Facility Improvements
University of Louisiana president Dr. Ray Authement details plans to promote the football and entire Ragin' Cajun athletic program.
LOUISIANA La. - The administration at Louisiana is on board the Bustle Bandwagon.
Actually, University of Louisiana at La. president Dr. Ray Authement helped make it possible for the Ragin' Cajun program to hire Rickey Bustle as its head football coach in December, a move that has spurred interest in the overall athletic program heading into the fall season.
But that's not all that the university has done to boost the athletic program over the past several months. The hiring of two staffers in the Office of Development and the Office of Public Relations and News Services have been part of a new plan for promoting the university's athletic arm.
Bustle's arrival, the two April hirings and the establishment of that plan have already borne fruit, according to athletic director Nelson Schexnayder.
"We have some tools now," Schexnayder said. "We've had ideas in the past, but we haven't had anybody to carry the water."
Right now, the water looks like a downhill-flowing stream. The UL ticket office - newly located in the Cajundome box office - has already reported football season ticket sales twice as high as last year's final numbers.
"We're around 4,400 or 4,500 tickets sold right now," Schexnayder said. "That's already double what we sold last year."
And, Authement put forth an even more lofty goal Thursday at a noon luncheon that updated the progress of the new athletic initiatives.
"We're aiming at 6,000," he said, "and with the equivalencies that we'll have (in flexible group sales), we could have the equivalent of 8,000 season tickets. That would put money in the bank that we need to make this a prosperous program."
Local organizers Jim Doyle and Robert Trahan are spearheading a drive for businesses and individuals to purchase game tickets in blocks of 500, with the flexibility to have 500 tickets for one game, 250 tickets for two games or 100 tickets for each of the five home games.
"Businesses can use these for employee programs," Schexnayder said, "for promotional use, or they can donate them to sports groups and youth groups."
Authement, who announced plans to enhance the athletic program in February, said that alumni and friends of the university have already begun to respond.
"I got a $10,000 check in the mail last week from a supporter to put toward tickets," he said, "and he told me that he was going to get four other friends to do the same thing. Yesterday, I got another $10,000 check.
"Our alumni and this community have always been very supportive of the university, and it's no different with athletics. It's a new era, and everyone is excited and willing to help."
That help is coming in many forms, several of which will be evident between now and the Cajuns' home football opener Sept. 7 against Minnesota. The most visible so far is a refurbishment of Cajun Field spearheaded by new development officer Gerald Hebert, one of the new hirings.
"We want to make our facilities look fresh again," Hebert said, "and getting people to come out and help is a way for them to take an ownership in the program. It makes everyone feel a part of it."
A second Volunteer Day is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 17, from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at the stadium. Other planned improvements include renovation of the old scoreboard into a message center, a new marquee sign at the intersection of Reinhardt Drive and Bertrand Drive, and murals and television monitors located throughout Cajun Field.
"We want and need more people to step up," Hebert said, "but the response has been great so far."
The university's goals include getting more people to attend athletic events, and that's basically the job of the other new staff member. Eric Maron worked with the public relations office in the area of broadcast media prior to April, but has since then devoted all his time to marketing and promotions of all sports.
And, he and the rest of the involved staff are taking a different approach.
"In the past, we've targeted sports fans," Maron said. "Now, we're going to target families. It's going to be family entertainment based around an athletic event. We're looking to increase the family entertainment atmosphere at football games, both outside and inside the gates."
That plan includes giveaways and contests involving local and regional sponsors, premiums given to fans at each home game, game themes and increased entertainment both pre-game and during games.
"Many businesses and the media have come on board," Maron said, "and that's going to provide a quality family experience when people come to our athletic events."
Also included in the marketing plan is a forthcoming program, "Get in the Game and Win" to increase attendance, and increased involvement by UL students through promotions and activities.
The university's other major commitment to athletics involves creation of an advisory board to handle financial donations to the program. The UL Lafayette Foundation formed a Ragin' Cajun Athletic Endowment Advisory Committee to provide review and oversight of privately gifted money and assets donated for athletics.
"We had tremendous success with our campaign for academic excellence," Authement said, "and that has now allowed us to switch over to athletics."
Bill Fenstermaker and Rusty Cloutier are serving as co-chairmen of the endowment advisory committee.
"Dr. Authement is very serious about his support of athletics, and he's going to make sure this happens," said UL director of development John T. Landry. "Gifts to the university for athletics have always gone where they were designated to go and they will continue to do that. We had a very successful academic campaign, and we expect a very successful athletic campaign."
Advertiser-Dan McDonald
August 2, 2002
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Cajun Field Scroll Board
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Entrance to Louisiana Field (The Swamp)
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sports complex structure
