Stadium Comparison

[MCMLXXX]

In an earlier post TodgeRodge stated that Ford Stadium was nice or nicer than our new digs (no pun intended). This morning I spoke with a friend who is an SMU Letterman. I asked about the attendance at SMU on Saturday and he expressed disappointment. Before I could ask about our new stadium he said "I have been watching y'alls stadium go up and even though the capacity is about the same as ours, unlike Ford it looks big time". He compared it to Vanderbilt which he described as having the look of a bigger stadium even though it had a smaller capacity (approx. 39000). So, TodgeRodge, if perhaps you thought that we were on an island getting intoxicated with mean green kool-aid, I offer you an objective opinion.

[Mean Green Matt]

Does anyone know if there is any truth to those rumors that our capacity had been upped to 35,000?

And HELL YEAH our stadium is going to look bigtime!

[oldschoollefty]

Does anyone know if there is any truth to those rumors that our capacity had been upped to 35,000?

And HELL YEAH our stadium is going to look bigtime!

Even more bigtime when it's expanded to 50K to accomodate the Mean Green faithful in the coming years.

[FireFightnJoey]

Have you seen the new pics posted by KingDL? It looks like a stadium and you can see the bowl with the stands going up on the endzone and student side. That thing is going to look awesome. You can see Fouts directly behind it and it looks so blah in comparison. No way that Ford is better.

[All About UNT]

Link to Ford Stadium Pics

I will not trash talk their stadium (not that I think anyone is) as it looks pretty solid. I have to admit that the grassy area behind the endzone is some pretty great seating... That being said...ours will have advantages over theirs without a doubt (tailgating areas most especially).

[Mean Green Matt]

Link to Ford Stadium Pics

I will not trash talk their stadium (not that I think anyone is) as it looks pretty solid. I have to admit that the grassy area behind the endzone is some pretty great seating... That being said...ours will have advantages over theirs without a doubt (tailgating areas most especially).

They don't tailgate, they boulevard. LOL.

Dallas Observer

[Eppie96]

I know this has probably been posted somewhere- is the new stadium going to have seats or benches? The endzone bleachers at Fouts (where I usually sit at Fouts) killed my back last saturday.

Also, from my perspective, it didn't look like 23K at the game last saturday. Maybe its just the way Fouts is constructed/reconstructed, but those empty bleachers in the endzone, really make it look empty. When I was a student at NT, I remember the push to add "the bleachers" to the endzone so we would have a stadium big enough to make it to D1.

I can't wait for the new stadium to open.

Go mean green.

[ColoradoEagle]

I know this has probably been posted somewhere- is the new stadium going to have seats or benches? The endzone bleachers at Fouts (where I usually sit at Fouts) killed my back last saturday.

I saw a doctor about that a few months ago. His recommendation was a donation to the Mean Green Club and season tickets with chairbacks.

[Green Mean]

I really think that both stadiums are pretty equal. They may have some different qualities about them but I think the SMU stadium is beautiful and ours will be just as beautiful.

[MCMLXXX]

I really think that both stadiums are pretty equal. They may have some different qualities about them but I think the SMU stadium is beautiful and ours will be just as beautiful.

Let me clarify something, my friend (a two degree SMU grad and letterman who attends all home games and some away) was referring to the perception you get when you approach the exterior of the stadium on the press box side and not the aesthetics. In other words from the shell that we have built so far on the press box side our facility looks more imposing. I noticed this a few weeks ago while driving down Mockingbird in University Park.

[Green Lantern]

They don't tailgate, they boulevard. LOL.

Dallas Observer

I really enjoyed the Boulevard when we were there a couple years back. That was a fun pre-game scene. Different from the usual tailgate. Also, Ford stadium was a great place to watch a game. Sight lines were good. I'm glad that we've got SMU back on the schedule in a couple of years with home and homes. I enjoy watching games there and I think their fans will really enjoy what our new stadium has to offer. Now TCU...time to put us back on the schedule!

[GrandGreen]

I think SMU stadium is really nice but it is a royal pain to get to. I would be happy if NT stadium is comparable to SMU's, however until it is completed: I don't think any valid comparison can be made.

[GreenMachine]

I really like the blue and red colored seats they have. Any chance we are going to have green seating? The silver at Fouts looks very bare when unoccupied.

