tough to justify staying in the heat for what could have ended up being a losing effort. Those that went to the game should be thanked. Those that stayed for the entire game were rewarded with a great comeback win.

Hopefully we do well the next couple games allowing for more people to decide to go to the game against Middle Tennessee.

Edited September 16, 2013 by UNTFan23

[PlummMeanGreen]

Future UNT students Game Day theme song?

Edited September 16, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[rws69]

I didn't get up there yesterday, but I looked up at my seats on the Club level a couple of times, and it seemed like that was the fullest I have seen the Club stands. Was the Club indoors area busy also?

GMG

We usually have to wade through a large crowd at the bar just to go inside. The couple of times I went in yesterday it was not crowded inside at all, as most people were either outside in their seats or near a TV screen watching some game down in the central part of the state.

[JRock]

My kids were sun burning. We moved from Wingzone so we could stay the whole game.

[wardly]

I really don't understand the 30% drop off in attendance between Idaho and Ball State games. The only difference I can see is kick off time.

[EagleGreen]

I teach class here at the U and asked several students, as I have in the past, about not attending the game. I always encourage game attendance and hold a pretty decent tailgate. However, many still do not attend. The reason? It really comes in 2 forms (as a majority).

1. They are embarassed to have school spirit. It's cool, at UNT, to not have school spirit (apparently) so having it is going against the grain. Their words.

2. The simple words, "North Texas". This sounds "redneck" to them and, as you know, this is not a redneck school. Why not "UNT Mean Green?", they ask. Why "North Texas?"

In other words, they do not feel like the team represents the University (UNT, as it's branded). As such, they are not going to stick their neck on the line (go against the grain) to have school spirit. They wager that most of the students in attendance are clubs or greeks and that the average eagle would only attend with changes, like 1) make school spirit cool, 2) represent with "UNT" not "North Texas", and 3) win more (I've informed them that this is happening.) Finally, today (9/16) many students believe that UNT lost the game because their buddies and reports left at half time (or before) and said UNT was getting killed. Many were suprised to know UNT won. That probably means even less in attendance next time.

Their you have it folks; the zeitgeist of the student body. Let's make the UNT Mean Green cool again. Go Mean Green!

Edited September 16, 2013 by EagleGreen

[meangreener]

I teach class here at the U and asked several students, as I have in the past, about not attending the game. I always encourage game attendance and hold a pretty decent tailgate. However, many still do not attend. The reason? It really comes in 2 forms (as a majority).

1. They are embarassed to have school spirit. It's cool, at UNT, to not have school spirit (apparently) so having it is going against the grain. Their words.

2. The simple words, "North Texas". This sounds "redneck" to them and, as you know, this is not a redneck school. Why not "UNT Mean Green?", they ask. Why "North Texas?"

In other words, they do not feel like the team represents the University (UNT, as it's branded). As such, they are not going to stick their neck on the line (go against the grain) to have school spirit. They wager that most of the students in attendance are clubs or greeks and that the average eagle would only attend with changes, like 1) make school spirit cool, 2) represent with "UNT" not "North Texas", and 3) win more (I've informed them that this is happening.) Finally, today (9/16) many students believe that UNT lost the game because their buddies and reports left at half time (or before) and said UNT was getting killed. Many were suprised to know UNT won. That probably means even less in attendance next time.

Their you have it folks; the zeitgeist of the student body. Let's make the UNT Mean Green cool again. Go Mean Green!

How is it redneck?

Also, many people I know who don't care about football have told me "Well, guess I should go to the games, looks like we're actually good for once." Then I proceed to tell them we're 9-4 at home...

[GrayEagle]

If they are embarrassed by school spirit then they are hopeless. I'd let them enjoy their apathy and solitude. However, I wonder if they view all universities that have school spirit as uncool or inferior. If it's okay for Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, etc. to have school spirit but not us... why not us? Maybe it's just me but I see those without school spirit as misfits. If academics is all they crave they do not need a campus. Athletics, fine arts, lectures, etc. are what makes it necessary to attend college on campus. They are excellent candidates for distance learning. They don't need or want to be mainstream. There are too many that want the college experience to waste time on these isolationists.

If the word "North Texas" is considered redneck then what are they doing here? First of all, everyone alive who has attended this university has had "North Texas" as a part of the nomenclature. UNT has been in existence since 1988. Letter initials are primarily for those whose name is too long to fit most marquees. UNT is fine for me where even more brevity is needed or to avoid redundancy. We've been known as North Texas since at least the 40s. Switchboard operators at that time answered "North Texas" when you called; not North Texas State or North Texas State Teachers College. It's our heritage. If it's that uncool I'd find a university with a classy name. In addition, UNT can be used in some demeaning words and I don't see that happening with North Texas.

At least there's hope for the second group. There are many names that I didn't care for at first but later accepted.

[KRAM1]

Really why? You don't think the students have parties to go to? Alumni have tough traffic, kiddo parties, and other commitments.

