How much $ does it take to buy a quality home game?

[Turbine]

Pepperdine is coming to the dome next year.

It needs to be supported regardless of the record at the time to show a desire for quality opponents.

[Cajunsmike]

A lot more. At fifteen dollars a ticket you'd need 6.66 k fans. Remember I believe we only get the ticket, apparel, and novelty revenue. The dome gets the rest.

Question asked was how much does it cost to buy a "quality" home game. It depends how you define "quality". I presume we are talking about non SWAC or SLC teams. Answer is there is no amount that will get a school in a major conference such as the SEC here. I would guess it would take something like 150 grand to get a known mid major like "Murray State" to come. I bet many have not heard of "Murray State" but they are highly thought of in the mid major world. Note we have asked both Murray and Stephen F. Austin to play home and home with the result both refused. Many of those type schools would rather play a couple of non D1 games to complete their schedule.

[ManAboutTown]

The thing is, you're not paying for a "quality" opponent. You're paying for a recognizable brand. That's where costs will soar. Iona or Siena has been a very respectable Mid Major for an extended stretch. No way we pay them what we'd pay a Wake Forest, who's been really bad for 10 years.

If we're going to lose money, I'd rather risk bringing an Aub, Miss St, or Houston to Lafayette, spend the $100-125k and sell 4200 tickets, than pay $70k to Jackson St, sell 2000 tickets and generate ZERO interest.

[Cajunsmike]

Does basketball do 2home-1away games?

I do not think 2 for 1 deals are common any more. That is because TV schools would rather stay at home and pay 80 grand to anyone who will take it. They play their road games in the neutral court tourneys against other schools in the TV leagues. They may play a couple of true away games in order to give their team the experience of a road game but it will be a home and home against a school they don't recruit against. LSU is an example. They played only two true road non conference games. They played two in a neutral site tourney.

[Cajunsmike]

The thing is, you're not paying for a "quality" opponent. You're paying for a recognizable brand. That's where costs will soar. Iona or Siena has been a very respectable Mid Major for an extended stretch. No way we pay them what we'd pay a Wake Forest, who's been really bad for 10 years.

If we're going to lose money, I'd rather risk bringing an Aub, Miss St, or Houston to Lafayette, spend the $100-125k and sell 4200 tickets, than pay $70k to Jackson St, sell 2000 tickets and generate ZERO interest.

Auburn and Miss State as SEC schools would not come here for any amount in today's world. I exaggerate some but it may cost up to 500 grand to get a school in a major conference Here. Most simply do not travel to mid majors as a matter of policy.

[ManAboutTown]

Auburn and Miss State as SEC schools would not come here for any amount in today's world.

There are better examples, I was just thinking geographically.

[RaginDave]

It needs to be supported regardless of the record at the time to show a desire for quality opponents.

Agreed. I think we need to try to schedule more of these home/home series vs quality opponents. I know that we got this one done and we have done similar with La Tech. Look the reality is we are not going to get many Alabama's, Miami's and the likes to the Cajun Dome, but we can get some La Tech's, Pepperdines and the likes here swapping home and homes. Because remember they are in the same boat. They need us and we need them. I would love to see us schedule more home and homes with conferences with 11-20 RPI's. These would include MWC, MAC, MVC, Big West, Horizon, West Coast, Ivy League, Southern and MAAC. The SBC is currently 19th in RPI, the others list are #11-20, with the exception of 19 in order. I would throw in the CUSA, who has a current Conference RPI of 21, in case you were wondering.

[IberiaCajun]

This!

If we're going to lose money, I'd rather risk bringing an Aub, Miss St, or Houston to Lafayette, spend the $100-125k and sell 4200 tickets, than pay $70k to Jackson St, sell 2000 tickets and generate ZERO interest.

[Hatch]

Agreed. I think we need to try to schedule more of these home/home series vs quality opponents. I know that we got this one done and we have done similar with La Tech. Look the reality is we are not going to get many Alabama's, Miami's and the likes to the Cajun Dome, but we can get some La Tech's, Pepperdines and the likes here swapping home and homes. Because remember they are in the same boat. They need us and we need them. I would love to see us schedule more home and homes with conferences with 11-20 RPI's. These would include MWC, MAC, MVC, Big West, Horizon, West Coast, Ivy League, Southern and MAAC. The SBC is currently 19th in RPI, the others list are #11-20, with the exception of 19 in order. I would throw in the CUSA, who has a current Conference RPI of 21, in case you were wondering.

This is the route we need to take in my opinion. Paying for an SEC team is a pipe dream. I think I remember hearing that we were only paying Louisiana College 5 grand for that game this year, there is no point in spending an extra $60k on top of that to bring in a Swac school that might bring another 200 people into the dome compared to one of the non D1 schools, remember we are talking about scheduling November/December games when the average fan is still in football mode. If we can play 2 money games, equal that with 2 games we buy against an NAIA or D2 school (per the rules theses are not exhibition games no matter what some of you say), then fill out the schedule with a few quality home and homes that is ideal. I know this is still easier said than done. I like what we did with Pepperdine and UCLA this year, we need to see if some of the schools coming in for money games against LSU would be interested in getting a twofer on their trip then we return the home game the next year.

[CharlieK]

This!

If we're going to lose money, I'd rather risk bringing an Aub, Miss St, or Houston to Lafayette, spend the $100-125k and sell 4200 tickets, than pay $70k to Jackson St, sell 2000 tickets and generate ZERO interest.

[/QUOTE]

If we beat the teams we should beat, we would sell a lot more than 4200 for a high profile team. I think, financially, it's a no brainer. I'm not a scheduling expert so I don't know what other hurdles are there.

[CajunRebel]

The real question is how much money are you willing to lose by inviting quality opponents to the Cajundome. And what part of the athletic budget are you willing to take that money from? And if someone chimes in saying they can raise the money, who around here is willing to pay <100k to see Houston play in the Cajundome?

[CrazyCajun]

The real question is how much money are you willing to lose by inviting quality opponents to the Cajundome. And what part of the athletic budget are you willing to take that money from?

The real question is how many season ticket holders are you willing to lose by year after year putting horrible home schedules together? What part of the budget? Basketballs part... Marlins pocket, I don't really care..figure it out. As a program they owe it to the supporters to bring in some better games.