Dear Dr. Smatresk

SilverEagle · May 23, 2016

You are about to make one of the most important hiring decisions of your tenure. As it is, this firing/hiring process was almost too late to resurrect our athletic program.

First of all, this program has never been like any other program, so you cannot hire just any Athletic Director candidate who has been a good assistant at an already successful program. Our challenges are not just win/loss they are CULTURAL. If he is still alive and able to have a lucid conversation on the phone, you need to call Hayden Fry and ask him about what sort of AD you need to hire. Back in the day, he recognized all of our "challenges" and he set out to make sweeping CULTURAL CHANGES as well as win/loss changes.

Our next AD needs to believe that this is a GREAT UNIVERSITY and conduct himself accordingly. He must never use the phrase "sleeping giant" in talking about North Texas.

Our next AD needs to demand that all current and future staff believe it as well.

Or next AD needs to go to the University instructors and staff and convince them that they are wanted and needed in the process of making the athletic department as great as the University. Then he needs to go to the Alumni and finally the students.

Our next AD needs to be assertively courting the community and surrounding areas, and demand that his staff do the same. The daily mantra for all athletic staff should be "how have I improved the image of North Texas athletics today!

Our next AD needs to be a person that craves public speaking, is good at it, and seeks every opportunity to satisfy this craving.

Sincerely,

Someone who has seen what a real AD can do.

GrandGreen · May 23, 2016

Add the new AD should never used the term culture to define NT's lack of progress.

SilverEagle · May 23, 2016

4 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

Add the new AD should never used the term culture to define NT's lack of progress.

How about "previous culture".

MeanGreen_MBA · May 23, 2016

2 hours ago, SilverEagle said:

You are about to make one of the most important hiring decisions of your tenure. As it is, this firing/hiring process was almost too late to resurrect our athletic program.

First of all, this program has never been like any other program, so you cannot hire just any Athletic Director candidate who has been a good assistant at an already successful program. Our challenges are not just win/loss they are CULTURAL. If he is still alive and able to have a lucid conversation on the phone, you need to call Hayden Fry and ask him about what sort of AD you need to hire. Back in the day, he recognized all of our "challenges" and he set out to make sweeping CULTURAL CHANGES as well as win/loss changes.

Our next AD needs to believe that this is a GREAT UNIVERSITY and conduct himself accordingly. He must never use the phrase "sleeping giant" in talking about North Texas.

Our next AD needs to demand that all current and future staff believe it as well.

Or next AD needs to go to the University instructors and staff and convince them that they are wanted and needed in the process of making the athletic department as great as the University. Then he needs to go to the Alumni and finally the students.

Our next AD needs to be assertively courting the community and surrounding areas, and demand that his staff do the same. The daily mantra for all athletic staff should be "how have I improved the image of North Texas athletics today!

Our next AD needs to be a person that craves public speaking, is good at it, and seeks every opportunity to satisfy this craving.

Sincerely,

Someone who has seen what a real AD can do.

was that a job application???

untjim1995 · May 23, 2016

I think the smartest thing a new AD should do here is to figure out a way to fill the Super Pit and Apogee, even if a lot of tickets are free or given out with a purchase of something. There is no reason that Apogee or the Super Pitt shouldn't be at least 2/3rds full, at a bare minimum, every night. A free seat ticket that is used still buys parking, concessions, and apparel. A free ticket user can still yell and help the team have some kind of a home advantage.

Until their is decent demand, give out a free reason to try out our venues and our teams and see if you get a taker or two. Right now, an empty seat is more demoralizing and costly than one with a butt in the seat--even if they got those seats for free.

greenjoe · May 23, 2016

I don't disagree that a seat with a bottom in it is far superior to an empty one, I think giving out free tickets sends the wrong message. I would like to think that a ticket to a North Texas event, athletic or otherwise, is priced according to overhead costs and the market. While buying hats and drinks contributes to the Athletic Dept's bottom line, we sell tickets for a reason. If I'm sitting in a seat that I paid for and discover that the person to my left or right got the same ticket at no cost, I'm gong to be annoyed. Even if that person is wearing is wearing 10 hats, I want them to pay a similar amount that I paid. I have often used the phrase, "If it don't cost nothin', it ain't worth nothin'."

