Cajuns hoops crowds top SBC

[Boomer]

Everybody buy a couple extra beers... Problem solved.

---So LSU is pushing the basketball thing big time with their incoming super star---wonder if this will spike their attendance???

[cajun_lannister]

till they lose a game then its a gymnastic & golf town

[Turbine]

Since basketball doesn't have the marketing luxury of a once a week invitation, every single game needs to be hyped.

[BirdofParadise]

Even if this is true, and I have no reason to doubt you; playing a stronger OOC schedule still benefits us in ways that I believe outweigh the costs.

Say we eliminate 3 Non-D1 home games and substitute RPI savvy mid major teams. The extra 3000 [your number] in attendance offsets some of the cost, and there are two additional benefits. The first is perception among our fans that we are trying to compete instead of playing 'give-up'; which might encourage more attendance later in the season. The second is that maybe, just maybe, when we win the conference tournament, we get an 11 or 12 seed instead of a 15 or 16; which gives us a much better chance to win a tournament game.

It is not like we are talking about millions here. Not that $150K is chickenfeed, but is less than 1% of our athletic budget, an amount that we should be able to handle.

Well, first of all, when you have to play three guarantee games just to balance the budget, it becomes pretty obvious 150K in extra expense is a helluva lot of money. And if you're talking about buying teams, that figure needs to be adjusted. You can get two games for that price. Not three.

Ideally, a home and home in the same season against a decent RPI team would be good. We did that with Georgia State on two occasions and against Bradley one year. But good luck trying to find schools to agree with that.

We've played at least one non D-1 game in most of the last 15 years. The majority of mid majors do.

My point is playing better opponents in non conference will not bring in the attendance figures people think. That was the argument being made.

I don't disagree with your point VO. I just think it's a lot easier said than done.

[NickatNite]

So, what can Broadhead do to make going to a a Women's game more appealing!? They had one Senior (albeit a good one - Thank You Robbie Brown!), so good nucleus returning and now they KNOW how to win!
But, these 4 and 5pm start times, make it difficult for a fan to attend. I do like the fact that they play most of their games in the Dome now.

[Turbine]

So, what can Broadhead do to make going to a a Women's game more appealing!? They had one Senior (albeit a good one - Thank You Robbie Brown!), so good nucleus returning and now they KNOW how to win!
But, these 4 and 5pm start times, make it difficult for a fan to attend. I do like the fact that they play most of their games in the Dome now.

Build a passionate "unique" fan base.

[Cajunsmike]

Totally agree. Kansas State on a Friday night got us, what 18K. Southern gets us capacity crowd. That doesn't mean we should schedule I-AA teams to maximize the crowds.

In 2009, we beat Southern on the season opener with over 40000 people attending. The following week, the opponent was Kansas State. The game was on a Saturday night, not on a Friday night. However we only drew 18000 which was the most disappointing Cajun crowd in years (and still is). Major reason is the fact it rained all day. I remember driving in and seeing more people leaving the stadium from tailgating than were entering to see the game. LSU was on TV that night and many people would rather sit in their living rooms and watch that vs coming see us. Really sad part is that the rain stopped right at game time. Those that saw the game barely got wet. I understand many women and children do not stay in bad weather. Note they do in Baton Rouge and many of the other P5 programs. We will need to beat some big time programs before we get that kind of dedication.

As far as improving basketball attendance goes, that is quite a challenge as the culture in Acadiana has changed to the point where people are just not that interested in the sport. I believe we will need to finish a season strong with an NCAA or NIT appearance followed by a strong start the following year to have increased support. That way attendance will improve for the conference portion of the 2nd year. If we pull an upset at either UCLA or Miami this coming pre conference season, we may see improvement in the 2nd half of the year.

[CrazyCajun]

Getting people seated closer to the court will improve the atmosphere and gane experience which I think would help attendance.

[moorecajun]

Getting people seated closer to the court will improve the atmosphere and gane experience which I think would help attendance.

I agree with you but we are a year away from that.

I think we will have good crowds that continue to grow during the season. This is the first season under Coach Marlin that we have a good nucleus returning; I am hopeful that is a prelude to a very good season.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Mike we have been marginalizing basketball for years if not decades now, you will not get huge bumps in attendance without investing in the program, improve the out of conference teams, get an upset or two, and yes create excitement before the SBC season starts. If we lose to lower level Southland teams, play non division one teams what are we selling? Why would the non passionate UL fan bother?

Coach Marlin has the makings of a very good team that can pull an upset, sweep lesser opponents, and unfortunately has the burden of non division one teams to beat up on. This year could be Marlin's equivalent Shipley's in the sophomore year with Bo Lamar after Winkler had departed. Lets play up tempo, score in the upper seventies and defend in the mid fifties.

LSU on the other hand will have the No. 1 prospect in the country, and will persecuted if they do not play more front line P5 teams.

[anhil8tor]

Jay,

You don't think if LSU, Tulane or the like comes in before January 1st that our attendance would be better?

[CajunEXPRESS]

LSU will never play in the Cajun Dome period, and I do not expect even with financial inducements we would ever get any of the elite teams in the P5. That is not true of lesser P5 teams, Missouri Valley, Big East, and many others.

The Lamers will never play us at home as long as we are in the SBC.

Let's focus on the doable, not pie in the sky.