Timing of Stadium Donation Announcement

rcade · November 23, 2006

This is a great day for North Texas athletics, but the press has mostly missed it.

I don't understand the timing of the $1.5 million donation and stadium capital fund announcement. Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving is the time to bury bad news, not share good news. It looks like the Goldfields' incredible act of generosity only rated one media mention today -- a couple of paragraphs in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

If North Texas is going to raise the capital to build a stadium, the PR people need to be smarter than this.

GoMeanGreen1999 · November 23, 2006

I think he had to make the announcement as soon as he could since he made an announcement a week or two ago two early. Another words, the timing of his original announcement was bad. He should have waited till he knew the official to announce, but instead he announced there could be one.

Oh well, at least we are moving forward.

DeepGreen · November 23, 2006

We can second guess the AD's actions till the cows come home. Let's just be thankful for the generosity of the Goldfields and leave it at that.

MeanGreen61 · November 23, 2006

We can second guess the AD's actions till the cows come home. Let's just be thankful for the generosity of the Goldfields and leave it at that.
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AMEN. No need to search for the dark side of every event or post.

SilverEagle · November 23, 2006

AMEN. No need to search for the dark side of every event or post.
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Are you kidding? That is the favorite sport/pass time of most North Texas students....and many alumni.

Just remember my old adage about North Texas students.

You could stand on the busiest corner of the North Texas campus and hand out $100 bills. Eventually (and you probably wouldn't have to wait very long) some student would bitch that theirs was wrinkled.

Travis · November 23, 2006

Why must you guys try so hard to find something bad in good news?!

good_ken · November 23, 2006

Why must you guys try so hard to find something bad in good news?!

Because I am still pissed about this time I was walking along and this guy gave me a hundred dollar bill...and it was sooo wrinkled.

rcade · November 23, 2006

Why must you guys try so hard to find something bad in good news?!
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If you want $1.5 million to turn into $60 million, you need lots of publicity. That's all I'm saying here. The donation's great, but nobody knows about it. Maybe UNT's planning some big-check event at the next home basketball game.

NT80 · November 24, 2006

If you want $1.5 million to turn into $60 million, you need lots of publicity. That's all I'm saying here. The donation's great, but nobody knows about it. Maybe UNT's planning some big-check event at the next home basketball game.
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I'll agree with you. The University as a whole, all alums, and all athletic donors need to know about this, and the media release when school is out and a holiday in effect is strange. BUT, it is a great start to what I hope is a VERY PUBLIC capital campaign for a new stadium. Hello Marketing Department!!

MGW · November 24, 2006

Hmm. Maybe if the donor demanded that the locker room be named after Matt Simon... maybe then we'd get big time press.

November 24, 2006

What do you want to bet that you're going to hear about this $1.5 million contribution ad nauseum until the campaign is complete. This donation is the foundation for the stadium fund and will be used to encourage others to give what they can. It will be repeated time and time again.

We haven't even started the campaign for individuals yet, much less corporate. I'll predict that there will be some business and corporations who will contribute rather heavily so the prospects are good.

I believe that we only need $45 million for the 30 or so thousand seat first stage. The other $15 million is for the additional seats to raise the capacity to 50,000.

In addition to the regular fund raising/development, I hope that there is a campaign for season ticket sales like we've never seen. If someone as popular as Todd Dodge is named the head coach, I can foresee season ticket sales of 10,000. That might be enough to go ahead and issue stadium bonds even if the campaign is not complete.

NT80 · November 24, 2006

If someone as popular as Todd Dodge is named the head coach, I can foresee season ticket sales of 10,000. That might be enough to go ahead and issue stadium bonds even if the campaign is not complete.
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That brings up another important point to the coaching search...popularity.

With the need for new stadium donations forming and a renewal for the football team and season ticket holders, hiring a popular or name-known coach should be a major factor.

The new coach will be undefeated at UNT until at least next September. We need to use this time to push all the buttons for donations and season ticket sales. Could a Todd Dodge be that carrot to dangle in front of us?