I agree that the heat and humidity can work to our advantage especially- games in September. However, when the new giant video screen/scoreboard was put up it does provide shade on the opponents sideline for parts of some mid afternoon and early evening start times.
Joseph, great that you are doing this. Hopefully the powers to be can use this feedback to improve the GDE.
Gotta be honest thou, I am a little concerned that since all this feedback will be on the negative side, your bosses might turn this feedback into a negative Chronicle news column. Keep them from doing this!
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Interesting thread. As a fan and season ticket holder for multiple schools including UH, most my problems are college football in general (no more pay to play, only legit NIL)
But to the topic.
I find in and out very easy from the blue lot or purple garage and the shuttle works well.
Things I want to see that can be controlled - Make it UH, not generic college football. Bring in food that represents Houston, bring in beer that represents Houston. Get over profit margins for Aramark or other general food suppliers. This is done to some extent, so good to a point. Make it more. Make the stadium HOUSTON.
While a newer UH fan, I have followed college football teams since the SWC. Houston has good history. Bring that into the stadium - sculptures, posters, signs etc…
Consistency at gate - I bring my camera and follow rules under 6 inch lens. Sometimes I get hassled and other times I don’t - if I get blocked, I will stop coming. period. One reason as to why not planning to renew baseball season tickets. Even though sign out front said same camera rules, I was told I could not bring my camera in.
Theme days - mentioned in another thread - do something real. Not just generic themes and actually fix up the stadium to show the theme. I suggested a hunting theme for this state, and include hunting educational booths. If military appreciation, encourage people to come in uniform and have miltiary representation.
Ditch the stupid color shirt for every game. Wait for a big game to come and “spontaneously” make it a black out game. Maybe not every year. One game a year for blue is ok.
Pregame - boring. At least at other schools I could listen to a cover band playing somewhere. Ideally, put something in the stadium to get people to enter earlier. There is a whole big area on the side with the open parking lot (opposite stadium) where you could put a cover band. I would go in early to listen. Instead I go to the student center to eat - cheaper and take cash.
Be UH, don’t be generic.
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Didn’t Houston use an air raid siren at one point or am I thinking of another school?
They probably look better than the Nike ones.
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Yes, air raid siren. I think UH still has it.
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“The Blaze”
The Blaze has got to go! Warbly sounding and not like any type of Air Raid siren. Just terrible sound.
I vote, for the early season games, its either 7pm or we voluntarily just dont go on TV. Im willing to sacrifice some on air appearance if it means i dont need to fry like bacon.
Either that or we find some way to invest into some Romanlike Coliseum awning system or maybe get rid of the astroturf we have and go back to NATURAL GRASS!!!
Also, the black out game for Halloween is okay and i can stomach one blue game a season but for HUMPS sake can we actually wear our traditional school color lineup? RED helmet, red jersey, and white pants for home with RED helmet, white jersey, and white pants for road. Heck I’ll even go with RED helmet, white jersey, and red pants for roadies if you want.
Mr Burns we need your Sun blocking machine!!
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Has anyone mentioned palm trees? We need palm trees!
If not, I think making faster progress on improving tailgating and pregame activities would help. Give folks a reason to comenout in addition to the game itself.
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I agree with everything except the uniforms. I like the white helmets thrown in. I also think that they could do away with the Halloween game. Is that a thing at other schools?
I would like to see the white helmets thrown in also. Thrown in to the trash, thrown in the ocean, thrown in to some donation bin.
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That’s how feel about the rest of the unform.
Restrooms on the second level please.
Portables would be a good start!!!
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Years ago Duarte and I emailed back and forth a few times. I’ve always enjoyed what content he put out.
One thing I’ve seen at other places is outside the stadium we could have people that work for UH walking around with pamphlets/guide sheets. They could answer questions that any fans including visiting fans have in regard to the stadium and locations of things. Entrances, ticket office, seat locations, different tailgate lots, etc. We could use maybe 4 per game, one for each side of the stadium.
Open the parking lots next to Spur 5 for visitors and game day ticket buyers. Try and protect the existing lots for season ticket holders.
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This needs to be a priority. Wifi pregame or in game photos to the big screen is a must. Drones at tailgates and in game to create hype. A well thought out pregame entry is a must (ie. Virginia Tech) Used to have the pregame video with Yeoman and Case and big plays, this can all be orchestrated to build maximum fan excitement. Basketball is a little easier with indoor Fertitta but something similar.
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Man, we have one of the worst merch situations I’ve seen from a P4 school. Until very recently, Rice had a better variety of merch than we did. I’m not asking us to be Texas out here or anything, but surely we can compete with, like, the Georgias Tech of the world, right? There’s still some extremely basic stuff we’re missing, like a crewneck sweatshirt with the seal on it, that every other school has. There’s also a dearth of merch that includes the words “University of,” which seems like an intentional branding decision – it’s probably for the best that we take efforts to conflate the school with the city – but I’m still gonna grouse about it.
Now that it appears the thundercoog logo has been over for a couple of years, does the school have any plans to introduce a new cougar logo?
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Good job recapping. If UH just does this, it is a win.
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I think the Dept has made great strides the last couple of years. At least as a season ticket holder, I’m contacted by the ticket office more. The first rep a couple of years ago was ok, but at least there was one. Last year, Nick Buckley did an amazing job on communication and with Jeff on this site, it’s a hundred times better than 5-10 years ago. Sadly, Nick left. I hope there is someone to fill his shoes.
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Nick actually called me to check in. I am Rep less for now and he wanted to thank me for being a football season ticket holder. That call was shortly before he left. I am a long ways from Houston so I cannot get to every game, but I really appreciated his call and subsequent email follow-up. And I am semiretired so not able to be a huge donor.
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