Agree King...lots of excuses to be found...if one wants to find one that is....as one poster likes to say..."only at North Texas"! You think this would be a problem for OSU, OU, Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU, LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Texas, etc., etc.? These are they type of schools folks here seem to think we aspire to be...or do we just compare ourselves to them when there is something we want to reflect on UNT in a negative light? Heck I went to a game at SFA once on Halloween night and the place was rocking! Lots of kids all dressed up and lots of families...will admit that some with the younger kids left at halftime and it was a Saturday...but it was Halloween.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Agree King...lots of excuses to be found...if one wants to find one that is....as one poster likes to say..."only at North Texas"! You think this would be a problem for OSU, OU, Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU, LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Texas, etc., etc.? These are they type of schools folks here seem to think we aspire to be...or do we just compare ourselves to them when there is something we want to reflect on UNT in a negative light? Heck I went to a game at SFA once on Halloween night and the place was rocking! Lots of kids all dressed up and lots of families...will admit that some with the younger kids left at halftime and it was a Saturday...but it was Halloween.

I'll be so disappointed if UNT does not have kid-centered festivities for the Halloween game. In all seriousness, this game could be the best game for Denton-area residents to come out with their kids (when they would otherwise never bother to show up) because it could be a great place for trick-or-treating. Come for the free candy, stay for the game!

[DallasGreen]

I like how this thread as digressed into back in my day we'd walk ten miles barefoot, up a hill of broken glass to watch UNT football.

Look, everyone knew the early start and playing opposite this year's game of the century was going to hurt attendance. That addresses the people who didn't turn out for the game.

I have a really issue for the students that turned out for the tailgate and either went home when the game started or just stayed on the hill and partied.

"We" have to find away to make the game the central game day attraction.

The student side was abysmal. Use heat as an excuse once but not again when it's ten degrees cooler. If they can't turn out by the Rice game, then there is a serious problem! I was born in Texas work my ranch in one hundred five degree

heat and don't wear short pants like our band.

I might add I'm 66 years old. If these kids can't take the Texas heat, they'll be in assisted living by 40.

[meaniegreenie]

If they are embarrassed by school spirit then they are hopeless. I'd let them enjoy their apathy and solitude. However, I wonder if they view all universities that have school spirit as uncool or inferior. If it's okay for Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, etc. to have school spirit but not us... why not us? Maybe it's just me but I see those without school spirit as misfits.

Too many of the students are "wannabe"s for other places. For whatever reason, they're at UNT, but would really prefer to be somewhere else.

Junior "Douche" Miller is a perfect example of this.

[Green Mean]

I might add I'm 66 years old. If these kids can't take the Texas heat, they'll be in assisted living by 40.

It's not like can't handle it but they have a choice and they choose not to be a part of it. We still have a lot of apathy here. Just keep on winning and you can only hope that will start to change.

Too many of the students are "wannabe"s for other places. For whatever reason, they're at UNT, but would really prefer to be somewhere else.

Junior "Douche" Miller is a perfect example of this.

From what I recall he's never dissed NT at all and recalls a lot of fond memories he has. Yes he probably doesn't take as much interest in it as we'd all like and he grew up an OU fan but I've never heard him completely diss and disregard our school tho I could be wrong.

[meaniegreenie]

From what I recall he's never dissed NT at all and recalls a lot of fond memories he has. Yes he probably doesn't take as much interest in it as we'd all like and he grew up an OU fan but I've never heard him completely diss and disregard our school tho I could be wrong.

I may be wrong, but I don't get the feeling that he attended a lot of games.

The other part of my comment was due to his statement last week to Georgio that it was "too bad he had to go to the North Texas game".

Edited September 16, 2013 by meaniegreenie

[PlummMeanGreen]

I teach class here at the U and asked several students, as I have in the past, about not attending the game. I always encourage game attendance and hold a pretty decent tailgate. However, many still do not attend. The reason? It really comes in 2 forms (as a majority).

1. They are embarassed to have school spirit. It's cool, at UNT, to not have school spirit (apparently) so having it is going against the grain. Their words.

2. The simple words, "North Texas". This sounds "redneck" to them and, as you know, this is not a redneck school. Why not "UNT Mean Green?", they ask. Why "North Texas?"

In other words, they do not feel like the team represents the University (UNT, as it's branded). As such, they are not going to stick their neck on the line (go against the grain) to have school spirit. They wager that most of the students in attendance are clubs or greeks and that the average eagle would only attend with changes, like 1) make school spirit cool, 2) represent with "UNT" not "North Texas", and 3) win more (I've informed them that this is happening.) Finally, today (9/16) many students believe that UNT lost the game because their buddies and reports left at half time (or before) and said UNT was getting killed. Many were suprised to know UNT won. That probably means even less in attendance next time.

Their you have it folks; the zeitgeist of the student body. Let's make the UNT Mean Green cool again. Go Mean Green!

