New Orleans Bowl Attendance 54,728 Outback 51,296

[Policarp]

some journalist at game tweeted twenty to twenty-five thousand

[CAJUNTODD44]

I argued with some LSU people and they said the same old thing, "any team can bring 45k if they are only 2 hrs away", would be nice to see us get a bowl in Tampa, how many do to believe we would bring?

[Turbine]

I argued with some LSU people and they said the same old thing, "any team can bring 45k if they are only 2 hrs away", would be nice to see us get a bowl in Tampa, how many do to believe we would bring?

"Anybody can" but some schools closer, didn't.

[cajunhawk]

I argued with some LSU people and they said the same old thing, "any team can bring 45k if they are only 2 hrs away", would be nice to see us get a bowl in Tampa, how many do to believe we would bring?

Then ask them why a team in the same city didn't bring 45k? Several teams around the country where in similar situations as we were in...only the BCS teams traveled like we did...even when they were 2 hours away or less.

[Hammer58]

Happy New Year! I hate LSU but C'mon...you can't accurately compare turn out for these two bowls. Most UL fans drove less than 2 hours to bowl while (& playing home team) while LSU/Iowa fans had to fly to Tampa or drive at least 20 hours for Iowa & 10-11 for LSU.

Valid point about the proximity. But when you have a player from State denigrating someone else's Bowl game and its fans he opens himself up for criticism when his "great" fanbase fails to support them in a BCS Bowl.

[NOLACajun]

I argued with some LSU people and they said the same old thing, "any team can bring 45k if they are only 2 hrs away", would be nice to see us get a bowl in Tampa, how many do to believe we would bring?

I would love to see stats on how many nights and dollars spent when LSU fans went to the Sugar Bowl. I know that downtown/French Quarter businesses hated when LSU got a invited to New Orleans because it hurt them economically.

[basinbear]

I argued with some LSU people and they said the same old thing, "any team can bring 45k if they are only 2 hrs away", would be nice to see us get a bowl in Tampa, how many do to believe we would bring?

15,000

[Papo Ramos]

I know this is difficult for people like Z to comprehend, but I'm a fan of both schools...graduated from LSU but grew up in Lafayette. I'm a season ticket holder to LSU football, and at different times in the past I've also been a season ticket holder to UL basketball and baseball.

The notion that LSU fans didn't travel to Tampa for the Outback Bowl because they're fair-weather, spoiled fans is simply ridiculous and flat-out false. Just because one doesn't travel to a bowl game at a distant location does not mean he no longer supports his team. I can assure you that all the LSU fans who didn't make the trip were still living and dying with the Tigers yesterday while watching it on TV, and the overwhelming majority of us are thrilled to have another double digit win season under our belt. This may also be difficult for people like Z to comprehend, but season tickets to LSU football aren't exactly cheap. My season tickets alone cost me around $6,000 a year. Plus, many LSU fans like myself travel to at least one or two road games during the regular season, which could be another couple thousand dollars depending on which game one travels to. Add another $1,000 to cover tailgating expenses, etc., and the final price tag for just the regular season ends up being around $10,000. So, at some point, it's just no longer economical to drop another few thousand dollars for a bowl game, unless it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, super intriguing match-up, or national championship at stake. But that doesn't mean one no longer supports or loves his team. LSU didn't climb to No. 4 on Forbes Magazine's list of most valuable football programs without having great support from its fans. Also, of the 45,000 plus UL fans who attended the NOLA Bowl, which includes myself, how many do you think invested $10,000-$15,000 of their hard-earned money into the UL football program this season? I'd love to hear that it was a large number of fans , but unfortunately that's probably not the case. But for many LSU fans, that's a reality each and every season, and many of us are happy to contribute that kind of money, because we love our university and football team, and we understand that's the kind of money it takes to stay near the top with the big boys. And, despite dropping that kind of coin, there's plenty of us LSU fans and alumni in this area who still find a way to contribute money to UL athletics and the university in general, because we love our hometown school.

[basinbear]

Well......thanks for the backhanded compliment...you could have gotten your point across without the diatribe.....as for the number of big contributors here at UL...there are more then you think....and as a fact this type of contributor toward athletics was discouraged here until 4 years ago....you do understand that RCAF was only established when TJoe became President? So you compare apples and oranges. Thank you for what support you do give to UL athletics...now buy some football season tickets....

[Boomer]

papo that is a great post---I have nothing against LSU fans that do whatever in backing their alma mater other than being excuses at their home games to visitors---Hell my brother and family went there and my grandpa was the captain of their football team----Also I compliment you on backing the team where you live---Now the only other deal is allowing us to grow our own school but that is another argument for another day---You are not alone being an LSU alumn that also backs the Cajuns as some of our STATE FARM family gives to the GATE PROJECT ---NOT ALL which ticks me off but understand where you are coming from!!!

