UH Athletic Director Tackles Long Lines at TDECU Stadium, Envisions a Very Updated Coogs House in Near Future

Even while watching the Monday Night Football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings, Chris Pezman found his mind shifting to what he could take from the Eagles’ stadium experience. The University of Houston’s athletic director found himself intrigued by Lincoln Financial Field’s Tunnel Club — the seats that come with Microsoft Surface tablets and access to a lounge in the Eagles’ tunnel where fans can often high five players as they head to the field — and the Eagles Nest party deck.

Pezman is always looking for ways that UH can make its on-campus TDECU Stadium a better fan experience, ways to give it more cutting edge touches. Houston’s impending move to the Big 12 adds a sense of real urgency to this research, with the university planning for major stadium upgrades in the not so distant future.

The athletic director is somewhat obsessed with the fan experience. When Pezman goes to a stadium on the road — like Texas Tech’s Jones AT&T Stadium a few weeks ago — he does a sweep of the entire stadium, looking for things that the average fan might miss, looking for things he might want to bring to Houston.

So yes, Chris Pezman is more than aware that the University of Houston’s own stadium fan experience came up somewhat lacking in the Cougars’ home opener last Saturday. Long lines at certain gates to get into the stadium, long waits at concession stands even as other stands nearby stayed shuttered. Issues with both ticket scanners and staffing.

“Unacceptable,” Pezman says of the first home game issues. “We need to do better. And we will.”

Pezman tells PaperCity that about one third of the stadium staffing callouts for the home opener did not show. Which left the stadium with more than 33 percent less staff than expected for the game. It’s the same kind of staffing issues that have hounded many businesses in the service industry these days. Like most sports stadiums, TDECU Stadium’s concessions are operated by a third party vendor, but Pezman has no interest in trying to shift any blame.

“That’s no excuse,” he says. “It’s still our responsibility to do right by our fans. And make sure they’re treated the way they deserve to be treated.”

Pezman is quick to volunteer that he gets why all the unopened concession stands are particularly galling.

“When someone sees an unopened concessions stand when they’re in a long line at another one, it’s frustrating,” he says. “We get it.”

Everyone is working to make sure things run smoother in UH’s 5 pm home game against Rice this Saturday. Pezman tells PaperCity he expects a crowd of 24,000 or 25,000 Saturday based on ticket sales and projections — a decent turnout for this intracity game between two schools seemingly in different athletic weight classes. Adding to the disappointment of the home opener is that UH was tracking to draw more than 30,000 fans to the Kansas game before the perfect storm of rain right around kickoff changed the equation.

“We would have gotten to 30,000 plus,” Pezman says.

The athletic director knows the crowd equations are about to dramatically shift as the Cougars begin Big 12 play next fall. When Texas schools like TCU, Baylor and Texas Tech head to TDECU Stadium, the stadium game will change too.

“We have to be ready for 40,000 plus,” Pezman says. “Because those days are coming. I wasn’t here for the Louisville game (a Thursday night prime time showcase sellout of more than 42,000 at TDECU in 2016), but that’s going to become a regular thing. And I can’t wait for it.

“But we need to make sure we’re prepared for it.”

To make sure Houston and TDECU Stadium are ready. there will be noticeable changes to the stadium by next fall.

“What you’ll see is the undeveloped spaces on the side of the premium tower up here, on the side of the press box and the suites, by next fall those will be filled in,” Pezman says. “There’s a lot of demand for premium seating. One of the things we don’t have enough of here is air conditioned space for our fans.

“Particularly, as we all know, games in September, games in early October, it’s hot. . . We’ve got to create more space.”

Wi-Fi and in-seat food service are other things on the more immediate agenda. “All those things that continue to make the game experience better, we’re going to do as soon as we can,” Pezman says. “There’s been some conversations about what those things are and just how we’re going to fund them.

“But what’s nice is with the Big 12 announcement when we go to other partners there’s a lot more engagement and willingness to have those conversations then there was before. Because they understand what’s coming.”

Adding more of those kind of distinctive, special fan sections that a stadium like The Linc in Philly has are more of a longer term vision.

It’s not about adding more seats to TDECU Stadium as much as it’s about incorporating more special distinctive seats and section into its mix. TDECU Stadium’s current capacity of 42,000-plus overall (including standing-room-only viewing) and 40,000 seats is right in the same ballpark as current Big 12 schools like Baylor (45,000 capacity in McLane Stadium), TCU (47,000 in Amon Carter Stadium) and Kansas (47,000 in Memorial Stadium). And it’s higher than fellow new Big 12 member Cincinnati’s 40,000 capacity Nippert Stadium and not far from Big 12 newbie UCF’s 45,000 capacity football stadium.

“As far as we’re concerned, attendance we don’t think is an issue,” new Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark says. “If you look at all Big 12 teams, we’re playing to 90-percent-plus capacity. There’s great rivalries, great brands that will be coming and calling this venue home.

“So no concern there.”

Chris Pezman On UH’s Present and Future

UH and Chris Pezman are more concerned with making sure TDECU is a compelling place to watch a game than making it larger. At least for now.

That’s the thing. Pezman needs to keep looking forward while making sure the concerns of today are handled well. This is the life of an athletic director in a Power 5 conference transition.

No one ever promised it would be easy.

“We have to be ready for 40,000 plus. Because those days are coming.” — UH athletic director Chris Pezman

Even as he looks ahead, Pezman is pushing UH’s athletic department to embrace the traditions it does already have. And lean into them. Even if it’s something as  low tech as Big Hawk, the UH equipment manager who’s flying sprints and rolls onto the field to retrieve the kickoff tees, have become a recognizable and loved part of Houston football games.

“We want to promote the traditions we have and create new ones,” Pezman says.

University of Houston’s athletic director is always researching, looking for more. Even when the former UH football team captain is watching an NFL game at home. And definitely during that recent trip to Texas Tech’s campus for a football Saturday. Which meant looking at facilities other sports besides football bring to the Big 12 table too.

“I’ll walk around and see what people have,” Pezman tells PaperCity. “There’s no original ideas right. You’re always stealing from somebody else. You’re just trying to figure a way you can incorporate it in what you have to offer.

“I walked around, looked at baseball. You’re trying to just get a vibe. It’s not necessarily always the obvious things. It’s the other things you’re trying to figure out. OK, do they have an advantage? Or are there things that they’re doing that are cool experiences or game effects.

“Whatever that is and how we can incorporate that into what we’re trying to do.”

Chris Pezman is beyond pumped about the University of Houston’s future. But he’s just as determined to get the present right.