Will UNT's New Baseball Stadium Look Similar To This

[Mean Green 93-98]

I don't understand the rush to to add another non-revenue producing sport whose attendance will hover somewhere between womens softball and womens basketball. I would rather see an indoor practice facility build that could be used by our football and soccer teams,but thats just an old man's opinion.

So would you be for dropping all men's sports other than football and basketball?

[10Eagle10]

wardly, untjim1995, playoffpush..for being the voices of reason

Mean Green(went to school for 6 years),

you keep bringing this point up. Those sports are already in place. His keyword was "add". And besides the only other men's sports we have are track/golf, which cost infinitely less than baseball. In fact, track costs will be there regardless since we sport a women's team. However, baseball requires new revenue which must be sustained. Baseball is MUCH more expensive than the two current sports we already have. and I know that some on here believe that "we're good" in terms of title ix, but I wouldn't be surprised if we hear of your wish coming true within the next 2-3 years (AD stops funding men's track)

[UNTLifer]

I think this will draw well and will provide other revenue streams. I would love a North Texas baseball cap, jersey, batting helmet, etc...

[MeanGreenTexan]

All of this complaining about getting baseball over building a practice facility for football or other stuff that will probably also be built in its own time is great... until the UNT baseball team gets into the CWS playoffs.

Then I wonder what y'all will be saying? Probably waiting in line outside the stadium hoping to get a ticket while the rest of us are sitting in our season ticket spots.

SUCKERS!!

[Mean Green 93-98]

Mean Green(went to school for 6 years),

Classy. And mistaken. But let's make this about personal attacks instead of making a cogent point.

you keep bringing this point up. Those sports are already in place. His keyword was "add". And besides the only other men's sports we have are track/golf, which cost infinitely less than baseball. In fact, track costs will be there regardless since we sport a women's team. However, baseball requires new revenue which must be sustained. Baseball is MUCH more expensive than the two current sports we already have. and I know that some on here believe that "we're good" in terms of title ix, but I wouldn't be surprised if we hear of your wish coming true within the next 2-3 years (AD stops funding men's track)

I don't recall bringing this point up before. Do you have a link?

"Infinitely less than baseball"? So the other men's sports are free? Amazing!

[10Eagle10]

my apologies MeanGreen,

when I went back to the thread "practice facility update" under basketball, it was forevereagle who made that point.

[forevereagle]

my apologies MeanGreen,

when I went back to the thread "practice facility update" under basketball, it was forevereagle who made that point.

In case anyone wants to read, Obviously I am not the only one who read your response that way. I still don't understand why so many are so against baseball. My understanding is that we have some donors stepping up to help fund baseball. Are we sure that those same donors want to fund an indoor practice facility over baseball? Besides, this is a sport that we could be good at and get some recognition. Why would we want to pass that up?

[MeanGreenTexan]

In case anyone wants to read, Obviously I am not the only one who read your response that way. I still don't understand why so many are so against baseball. My understanding is that we have some donors stepping up to help fund baseball. Are we sure that those same donors want to fund an indoor practice facility over baseball? Besides, this is a sport that we could be good at and get some recognition. Why would we want to pass that up?

Follow up question to this:

Why does the baseball program forbid the addition of an indoor practice facility or anything else for that matter?

[10Eagle10]

I can't speak for others, but I don't take the position that "baseball forbids" the addition of the indoor facility. Perhaps I'm doing a terrible job of defining my stance, but I am cool with baseball being added. In fact I'm all for adding men's soccer, as well, and eventually men's/women's lacrosse and perhaps gymnastics... men's tennis/men's swimming and diving, equestrian/rowing...BUT I think we should focus on football and finish it up first. In the arms race that is college football, I'd hate to fall even further behind. Why can't we be like Boise State (or even better)? or maybe even TCU? I would sure like to pass cougar high and pony town definitively. In summary, I think we should prioritize the cash cow and then begin building the brand and the department once football is taken care of. Baseball could be first up.

It frightens me to think that we might do baseball the same way. Half @$$. If you're gonna do something, do it right. If you're gonna commit, commit all the way. don't put your finger into too many pies, until you've mastered the original pie-making process

[Travis Scott]

Hopefully we will hear an official announcement this Spring regarding the return of baseball and a stadium rendering. Several donors already lined up. Close to half of available season tickets are already claimed. Email the AD to get your name down.