[All About UNT]

I really like the blue and red colored seats they have. Any chance we are going to have green seating? The silver at Fouts looks very bare when unoccupied.

THIS!

[Lurker]

One thing that is impressive about the new NT stadium is the size of the north stands on the pressbox/home team side. As you are driving southbound into Denton on I-35, it certainly gets your attention. By comparison, you have to really look for Fouts until you are right up on it on the interstate. Great placement!

[THOR]

the angle of the seats looks much greater than those at smu. i like that!

[NT80]

In other words from the shell that we have built so far on the press box side our facility looks more imposing. I noticed this a few weeks ago while driving down Mockingbird in University Park.

The slope of the land at Eagle Point really helps elevate the look of our new stadium. Half of Smut's bowl is below grade level from Mockingbird so you get no sense of height. Our pressbox side will be 7-8 stories and another 3-4 stories above Bonnie Brae causing it to appear much taller than it actually is from I-35.

[Adub4ever]

smu fords field is in the center of a street block.... ours will be in the center of the 2 largest highways in DFW I35E and W

[DeepGreen]

smu fords field is in the center of a street block.... ours will be in the center of the 2 largest highways in DFW I35E and W

And..................350,745 cars pass by there daily.

[THOR]

And..................350,745 cars pass by there daily.

your figure is off....i counted 350,747 cars passing...

[UNTLifer]

I really like the blue and red colored seats they have. Any chance we are going to have green seating? The silver at Fouts looks very bare when unoccupied.

We will actually have dark orange seats for about 25 to 30 years and then there will be a push to change them to green and much discussion about why this wasn't done from the start.

[EagleMBA]

Ford Stadium is really nice with a solid, traditional feel to it. No propellers to be seen!

The nicest part is their seating, which is resin or plastic with backs. They are very comfortable.

If you can get past the fact that you are at SMUt, it is a great place to see a game.

[ADLER]

Link to Ford Stadium Pics

I will not trash talk their stadium (not that I think anyone is) as it looks pretty solid. I have to admit that the grassy area behind the endzone is some pretty great seating... That being said...ours will have advantages over theirs without a doubt (tailgating areas most especially).

I go to a few SMU games every season and Ford really is a nice venue, but it doesn't compare favorably with what is being built at North Texas. Both stadiums have the lower bowl dug down to lower their profile. North Texas has an all concrete structure for the seats not in the lower bowl while SMU's above ground components are a simple metal erector-set construction with an external brick facade, much like MTSU's east stands but with brick accents. UNT's only steel frame construction is the elevated vee shaped end zone seating, and that section is designed to be easily eliminated during future stadium expansion.

Still, both stadium designs are very nice and should serve their purpose well for decades.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Oh hellsbells! All we have to do is put some SMU'esque red colonial bricks surrounding all our new stadium's numerous pottie areas and todgerodge will have to recant & eat those words!

And just how many SMU students showed at their game versus UNT students? And.....my daddy is better than your daddy and.......I know you are but who am I?

Go Peruna! Eat Bad Tuna!

Actually, to compare both the stadiums would be like comparing a 2006 Ford (smu) versus a brand spanking new 2011 Chevy (UNT)..........except ours will be a a tad more newer, have that sparkling effect, along with that new stadium smell, not shoe-boxed in a Dallas suburb but located on plenty of real estate with room to grow and..... at the juncture of Interstate 35E and Interstate 35W...........so.............you tell me who will have the upper hand because of all the aforementioned?

Addendum: We will have future UNT recruit stories something like this: Hide! Watch & See! "Well, we were driving on the interstate going thru Denton and I couldn't help but see the Mean Green's football stadium so I asked dad to pull over so we could get an upclose look at that football palace and.......to make a long story short........here I am at UNT and on several All American check lists. ...............(Location, man, strategic location)!

GMG!

Edited September 16, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

[KingDL1]

There is simply no comparison, SMU's stadium is a POS, and why you ask because it is a metal stadium with a brick facade. Ours is real with a much steeper angle for better viewing. Ours is just as deep and it will stand much taller then their piece of crap. I only like their grassy hillside in the end zone. Now don't get me wrong it is better than Fouts but it is no where near the quality of the stadium we are currently building and I can only hope Rv make's a spot where Tailgating as good as or better than what SMU has on the Boulevard.