SchedULing Paradox

[Balanced_view]

Rivalries already exist between UNT, USM, WKU, LaTurd, Tulane, and even Houston.

i get there are a handful of 8-10 regional schools that could have the potential to draw good. im personally not convinced, based on history. that being said you cant put together a full home schedule with just those every year. at some point the fan base needs to show up for whoever we play against. or we will always only have 2 game per year well attended ....winning consistently is the key to me and that just wont come over night

[CajunNation]

By stating the only C-USA schools that would make a dent in our attendance, are you suggesting they would travel well to Lafayette? I don't think that is the criteria for most fans I speak with as much as it is the programs we are playing. Rice and UNT are certainly not going to bring any more to Lafayette than any SBC program.

To me and many others it's about who we are playing, so I think you add Middle Tenn and UAB to Rice, UNT, Tech and USM, the results would be the same as long as we are winning.

Having a 6th home game allows your base and core supporters to see another game. It adds some value to the cost of season ticket packages if we get the right teams to Lafayette. I don't have a problem playing MWC, MAC or AAC programs on the road if we can get a return game to Lafayette. It certainly beats playing two P5 money games on the road.

All I'm saying T is that if you don't schedule local, schedule up.

Mid-week home games are the worst, but we do it for TV to grow the brand. I'm merely suggesting we carry that thinking forward to the non-con schedule.

Let's grow UP.

[talktomewillis]

1. We will not play a two for one with anyone.

2. We will play six home games every year (which is why Dr. Maggard worked so hard to get that last game for 2020.)

3. Our draw for non conference games will always be tied to the number of opposing fans that show up.

4. Dr. Maggard says he's working on scheduling for 2025 and beyond, which is a reminder of how far in advance football scheduling is done (as a rule).

[RaginDave]

1. We will not play a two for one with anyone.

2. We will play six home games every year (which is why Dr. Maggard worked so hard to get that last game for 2020.)

3. Our draw for non conference games will always be tied to the number of opposing fans that show up.

4. Dr. Maggard says he's working on scheduling for 2025 and beyond, which is a reminder of how far in advance football scheduling is done (as a rule).

#2 and #4 are exciting for us.

2019/2020 and 2021 are all done

2022 should be pretty easy, we just need a FCS team (that is fairly easy) and an away money game should be easier.

Means our focus is really on 2023 (where we need 3 games 2 home games, 1 vs FCS)
2024 (where we need 3 games (where we need 1 home game vs FCS, 1 money game and one G5 away game)
2025 where we need 1 FCS home game and 1 money game.

All this based on Dr. Maggard saying the plan is.

1 FCS Home Game
1 G5 Home Game
1 P5 away Money game
1 G5 away game

[Turbine]

1. We will not play a two for one with anyone.

2-for-1 contracts are counterbalanced by 1-for-2 contracts.

[CajunT]

All I'm saying T is that if you don't schedule local, schedule up.

Mid-week home games are the worst, but we do it for TV to grow the brand. I'm merely suggesting we carry that thinking forward to the non-con schedule.

Let's grow UP.

I don't disagree with most of what you are suggesting above, but it takes two to get agreements done. Maggard is behind the ball because his predecessor didn't do his job. I dislike the mid-week games as well, playing a nationally televised game in an empty stadium damages your brand. They the only way to rectify the damage is to win.

[CajunNation]

1. We will not play a two for one with anyone.

2. We will play six home games every year (which is why Dr. Maggard worked so hard to get that last game for 2020.)

3. Our draw for non conference games will always be tied to the number of opposing fans that show up.

4. Dr. Maggard says he's working on scheduling for 2025 and beyond, which is a reminder of how far in advance football scheduling is done (as a rule).

The 6 home games mantra does not hold water. We already throw away a home game and screw the fans for 2 months in the middle of the season with the mid-week idiocy. We do that for TV money and brand exposure.

I say we accomplish the same thing in scheduling UP with the Non-Con schedule. P5 game = money and brand exposure.

If this school and the SBC as a whole really cared about the fans and growing fanbases and brands, they would tell ESPN to shove it with the mid-week games and encourage more P5 games to make up the difference. This would enable much more fan friendly home schedules and offer more opportunities to get quality wins.

I realize that I'm tilting at windmills here, but one day, people will see things my way.

[jcstewart]

Not playing Saturday home games in October is depressing. I know we had a couple last year after some down years but in recent history we have not. That's prime-time tailgating and game weather.

[Cajunsmike]

1. We will not play a two for one with anyone.

2. We will play six home games every year (which is why Dr. Maggard worked so hard to get that last game for 2020.)

3. Our draw for non conference games will always be tied to the number of opposing fans that show up.

4. Dr. Maggard says he's working on scheduling for 2025 and beyond, which is a reminder of how far in advance football scheduling is done (as a rule).

He is also against 2 for 1 scheduling in basketball. Now you can disagree with that view but he is the one making the decisions for now. For this to change someone will have to convince him that is not the wisest view or a new AD will have to come aboard.

[CajunNation]

Not playing Saturday home games in October is depressing. I know we had a couple last year after some down years but in recent history we have not. That's prime-time tailgating and game weather.

More than just October.

September 14th to November 2nd.

7 weeks of prime football weather with 0 Saturday home games. Whatever ESPN is giving us to destroy our schedule is not close to being enough.