Albineaux Update: UL Has Finally Spoken

They finally talked to me!

After three years of reaching out to the Office of Marketing and Communications, Vice President of Marketing and Communication Jennifer Stephens acknowledged my proposal, appreciated my enthusiasm for my alma mater, and said that university is currently NOT pursuing a spirit leader. BUT when they do, "public input and feedback will be an important part of those discussions."

PRO:

1. Our university is notoriously mum's the word when it comes to anything behind the scenes, especially in regards to a mascot. I have no doubt, the support a lot of y'all have shown for Al is the reason a department head finally responded to me. After years of this UL nobody asking to be heard, I'm filled with so much pride knowing the reason anything was said at all was because the Ragin Cajun fanbase heading in the same direction is a powerful thing! Thank you to all of you!

CON:

1. Jennifer's response doesn't solve any of the reasons why we all want a mascot. It's actually more worrying. Assuming most of you saw the financial report, engagement and ticket sales are down, and we're bleeding money. A spirit leader isn't going to make all those problems go away, but to most of us, it's a step in the right direction. A new spirit leader has been a prominent plea from the fanbase for a few years now, and Jennifer just said that's not what the administration is focused on right now. However,...

PRO:

2. The ball is finally in the court of the fans! I have always said that mascot creation should always involve the people who fill the stands. My biggest issue with some of the past characters is, you guys weren't in those talks. Now, you are in a position to be at the center of them! IF there was a behind closed doors decision being made on a new spirit leader, I think the support you guys have been showing for Albineaux, online and off, made them reconsider. I consider this a big victory for the fans.

CON:

2. The work is not done. We may even need to be louder if we want to expedite the spirit leader talks within Martin Hall. If any of you truly believe, like I do, that a spirit leader would help our university start to chip away at that deficit, we need more people to let them know this is a priority to us.

Listen, I'm not going anywhere. Albineaux isn't going anywhere. He truly is yours now. The path forward to writing another page in UL's history is as clear as it has ever been. We just need people to work together.

I know the kind of success Al has with younger demographics. He's an easy sell to them. But I believe the best way to proceed is to start convincing more of the USL alums. Some people have called them "the golden generation" for our university. I believe that statement! They were at the forefront of pioneering a lot of change for our institution (name changes, mascot changes, multiple spirit leaders). So much of that has been for the better! Now is their opportunity to put their final stamp on their legacy of progress from USL Bulldogs to The University of Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns. And they need to know that. Nostalgia is valued and powerful, but we can't move forward as a fanbase if a good bit of them are still stuck on a mascot they themselves said didn't represent our culture.

All that to say, to the Albineaux supporters, start talking to other fans about YOUR mascot. Tell them they can finally be a part of history, or make history again, when the time comes. And we want that time to come soon! The Athletic Department has pointed us towards the Office of Marketing and Communications to get a mascot. Their email is communications@louisiana.edu. Our voices can be heard. I'm Albineaux's creator but it y'all that will make him legend.

It's a blessing and privilege to be on this journey with the greatest fans in the world. Geaux Cajuns!

This horse is still living?

Thanks for all your efforts.

If they aren't already in gear on this, with The Swamp (an Alligator Habitat) football stadium being rebuilt, and a bona fide "Alligator Habitat" on campus. The official mascot of the University of Louisiana campus (by the way) it may take normal career turnover before they move forward on this.

I can’t quite put my finger on why all of our sporting events look like a field trip day for nursing homes. One day I’ll figure it out.

The work you’ve put into this has been second to none. And we pride ourselves on grassroots efforts. But the fact that we aren’t even pursuing a mascot is concerning when we have been lacking fan engagement for quite awhile now. This is what creates apathy with people including myself.

If we are going to continue to lack fan engagement and getting out into the community to promote our brand, I’m on the verge of having one foot out of the door. Why try if the people getting paid don’t want to try?

Let’s say there was a GoFundMe, hypothetically. Then a costume was purchased, hypothetically. Then s football season ticket was purchased , hypothetically. Would Al be allowed to attend games?

I’m not sure what’s more disappointing:

1. That we refuse to do this very basic thing nearly every team in the country does to appeal to kids because it’s a no brainer: kids love mascots.
2. The fact we are notorious for having our graduates not care a lick about UL when they leave campus. Subsequently having a graduate so passionate about the university they pour hundreds of hours of their own time in to designing a mascot for the university only to be ignored for 3 years and finally told we aren’t looking for a mascot.

especially when we don’t have a mascot

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BabbForHeisman

Let’s say there was a GoFundMe, hypothetically. Then a costume was purchased, hypothetically. Then s football season ticket was purchased , hypothetically. Would Al be allowed to attend games?

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You have made a common mistake that anyone associated with UL has been expertly trained to avoid. You haven’t thought of the LIABILITY. What if this rogue mascot trips and falls? What if a kid falls because he’s in such a hurry to run up and take a picture? What if the old wearer of Cayenne sees Al and flies in to a fit of rage causing a brawl to break out? Rookie mistake B4H. Be better.

I think the ding dongs that work our sporting events wouldn’t even ask for a ticket if someone walked up to the door in a mascot costume. I say let’s do it