If I were UNT promotions director

[emmitt01]

I know that I often harp on the abhorrent promotions work done by our athletic department and I am often challenged by the premise that there is 1)Simply not enough budget or 2)Just too much work in our athletic department for our promotions staff to tend to little things like promoting a game. Also, since many seem to ask "do you think you could do better?" and WE ALL KNOW that our athletic department reads this board (though they'd claim otherwise) here is what I would do if I were drawing a paycheck to promote our games. And every one of these ideas costs a grand total of willingness to get off your ass. They can feel free to steal the ideas.

For the MUTS game on Oct. 12th:

Buy one get one free wingzone tickets.

or

$5 wingzone tickets with a limit of 3 or 4

or

Since this is "Family Weekend" give every student that goes to pick up their ticket prior to Thursday of the game week a voucher for a discounted general admission ticket. Reward student initiative to commit to attendance and make it more enticing for a parent to buy a ticket.

For the Rice game on Halloween night:

One of two promotions angles.

1) Tailgate or Treat

Use the email lists that are constantly used to reach MGC members and season ticket holders to poll ticket buyers about whether they plan to tailgate that day and how early they plan to arrive. Also, get with the fraternitites/sororities and RHA to see how many student groups will be tailgating that day. If you have a large enough tailgating crowd ask each group who will have a tailgate to place a large bowl of candy out in front of their tailgating setup. Also, ask each tailgate to decorate their tents in a Halloween theme and send AD staff around to judge. Then, announce the winners at halftime of the game and have them come down to the field to be recognized. Get with Vito and ask him to include in his articles about the game that if parents will bring their kids out before the game they can "tailgate or treat" by walking amongst the tailgate setups on and around the hill.

Or, if you won't have enough pre-game tailgaters or feel that parents won't get there kids their early enough.

2) Haunted Apogee

Decorate Apogee in a Halloween theme. Put spider webs on the railing inside the stadium. Place a jack-o-lantern at each entry gate. Get some dry ice and make fog in the walkways. Play "Thriller" and other Halloween themed music during pre-game and timeouts. Set up trick or treating stations at the concession stands and outside of the spirit shops. Have a costume contest for the kids and announce winners at half time. Let the kids who come in costume do a spirit line to welcome the team back onto the field after halftime. Again, use Vito for free advertising. Ask him to work this into his blog and articles about the game during the week leading up.

Or, do some hybrid of both ideas. And you know, you could always distribute flyers at the local schools for the kids to take home.

I guess the other option is to continue letting home games "sell themselves".

Edited September 18, 2013 by emmitt01

[smoothfresh]

Fantastic ideas. I would love to see some efforts dedicated to young fans (15 or so and below). Thought would be something along the lines for every ticket purchased you can bring one person in that is 15 or younger free.

Positives: Cheaper for families, encourage kids to start cheering for the Mean Green (venture to say its a rare thing in schools to see a kid wearing UNT gear.... Mine does by the way).

I feel very passionate about the importance of getting kids involved earlier and the benefits it can have in our program's future.

[Joshdude182]

Love the Halloween ideas!

[NT03]

Trunk or treat in tailgating area for Rice game

[7travis5]

I feel the promotions department has a plethora of options for the Halloween game. The game is on Fox Sports 1, so there has to be SOMETHING for a nationally televised Halloween game, right? ...RIGHT?!?!?!

[SSP]

I know that I often harp on the abhorrent promotions work done by our athletic department and I am often challenged by the premise that there is 1)Simply not enough budget or 2)Just too much work in our athletic department for our promotions staff to tend to little things like promoting a game. Also, since many seem to ask "do you think you could do better?" and WE ALL KNOW that our athletic department reads this board (though they'd claim otherwise) here is what I would do if I were drawing a paycheck to promote our games. And every one of these ideas costs a grand total of willingness to get off your ass. They can feel free to steal the ideas.

For the MUTS game on Oct. 12th:

Buy one get one free wingzone tickets.

or

$5 wingzone tickets with a limit of 3 or 4

or

Since this is "Family Weekend" give every student that goes to pick up their ticket prior to Thursday of the game week a voucher for a discounted general admission ticket. Reward student initiative to commit to attendance and make it more enticing for a parent to buy a ticket.

For the Rice game on Halloween night:

One of two promotions angles.