I feel we will be good right from the start. There are really only 4 options in the DFW area for good baseball programs...UTA, Dallas Baptist, TCU and UNT. A player would most likely get offered a half scholorship so coming to UNT or UTA would save them roughly $14k a year over going to TCU or Dallas Baptist. In my opinion, Denton is more attractive than Arlington and UNT's campus life is as well. We'll have a good shot at getting really good players as soon as we start.

[Mean Green 93-98]

I can't speak for others, but I don't take the position that "baseball forbids" the addition of the indoor facility. Perhaps I'm doing a terrible job of defining my stance, but I am cool with baseball being added. In fact I'm all for adding men's soccer, as well, and eventually men's/women's lacrosse and perhaps gymnastics... men's tennis/men's swimming and diving, equestrian/rowing...BUT I think we should focus on football and finish it up first. In the arms race that is college football, I'd hate to fall even further behind. Why can't we be like Boise State (or even better)? or maybe even TCU? I would sure like to pass cougar high and pony town definitively. In summary, I think we should prioritize the cash cow and then begin building the brand and the department once football is taken care of. Baseball could be first up.

It frightens me to think that we might do baseball the same way. Half @$$. If you're gonna do something, do it right. If you're gonna commit, commit all the way. don't put your finger into too many pies, until you've mastered the original pie-making process

I certainly respect you and others expressing that point. . . . But is funding really our problem in football right now? It was obviously an issue through the Dickey and Dodge years. Baseball or no baseball, Coach Mac will be our coach for at least the next two years. We have as many coaches on staff as the NCAA will allow, and a dedicated football strength coach. Apogee is in place. We have quality practice fields. I imagine an indoor facility is on the way, but I don't see it as holding must-have-right-now urgency. And, as you mentioned, baseball probably won't stop us from adding that.

I don't think our commitment to baseball will be half-hearted. I'm sure we'll have some growing pains, and we'll probably make some mistakes along the way (we are North Texas, after all), but it sounds like everyone is committed to doing this right.

[MeanGreenTexan]

I certainly respect you and others expressing that point. . . . But is funding really our problem in football right now? It was obviously an issue through the Dickey and Dodge years. Baseball or no baseball, Coach Mac will be our coach for at least the next two years. We have as many coaches on staff as the NCAA will allow, and a dedicated football strength coach. Apogee is in place. We have quality practice fields. I imagine an indoor facility is on the way, but I don't see it as holding must-have-right-now urgency. And, as you mentioned, baseball probably won't stop us from adding that.

I don't think our commitment to baseball will be half-hearted. I'm sure we'll have some growing pains, and we'll probably make some mistakes along the way (we are North Texas, after all), but it sounds like everyone is committed to doing this right.

Lets also not forget where our Athletic Director came from. A school that has perennially been ranked in the Baseball America College top 25. I'm sure he has an idea of how baseball should work at the collegiate level.

[forevereagle]

I can't speak for others, but I don't take the position that "baseball forbids" the addition of the indoor facility. Perhaps I'm doing a terrible job of defining my stance, but I am cool with baseball being added. In fact I'm all for adding men's soccer, as well, and eventually men's/women's lacrosse and perhaps gymnastics... men's tennis/men's swimming and diving, equestrian/rowing...BUT I think we should focus on football and finish it up first. In the arms race that is college football, I'd hate to fall even further behind. Why can't we be like Boise State (or even better)? or maybe even TCU? I would sure like to pass cougar high and pony town definitively. In summary, I think we should prioritize the cash cow and then begin building the brand and the department once football is taken care of. Baseball could be first up.

It frightens me to think that we might do baseball the same way. Half @$$. If you're gonna do something, do it right. If you're gonna commit, commit all the way. don't put your finger into too many pies, until you've mastered the original pie-making process

I don't think that we should wait until football is finished. Given the arms race, it will likely never be finished as we should be looking to constantly improve our facilities. The AD should always be looking for ways to improve the circumstances for all sports as well as adding new ones to improve the overall position of North Texas Athletics.

[wardly]

So would you be for dropping all men's sports other than football and basketball?

