Fan Support

[BIG DAWG]

We sit here and gripe about everything but fan support.

I am not talking about crap saidf on this board, it is the same everywhere. i have a friend who is on an OU board that is calling for the firing of Stoops. Stupid things will be said on these boards. (someone will quote that)

Guys our fan support SUCKS! After the last 4 years, 23,000 should be a Tuesday night in the rain!

There is no reason that if we had REAL fan support we shouldn't be selling out Fouts.

If we had REAL fan support we shouldn't be playing at FOUTS!

You want better athletes? FILL FOUTS!

You want better coaches? FILL FOUTS!

You want better anything? FILL FOUTS!

Do you wnat to blame it on anything else? BE HAPPY WITH WHERE WE ARE THEN, BECAUSE IT ISN'T GOING TO CHANGE UNTIL FOUTS FILLS UP REGULARLY!

People are talking about how great we are because we had 23,000 at our SEASON OPENER, and then came back with 17,000.

WHO THE HELL CARES!

Those numbers suck for a team that has won as much as we have over the course of the last 4 years!

NOTHING CHANGES, NOTHING, UNTIL WE CAN FILL FOUTS!

Edited October 18, 2005 by BIG DAWG

[Travis]

I don't blame some people for not coming back after that first home game.

Niether do I blame them for not going to any game from what they could see or hear from the games.

So my counter arguement to that is... if you want to fill fouts.. Win some games! By the way, OOC gets more attention than sunbelt

[GoMeanGreen1999]

I would actually argue that we are having great fan support. 17,000 turn out for a game on a tuesday night after we got our arces handed to us at the last home game, is pretty good for Denton.

[stebo]

It is all relative. 23K is the third highest attended game in Fouts Field HISTORY. Should we be proud of that? Abso-f'ing-lutely. I would dare say that 17K was the highest attended non-Saturday game in the history of the program. We have made great progress in terms of attendance, what the people on this board are scared about is that we will take a huge step backwards because the 41K people showed up to watch two terrible games this year. Once you get people to show up (which we have this year) - you have to put on a show for them or they won't come back. The frustration you are seeing on the boards is the uneasiness that we have just blew our chance at having a great season (attendance wise) because our coach didn't prepare for the future properly. Some agree, some disagree... that is the point of the board, to discuss those things. But if you want to bad mouth our attendance, well - that is just BS - we are head and shoulders above where we were just 5 years ago. 5 years ago I sat on the deck with FFRick and Mean Rob for the final game of the season and we could literally COUNT the amount of people in the stands. I would guess that there was MAYBE 500 there, including the teams and the band. Relatively speaking - we have come a LONG way.

[BIG DAWG]

By the way, OOC gets more attention than sunbelt

I don't blame some people for not coming back after that first home game.

Niether do I blame them for not going to any game from what they could see or hear from the games.

You think? You are a GENIUS!

Teams will not win it all every year. Are you only a supporter when things are good?

I know we are not lighting the world on fire, we are far from it, but after 4 years of dominance you are FINE with people not coming due to a half season of troubles?

That is the crap that sets me off!

A 1/2 of a bad season, after 4 seasons of dominance, and people arwe perfectly OK with people not coming back.

Hell, after we lose a game, why don't we all just quit coming! We lose to Troy and no one comes back. Hell, if we aren't winning lets not come

[Travis]

You think? You are a GENIUS!

Teams will not win it all every year. Are you only a supporter when things are good?

I know we are not lighting the world on fire, we are far from it, but after 4 years of dominance you are FINE with people not coming due to a half season of troubles?

That is the crap that sets me off!

A 1/2 of a bad season, after 4 seasons of dominance, and people arwe perfectly OK with people not coming back.

Hell, after we lose a game, why don't we all just quit coming! We lose to Troy and no one comes back. Hell, if we aren't winning lets not come

[BIG DAWG]

I want us to see these numbers across the board for every game! That is a horrible number for a HOME OPENER!

I am not even going to begin to talk about attendence records at this school. That is not important to me. The products on the field are totally different.

If you think attendence is fine, explain to me what is going to happen next home game. If we had fan support that was worth a flip, we would have 20,000, even with our record.

