Lafayette College Logo

[UL_Cajuns]

Think of UNC-CHARLOTTE.
What do you see and know?
CHARLOTTE

[Hammer58]

Don't worry, I sent Karl an e-mail on the matter. We are tight.

[fanof71]

ESPN had the Lafayette College logo by our name. That was pretty sad. Was this done on purpose?

Not done on purpose, but by an $8 an hour web production assistant who's not paid to think only to work. The only "on purpose" in this whole name fiasco with ESPN (and others) is the butt drag'n and failure of Martin Hall to do anything to protect the name and brand, other than send a poison pen press release from UL SID. Your name is your brand...It has value, maybe its a small value in relative terms, but it has value. When ESPN does this sort of stuff, (and it really makes them look stupid when they do) it lessons the value of the brand by causing confusion and chaos. Does ESPN care? sure looks like they don't. Has it happened more than once...yep... If this was happening to Coke, what would they do? KFC? General Motors? Obama Care? Lots of guys in $2000 suites start showing up with paperwork that features lots of zero's, comma's, and dollar signs. ESPN would get the message....and count the dollars spent trying to negotiate a settlement as a cost of doing business. ESPN is making the mistake, Martin Hall is just too lazy to call them on it. Ditto for the tools that run the Sun Belt.

Did you see the crowd this past Thursday Night on ESPN at Clemson? Full house, weeknight game, temps in the low 40's at kick off. Look, you have to want to get to Clemson to actually find it. The school is stuck out in the middle of lakes and hills between Greenville, SC and Atlanta. Both destinations are an hour or more to get to.
I understand UL isn't at Clemsons level on the national scene, but locally it should be. Too many UL graduates and former students have passed their four years at UL without a sniff of a traditional winner in football (sometimes basketball as well)
Years and years and years have passed without a consistent winning product in football. Augie had a good year in 1976, Sam had a few good years, Nelson had it headed in the right direction, people got excited and there was a buzz around a few of those years, but the plug is pulled, Nelson leaves and then NOTHING for too many years. No loyalty to the school or the program for many, many, years as students and then even fewer as UL supporters. If you graduated 15 years ago, you are 35-40 years old and in prime earnings territory....what was the program like 15 years ago? As a student, when you develop that hard core loyalty, you want to be proud of the school, and back a winner....on a consistent basis, hasn't happened in the last 40 or more years. That's why UL doesn't get a full house on a weekday night with cool temps for a TV game. The school hasn't created an environment in the last 40 years (until recently) to cultivate a large and die hard fan base of over 50,000 people that show up regardless if the game is a Thursday, Tues, Christmas Eve or the weekend after Thanksgiving. Shouldn't matter who the opposition is...you show up because your a loyal die hard for your school and your team. I know, this board is full of die hard, loyal ragin cajuns. I am too, it bothers me when a town the size of Lafayette can't turn out a full house for the only game in town and a team that's now won 8 in a row.

[Hammer58]

Karl says he understands our concern. A fat lot of good that will do us.

[douglas]

Well put fanof71, I think a lot of the fan aggression has skipped a step in the process.before battle you circle the wagons, the donor base has left out a wagon, martin hall. if it truly is a "new day" for the university then this should be a litmus test. Commence flinging the flaming arrows at those responsible for getting our message out there first then proceed with those who refuse to follow.

people were beyond angry over the realignment issue, lets for a moment say that we were ready and the other party said no. This is a different matter that requires no other party. Lets see if this can be rectified then move onto bigger targets

[Crowley Cajun]

So what is the motive behind Albertsons and Academy accidently putting Lafayette College Leopard clothing on their shelves?

Marketing failure includes failing to foresee branding confusion.

When did this happen? If it did, regardless of the reason of how the wrong merchandise was orderded and made it's way to the stores, it's just plain stupidity that it was even put on the shelves.

[Titsburgfeelers]

Okay, if ESPN WILL NOT use just LOUISIANA in text at this time, why not request they use LOUISIANA (LA). That looks MUCH better then UL-LAFAYETTE when it scrolls across the screen. Once Lamoan finally stops acting like a whinny baby and stops hurting their own branding by fighting ours, it will be easy for ESPN to drop the (LA).

[Hammer58]

Okay, if ESPN WILL NOT use just LOUISIANA in text at this time, why not request they use LOUISIANA (LA). That looks MUCH better then UL-LAFAYETTE when it scrolls across the screen. Once Lamoan finally stops acting like a whinny baby and stops hurting their own branding by fighting ours, it will be easy for ESPN to drop the (LA).

It's going to be hard to get them to change when our own conference doesn't give a crap. Just as with the low TV revenue, Karl's response to ESPN's use of the Lafayette College logo was a Clintonesque "I understand your concern" At least Ol' Bill felt our pain, Karl doesn't even want to share discomfort. Then his response to the TSU@SM AD's use of "Lafayette" in his halftime interview during the ASU game last night is "SBC ADs have all been informed that UL-Lafayette does not wish to be referred to Lafayette - sorry but not much else I can do. ". Not much else he can do?!!! How about getting off your ___, directing the conference to refer to us as we wish on its website, in press releases, schedules, etc. lead by example and then maybe others will follow suit.

[alum81]

Troy changed from Troy State to Troy overnight. Why was it so easy for them and so difficult for Louisiana?

[Hammer58]

Troy changed from Troy State to Troy overnight. Why was it so easy for them and so difficult for Louisiana?

Because they didn't gave some other whiney-assed school in their state telling people not to call them what they requested. Their Big5 programs were secure enough in their identities and place in the world to not feel threatened by their name change. And finally, other conference members complied with their branding request.

It baffles my that schools such as Troy and Texas State among others who have gone through their own name changes and issues associated with that are so quick to disregard our request regarding the name.

[Turbine]

When did this happen? If it did, regardless of the reason of how the wrong merchandise was orderded and made it's way to the stores, it's just plain stupidity that it was even put on the shelves.

I have pictures of both Louisville and Lafayette Leopard clothing on the shelves of Acadiana area stores.

I have been searching at the moment I can't dig them up. They me be on my retired Motorola Q and I can't find it either.

There are so many steps along the way that this can happen it isn't even funny.

[Boomer]

I see where the lafayette area is trying to get another tax (property and sales ) for the schools ---I would only vote for something like this if UL were included or had a separate one---Now is the time to set the goals to get a med/Pharm/ Law school and the athletic program into the Big 12---Why shouldn't we try and why wouldn't the locals be against it???? THIS would truly be a tax for "ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT"!!!!!! Hell let everybody know what we are doing and why---bring it to BR and tell them how this would HELP the state and the area!!!! All we need them to do is NOT SAY NO!!!