1) Tailgate or Treat

Use the email lists that are constantly used to reach MGC members and season ticket holders to poll ticket buyers about whether they plan to tailgate that day and how early they plan to arrive. Also, get with the fraternitites/sororities and RHA to see how many student groups will be tailgating that day. If you have a large enough tailgating crowd ask each group who will have a tailgate to place a large bowl of candy out in front of their tailgating setup. Also, ask each tailgate to decorate their tents in a Halloween theme and send AD staff around to judge. Then, announce the winners at halftime of the game and have them come down to the field to be recognized. Get with Vito and ask him to include in his articles about the game that if parents will bring their kids out before the game they can "tailgate or treat" by walking amongst the tailgate setups on and around the hill.

Or, if you won't have enough pre-game tailgaters or feel that parents won't get there kids their early enough.

2) Haunted Apogee

Decorate Apogee in a Halloween theme. Put spider webs on the railing inside the stadium. Place a jack-o-lantern at each entry gate. Get some dry ice and make fog in the walkways. Play "Thriller" and other Halloween themed music during pre-game and timeouts. Set up trick or treating stations at the concession stands and outside of the spirit shops. Have a costume contest for the kids and announce winners at half time. Let the kids who come in costume do a spirit line to welcome the team back onto the field after halftime. Again, use Vito for free advertising. Ask him to work this into his blog and articles about the game during the week leading up.

Or, do some hybrid of both ideas. And you know, you could always distribute flyers at the local schools for the kids to take home.

I guess the other option is to continue letting home games "sell themselves".

This is brilliant!!! We have 2 elementary schoolers and cringed when we saw the game was on this night. We dont miss home games even when sick, but our 9 & 6 year old would NOT be happy with us. Dont the frats decorate their houses for parties this night?? Couldnt they lend decor and/or set booths inside Apogee??? have some greek friends, and willing to contribute time to help with this. Who would you have to speak to????

Edited September 18, 2013 by SSP

[All About UNT]

You got families in DROVES to come in on July 4th to watch the fireworks. There is no reason to not implement at least some of these ideas. Shoot.... I would even say wear a green shirt and you get free admission into the Wing Zone.

[Zeke]

You got families in DROVES to come in on July 4th to watch the fireworks. There is no reason to not implement at least some of these ideas. Shoot.... I would even say wear a green shirt and you get free admission into the Wing Zone.

I like this idea - as well as having new super Scrappy spend most of his time in the Wing Zone with the kids. Keep them entertained.

Tailgaters - make this candy idea happen!

[Green P1]

The special promotion will be a big empty stadium on national television!!!!

[Marty]

this is a no brainer which means that it probably won't happen. Great ideas Emmitt!

[meaniegreenie]

Have numerous drawings/whatever *all* during the game, starting early, and make it well known beforehand.

Do this in order to get butts in the seats in time for KO and keep them there the whole game.

These don't have to be high dollar items. These are college kids and $20 or $40 gift certificates would be enough to keep many interested.

Maybe include a couple of halftime events, i.e. fg kicks, contests, etc. that win $50 or so. I don't think you have to have $25k fg contests to keep them interested.

[drex]

If you were the promotions director, you would have the cushiest job in America.

[meaniegreenie]

Oh, yeah, totally agree that we ought to be leveraging off of the h'ween thing.

Give the parents a reason to bring the kids to the game.

[untbowler]

I know that I often harp on the abhorrent promotions work done by our athletic department and I am often challenged by the premise that there is 1)Simply not enough budget or 2)Just too much work in our athletic department for our promotions staff to tend to little things like promoting a game. Also, since many seem to ask "do you think you could do better?" and WE ALL KNOW that our athletic department reads this board (though they'd claim otherwise) here is what I would do if I were drawing a paycheck to promote our games. And every one of these ideas costs a grand total of willingness to get off your ass. They can feel free to steal the ideas.

For the MUTS game on Oct. 12th:

Buy one get one free wingzone tickets.

or

$5 wingzone tickets with a limit of 3 or 4

or

Since this is "Family Weekend" give every student that goes to pick up their ticket prior to Thursday of the game week a voucher for a discounted general admission ticket. Reward student initiative to commit to attendance and make it more enticing for a parent to buy a ticket.

For the Rice game on Halloween night:

One of two promotions angles.

1) Tailgate or Treat

Use the email lists that are constantly used to reach MGC members and season ticket holders to poll ticket buyers about whether they plan to tailgate that day and how early they plan to arrive. Also, get with the fraternitites/sororities and RHA to see how many student groups will be tailgating that day. If you have a large enough tailgating crowd ask each group who will have a tailgate to place a large bowl of candy out in front of their tailgating setup. Also, ask each tailgate to decorate their tents in a Halloween theme and send AD staff around to judge. Then, announce the winners at halftime of the game and have them come down to the field to be recognized. Get with Vito and ask him to include in his articles about the game that if parents will bring their kids out before the game they can "tailgate or treat" by walking amongst the tailgate setups on and around the hill.

