CUSA as "Sunbelt 2.0"

UNT86 · March 25, 2013

Last time vs. Rice was in 2010. We were 10-50 over our previous 60 games. We drew 23,743 anyway. Against Tulsa in 2005 and 2008 we drew 23,112 and 22,785 in the middle of the same stretch. I don't think it is out of the question to draw 28,000 against either of them.

UNT90 · March 25, 2013

Last time vs. Rice was in 2010. We were 10-50 over our previous 60 games. We drew 23,743 anyway. Against Tulsa in 2005 and 2008 we drew 23,112 and 22,785 in the middle of the same stretch. I don't think it is out of the question to draw 28,000 against either of them.

I tink you underestimate the effect of the losing basketballl season and the refusal of the UNT administration to do anything about it wll have on football attendance.

Laugh at me if you want, but that was the only major sports program earning it's keep. Good luck with season ticket renewal.

Edited March 25, 2013 by UNT90

meanrob · March 25, 2013

We have drawn well in early season OOC games but did we even draw 28k against UH in the Apogee opener? If we are a lousy team playing a lousy team (or even a CUSA team with a good record) late in the season, the attendance will be bad. If it is UTSA or La Tech it is not going to change that that much. It's a problem that only years of winning will solve (maybe, we just may not ever draw a ton of people), not who our opponents are. Honestly at this point, it's not an issue with me,

I've said for years the route I would take to get it done. It starts with easier scheduling and finding the right quarterback/offensive scheme/OC. No, I don't mean the Dodge way of all offense no defense. I know that having an all-world RB hasn't done squat for us. Take a look at the mid-majors in the top 40 on offense and look at their records. Then take a look at the mids in the top 40 on defense and look at their records.

If I'm the AD and I think Dan is the right coach then I give him 7-8 years to get it done. I'd take a slow steady climb rather than starting over after 4 years.

meanrob · March 25, 2013

Last time vs. Rice was in 2010. We were 10-50 over our previous 60 games. We drew 23,743 anyway. Against Tulsa in 2005 and 2008 we drew 23,112 and 22,785 in the middle of the same stretch. I don't think it is out of the question to draw 28,000 against either of them.

I could be wrong, I'm more curious than anything. Have we ever drawn more than 22k past the game 6 mark of any season the past 10 years? To my knowledge we haven't. I mean butts in seats too.

2008 against Tulsa was our home opener. 2010 against Rice was our home opener too. Not sure about 2005. I'll concede our openers draw well.

THOR · March 25, 2013

*fixed

No you didn't. You can stay home during the games...I won't...

letsgiveacheer · March 25, 2013

Maybe FGCU would be interested in joining?

All About UNT · March 25, 2013

I could be wrong, I'm more curious than anything. Have we ever drawn more than 22k past the game 6 mark of any season the past 10 years? To my knowledge we haven't. I mean butts in seats too.

2008 against Tulsa was our home opener. 2010 against Rice was our home opener too. Not sure about 2005. I'll concede our openers draw well.

K-State

GrandGreen · March 25, 2013

NT football attendance will never be good if it is heavily contingent on the opponents. NT has had some marvelous home games unless you are one that thinks they should be entertaining OU or UT. KSU, UH, and Indiana for example, it is just not going to get any better, but yet none of these programs created sell outs.

The big factor is winning, late season game attendance sharply decline frequently because of weather but also because NT is usually running on hope not progress by that time of year.

Believe me: no CUSA opponent long term is going to significantly positively effect attendance. There should be a bump next year with the newness and a long term one for most Western CUSA teams because all have a much bigger presence of alumni in the Metromess. This long term effect will be measured in the hundreds not thousands.

There is no panacea for NT football, other than a substantially improved team.

UNTLifer · March 25, 2013

I tink you underestimate the effect of the losing basketballl season and the refusal of the UNT administration to do anything about it wll have on football attendance.

Laugh at me if you want, but that was the only major sports program earning it's keep. Good luck with season ticket renewal.

I think you overestimate how 200 season ticket holders in basketball have any effect on football attendance. I know many people that come in town for football that don't for basketball. I am one and a 5 hour drive one way for football 5 or 6 Saturdays a year is tough enough. When basketball draws roughly 10% of what football does, then I think your argument is pretty weak.

UNT90 · March 25, 2013

I think you overestimate how 200 season ticket holders in basketball have any effect on football attendance. I know many people that come in town for football that don't for basketball. I am one and a 5 hour drive one way for football 5 or 6 Saturdays a year is tough enough. When basketball draws roughly 10% of what football does, then I think your argument is pretty weak.

We shall see. Basketball season ends when MGC renewals begin.

Edited March 25, 2013 by UNT90

shaft · March 25, 2013

My take on CUSA as SBC 2.0

Annual Payout: CUSA > SBC

Travel Schedule: CUSA > SBC

Divisional Play: CUSA > SBC

Bowl Games: CUSA > SBC

Reputation: CUSA > SBC

UNTLifer · March 25, 2013

We shall see. Basketball season ends when MGC renewals begin.

There goes 4 memberships.

North Texas Shep · March 25, 2013

My take on CUSA as SBC 2.0

Annual Payout: CUSA > SBC

Travel Schedule: CUSA > SBC

Divisional Play: CUSA > SBC

Bowl Games: CUSA > SBC

Reputation: CUSA > SBC

All of this plus we get to play against Texas teams and hopefully build a rivalry. CUSA is a win for us on all fronts.

Mean Green 93-98 · March 25, 2013

My take on CUSA as SBC 2.0

Annual Payout: CUSA > SBC

Travel Schedule: CUSA > SBC

Divisional Play: CUSA > SBC

Bowl Games: CUSA > SBC

Reputation: CUSA > SBC

I think everybody agrees that C-USA is still a better place for UNT than the Belt was. . . . I think we're disappointed that the improvement isn't going to be nearly what we thought it was. And several of us are disappointed that it looks like we're going to lose our most-anticipated rivalry after SMU and Houston were gone . . . Tulsa.

UNT90 · March 25, 2013

There goes 4 memberships.

Wow. So our membership is down to 50?

NM Green · March 25, 2013

Boy lots of gloom on this board.

The more important question is what is our brand recognition strategy for our inaugural season in CUSA? I would hope that our University is planning a series of events aimed at celebrating our move to a higher profile league. The communications strategy is critical here and don't underestimate the importance of this one year opportunity to get everything right. We must educate our fanbase on who our new league mates are and get them excited about our new rivalry. I would like to see the following:

CUSA apparel and accessorie strategy - gear and accessories such as CUSA car magnets, flags, cups, pennant pile of all the new schools

Pre-game and post game event strategy

Communication strategy - truly trumpet our first year of competition in CUSA! Again we have 1 year to make a splash!

Out of the box - how about a new call in show 30 - 60 minutes after each home game to dissect the good and bad of the game and take calls from friends. This is something that most schools I have followed outside of UNT do, and I am talking about MWC programs not SEC.

I just want some big creative ideas out there to be stirring - some that never leave the editing room floor but at least they were heard or investigated.

Make it happen UNT.

GMG