The focus should be tapping into these kids as an asset in the future.
I know comments on this board have pointed to charging them to come to games or athletics fees tied to tuition. Personally, I am against charging at the gate for students, I am for the student fees if not overbearing. You charge fees that in essence is their gate fee to a sporting event, kinda out of sight out of mind. Keep the free sporting event for them at the gate makes them not feel like they actually spent the money to walk through.
We have to find ways to get students more involved with our athletics and donating after school. It took me almost 8 years after school to start donating. Somehow we have to make our athletics, overall, an event for the students, and find a way to get them to love this University enough to want to stay apart of it after graduation. They are our future fanbase.
Ideas:
Free concerts before games (on campus promoting would be essential)
Student tailgating for basketball games- saturday home games should have a party for students to get them to the dome
Intramural Championships Spotlights: Football Intramural championship game played before a home game in cajun field or same with basketball. Its just about making them feel special, further that connection with the school.
Latin Night- my wife is Venezuelan, she grad from UL, with the influx in spanish population, Why not cater to different cultures? This could be for any culture, we have a huge international student base. Tap into it.
Just ideas, I was brainstorming. somehow cater to these young people, but in a way that they associate that good time with the actual sporting event. I'm not saying some of these things are not done, but not to the magnitude that captures them for a time to come. You have to pamper the young nowadays. Just my opinion.