Reforming the Blvd

[35straight]

Come by my spot and show me a ticket. I'll give you a beer and a dog.

[Junior]

As a "GDI" young alum with season tickets, I find the blvd to be a pretty uncomfortable experience. I didn't buy any friends while an undergrad, I can't afford a spot, and I feel uncomfortable begging random strangers for drinks.

wow, with such a great attitude towards about half the student body, i can't understand why you don't enjoy it...

you didn't have to be Greek to have friends. two of my best friends weren't in a fraternity. I blvd with one and go to the other's spot each week as well. from my past experiences, most people out there are pretty hospitable.

[StallionsModelT]

I didn't join a frat and I love The Boulevard. Its one of the best aspects of the SMU gameday experience. I can't tell you how many opposing fans we met last year that were blown away with how beautiful and fun our tailgate scene is compared to others they've been to around the country. Pretty much everyone I've randomly gone up to has been friendly, offered a beer and some food, and allowed us to mingle with them.

Don't be so uptight about the frats. They are pretty welcoming and they do good things for the university. There are random [deleted] in every clique.

[Grant Carter]

While I do see guys from my fraternity on the Blvd, I spend the vast majority of time on the Blvd hanging out with people that I have met post-college, up to and including that day.

[ponyinNC]

While I do see guys from my fraternity on the Blvd, I spend the vast majority of time on the Blvd hanging out with people that I have met post-college, up to and including that day.

I took my wife to the UH homecoming game (the rain delay game). She'd never been to Dallas or SMU. We walked around the Blvd and met some nice people, but I can understand how others would feel uncomfortable. My wife couldn't understand that people would just give you beer, food, etc. if you just talk to them.

We went to the alumni tent, my old fraternity and the law school alumni as well. Met great people even though I didn't run into anyone that I knew while attending undergrad or law school.

The Blvd is what you make of it. Don't be shy -- just start up conversations with people and you'll find most to be gracious hosts.

And for away or bowl games, I always do the mustang club events as they have great food and great people.

[gostangs]

and as mentioned - we will have a common "corral" event at a consistant location for the homeless beer drinkers to hang starting next year. we also hope this attracts the Dallas college football fan looking to adopt us. Hopefully we will get some ambassadors in there to talk them up

[mathman]

I would love to feel more at home on the Blvd. I'm an older 'gentleman' and have taken several guests (including other alumni) to games but find little connection to the people on the Blvd. I would like to have SMU friends etc. to converse with before the game. I feel a bit out of place when I do walk down the blvd. with guests and I forego it when I go to games alone or with my wife (because of the awkwardness). I also went to the Compass Bowl with my wife but did not see anyone there that I remembered from days gone by. I have a Masters from SMU from the early 70's and this year I rejoined the Mustang Club. So, I hope the school will find ways 'old guys' can reconnect to Saturdays on campus.

Same here. I go to the games with my two sons(both in their 30's) and we eat at the Mustang Club spot and then they stay and have a few beers and I go on to my seat. We need to try and connect at some of the games.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Come by my spot and show me a ticket. I'll give you a beer and a dog.

Atta boy, good idea 14!

[DiamondM]

On the South end of the Boulevard, I can only think of maybe a handful of spots that display any letters affiliating themselves with a particular Greek organization. For 90% of the spots, I am not aware if the spot owners even were Greek affiliated (though I assume given percentages, some were.) I certainly don't know which ones. Out of the 25 or so main regulars at our group's 2 spots, which we first purchased in 2000 when we still qualified as young alums, I can only think of maybe 2 or 3 girls who were in sororities. We always welcome score checkers to have a seat and watch, and you can't get much more welcoming than the Bus and Special Delivery tents.

We already do have at least 1 tent where anyone can pay to sit down, eat & drink and chat with others -- the Mustang Club. Maybe it needs better advertising, and a new "pavilion" type area would be a good addition. But I hardly think that there is a need for "reform." And I'll take up a pitchfork and torch and storm the AD's office if we allocate anything other than an out of the way tent to opposing schools.

I've been to the Grove, and I didn't notice anywhere actually in the Grove to just plunk down your stuff if you didn't have a spot. And I didn't expect anyone to essentially be hawkers looking for customers. They were friendly if you took the initiative to say hello, and if I was too intimidated to do so, that's my problem, not theirs. Same is true on the Boulevard. I have also tailgated at Alabama, where my father-in-law and his friends pay a small fraternity to allow them to set up tents behind the house for every game. It wasn't nearly as cool as the Boulevard because tailgating was spread out wherever. Same with Texas Tech, A&M, Texas, Kansas, OU, UCF, NC State, and that place over in Fort Worth. None of those places feel more welcoming just because people can pull their trucks into assorted parking lots within a mile or so of the stadium. ("Prime" pieces of asphault cost a lot, just like on the Boulevard, but let shady, more ugly, and less roomy.)

[GiddyUp]

Mustang Club Tent and Alumni tent are both cheap areas to hang out. However, we need a general corral like someone said to appeal to non-SMU/Dallas folks. We don't have a general parking lot tailgate area so this is a MUST.

[Cardinal Puff]

1. Alcohol Sales
2. Taco Trailer

[couch 'em]

On the South end of the Boulevard, I can only think of maybe a handful of spots that display any letters affiliating themselves with a particular Greek organization. For 90% of the spots, I am not aware if the spot owners even were Greek affiliated (though I assume given percentages, some were.) I certainly don't know which ones. Out of the 25 or so main regulars at our group's 2 spots, which we first purchased in 2000 when we still qualified as young alums, I can only think of maybe 2 or 3 girls who were in sororities. We always welcome score checkers to have a seat and watch, and you can't get much more welcoming than the Bus and Special Delivery tents.

We already do have at least 1 tent where anyone can pay to sit down, eat & drink and chat with others -- the Mustang Club. Maybe it needs better advertising, and a new "pavilion" type area would be a good addition. But I hardly think that there is a need for "reform." And I'll take up a pitchfork and torch and storm the AD's office if we allocate anything other than an out of the way tent to opposing schools.

I've been to the Grove, and I didn't notice anywhere actually in the Grove to just plunk down your stuff if you didn't have a spot. And I didn't expect anyone to essentially be hawkers looking for customers. They were friendly if you took the initiative to say hello, and if I was too intimidated to do so, that's my problem, not theirs. Same is true on the Boulevard. I have also tailgated at Alabama, where my father-in-law and his friends pay a small fraternity to allow them to set up tents behind the house for every game. It wasn't nearly as cool as the Boulevard because tailgating was spread out wherever. Same with Texas Tech, A&M, Texas, Kansas, OU, UCF, NC State, and that place over in Fort Worth. None of those places feel more welcoming just because people can pull their trucks into assorted parking lots within a mile or so of the stadium. ("Prime" pieces of asphault cost a lot, just like on the Boulevard, but let shady, more ugly, and less roomy.)

Nobody is suggesting a major overhaul or reboot, just some upgrades to better accommodate those without a set tent to attend. Perhaps even the dallas public. A tent called 'mustang CLUB' or a tent with an entry fee does not serve that purpose.

I think an open pavillion is about what we need. Maybe free ice. Maybe a few park grills people can fire up.

[soccermom]

A couple of years ago, while on the Blvd, I introduced myself to some fellow Ponyfans who have spots, and they were so nice and hospitable. Didn't get to get there last season, but am planning on going this season, and think the corral sounds like fun.

[SMULaxer]

There needs to be a return of live music to the boulevard or else we're going to keep having our DJ go nuts for the boulevard!

Bring back Everclear circa 2008

[Clown College]

Perhaps Huey Lewis and the News? Or maybe Boy George.