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Mean Green beef up football promotions
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DC_Clone
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Mean Green beefs up football promotions

New marketing director Batchelder comes up with fan guide for 2004 season

07:51 AM CDT on Monday, June 21, 2004

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

The North Texas athletic department is taking a different approach to promoting the upcoming football season under a new member of its athletic administration.

Associate Athletic Director for Marketing Paul Batchelder arrived at UNT last summer and teamed with Director of Promotions Brian Bethea to produce a 16-page fan guide for the 2004 season.

The brochure is part of an aggressive promotional campaign that appears to be paying off for North Texas.

"The promotions that we have done have absolutely had an impact," UNT Ticket Manager Gabe Kirkpatrick said. "It’s still early, but our ticket renewals are coming in quicker and we are selling more tickets to people who didn’t have them before. We are confident we will set a new high for season tickets this year."

UNT has increased its home attendance in each of the last five years. The Mean Green averaged 18,694 fans at five home games last season, a 22.5 percent increase over the 15,260 fans UNT drew per home game in 2002.

The increase is one UNT hopes to duplicate in the fall with the help of its fan guide that includes a bumper sticker and a plethora of information about game-day activities.

UNT distributed 40,000 copies, including several thousand in the Denton area, where the school is trying to attract fans interested in family entertainment.

"We want to concentrate on Denton for a few reasons," UNT Senior Associate Athletic Director Hank Dickenson said. "We are in a city of 80,000 people and have a lot of alums here in town."

UNT hired Batchelder from Southern Mississippi, which has been producing a fan guide since 1997.

"We tried to produce an all-inclusive guide for fans," Batchelder said. "We envision it as something people can show their friends and talk about UNT."

Attracting local fans and UNT alumni from the immediate area will be critical for the Mean Green this season. UNT frequently hosts one other Division I-A Texas team a season that boosts the Mean Green’s average attendance.

UNT set a Fouts Field record last year when it drew 29,437 fans for a 52-14 win over Baylor. The Mean Green averaged 16,008 fans for its other four home games.

UNT will try to extend its streak of increased home attendance average for a sixth straight year without a marquee home game.

The Mean Green will play Florida Atlantic, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State, Louisiana-Monroe and Idaho at home in 2004.

"When you have a game against a team like Baylor to anchor your home schedule it’s easier," Dickenson said. "What we are doing now is selling Mean Green football. That’s not as big a challenge after what Darrell [Dickey] has done."

Dickey, UNT’s head coach, has led the Mean Green to the Sun Belt Conference title and a berth in the New Orleans Bowl the last three seasons. UNT running back Patrick Cobbs won the national rushing title last year and will be back to lead a team that is expected to contend for a berth in the New Orleans Bowl again.

UNT is hoping the success the Mean Green has had will help build interest in the team, and its conference games that are the key to another New Orleans Bowl berth.

"Fans have learned that those leagues games are our ticket back to New Orleans," Dickenson said. "That adds to the interest in league games."

UNT has tried to add to the game-day experience for those local fans under Athletic Director Rick Villarreal. The athletic department plans to have live music and activities for children prior to games again this season.

How UNT fares in attracting more fans from the Denton area and beyond could impact the Mean Green’s future.

A new series of rules for teams that compete in Division I-A football will go into effect this fall, including a minimum attendance requirement of 15,000 fans for five Division I-A home games. Teams that don’t meet that standard could risk penalties from the NCAA.

UNT plans to stay well above the 15,000 mark in attendance by continuing to promote the upcoming season. School officials hope those efforts, combined with the boost UNT has already received from its fan guide, will lead to another increase in attendance for the Mean Green.

"Then athletic department has done a great job reaching out to people and marketing more," Dickey said. "Season ticket sales and our crowds have gotten better."

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870.
06-21-2004 09:50 AM
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MeanGreen61 Wrote:UNT has increased its home attendance in each of the last five years. The Mean Green averaged 18,694 fans at five home games last season, a 22.5 percent increase over the 15,260 fans UNT drew per home game in 2002.
Good article, I hope we (Cajuns) can duplicate UNT's success on the field and increased attendence in the stands.
06-21-2004 03:53 PM
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DC_Clone
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Post: #3
 
SwampHound Wrote:
MeanGreen61 Wrote:UNT has increased its home attendance in each of the last five years. The Mean Green averaged 18,694 fans at five home games last season, a 22.5 percent increase over the 15,260 fans UNT drew per home game in 2002.
Good article, I hope we (Cajuns) can duplicate UNT's success on the field and increased attendence in the stands.
Might help for you guys to pray from dry weather. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to rename The Swamp as Monsoon Central. :)
06-21-2004 04:45 PM
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I started praying for the 2004 season (dry weather) as soon as the last home game of 2003 ended :D
06-21-2004 08:43 PM
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