The University of North Texas used the 24^th Annual Taste of Dallas event to it’s advantage to reconnect with former alumni and friends and to make new supporters. The three day event was held at Fair Park from July 9-11 and reports coming out of the University of North Texas are the event was a success.

Representing North Texas were the Cheerleaders, the Dance Team, staff members, the Big Truck and the bounce house. Giveaways were available. On display was the rendering of the new football stadium which caught the attention of a lot of visitors.

The North Texas Athletic Department, under the direction of Athletic Director Rick Villarreal, is looking for ways to get closer to their alumni base, find ways to get closer to the community, draw more interest to what North Texas has been doing on the playing field as well as the athletic department facilities improvements. Most of the improvements have not been noticed by fans outside Denton.

So, athletic department officials felt the Taste of Dallas was one of the best ways to get the word out about what is going on at North Texas.  It was a way to get closer to the 100,000 University of North Texas alums that live in the metroplex and to bring to them what the new stadium will look like. It would also allow North Texas to get closer to possible future students and interested sport’s fans.

A source close the program said they felt he worked. There were North Texas alums, as well as interested fans, that were impressed about the new stadium. Several alums said they have not been involved with North Texas since they graduated but the new stadium has gotten them interested in becoming involved and now want to support the program.

North Texas officials also thought this was a great opportunity to prepare for future conference realignments. Every several years in college football there are shakeups in conference memberships and they wanted to get prepared for the next one. Going out to the metroplex would not only give North Texas a chance to get closer to their alumni base but would give fans from other schools the opportunity to see what North Texas is doing to improve their facilities. The result would bolster North Texas’ position for support from fans from other schools who would help support admission to their conference.

One of the things officials are trying to point out to North Texas alums is even though they maybe fans of other Texas programs, that is fine, but they need to support North Texas. Afterall, North Texas is where they got their degree and they should support the school where they earned their degree in some form or fashion. They need all the alums to join the Mean Green Club or the Alumni Association, purchase tickets to home sporting events because doing so will help North Texas move their programs forward and they could become just as powerful as any other school in the state.

North Texas does not intend to let this event be a once a year thing. They have plans to contact everyone that stopped by the booth to thank them, to let them know how much North Texas needs their support in anyway possible and to push for ticket sales. 

While some may feel this is not the best way to get to fans, it should be noted both Southern Methodist and Texas Christian also had booths at the event.

Look for the North Texas Athletic Department to be at more such events in the future.