Just to clarify, I am not talking about the people that are the games religiously, and I would hate not to include the Mighty Stebo who believes he is the best fan out there with all of his grand memories of yesteryear.

I am talking about the fan base as a whole. I also don't want to hear about that Denton crowd BS.

To solve everyones gripes, MARKETING, COACHING, STADIUM, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO FAN SUPPORT, AND OUR LACK OF!

[BIG DAWG]

I laugh at how you say we have had four years of dominence. Our seasons have hardly been dominant. It is not ONE half season of troubles. It is a continual process year in and out. It is telling when all we do is beat our conference mates and NO ONE else. Why should someone support something that is quite lousy.

I think you would be hard pressed to find many teams, BCS included, that would not accept 4 straight conference championships, if they would have to forfeit OOC success.

There are like 117 schools, give me a number, there will be some, that will not accept the success we have had over the last 4 years

[stebo]

The thing is DUMBASS - you are preaching to the freaking choir. Everyone on this board goes to the stupid games. If you want to argue about coaches or plays then we can have disagreements... but how can you scream at US abotu fan support when we are part of the support that shows up? What are you, 10 years old? And thank you for recognizing my greatness, it is about f-ing time.

[PHSCoach]

Remember Big Dawg this is the group of fans that took UNT back to 1AA.

Yes this board has many great fans that will always be there but the base is not growing we avg what 15,500 last year and in basketball what 2,100???

[Eagle1855]

there sure is alot of speculation on this thread... lets see how the next home game turns out before we start attacking the fan base

23k for a crappy stadium for a BAD football team in a terrible conference aint all that bad. 17k for the same on a tuesday night isnt bad either

U of Houston has a pretty decent stadium and we are killing them in attendance-- and they have a much better team than we do (FWIW they did beat the same Tulsa team we got our butts handed to by and UH played down to the wire with UTEP)... they have a better conference, history of winning, they have alot more than we do. blah blah blah

Point is, I dont think where we are right now is a destination, rather i believe it is more of a step along the way- the next rung of the ladder. Our attendance will continue to grow every year as it has done. Its hard to go from ZERO support to filling fouts in 6 years. I mean, we just started tailgating like 4-5 years ago! You are having delusions of grandeur if you think we should be selling out games year in and year out for people to see the likes of U- La- Pickem or F_U...

As far as the relationship between winning/coaching/marketing/etc... i do not think you can point to one and say it should be targeted more than the other (with respects to attendance)... many of these things are interrelated. I think the univeristy is headed in the right direction. Winning is probably the biggest thing (and that IS coaching) we can change quickly. Solve that and get a successful basketball program then maybe we can get out of sunbelt hell... support will follow, as will a new stadium

Edited October 18, 2005 by Eagle1855

[shaft]

I don't get it. What's wrong with the fan base.

Attendence is up.

Merchandising is up.

Media coverage is up.

Wait the team as lost 3 games an all those things are still happening. So what's wrong with the fan base again?

[stebo]

Remember Big Dawg this is the group of fans that took UNT back to 1AA.

Yes this board has many great fans that will always be there but the base is not growing we avg what 15,500 last year and in basketball what 2,100???

←

Actually, my group of fans took us back up to IA. I was VP of SA (now SGA) at the time and led the charge to do it. There are many generations on this board, you should not just stick us all in one category. On a lighter note, I was just physically threatened by Big Dawg in a PM, it will nice to see him banned finally.

Edited October 18, 2005 by stebo

[j0nat8an]

i think the key to growing fan support is consistant winning over time. i graduate in may and will be back for every home game once i'm gone and i'm sure many of my classmates will say the same. the point is, keep the consistant winning up and the current students will grow into faithfully attending alums who will pour money into the program and it all grows together. part of the problem is the general lack of pride people have for their school in general around here, but i think we're heading in the right direction. i agree, it's going to take some time.

[UNTLifer]

Remember Big Dawg this is the group of fans that took UNT back to 1AA.

Yes this board has many great fans that will always be there but the base is not growing we avg what 15,500 last year and in basketball what 2,100???

←

No, PHS Coach, this group of fans didn't take UNT back to 1AA, the administration made that decision. Get your facts straight.

