FB Attendance: Complaints, Observations, Fixes (merged)

[CajunDreDog]

Look in this age of college football, I actually think our fan base only consists of about 22-25K MAX at this point. We probably will RARELY get any more than that. We only have about 8K hardcore football fans. LOTS would rather sit and watch at home. MOST probably just don’t follow UL sports anymore.

25K is the new 40K of old.

[shof]

Look in this age of college football, I actually think our fan base only consists of about 22-25K MAX at this point. We probably will RARELY get any more than that. We only have about 8K hardcore football fans. LOTS would rather sit and watch at home. MOST probably just don’t follow UL sports anymore.

25K is the new 40K of old.

I think we are sending a clear message to the administration about the renovation. Focus on the west side press box and suites. Club seating, etc. And perhaps reduced lower level seating by regrading and making slightly wider seating, which would functionally spread seating more toward the goal lines and into already underutilized south endzone.

[jdm0257]

Lafayette is a scene to be seen town. Half the people we make fun of can’t spell LSU. They just go bc that is what everyone is doing. Until we renovate the stadium and have a consistent winner....this will be the case for attendance. Right or wrong, it is what it is. Yes, this team is amazing, and I will be there supporting every week, but ur casual UL fan still remembers the last couple years under Hud. It’s just going to take time. The fans will come!

[shof]

Lafayette is a scene to be seen town. Half the people we make fun of can’t spell LSU. They just go bc that is what everyone is doing. Until we renovate the stadium and have a consistent winner....this will be the case for attendance. Right or wrong, it is what it is. Yes, this team is amazing, and I will be there supporting every week, but ur casual UL fan still remembers the last couple years under Hud. It’s just going to take time. The fans will come!

And make it a desired ticket. A full stadium be it 25K or 50K will be a scene! I’m NOT advocating 25K, simply using it as a bracket.

[Oiler]

Attendance at Cajun games will continue to decline just as it will at every other G5 school in America. It’s simply a sign of the times. You can’t MAKE a person passionate about Cajun football any more than you can MAKE someone love you. It took me a while to, but I finally came to terms with the fact that the vast majority of people in south Louisiana simply do not have the same passion for Cajun athletics that I do, and they never will.

[USLJim]

I think we are sending a clear message to the administration about the renovation. Focus on the west side press box and suites. Club seating, etc. And perhaps reduced lower level seating by regrading and making slightly wider seating, which would functionally spread seating more toward the goal lines and into already underutilized south endzone.

Good idea. I’ve said on many occasion, just upgrade what we have and forget 50+ million renovations of totally tearing down upper deck. We are more of a blue collar alumni than a white collar Alumni. My opinion, Our Fan base comes from a hard core working fan base. We don’t have that money base anymore.

GEAUX CAJUNS

[mxpxfr690]

How do we fix our problem....get new fans....for next week we should try to roll out the red carpet again with kids get in free and give aways. I remember a time when we used to give away a vehicle during the bustle era lol!

For future scheduling to maximize attendance, and I know people hate to hear this, but don’t schedule a home game as the same time as LSU. Obviously after this year we need to play a mid week home game as that was the best attended. Third bring in better opponents. Finally, we need more casual fan outreach and student outreach... it needs to be a thing for students to show up.

[Tripple Threat]

We don't. The school did everything possible, including hiring an outstanding coaching staff that produced a record setting team. Outstanding recruiting class after outstanding recruiting class hasn't done it, cheap concessions hasn't done it, cheap ticket packages hasn't done it, a cleaned up program hasn't done it. They could win out through the bowl game and next years attendance would still suck. Winning all of the out of conference games at the beginning of next year should help a little bit, but I don't have high hopes.

[ManAboutTown]

Attendance at Cajun games will continue to decline just as it will at every other G5 school in America. It’s simply a sign of the times. You can’t MAKE a person passionate about Cajun football any more than you can MAKE someone love you. It took me a while to, but I finally came to terms with the fact that the vast majority of people in south Louisiana simply do not have the same passion for Cajun athletics that I do, and they never will.

Fair points. But I believe you can MAKE them feel left out.

Renovate CajunField with about 25k seats. I was against this idea at first, but it's obvious to me now. The only way to get people interested is to tell them they're not invited. 23-25K big comfy seats, top notch amenities, and pay the coaches and assistants whatever it takes to keep quality people. This idea of catering to the casual fan is spinning wheels. Take care of your fanbase, and give the LSUAMBR "dual fan" frauds double birds.

I'll ok with paying more for the arrangement, ____ it. As long as we are consistently putting a competitive product on the field / court / diamond / track / pitch.

[fanof71]

A FB post from someone who gets it...andthey aren't grads or from the area...lets not make much of her school colors comment...

We moved to Lafayette last year around football season. We are from Athens Georgia and are die hard UGA fans but have attended many games. The stadium, atmosphere and prices are amazing and we could not believe more people don’t attend. To have this in your back yard and not support it is hard to wrap my mind around. My husband has attended several of the baseball games as well. When we have family visit and there is a game we always take them. Great team and it doesn’t hurt that there colors are red and black as well. 😊

[Turbine]

Troy beat LSU 2 years ago and Nebraska last year, so they obviously carry a huge amount of residual respect. That being the case "better opponents" could not have applied here unless Acadiana is just that uninformed.

I do think there is a local media vacuum with LSU doing so well this year.

A KTDY DJ announced there was a game at the Cajun Dome yesterday.

I had to work, and lifestyle changes caused by time shift start times are a real obstacle. Consistent start times are a must.

It was the same time as homecoming but there was 10 times the media coverage for homecoming as there was for yesterdays game.

Social media gets people talking online to a captive audience but it still does not create the organic verbal buzz that local media creates.

[shof]

Good idea. I’ve said on many occasion, just upgrade what we have and forget 50+ million renovations of totally tearing down upper deck. We are more of a blue collar alumni than a white collar Alumni. My opinion, Our Fan base comes from a hard core working fan base. We don’t have that money base anymore.

GEAUX CAJUNS

I think you misunderstood my intent. I’m all for demoing the west upper deck and modernizing the press box and suites. My initial thoughts a year ago was having some reserved seating there. I had season tickets on the 40 yard line up there several years. Loved the sight line. Just don’t think any general seating should be there any longer. We don’t need “cheap seats” up there any longer while lower level seats go unused. We need to fill the lower horseshoe. If a true need arises deal with the north end zone then.