That's not my point, although we did drop a very good men's soccer program on a Friday and on Monday added what has turned out to be a very good women's team. Baseball is a money pit,pure and simple. We have always been an underfunded athletic program, and just because we now have a little money I see no need to piss it off. How about a "Don January" golf center? Where is our track and field venue ?In summary, we need to take care of the programs we have in place first.Again, just an old man's opinion,61'-66.'

[10Eagle10]

Lets also not forget where our Athletic Director came from. A school that has perennially been ranked in the Baseball America College top 25. I'm sure he has an idea of how baseball should work at the collegiate level.

With all due respect, that's crazy talk

If you're going to base our future baseball success on Southern Miss's then what about football? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they went to a bowl game 18 years in a row and only had 5 losing seasons in the last 50 years. Where's that success for us? It seems to me that if he is going to easily transfer baseball success, then it should only follow that football should've been the same way. Saying that we'll do it the right way simply because USM is perenially ranked is like saying North Texas will be in the top quartile of our football conference every year because TCU/LSU/USM (our AD's three previous affiliates) are good at football. I'm sure there are many on this board who have an idea of how baseball should work, it doesn't mean we're gonna get to put that plan into productive action

I hope you're right. I wish more people in this world had that kind of faith

[Mean Green 93-98]

That's not my point, although we did drop a very good men's soccer program on a Friday and on Monday added what has turned out to be a very good women's team. Baseball is a money pit,pure and simple. We have always been an underfunded athletic program, and just because we now have a little money I see no need to piss it off. How about a "Don January" golf center? Where is our track and field venue ?In summary, we need to take care of the programs we have in place first.Again, just an old man's opinion,61'-66.'

I know it's not your point. But to be consistent, if we want to say that we need to put as many eggs into the football (and basketball?) basket as possible, we would have to take out the other men's sports we have. I'm not saying that we need to urinate money away--a lot of folks think all college athletics does this, especially football--but baseball has been a long-term goal of RV and the athletic department, and now it is a possibility.

And if we add baseball, in what specific ways will this adversely affect football? Are funds previously allocated to needs for football now going to be diverted to baseball?

[wardly]

I know it's not your point. But to be consistent, if we want to say that we need to put as many eggs into the football (and basketball?) basket as possible, we would have to take out the other men's sports we have. I'm not saying that we need to urinate money away--a lot of folks think all college athletics does this, especially football--but baseball has been a long-term goal of RV and the athletic department, and now it is a possibility.

And if we add baseball, in what specific ways will this adversely affect football? Are funds previously allocated to needs for football now going to be diverted to baseball?

I never have said that adding baseball will adversely affect football.However,there are only so many beans in the pot, and I would rather take care of existing sports than put millions into a baseball park plus the annual cost of fielding a team. Just because you can doesn't always mean you should. I put a UNT proposed baseball stadium in the same financial pew as the UNT@Dallas campus and the proposed UNT@ Dallas School of Law, which is no longer needed since Texas A&M purshased TWU's law school, but probably will be built anyway.

[wardly]

Hopefully we will hear an official announcement this Spring regarding the return of baseball and a stadium rendering. Several donors already lined up. Close to half of available season tickets are already claimed. Email the AD to get your name down.

I feel we will be good right from the start. There are really only 4 options in the DFW area for good baseball programs...UTA, Dallas Baptist, TCU and UNT. A player would most likely get offered a half scholorship so coming to UNT or UTA would save them roughly $14k a year over going to TCU or Dallas Baptist. In my opinion, Denton is more attractive than Arlington and UNT's campus life is as well. We'll have a good shot at getting really good players as soon as we start.

And thats why we do so well recruiting locally in football and basketball.

[UNTnewbie]

That's not my point, although we did drop a very good men's soccer program on a Friday and on Monday added what has turned out to be a very good women's team. Baseball is a money pit,pure and simple. We have always been an underfunded athletic program, and just because we now have a little money I see no need to piss it off. How about a "Don January" golf center? Where is our track and field venue ?In summary, we need to take care of the programs we have in place first.Again, just an old man's opinion,61'-66.'

There might be a forthcoming announcement related to training facilities for the North Texas Golf teams, if everything falls in place. Most everything UNT related is on the upward trend! If you (general YOU not you Wardly) can't get uber excited about how things are moving for North Texas, then you just might be dead!

