Why didn’t you go to LA Football game on Sat?

[RaginScotsman]

My wife, 2 kids and I went. We left about mid way through the 2nd quarter because we have a 1 year old and he can't make it too far into games with 6 pm kick offs.

Some mixture of the family goes to every game. We missed 2 seasons a couple of years ago due to living in Denver and missed the hell out of tailgating/football. Even when we're bad, we go. Although a lot of the time I'm the bitter one that wants to boycott going just because I hate to see us lose.

On another note, has anyone talked about raising the domestic 16 oz beer prices to 7 dollars? I spoke to a vendor and he said a lot of people were livid. That sure doesn't help the argument for return on investment. Prices on everything continue to go up.

[ManAboutTown]

Half of the problem is that we are quite literally pushing away the casual fan.

There are nearly 70 tailgate spots that didn’t get purchased this year. Pretty sure this even includes a ton of RV spots. There are also tons of empty parking spots in the RCAF parking lot. It has become so unbelievably expensive to participate that people are saying eff it and not showing up. That’s 70 spots that people would almost certainly buy if they were affordable. But nope, let’s keep charging $700 for them.

They are clearly signaling to the community that if you aren’t willing to hand over hundreds or thousands of dollars to the RCAF every year you aren’t welcome here. Instead you can pay $10, park in the mud, and walk a half mile to the stadium. It is a really horrible way to treat your fan base.

And all this comes while families are still struggling to recover from the recession.

We used to have a ton of tailgaters at our spot around Bustle’s last years. It was always really easy for them to get there. They showed up early, parked close to the spot, and enjoyed the day. Once they closed off Cajun Basin to only RCAF members about half of them immediately stopped coming.

But boy I bet those huge RCAF numbers will look great for Jim Harris when he jumps to another school.

I like to find the positive in things..

One substantial positive about the little inconveniences and price point changes is the methodical purging of our fanbase of small minded thinkers like CajunRebel. He and his ilk are one of the major reasons why we are still stuck in the dark ages of CFB, and have been for a century.

Wanna be LSU on a McNeese budget.

[CajunDreDog]

If there were that many unsold tailgating locations as he suggests, he is right. Three years ago we had a waiting list on these spots and if they are now going unpurchased and unused, the idea that the university is pricing itself out for these once high demand spots is accurate. I can tell you from my perspective it is getting harder and harder to justify the money I spend yearly for football and I've been doing this for about 15 years.

I would agree with you wholeheartedly with the exception that I don't think just because you are getting high level donations that you are guaranteed success. At some point, the fan has to feel that there is a relationship between what they are spending (donating) and the success of the team.

I can verify that EVERY SINGLE tent space from 257-275 was unused on Saturday! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WAS EMPTY!!! No clue if they are for sell or just not being used.
https://static.ragincajuns.com/custo...-13-Letter.jpg

[CajunDreDog]

Fans came to Grambling, but not a conference opponent??? Was LSU game being at the same time the reason? The little bit of rain that we got? The cost of tickets? Cost of parking? WHAT?

For those that did not come, why did you not go? That was sad what we had in Cajun Field on Sat night, just plain SAD!!!

PM me reason if you don't want your reason posted in public and tied to who you are. I'll anonymously post them in the thread. Only PM, I have gotten was from someone out of the country for work. And that's a DAMN GOOD reason!

I drove from the other side of BR, tailgated in the rain and mud all day, and barely anyone can leave there house in Acadiana and come to the game? We are a sadder group of fans that I thought.

[RiverRanchMan]

I can verify that EVERY SINGLE tent space from 257-275 was unused on Saturday! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WAS EMPTY!!! No clue if they are for sell or just not being used.
https://static.ragincajuns.com/custo...-13-Letter.jpg

I didn't realize those spots were available. I assumed that area belonged to the RV spots, who seem to use them anyway. Regardless, the last time I tried to purchase a tailgate spot, everything was sold out.

[BeauCajun]

Fans came to Grambling, but not a conference opponent??? Was LSU game being at the same time the reason? The little bit of rain that we got? The cost of tickets? Cost of parking? WHAT?


I drove from the other side of BR, tailgated in the rain and mud all day, and barely anyone can leave there house in Acadiana and come to the game? We are a sadder group of fans that I thought.

That is pretty sad. I just looked at the attendance number. Wow. It's kind of hard for me to tell from upstairs.

[CajunNation]

Fans came to Grambling, but not a conference opponent??? Was LSU game being at the same time the reason? The little bit of rain that we got? The cost of tickets? Cost of parking? WHAT?

For those that did not come, why did you not go? That was sad what we had in Cajun Field on Sat night, just plain SAD!!!

PM me reason if you don't want your reason posted in public and tied to who you are. I'll anonymously post them in the thread. Only PM, I have gotten was from someone out of the country for work. And that's a DAMN GOOD reason!

I drove from the other side of BR, tailgated in the rain and mud all day, and barely anyone can leave there house in Acadiana and come to the game? We are a sadder group of fans that I thought.

I think the Miss State game was a bigger letdown to people than you realize, and we all know our problems with rain.

This thread is a little premature, maybe even a year too early. This season's schedule did not lend itself to huge crowds. Not enough time to get a win streak before Homecoming and a tough mid-stretch schedule with late home games that are never well attended anyway.