[BIG DAWG]

No one was physically threatened!

I simply messaged him to let him know to back off! He was taking things a little too far with his comments. I chose to voice this to him in a PM. He needs to watch out what he says, and remember this is message board not a playground for name calling.

Stebo obviously thinks we are in Middle School, and still fight at the flag pole after school is out.

I was complimented though, when he thought I was going to fight him like a middle schooler, he said he thought I might be an ex-player.

Thank you that was the best compliment I have received in a long time. I would kill to be an ex-UNT football player.

Well, I am sorry not KILL, I would hate to offend, or scare Stebo

[j0nat8an]

i was just emotionally threatened by eppy4life in a PM, can i get him banned?

[RETSO]

Thing is your BOTH right........

Calm down Stebo, go get a mint skoal bandit and relax!!!

Big Dawg, go play ps2 and fantasize about playing in the Big 12.

Stebo,things have come a long way. I do remember when 8,000 was a good crowd, and most of the crowd of 8,000 came to see Deep Blue Something in the party tent before the game.

Dawg, your right. Better support=more money=better stadium=better players=etc..etc..etc..

Problem is we do suck this year. No good reason for our pathetic offense. A Juco QB should have been ont he horizon before the season started, no matter if Beverly was here or not. At this point 6-5 would be lovely.

I say we all meet before the next home game and do a few shots and let this bickering end..

"why are we fighting".....

[stebo]

Holy crap, we got Oster to post - our plan worked Big Dawg.

[El Paso Eagle]

You think? You are a GENIUS!

Teams will not win it all every year. Are you only a supporter when things are good?

I know we are not lighting the world on fire, we are far from it, but after 4 years of dominance you are FINE with people not coming due to a half season of troubles?

That is the crap that sets me off!

A 1/2 of a bad season, after 4 seasons of dominance, and people arwe perfectly OK with people not coming back.

Hell, after we lose a game, why don't we all just quit coming! We lose to Troy and no one comes back. Hell, if we aren't winning lets not come

[RETSO]

Damm Stebo

You blew my cover!

[HoustonEagle]

there sure is alot of speculation on this thread... lets see how the next home game turns out before we start attacking the fan base

23k for a crappy stadium for a BAD football team in a terrible conference aint all that bad. 17k for the same on a tuesday night isnt bad either

U of Houston has a pretty decent stadium and we are killing them in attendance-- and they have a much better team than we do (FWIW they did beat the same Tulsa team we got our butts handed to by and UH played down to the wire with UTEP)... they have a better conference, history of winning, they have alot more than we do. blah blah blah

Point is, I dont think where we are right now is a destination, rather i believe it is more of a step along the way- the next rung of the ladder. Our attendance will continue to grow every year as it has done. Its hard to go from ZERO support to filling fouts in 6 years. I mean, we just started tailgating like 4-5 years ago! You are having delusions of grandeur if you think we should be selling out games year in and year out for people to see the likes of U- La- Pickem or F_U...

As far as the relationship between winning/coaching/marketing/etc... i do not think you can point to one and say it should be targeted more than the other (with respects to attendance)... many of these things are interrelated. I think the univeristy is headed in the right direction. Winning is probably the biggest thing (and that IS coaching) we can change quickly. Solve that and get a successful basketball program then maybe we can get out of sunbelt hell... support will follow, as will a new stadium

←

I completely agree.

[UNTLifer]

i think the key to growing fan support is consistant winning over time.  i graduate in may and will be back for every home game once i'm gone and i'm sure many of my classmates will say the same.  the point is, keep the consistant winning up and the current students will grow into faithfully attending alums who will pour money into the program and it all grows together.  part of the problem is the general lack of pride people have for their school in general around here, but i think we're heading in the right direction.  i agree, it's going to take some time.

←

Herein lies the answer to growing the season ticket base.

[NT80]

7-40 OOC = same coach lucky to have same job and program have any fans

[buff64]

It might be beneficial to the fan base to have some home games. Two home games in the first eight weeks of the season , and one of them on a tuesday. They were going to support the team, but to ask them to wait a month between home games is a little too much to ask. Getting fans in the habit of going to the games is a key to continued home fan support.