[Harry]

There might be a forthcoming announcement related to training facilities for the North Texas Golf teams, if everything falls in place. Most everything UNT related is on the upward trend! If you (general YOU not you Wardly) can't get uber excited about how things are moving for North Texas, then you just might be dead!

Good stuff!! Definitely a transformation going on in many areas! Look at what they are fixing to do with the student Union for example!

[UNTFan23]

I never have said that adding baseball will adversely affect football.However,there are only so many beans in the pot, and I would rather take care of existing sports than put millions into a baseball park plus the annual cost of fielding a team. Just because you can doesn't always mean you should. I put a UNT proposed baseball stadium in the same financial pew as the UNT@Dallas campus and the proposed UNT@ Dallas School of Law, which is no longer needed since Texas A&M purshased TWU's law school, but probably will be built anyway.

We've already spent tons of money on upgrading our existing sports. I think it is time to expand our brand into new sports. Edited March 6, 2013 by UNTFan23

[wardly]

There might be a forthcoming announcement related to training facilities for the North Texas Golf teams, if everything falls in place. Most everything UNT related is on the upward trend! If you (general YOU not you Wardly) can't get uber excited about how things are moving for North Texas, then you just might be dead!

We are in violent about upward trend about UNT in general. I just would like to see us finish up golf and track&field before we make a multimillion committment to a non revenue producing sport.In my business career I tried to complete existing projects before I took on a larger one that would require a major investment in both time and money.If you look at college baseball as a stand alone business and the start up money came from your personal coffers, then you probably would be like SMU and pass. However, since we don't view money spent on college sports as funds that could be better used elsewhere,such as a needed School of Pharmacy, then we will build our field of dreams and hope they will come.Even thought I would not add baseball, I wish the proposed program nothing but the best,as I do North Texas.

[Mean Green 93-98]

We are in violent about upward trend about UNT in general. I just would like to see us finish up golf and track&field before we make a multimillion committment to a non revenue producing sport.In my business career I tried to complete existing projects before I took on a larger one that would require a major investment in both time and money.If you look at college baseball as a stand alone business and the start up money came from your personal coffers, then you probably would be like SMU and pass. However, since we don't view money spent on college sports as funds that could be better used elsewhere,such as a needed School of Pharmacy, then we will build our field of dreams and hope they will come.Even thought I would not add baseball, I wish the proposed program nothing but the best,as I do North Texas.

In a large respect, I think that's what we've done. Al Goldfield offered to underwrite the entire baseball program for UNT several years ago, but he was told that there were other things that came first. Since then, we've built Apogee Stadium, other facilities, and received an invitation to C-USA. I'm not sure what other "existing project" you have in mind that needs to be completed before adding baseball.

[wardly]

In a large respect, I think that's what we've done. Al Goldfield offered to underwrite the entire baseball program for UNT several years ago, but he was told that there were other things that came first. Since then, we've built Apogee Stadium, other facilities, and received an invitation to C-USA. I'm not sure what other "existing project" you have in mind that needs to be completed before adding baseball.

I mentioned specifically in previous post the need for a" Don January" golf practice facility, as a well as a track and field venue. Sports is in fact big business,and my personal opinion is that building a baseball stadium and committing to funding its continued operation is not a good business decision and a waste of resourses. Athletics at North Texas will always run in the red,and I see no reason to add to it. But again,this is just my personal opinion.

[MeanGreenTexan]

With all due respect, that's crazy talk

If you're going to base our future baseball success on Southern Miss's then what about football? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they went to a bowl game 18 years in a row and only had 5 losing seasons in the last 50 years. Where's that success for us? It seems to me that if he is going to easily transfer baseball success, then it should only follow that football should've been the same way. Saying that we'll do it the right way simply because USM is perenially ranked is like saying North Texas will be in the top quartile of our football conference every year because TCU/LSU/USM (our AD's three previous affiliates) are good at football. I'm sure there are many on this board who have an idea of how baseball should work, it doesn't mean we're gonna get to put that plan into productive action

I hope you're right. I wish more people in this world had that kind of faith

Whoa now!

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I didn't mean that I expect UNT baseball to be a top 25 team right off the bat or anything. I'm just saying that our Athletic Director should understand how a baseball team should be managed since it worked so well at USM. Results on the field are not related.