Mustang Mania

[Dooby]

Anybody have a good sample of an old Mustang Mania sticker or shirt or other logo?

[ponyte]

Yes

[jtstang]

ditto.

[Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans]

When you think about football in the state of Texas in 1978, you remember that as the year the Cowboys won Super Bowl XII in January, and were working their way back to the Super Bowl in the fall. But something else was happening in Dallas besides the mighty Cowboys. It was known simply as Mustang Mania. It was a promotion program on which SMU embarked that can best be described as monumental in scope. Dallas was blanketed with 100,000 bumper stickers, advertising on buses, taxi cabs, and billboards. The exciting atmosphere created by Mustang Mania takes its place as one of the 90 Greatest Moments in SMU Football History.

Mustang Mania was a success. It even had a song written about it by Howie Newman. One verse states, "Ford can throw, Tolbert can fly, Coach Meyer knows how and sometimes why. With our kind of line, look out for the backs, And Putt Choate'll stop'em dead in their tracks." It was an upbeat country and western swing featuring some hot fiddle licks throughout. It was also carried, fittingly, by the Mustang label, a production of Major League Records. It was received with tremendous enthusiasm both on and off campus.

The campaign also included tie-ins with fast food chains, charitable organizations and youth groups. It was symbolized by Mustang Mania T-shirts, caps, ponchos, jackets, and a whole host of other items. Even celebrities like Bob Hope could be found sporting a Mustang Mania hat. Mustang fans took up a challenge to show SMU the most amazing places they were able to spread the Mania. One could even find a Mustang Mania bumper sticker on the Eiffel Tower! The Mania spanned the globe.

The program got off to a very good start as the Mustangs played TCU in the Jerry Lewis/7-Eleven Bowl, a charity football game for muscular dystrophy. The game drew 41,112 fans to the Cotton Bowl, the largest crowd to see and SMU-TCU game in 20 years. From there SMU traveled to Florida, Penn State, and Ohio State, gaining national attention for the exciting football they brought to the field. When SMU finally returned home to face Houston, they played in front of 64,871 fans in the Cotton Bowl. Mustang Mania was at its best.

The Mustangs had the largest increase in attendance of any school in the country in 1978. In 1977, SMU's home attendance average was 25,644. Considering they were playing in the 72,000 seat Cotton Bowl, a person could notice the need for improvement. By the end of 1978, SMU's home attendance had risen to 51,960. Season ticket sales also rose from 2,200 in 1977 to 5,300 in 1978. These fans never went home disappointed because Mike Ford and Emanuel Tolbert always seemed to put on an aerial display every week. The season was built upon excitement and SMU delivered.

Mustang Mania was everything SMU hoped it would be. The following season, SMU's home attendance rose yet again, this time hitting 55,758 per game. The excitement generated by Mustang Mania also helped springboard the Mustangs to new heights in college football as the era of the Pony Express soon followed. For the excitement that it brought to SMU and Dallas, Mustang Mania takes its rightful place as one of the 90 Greatest Moments in SMU Football History.

http://smumustangs.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/greatest-moments-25.html

[Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans]

We have a Mustang Mania bumper sticker on display at our Blvd Tent. If you need a picture of it just let me know.

[Dooby]

I was thinking of going to cafepress.com or some other online retailer and making some new retro ones. Not sure why no one has ever done that. I know that the administration is/was all caught up with Pony↑ but, I think some people want the retro look.

I wonder if they will try to stop me.

[Dooby]

We have a Mustang Mania bumper sticker on display at our Blvd Tent. If you need a picture of it just let me know.

Wasn't the pumber sticker blue with red lettering? Or was it red with white lettering? Was there an outline?

[Mexmustang]

Red with white lettering. I put one up in a famous bar in London. The bar was behind the London Ritz (across the garden) and was famous as a watering hole for American flyers and other officers during the war. Ten years ago it was still up! Similar to Bob Hope's hat above.

[PK]

Well in 1978 we had something to back up the hype. With our current product on the field, or at least last year's product, I would be embarrassed to run around pitching Mustang Mania. "June Cometh" was bad enough. If June does finally come through for us, maybe in another year or so we can once again begin to match the hype with the product and hit the streets with a new Mustang Mania campaign.

[Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans]

Dooby, I have it at home in my garage. I'll take a picture tonight and post it in this thread tonight or tomorrow.

[Charleston Pony]

ah, the memories

who will ever forget "from 6 to 60 - for Rice!"

[jtstang]

There were couple of versions. The early one was like the hat in the picture with "SMU" in red lettering inside the pony. Later, some radio station sponsored a run of stickers and the call letters were inside the pony (KAFM in blue, if I recall?). I think I have both, somewhere.

[Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans]

Dooby below is the picture of the one we have. I guess it actually was not an official Mustang Mania sticker because it has some radio station call sign on it. JTSTANG you have a great memory.



Btw: Mexmustang do you have a picture of the one in the bar in London?

[peruna81]

Dooby,

message me with your physical address...I THINK I still have a Kafm one somewhere around here, and will send it to you gratis...only if the 'big woman' disappears for a week.

clyde

[Mexmustang]

Actually, I don't remember that we had great teams, although they were competitive, when Russ Pott's started this campaign. The recruiting and teams picked up afterwards--improving simultaneously as the campaign grew.