Homecoming attendance? 18,132 (merged)

[GeauxLouisiana]

We averaged 30k a game that year.

We've never averaged 30,000. Closest was 2011 with a 29,170 average. 2012 was 22,865; 2013 was 25,976; 2014 was 25,775.

[ULvictory]

But he was talking about those large numbers having passion for our program when we were winning. Not really. We never had those numbers attending home games and donating to the RCAF. Like you said, they were there for an event, not the program.

Yes. But also, we averaged just at around 30k in 2011. So it can be done. We just need to make the home games more of a "fad" for the rest of Lafayette.

[zephyr]

We averaged 30k a game that year.

Which year? In 2013 we had almost 55,000 in the dome for the bowl game and we averaged around 25,000 in home games. In 2012, we had nearly 50,000 people for the bowl game and we averaged closer to 20,000 for home games. 2011 was essentially the only year where our home attendance was close to bowl attendance.

[zephyr]

Yes. But also, we averaged just at around 30k in 2011. So it can be done. We just need to make the home games more of a "fad" for the rest of Lafayette.

Like I mentioned above, our home average attendance has literally gone on a straight path downward, even when having winning seasons. MAT is right about our fickle nature. I just think that more goes into our success than winning. I have no idea what "that" is.

[ManAboutTown]

Like I mentioned above, our home average attendance has literally gone on a straight path downward, even when having winning seasons. MAT is right about our fickle nature. I just think that more goes into our success than winning. I have no idea what "that" is.

For shiggles, let me ask you this:

Had we crushed Grambling, beaten Miss St, crushed coastal, competed against Bama, and crushed Texas St, do you think the HC attendance would have been 18k?

[facelessjonmoon]

For shiggles, let me ask you this:

Had we crushed Grambling, beaten Miss St, crushed coastal, competed against Bama, and crushed Texas St, do you think the HC attendance would have been 18k?

Forget the rest- If we had simply beaten Coastal Carolina, the attendance would have been much higher.
No doubt in my mind. That was the previous home game and it was a painful fan experience.

[zephyr]

For shiggles, let me ask you this:

Had we crushed Grambling, beaten Miss St, crushed coastal, competed against Bama, and crushed Texas St, do you think the HC attendance would have been 18k?

Not at all. But I don't think our attendance is directly proportionate to our success on the field either.

[CajunVic]

Not at all. But I don't think our attendance is directly proportionate to our success on the field either.

If you are saying that the hypothetical scenario which MAT proposed would not have resulted in around 25,000 attendance, then we are deeper in a shiete hole than anyone cares to admit.

[ULvictory]

If you are saying that the hypothetical scenario which MAT proposed would not have resulted in around 25,000 attendance, then we are deeper in a shiete hole than anyone cares to admit.

I think that there are some who will say that even winning won't bring in fans. But even with the yearly decline of attendance from 2011-2014, the overall avg. was around 25k for those 4 years. If we could avg. 25k as a minimum, that could be something that we could build on. But we can't have the distractions of the HC going off on his fans and donors, constant turnover of coaches and players, being put on probation, or having 13 players arrested in the offseason. That stinch still poisons this program to this day.

[ManAboutTown]

Let me make this a little more simple.. Had we done what I proposed in the hypothetical scenario, it would have been the largest HC crowd in history, top 3 at least.

[zephyr]

If you are saying that the hypothetical scenario which MAT proposed would not have resulted in around 25,000 attendance, then we are deeper in a shiete hole than anyone cares to admit.

He asked specifically about HC. To that, I would say that the attendance would have likely been higher but we of course have no way of knowing that. My next point was directed more at attendance over the course of the entire year as an average. As I pointed out earlier, we saw a spike in attendance during the 2011 year (post coaching change). Even after that awesome bowl win, our average attendance next year dropped by roughly 6,000 per game even though we were putting almost 50,000 people in the dome for the bowl game in 2012. Point is, our attendance in general is not really driven by our success on the field. Those years showed it.

To be honest, I just think there is a lot of apathy built up over the program right now. While Napier will hopefully get us to where we want to go, as mentioned by someone earlier his demeanor and personality are not the types that are going to pump up a fanbase. There is just no excitement right now about this program. Not sure what needs to change. I think if the answer was that easy, someone would have figured it out about now. Its a bizarre situation to say the least.

[zephyr]

Let me make this a little more simple.. Had we done what I proposed in the hypothetical scenario, it would have been the largest HC crowd in history, top 3 at least.

I'd argue that but again, we have no way of knowing so the argument is fruitless. Obviously, I admit that the number would have been better than what we saw last weekend but I don't think it would have been pushing 30,000 either.