I Think I Know The Answer But I'm Not Sure & I Don't Know Why I

Can't Be Briefer (except for all I want to say on this subject).

Be nice to change that attitude as posted above by EagleGreen but we probably have so many more who don't have that attitude

and it will be from that reservoir of UNT students who will one day start filling the east side of Apogee Stadium and coming back

as alums.

THIS:

It has always been my opinion that North Texas is choking on a gnat with this attendance thing and not

from any one particular regime who just happens to be on our UNT payroll.

THAR'S GOLD OVER 'DERE ON DAT' BIG OL' MOUNTAIN!

? With us is it a matter like the man who owned a mountain of gold who just didn't have the first idea as to

where to put his pic axe in the ground first to begin step #1 to mine all the gold he knew was already there?

I love my school....you love our school....but the inactions of our "would be" gold miner as stated above is what I've always thought

was our attitude and subsequent problem at UNT almost since my first game as a UNT student in September of 1973.

Perhaps at times we might think......WALA!.......the heavens above will

open and all our UNT constituency will simultaneously finally "get it" about supporting theirs/ours alma mater's football team and they

will all just suddenly appear out of the blue at Apogee Stadium? Someone please call me when this happens, OK?

BASIC FACT #1 : Our school is located in the DFW Metroplex. There are 1,000 other things a UNT student or UNT alum can do on

Game Days and we only have to look at empty seats to know that fact is true. Unfortunatley (or fortunately); you know, sorta' like one of those half

full or half empty deals, we of North Texas are going to have to work our butts off to get our students and home fan base of Denton County out to Apogee on

Game Days because in the DFW Metroplex it is no longer a case of...we may have a good team this Fall so YALL COME OUT NOW, YA' HEAR?

Because of our school's prime location in the Land of a 1,000 Dances as well as 1,000 other things our UNT students can do on

Game Days, we of North Texas are just going to have face the fact that none of our past formulas to get the students or general

populous out to Game Days have worked and 14,000 plus at Apogee last Saturday is proof.

Then is it also a matter that we merely have to admit there is a problem with our attendance and to quit acting as if it doesn't exist? (Almost like an alcoholic has to eventually 'fess up and start solving his own problem) and then we may have to start doing things we see other schools (successfully) doing then swallow a little pride and just downright copy-cat how their success at the

turnstiles to get larger groups to a very deserving Mean Green football team.

And yes, maybe even copy-cat UH and Ohio U and have a Band Day would be one of those kind of promotions but most likely that will "ONLY" happen if our Green Brigade Marching Band Director decides its' going to happen but................see the below incentives to help him make it happen.

FINALLY....IN CLOSING....Well, Kinda' Sorta'......!

Would 2,000 more non-traditional UNT fans attending one Game Day each football season really be worth the trouble? Would We Have Had Room For Another 2,000 Fans Inside Apogee @ Our Ball State Game on Saturday With TV Cameras All Over The Place? If so........maybe this?

The UNT adminstration (Lane Rawlins & Company) or UNT athletics (Rick V & Company) or "BOTH?" could go to the GB Marching Band Director and offer to help fund much of an annual Band Day promotion as to encourage it to happen again at North Texas--Silver Eagle will tell you this was an annual event at UNT even in the 60's).

Might they even offer the Green Brigade Marching Band Director an extra in$entive to pull off this promotion, too, that is, to have our

2'nd Bands Over Texas At Apogee (Band Day) or whatever the heck they want to call it...the name doesn't matter, but the effort to make

it happen again at North Texas does. Other schools are still doing Band Days, why North Texas is not one of them doesn't make cents).

After my own 40 years of following much of this at North Texas, I still believe in my heart of hearts that this whole attendance thing is fixable North Texas being in the CUSA West Division is one heckuva place for us to start fixin' it since we know traveling fans will soon be coming to Apogee from most our West Division foes BUT FOR ALL OUR OTHER GAMES (?).......

............ maybe even form a Denton-based and.or Denton Mayor led "Group of 100" committee as untjim1995 posted about when Texas Christian University formed theirs with many of the City of Fort Worth movers/shakers after the SWC disbanded and how TCU'ers everywhere all noticed this....

........that without UT, TAMU, Texas Tech and Baylor's traveling fans coming to Amon Carter Stadium they, too, suddenly had their own attendance problems on Game Days but fact remains..........

.................at North Texas, we just need to have a hired gun (whether one officed at the UNT admininstration bldg or housed at the UNT athletics dept. under AD/Rick V's umbrella) and the right one who'll take the ball and run with it....wouldn't all agree if this were done right that it's really a full time job...............(or)...

........maybe even a Denton-based "Committee of 50 or 100" who could & would do the same ); that is, those who are going put the pic axe deep into that mountain of gold and for our school to finally get a serious "significantly more butts in seats" promotions program.

GMG!

Edited September 16, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen