To: Rick Hart - GameDay Suggestions

[MustangPride4]

To: Rick Hart
GameDay Suggestions

The students are needed to increase attendance and more importantly, increase the excitement of the game atmosphere and ultimately, help the team. College football has to have students participating. I believe you can train the students to become better football fans. So open your mind ....

Move the student tailgate to the practice field. And don’t worry that those few hours for 6 home games are going to ruin the field, especially since we practice in the stadium mostly during season. Force the visiting teams to park their buses just off Mockingbird on Ownby at the south end zone and make them walk past the student tailgate. Hopefully heckling will catch on. Being closer to the stadium and hearing/seeing pre-game should encourage entry. Put a digital clock on the outside stadium wall, with a countdown clock for the students to see. There are any number of ways to “heard” the students in when you have them that close. The student tailgate will also be viewed by every car that drives by on Mockingbird. That should add to curiosity and potentially add some new fans.

Inside stadium build a LARGE deck for the students on the south endzone hill. Call it the Corral. Heavy duty construction with aluminum deck, which would be very loud when stomped on. It could have a second or third level a couple steps higher to stagger better viewing. Separate with heavy railing and make as wide as needed to accommodate. Possibly add stands in the southeast corner, next to the Corral, for the bands. That would carry the sound of the band and students, back into the horseshoe. Tarp the north end zone until attendance can grow into it. Above the north end zone at the top of the stadium, install a video board. Make that an interactive part of the experience by scrolling tweets whenever there is no game action (#mustanggameday?). You would need an “editor” for inappropriate tweets and post at right times. You should get shout outs or “that-a-boys” for the team, and maybe even a marriage proposal or two. That interaction could help bring in more students.

Selling beer will only help. Memphis sold full bar and Cincinnati sells beer.

It takes a village to raise a team .... you need EVERYONE on board. A large and lively crowd increases a player’s adrenaline and opportunity to play above themselves. And it can disrupt the opponent.

[Stallion]

I think the essence of your thread is to perhaps add some sort of socializing center in say the South endzone that would attract students-and also alumni- who would rather socialize than watch SMU football. I think there is some merit to that Central idea. With so many non-Texans, so many competing TV games I would suggest the "Party zone" have abundant Big screen monitors showing all other Televised NCAA games. I actually could see something like that being popular especially with beer/wine sales. Other stadiums are definitely moving in this direction. I know I'd like to have access to a TV monitor with other big games on at least during Halftime or perhaps during the 30 minutes or so before kickoff

[RGV Pony]

I think the essence of your thread is to perhaps add some sort of socializing center in say the South endzone that would attract students-and also alumni- who would rather socialize than watch SMU football. I think there is some merit to that Central idea. With so many non-Texans, so many competing TV games I would suggest the "Party zone" have abundant Big screen monitors showing all other Televised NCAA games. I actually could see something like that being popular especially with beer/wine sales. Other stadiums are definitely moving in this direction. I know I'd like to have access to a TV monitor with other big games on at least during Halftime.

Call it the Pavilion and have the salesmanship club run it...boom, you've just brought the blvd into Ford

[Stallion]

Think Byron Nelson but permanent structure-so Dallas. I've gone for 35 years and never seen a golf ball

[mrydel]

Has to be done right, and I do not have that answer. They did that once before and it did not last.

[Stallion]

yeah a permanent, professionally designed, partially enclosed patio concept with TV monitors that opens up fully to the field. I think its a great idea

[MustangPride4]

I think the essence of your thread is to perhaps add some sort of socializing center in say the South endzone that would attract students-and also alumni- who would rather socialize than watch SMU football. I think there is some merit to that Central idea. With so many non-Texans, so many competing TV games I would suggest the "Party zone" have abundant Big screen monitors showing all other Televised NCAA games. I actually could see something like that being popular especially with beer/wine sales. Other stadiums are definitely moving in this direction. I know I'd like to have access to a TV monitor with other big games on at least during Halftime or perhaps during the 30 minutes or so before kickoff

I wasn't thinking covered tent behind the scoreboard. The Corral would be open air flat stands on the hill. Maybe a tent behind for beer/wine sales and TV's could also be good.

[Stallion]

Hey we perfected The Boulevard-I think its a universally acclaimed success-lets perfect The Pavillion

[Peruna94&07]

Hey we perfected The Boulevard-I think its a universally acclaimed success-lets perfect The Pavillion

Don't like the idea of calling it the Pavillion, the Corral sounds better. Need to make sure we don't go to far with the Tent and TVs, I like the idea and we need to have incentives to sit/stand there but if it comes off like another country club affair that is not good.

[Stallion]

yeah I know-its probably trademarked already anyway by the Byron Nelson. Just comparing to the Byron Nelson which successfully attracts hundreds of thousands of fans many of whom prefer socializing to Golf but still attend. We turned Tailgating into Boulevarding. We can turn the Pavillion into our own concept that address our unique needs

[MustangPride4]

Hey we perfected The Boulevard-I think its a universally acclaimed success-lets perfect The Pavillion

Don't like the idea of calling it the Pavillion, the Corral sounds better. Need to make sure we don't go to far with the Tent and TVs, I like the idea and we need to have incentives to sit/stand there but if it comes off like another country club affair that is not good.

Agreed. My thought was the Corral would be open air stands built on the hillside, directly behind the goalpost. (Cleveland Dog Pound style!) Students would be totally engaged in the game.

[mrydel]

I thought it was done nice before. Air conditioned in the hot summer. TVs. Beer. Deck to sit and watch the game. Problem was it was only allowed to those at certain level Mustang Club memberships. If they would do it more like the Corral they opened last year by Dallas Hall for people that had game tickets, and gave them 2 free drinks per ticket (they could charge now if they desired) I think it could work.

[RGV Pony]

The Pony Promenade , 'the promenade' for short

[mrydel]

The Pony Promenade , 'the promenade' for short

Then, much like a square dance caller, after halftime when asked where the students were we could say "promenade left".

[couch 'em]

It has to be open to the game like a bar patio, not a closed tent. A large open area to mill about in with bet sales becomes an extension of the Boulevard, a closed tent does not.


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