North Texas Athletics should be a product people are willing to buy a ticket for. If we fail at the marketplace, we are not viable.

Next to hiring coaches, I would put sales at the top of the "to do" list for our new athletic director.

Thanks Rick for your work at North Texas. I have said before that you are the best Athletic Director we have ever had. good luck in whatever is next for your.

GO MEAN GREEN

SilverEagle · May 23, 2016

18 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

I think the smartest thing a new AD should do here is to figure out a way to fill the Super Pit and Apogee, even if a lot of tickets are free or given out with a purchase of something. There is no reason that Apogee or the Super Pitt shouldn't be at least 2/3rds full, at a bare minimum, every night. A free seat ticket that is used still buys parking, concessions, and apparel. A free ticket user can still yell and help the team have some kind of a home advantage.

Until their is decent demand, give out a free reason to try out our venues and our teams and see if you get a taker or two. Right now, an empty seat is more demoralizing and costly than one with a butt in the seat--even if they got those seats for free.

I was at a staffing once (one of hundreds) regarding planning for permanency for a child. The child's mother was the person that was being counted on to provide the child with permanency, but she (surprise, surprise) had a few "issues" to work on in the process of regaining custody. And so toward that end, she was involved in counseling. Her counselor was in attendance at the staffing and whilst giving her summary/overview of how her client was doing, she mentioned that she was current on her payments for her counseling. Because I knew that the mother was a person of modest means, I was surprised to hear this and commented on it. The Therapist said that she always requires her clients to pay something, even a modest amount, otherwise they won't value the counseling sessions as much. Nor would they be as committed to it and therefore get as much out of it. Her policy, as it turns out, was very effective.

I would rather see reduced prices on tickets rather than free tickets.

27 minutes ago, MeanGreen_MBA said:

was that a job application???

Would you give it serious consideration if it was?

Edited May 23, 2016 by SilverEagle

NM Green · May 23, 2016

Agree. You need to accentuate value. When I send a contract and throw in a freebie I put exactly what that freebie costs the person who has to pay. I am all for promotions. Even chicken ones, but free tickets unless to a school or band in exchange for a performance or effort.

gmg

untjim1995 · May 23, 2016

For this upcoming season, when we are playing Butt Cookman and MUTS, I think handing out 5000 tickets to area schools or to the Denton Chamber of Commerce would make a lot of sense, instead of watching us play those guys in front of capacities that are half or less. But I do agree on asking for value for our product--I just think that we have to make extraordinary steps going forward in this season to start rebuilding a reputation with our fanbase and the town.

MeanGreen_MBA · May 23, 2016

10 minutes ago, SilverEagle said:

I was at a staffing once (one of hundreds) regarding planning for permanency for a child. The child's mother was the person that was being counted on to provide the child with permanency, but she (surprise, surprise) had a few "issues" to work on in the process of regaining custody. And so toward that end, she was involved in counseling. Her counselor was in attendance at the staffing and whilst giving her summary/overview of how her client was doing, she mentioned that she was current on her payments for her counseling. Because I knew that the mother was a person of modest means, I was surprised to hear this and commented on it. The Therapist said that she always requires her clients to pay something, even a modest amount, otherwise they won't value the counseling sessions as much. Nor would they be as committed to it and therefore get as much out of it. Her policy, as it turns out, was very effective.

I would rather see reduced prices on tickets rather than free tickets.

Would you give it serious consideration if it was?

If I thought they would hire me for that job...I would jump on in in a second, but e wearing everything Green in my closet 9which is a lot) does not make me qualified to run a Big Time AD

wardly · May 23, 2016

I think people are accustomed to free ticket promotions. Do you think that everyone pays the same price for airline tickets on the same flight with same destination as you?

UNTFan23 · May 23, 2016

Just now, wardly said:

I think people are accustomed to free ticket promotions. Do you think that everyone pays the same price for airline tickets on the same flight with same destination as you?

Free tickets sets the bar low on the true value of watching a NT game -- which is $0.00. There are better marketing approaches to use rather than throwing free tickets at people.

Airlines often reward people with heavily discounted airfare (often with blackout windows) for people that have spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on airfare.

Harry · May 23, 2016

I agree, don't give it away for free with the exception of the Wing Zone. We need some type of real promotion to make that section more attractive. Again, the product needs to be the driver here.