My comment wasn't per se about travelling to away games. It was that our alumni already living in other parts of Texas watch UTEP play at the in state teams' venue. That doesn't help UTEP's cash flow any but it does show that the Miners do have a better fan base than many of our C-USA brethren. We have talked about conference affiliation. Is there an angle to this where we base conference affiliation on fan support? A rising tide raises all boats analogy. A different way of looking at this anyway.
First UTEP Fan Council Meeting
- Thread starter NewGenMiner915
- Start date
Thank you all for your feedback and comments, the reaction was really more than I anticipated. But I am not at all surprised because we have great fans with high and reasonable expectations. I'm a middle of the road kind of guy that really looks at things from both sides and really want to do my part to voice concerns and ideas through my role at the fan council without being biased. I look forward to talking to many of you soon.
Thank you all for your feedback and comments, the reaction was really more than I anticipated. But I am not at all surprised because we have great fans with high and reasonable expectations. I'm a middle of the road kind of guy that really looks at things from both sides and really want to do my part to voice concerns and ideas through my role at the fan council without being biased. I look forward to talking to many of you soon.
For everyone to put pictures to the names and learn more about the council, it has been updated on the UTEP athletics website. Cheers!
https://utepathletics.com/sports/2018/6/5/utep-fan-council.aspx
https://utepathletics.com/sports/2018/6/5/utep-fan-council.aspx
Here's a suggestion....(trying to be helpful for a change...LOL)
For the basketball games, how about putting a flyer together of what and when to do things. Like explain SFD and hope it's not just supposed to be about standing up. There's the chant, the unified claps, etc...And we are shooting free throws, we are supposed to do "1, 2, 3 PICKS UP" and put our picks in the air thru the shot....
These as well as other things we should be doing.
Let's try to get us all on the same page and it will look cool.
On the flyer, get someone to sponsor it with a coupon on the back so El Pasoans don't just toss it, they read it.
For the basketball games, how about putting a flyer together of what and when to do things. Like explain SFD and hope it's not just supposed to be about standing up. There's the chant, the unified claps, etc...And we are shooting free throws, we are supposed to do "1, 2, 3 PICKS UP" and put our picks in the air thru the shot....
These as well as other things we should be doing.
Let's try to get us all on the same page and it will look cool.
On the flyer, get someone to sponsor it with a coupon on the back so El Pasoans don't just toss it, they read it.
I really like this to the point of building tradition, and I'm going to pass it along. Really great idea.
In bb, how about standing to a specific song (unique to UTEP?) and executing a couple of dance steps in synchronization?
How about creating a rewards program like every other business seems to have. It could be called Miner Money and be used at event concessions, the bookstore or for students at on campus food court. Student's get credited for attending games and the other fans get credit for purchasing tickets. People would also get credit for concession purchases at events, and credits for fan gear purchases. Every student should be signed up as a Miner Maniac at their freshmen orientation and introduced to Miner Money.
I would like to have this thread used to voice concerns/suggestions that the fan council (and us among ourselves as well) can discuss and bring up to members of UTEP athletics. Mr. Senter and the other staff we met are very open to discussing these items and I look forward to hearing what you all have to say.
Bring back Burrito Guy
Consolidate the banners. Who really gives a shit if we made the 1984 NCAA Tournament. Only relevant years like 66 and 92 deserve separate banners. There’s too many banners, they don’t match, they’re crooked, and recruits don’t care what to did 30 years ago.
Consolidate the banners. Who really gives a shit if we made the 1984 NCAA Tournament. Only relevant years like 66 and 92 deserve separate banners. There’s too many banners, they don’t match, they’re crooked, and recruits don’t care what to did 30 years ago.
Reduce the seating capacity in both basketball and football.
Football to around 40,000. If Oklahoma, Arizona, Army, Texas Tech, etc can’t pull more than 40k no one in CUSA is either.
In basketball make it around 9,000. If there’s a marquee game on the schedule and ticket sales are going well then open up the other 3k tickets to the public.
By reducing the capacity it will provide a more compact intimate crowd that can help give UTEP a better home court advantage.
It might also help with ticket sales. When people are afraid a game might sell out they might be more inclined to go out early and buy their tickets instead of buying at the door the day of the game.
It would also help if the UTEP athletics social media would periodically tweet how ticket sales are going. For example if the basketball seating is reduced to the 9k I mentioned and it’s Friday and 7k tickets have been sold tweet it out so that there is an urgency in the city to buy tickets and get the sell out.
Football to around 40,000. If Oklahoma, Arizona, Army, Texas Tech, etc can’t pull more than 40k no one in CUSA is either.
In basketball make it around 9,000. If there’s a marquee game on the schedule and ticket sales are going well then open up the other 3k tickets to the public.