[I_Bleed_RED]

15,000

Was gonna post the same number. If it were a good matchup, we could definitely bring 15,000

[ULalum06]

I know this is difficult for people like Z to comprehend, but I'm a fan of both schools...graduated from LSU but grew up in Lafayette. I'm a season ticket holder to LSU football, and at different times in the past I've also been a season ticket holder to UL basketball and baseball.

The notion that LSU fans didn't travel to Tampa for the Outback Bowl because they're fair-weather, spoiled fans is simply ridiculous and flat-out false. Just because one doesn't travel to a bowl game at a distant location does not mean he no longer supports his team. I can assure you that all the LSU fans who didn't make the trip were still living and dying with the Tigers yesterday while watching it on TV, and the overwhelming majority of us are thrilled to have another double digit win season under our belt. This may also be difficult for people like Z to comprehend, but season tickets to LSU football aren't exactly cheap. My season tickets alone cost me around $6,000 a year. Plus, many LSU fans like myself travel to at least one or two road games during the regular season, which could be another couple thousand dollars depending on which game one travels to. Add another $1,000 to cover tailgating expenses, etc., and the final price tag for just the regular season ends up being around $10,000. So, at some point, it's just no longer economical to drop another few thousand dollars for a bowl game, unless it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, super intriguing match-up, or national championship at stake. But that doesn't mean one no longer supports or loves his team. LSU didn't climb to No. 4 on Forbes Magazine's list of most valuable football programs without having great support from its fans. Also, of the 45,000 plus UL fans who attended the NOLA Bowl, which includes myself, how many do you think invested $10,000-$15,000 of their hard-earned money into the UL football program this season? I'd love to hear that it was a large number of fans , but unfortunately that's probably not the case. But for many LSU fans, that's a reality each and every season, and many of us are happy to contribute that kind of money, because we love our university and football team, and we understand that's the kind of money it takes to stay near the top with the big boys. And, despite dropping that kind of coin, there's plenty of us LSU fans and alumni in this area who still find a way to contribute money to UL athletics and the university in general, because we love our hometown school.

Let's also remember that a good majority of lsu fans could care less about the actual school. all they care about is football....oh and maybe baseball. i'm glad to have the company of fans who are educated about the entire ecosystem with their alma maters...but the lsu fan who only cares about football is more likely to only REALLY care about football when they are at the NCG level.

most of the lsu fans ARE fair-weathered in the sense that EVEN if lsu had been invited to the sugar bowl, they wouldn't have traveled bc they feel like lsu is above that bowl. if you don't believe me head on over to tigerdroppings and you'll see many a thread indicating just that.

in response to the financial aspect, being a poor college grad i completely understand the problem with spending that amount of money during the regular season, however; i took off a friday from work, grabbed a buddy of mine and drove through the night to Gainesville last year to watch what i thought would surely be a massacre. i spend the better part of the morning sleeping in my car. luckily i had a friend who lived in Gainesville that was able to put us up for the Saturday night...but it's not about spending the MONEY, it's about spending the EFFORT to put yourself in situations that you can look back on and tell others how you were there.

you're right, i don't spend 10k on athletic support, but our program doesn't demand that. i have 5 season tickets for football, 1 for baseball, and a young ragin' cajun club card for my daughter, and for that i spend $600. but like basinbear said, you can not compare the monetary value of the tickets. intrinsically, the value will be higher at lsu bc lsu can command that price. you say you travel to 1 or 2 road games a year, which i'm sure are amazing, but you know most likely you will be going somewhere during bowl season...why not abstain from a road game to save some cash for the bowl game. just sounds like poor money management to me, my opinion.

I think they general sentiment is that if lsu doesn't get the NCG, it's fans will complain and not SHOW their support...you echo this sentiment in your post, '...unless it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, super intriguing match-up, or national championship at stake" I can not say with any amount of certainty that UL fans would travel to the end of the earth for our team because, as you well know, we have only started on our illustrious bowl appearances and luckily for us we haven't been put to the test. on the other hand lsu has a long past of bowls both with HUGE fan support, but more recently with little support. i can't imagine what argument you have for letting Iowa sell and show up with more fans than you...but alas, it really doesn't matter as i have been told before 'if you are looking for an excuse you'll eventually find one'

so just know that this nonchalant view of the fans isn't unique to Lafayette or Louisiana, the country sees it, and so do the bowl committees...and however that might affect the selection going into playoff format.