Or, if you won't have enough pre-game tailgaters or feel that parents won't get there kids their early enough.

2) Haunted Apogee

Decorate Apogee in a Halloween theme. Put spider webs on the railing inside the stadium. Place a jack-o-lantern at each entry gate. Get some dry ice and make fog in the walkways. Play "Thriller" and other Halloween themed music during pre-game and timeouts. Set up trick or treating stations at the concession stands and outside of the spirit shops. Have a costume contest for the kids and announce winners at half time. Let the kids who come in costume do a spirit line to welcome the team back onto the field after halftime. Again, use Vito for free advertising. Ask him to work this into his blog and articles about the game during the week leading up.

Or, do some hybrid of both ideas. And you know, you could always distribute flyers at the local schools for the kids to take home.

I guess the other option is to continue letting home games "sell themselves".

Good ideas thrown out there, would love to see something like that tried,

[meaniegreenie]

The special promotion will be a big empty stadium on national television!!!!

Tune in to watch the largest gathering of ghosts ever seen on TV!

[SSP]

Can I also vote that Scrappy watches all the kids while parents watch the game? Just throwing that out there...

YES.... lets roll with this. Game daycare. And approve alchohol @ Apogee. They'll come in masses.

Edited September 18, 2013 by SSP

[Army of Dad]

Can I also vote that Scrappy watches all the kids while parents watch the game? Just throwing that out there...

Spoken like a mom!

[MDH]

I really don't think you're going to be able to sell families on this. I'd rather see effort on the students whose parties are all LATER so they could go to the game thats earlier.

[Army of Dad]

I really don't think you're going to be able to sell families on this. I'd rather see effort on the students whose parties are all LATER so they could go to the game thats earlier.

Disagree. If our kids were a bit younger this is exactly what we would be interested in. As it is, we will be watching our son play football that night.

[MDH]

When I was a kid I was a massive, fanatical football fan. But, there's NO way I was going to give up trick-or-treating with friends for it. It's next to xmas for a kid in terms of kick-ass holidays.

[NM Green]

I love the idea of tailgating trick or treating! Kids from all over Denton descend in apogee in Halloween and families get to enter and sit in the Wing zone for $20 up to four people $5 each additional human adult or kid. Trick or treating begins at 5p. Game to folow! Love the idea. Also the spooky tent idea is great. The big green bus has a mean green advantage! GMG

[Green Crazy]

I really don't think you're going to be able to sell families on this. I'd rather see effort on the students whose parties are all LATER so they could go to the game thats earlier.

I agree that it will be hard to sell families on this. in my case I would have to get off work early, go grab the family, turn around and drive an hour to get to the game, hopefully get there around 6ish (but probably not), trick or treat with the little one for 15-20 minutes, watch a half of football and leave because that's going to put us at about 8:15 and drive an hour back so the little one can get to bed and go to school the next day. the tailgate trick or treating might be an option for those taking off from work early or for those that live near to denton, but not for the others. and even if they live close they will need to leave the game early to get the kids home or at least the younger kids home.

[ADLER]

Celebrate the Halloween night game with a Rocky Horror theme, and bring back North Texas alum Meat Loaf (Michael Lee Aday) so that the university can award him a Lifetime Acheivement Award. Meat Loaf is one of the best selling artists of all time, having sold over 100 million albums, and I think this would have been a perfect opportunity for the university to honor him.

It could be a halftime presentation of Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul, I Really Love That Rock And Roll with Meat Loaf, the Green Brigade, the Dance Team and other members of UNT's performing arts community.

Edited September 18, 2013 by ADLER

[casual fan]

Zombie Apocalypse at Apogee

Have the students dress up as zombies.

It cost nothing. Just post some flyers and/or send the students an email.

Students who don't even care about football would show up just for the craziness.

Plus a bunch of screaming zombie in the stand after a score would make for some great TV .

[UNT 90 Grad]

When I was a kid I was a massive, fanatical football fan. But, there's NO way I was going to give up trick-or-treating with friends for it. It's next to xmas for a kid in terms of kick-ass holidays.

Sorry, but This.

RV has already said at multiple events that we'll be having tailgate trick-or-treating at the Rice game. My kids don't want to miss out on seeing their neighborhood friends in their costumes, all the special things the neighbors do to their houses, etc.