By reducing the capacity it will provide a more compact intimate crowd that can help give UTEP a better home court advantage.
It might also help with ticket sales. When people are afraid a game might sell out they might be more inclined to go out early and buy their tickets instead of buying at the door the day of the game.
It would also help if the UTEP athletics social media would periodically tweet how ticket sales are going. For example if the basketball seating is reduced to the 9k I mentioned and it’s Friday and 7k tickets have been sold tweet it out so that there is an urgency in the city to buy tickets and get the sell out.
Win more games. It cures many ills.
You all are kicking butt on social media, especially for football.
Can you bring back "Dynamite" the burro? The burro was essential in early days of mining out here.
Does anyone remember the Blimp at the basketball games? That was something I loved when Id go to the basketball games that Id love to see back.
First off this is minergabe, my log in wasn't working so I had to make this handle. Here are my suggestions none the less, I hope they make it to an official fan council discussion.
1. Make the "out in the west texas" Fight Song our primary. That "new" one that the band director made up a few years ago needs to go. I know he was trying to start something new and different but its got to go.
2. Play the "Miners Fight" aka Texas Fight occasionally, still part of our history even though its the Texas Fight Song.
3. Sell a small portion of general admission tickets to at howdy's/albertsons to men's football/basketball games. It will make it easier than standing in line at the ticket office on game day which usually has long lines.
4. Encourage more vendors throughout the city to sell utep merchandise and let some of the local printshops have some leeway making their own shirts and selling them.
5. Keep flooding social media and encourage more local businesses to fly UTEP flags on game day.
6. Sponsor some 5k Runs where you get a shirt and a GA ticket for the race fee. I'm sure Chris Rowley at Up and Running would help out, he's a bigtime UTEP supporter and season ticket holder.
1. Make the "out in the west texas" Fight Song our primary. That "new" one that the band director made up a few years ago needs to go. I know he was trying to start something new and different but its got to go.
2. Play the "Miners Fight" aka Texas Fight occasionally, still part of our history even though its the Texas Fight Song.
3. Sell a small portion of general admission tickets to at howdy's/albertsons to men's football/basketball games. It will make it easier than standing in line at the ticket office on game day which usually has long lines.
4. Encourage more vendors throughout the city to sell utep merchandise and let some of the local printshops have some leeway making their own shirts and selling them.
5. Keep flooding social media and encourage more local businesses to fly UTEP flags on game day.
6. Sponsor some 5k Runs where you get a shirt and a GA ticket for the race fee. I'm sure Chris Rowley at Up and Running would help out, he's a bigtime UTEP supporter and season ticket holder.
I disagree. It can be done. Nord did it early in his tenure and even sold out a game against NMSU and Rice (both teams were on the upswing and NMSU just beat ASU at ASU the week before). Almost sold out TT game during Price regime, along with Houston first trip to El Paso when UTEP joined CUSA. My point is, if Dimel get's this team turned around, "They will come". UTEP was just under 35k for Kug's first year and that is really good for a mid major, and UTEP no less!
Basketball, heck no. BG had the DHC rafters blown off by his second year. It was the hottest ticket in town. People were trying to score handicapped seating area tickets. Barbee, by his final two years had it under 9k average. That means there were games that were over 9k.
I know which one you’re talking about. While it was used in the college of mine days (see it at the heritage house), it never did catch on. There was a clip that Senter asked a groups of how many knew they played the fight song “out in the West Texas...”. Only 10 out of 100 there knew that was the flight song. Made me cringe.
You’re right about the print shops having leeway with printing items. Hardest thing was as in my student organization time was getting the okay and then going to the “approved vendor” which was a pain and not as cost effective
Reducing capacity means higher ticket prices as well. Good points!
No burro’s please. I know that was part of the TWC days (bumper stickers, patches, etc and I have a few) I would rather have the burrito man at the basketball games throwing free burritos lol
I love the fan council, but without winning teams it doesn't matter what the fan council does. I think the problem right now is fans are counting their chickens before they hatch. There are a lot of "ifs" right now. I hope the football attendance has numbers like the Price days and the basketball attendance has numbers like the Barbee days.
One thing that needs be done is have more giveaways. Have you ever been to a Chihuahuas game when there is a giveaway? People are lined up before the gates are even open.
One thing that needs be done is have more giveaways. Have you ever been to a Chihuahuas game when there is a giveaway? People are lined up before the gates are even open.
Sure it can be done. If it is done then simply sell more tickets. Until we are consistently selling more than 35k per game there is no reason to have everyone scattered around the stadium. Close off the top sections and make the Sun Bowl more intimidating for opposing teams.
Kugler averaged around 28k his first year and the same amount during his bowl season.