Next season, if we are having attendance problems after beating Miss St or after starting 2-1 or 3-1, then we may have a problem.

This year, I think we are witnessing an attitude adjustment if you will. A lot of notions about the status of the program have been obliterated. The true nature of things is dawning on people. Normally, we would call this apathy. It's only apathy if they never come back.

They'll be back. They'll figure it out in time. We are undergoing a culture change. That doesn't happen overnight.

Patience.

[MetryCajun]

Fans came to Grambling, but not a conference opponent??? Was LSU game being at the same time the reason? The little bit of rain that we got? The cost of tickets? Cost of parking? WHAT?

For those that did not come, why did you not go? That was sad what we had in Cajun Field on Sat night, just plain SAD!!!

PM me reason if you don't want your reason posted in public and tied to who you are. I'll anonymously post them in the thread. Only PM, I have gotten was from someone out of the country for work. And that's a DAMN GOOD reason!

I drove from the other side of BR, tailgated in the rain and mud all day, and barely anyone can leave there house in Acadiana and come to the game? We are a sadder group of fans that I thought.

I went for the first time in a couple of years. It is not worth driving 2 hours each way, but it was good to see family and friends. I have no idea why I sprung for the parking pass and after walking through puddles of water I know it was a bad investment. I will probably come to one or two more games, but it is not for the football. I still think our long term outlook is good, but this year is going to be rough. It’s a hard working team but their lack of game changing athletes make it difficult to watch.

[Reality Check]

I like to find the positive in things..

One substantial positive about the little inconveniences and price point changes is the methodical purging of our fanbase of small minded thinkers like CajunRebel. He and his ilk are one of the major reasons why we are still stuck in the dark ages of CFB, and have been for a century.

Wanna be LSU on a McNeese budget.

We get it MAT. You are the best Cajun fan ever because you dump thousands of dollars each year on Cajun athletics. All of us who haven't upgrade to the RCAF Vermilion level like you have suck and are just wannabe fans. You correctly point out that me and my "ilk" are the main reason why UL is stuck in the dark ages of CFB. Never mind that the product really hasn't been all that good over the years. You constantly degrade people who don't have the same zeal as you do for UL Athletics. Me and my "ilk" understand the reasoning why UL has increased the cost of attending an athletic event but can't find justification for paying the price of Lexus for a Hyundai at this time. I will be happy to pay the price of a Lexus for a Lexus when the time comes. In the meantime, I am happy to sit up in the third level bleachers at Cajun Field and keep my RCAF at Varsity Club level until the time I see a reason that justifies me increasing my contribution. I have the utmost confidence that you and your "ilk" will step up your contributions to get UL out of the dark ages of CFB. Hell, I expect to read any day now that UL has re-named the drama department building the "Man About Town Center for Drama". No better way to honor a big timer like yourself than that.

[ManAboutTown]

We get it MAT. You are the best Cajun fan ever because you dump thousands of dollars each year on Cajun athletics. All of us who haven't upgrade to the RCAF Vermilion level like you have suck and are just wannabe fans. You correctly point out that me and my "ilk" are the main reason why UL is stuck in the dark ages of CFB. Never mind that the product really hasn't been all that good over the years. You constantly degrade people who don't have the same zeal as you do for UL Athletics. Me and my "ilk" understand the reasoning why UL has increased the cost of attending an athletic event but can't find justification for paying the price of Lexus for a Hyundai at this time. I will be happy to pay the price of a Lexus for a Lexus when the time comes. In the meantime, I am happy to sit up in the third level bleachers at Cajun Field and keep my RCAF at Varsity Club level until the time I see a reason that justifies me increasing my contribution. I have the utmost confidence that you and your "ilk" will step up your contributions to get UL out of the dark ages of CFB. Hell, I expect to read any day now that UL has re-named the drama department building the "Man About Town Center for Drama". No better way to honor a big timer like yourself than that.

Thanks eldest Lotief!! Glad you’ve come around.

[KajunKrazy]

The Greeks are so busy doing their own thing to put emphasis on athletics (football in this case). For example sororities dont go the first game bc they cant drink bc they aren't done with accepting classes for the fall. Last game, against coastal, a bunch didnt show bc they had a fall social to go to. There's no culture to be enthusiastic about going. Everyone leaves at half even if they do go. Then they have parents weekend and too busy doing stuff with them to go to the game. Homecoming they pull up all nighters drinking and making their floats for the parade to even make it into the stadium. Take your pick, it's never been about the game itself....

Late 80s early 90s we did all that but it revolved around the game.

[BananaHammock]

I posted this in a previous thread a few weeks/months back but I will say it again as I think it is relevant. The average middle aged man with a young family most times can't afford a weekend outing like this on a regular basis. Regular being every home game. The economy is still brutal in the Lafayette area and many are still trying to rebuild their lives from the flood and being laid off, reduced pay, etc....

Nothing is cheap these days and this class of fan is neck deep in expenses for everyday life. Hell even if you didn't flood or have job related problems it's just expensive to live these days. You can't go to the grocery store with $100 these days and get a weeks worth of items. Going to Cajun Field to see a subpar product is not high on these folks priorities.

No excuses, just reasons. There is a difference.