IMO even if we get a winning program it will be very difficult to average more than 40k. Sure we might hit once during the ooc schedule with a nearby power team. The current lineup of CUSA teams doesn’t appeal to the city of El Paso. They can’t even get their own fans to attend their own game in their home city.
For basketball you’re probably right.
This is not a permanent closure of seats. It’s basically just tarping off sections. If we need the seats simply remove the tarp and sell the tickets.
No need to raise ticket prices. Leave them alone. If we sell the 40k tickets to a football game then people won’t care if they have to cough up a few extra dollars for the big game. They will also learn their lesson to buy the tickets early next time.
That's not going to happen and increasing ticket prices right now would be silly.
Reducing the capacity is smart, but if there is enough demand the seats that are closed off would be sold.
1. Change up the music at fb/bb games. The current "sounds", are so 70s...
2. Let the band play more, stop weeding them out
3. Minervision needs vast improvement.
4. Need to put a chant when doing the football kick off. Make a true college football experience.
5. Find section leaders, that will get the crowd energetic.
6. I like the idea of selling tickets at stores.
7. Basketball needs to find a way to be able to dim the lights for intros...
8. those massive junky looking speakers need to go. way too bulky in the Don.
9. Move the student section and band near the tunnel, for better interaction with teams.
10. First game of the season, needs to be pumped up. Find a way to bring in a big crowd.
11. First game of the season, set up a sponsor program. For example, allow someone to get a free ticket for being the "biggest UTEP" fan. Be creative. Since many claim that title. Let them sit/stand in the concrete area. Since they are the biggest fans... Give them camera time between breaks.
12. Put fake grass in the area that is concrete.
2. Let the band play more, stop weeding them out
3. Minervision needs vast improvement.
4. Need to put a chant when doing the football kick off. Make a true college football experience.
5. Find section leaders, that will get the crowd energetic.
6. I like the idea of selling tickets at stores.
7. Basketball needs to find a way to be able to dim the lights for intros...
8. those massive junky looking speakers need to go. way too bulky in the Don.
9. Move the student section and band near the tunnel, for better interaction with teams.
10. First game of the season, needs to be pumped up. Find a way to bring in a big crowd.
11. First game of the season, set up a sponsor program. For example, allow someone to get a free ticket for being the "biggest UTEP" fan. Be creative. Since many claim that title. Let them sit/stand in the concrete area. Since they are the biggest fans... Give them camera time between breaks.
12. Put fake grass in the area that is concrete.
I like this idea.
Also, I think the 50 and 40 yard line tickets should be one price (around $15) and season tickets would only be sold in those sections. All the other tickets would be $10. I think more tickets would be sold this way.
Also, season ticket holders need to get more perks.
NMSU did something similar to what I’m suggesting in basketball. That’s actually where I got the idea from. I don’t think anyone can complain about getting better closer seats for the same price they were paying for nosebleeds.
https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/sp...ating-map-effort-enhance-atmosphere/89725428/
How about creating a rewards program like every other business seems to have. It could be called Miner Money and be used at event concessions, the bookstore or for students at on campus food court. Student's get credited for attending games and the other fans get credit for purchasing tickets. People would also get credit for concession and merchandise purchases at events. Every student should be signed up as a Miner Maniac at their freshmen orientation and introduced to Miner Money.
1 and 2. Your point I will address specifically is the band. There is a new band director coming in (dont know if its been announced yet) that has big ideas in mind, including wanting to double the size of the band. I think that may address some of the concerns about coming up with a tradition song that wont change regardless of who the band director is.
Yes
Already been answered, 300,000 was the cost at the town hall at tortugas and the one in Dallas (was in town on vacation for the first one)
Yes
No, already been done. See pictures of sun bowl in 60’s and 70’s. It was “meh”
Not as embarrassing as tailgating questions that no one knows the answer to
They’re going to have to develop a young fan base. That’s why I’ve been so intrigued by the Orioles ‘kids attend free’ idea. Most sports franchises are struggling with this battle that the youth would rather stay at home playing Fortnite then go to a game. I think one of the reasons baseball does well in El Paso is because Jim Paul gave away thousands of tickets to school children every game and those kids are now my age and we are taking our kids to games.
Learning the fight song should be staple when coming to UTEP as a student. It should be included in the University 1301 course, which every student has to take. It would help increase school pride and people knowing it at games and events.
The thing is about merch. The university has to approve vendors and that takes time like minerfan_14 said. I believe they have to get reapproval as well every so often. We had shirt made at UTEP for student organizations and it was a process to find a vendor and a good price. I wish it was easier, but there are many trademarks and hoops to go through for merch to be approved.
There was a 1301 course on utep history and traditions I was a TA in. Hope it’s still there
