Cajuns football attendance: Seriously, how bad is it?

[DieHard1280]

You want more student participation, GROW THE GREEK LIFE!!!! It’s as simple as that. UL’s Greek organizations consist of roughly 11% of the undergraduate student population. That is really low for a university of our size.

We should strive to reach a number closer to 30%. I wasn’t a member or a proponent of Greek organizations while I was in school, but the growth of an organic fan base starts there.

The problem is certain people within the administration do not want Greeks on campus. But without a strong base of campus organizations like fraternities and sororities you truly are a commuter college.

No doubt I am a very small sample size, but I think the main reason for my level of passion for the Cajuns was due to my fraternity's participation on campus, particularly at football games. I grew up a fan of BOTH LSU and USL, but my LSU fandom went away as USL became MY SCHOOL and my passion for the Cajuns grew. My fraternity was always at the front and center of the student section during my time at UL. I don't have a solution for increasing Greek participation, but it definitely made a difference for me. There are at least two others on this board that can directly attest to that.

[cajun_lannister]

I've kept my mouth shut about this for the last week, but here's the thing. As great as Maggard is, I don't think he (or the people under him) understand this part yet. I don't have time to get too deep into the weeds here, but I just don't think the athletic department is doing a good job reaching the community and convincing them to buy in to what we're doing.

People came to Cajun Field when Hud was here because Hud found a way to make them all care. He found a way to make them want to show up every Saturday. He made them think we were going to build something big here and they bought in.

Maggard and Napier are kicking ___ like we've never seen before but I just don't think they are taking the right steps to get the message out. Our current marketing strategy is to put out high quality content... and that's it. But that's not enough. You can't just put out cool videos and expect to win over people's hearts. There is a psychological component to this and I'm almost positive we have no real strategy in place to address it.

The students aren't coming because their hearts and minds are in other places. Our athletic department's job is to make them fall in love with the program and the experience.

Hud was something new and sexy something that had never been done then it fell down to earth

This time people feel that they have seen this movie before it's just a flash in the pan and will fall back down to earth... We have ZERO tradition in football so it will take more than 1 winning season to get people back to the cajun field you have to build a consistent winner.

[fanof71]

I despised the Greek Organizations while I was on campus. But I’d be kidding myself if I didn’t understand the importance of a very strong Greek organizations. Right now UL currently has roughly 16k undergrad students with 11% being in a Greek organization. That is way to low.

Hazing has limits and it can go from good natured ribbing to over the line in an instant. That is why it should be avoided, especially regarding forced drinking. But the attachment to the university by students involved in Greek life is very undervalued by the current administration. IMHO

GDI Here...and went every home game while I was on the 5 year plan...

[cajunfan79]

Hud was something new and sexy something that had never been done then it fell down to earth

This time people feel that they have seen this movie before it's just a flash in the pan and will fall back down to earth... We have ZERO tradition in football so it will take more than 1 winning season to get people back to the cajun field you have to build a consistent winner.

This is right on point, I also can add even though it is out of our control (so they say) bringing better quality opponents. Problem is in the sunbelt we have no choice.

[angeleast]

GDI Here...and went every home game while I was on the 5 year plan...

Gdi.. have not heard that term since my college days lol

[CajunNation]

..... I just don't think the athletic department is doing a good job reaching the community and convincing them to buy in to what we're doing.....

We were talking about this at our tailgate last game. It might not be in Alden's recommendations or in Maggard's 3 year plan, but this university and this community NEEDS somebody like HUD working the mike.

Maggard and Napier are kicking ___ like we've never seen before but I just don't think they are taking the right steps to get the message out. Our current marketing strategy is to put out high quality content... and that's it. But that's not enough. You can't just put out cool videos and expect to win over people's hearts. There is a psychological component to this and I'm almost positive we have no real strategy in place to address it.

I refer to this as a disconnect.

[ULvictory]

Hud was something new and sexy something that had never been done then it fell down to earth

This time people feel that they have seen this movie before it's just a flash in the pan and will fall back down to earth... We have ZERO tradition in football so it will take more than 1 winning season to get people back to the cajun field you have to build a consistent winner.

Hud came in at a time when we had not had more than 2 winning seasons in 15 years. He also came in and said the right things to the fan base which got all of us excited ("This place is like a ticking time bomb, and we are ready to light that fuse"). And he did just that. The problem came in the last three seasons when everything went back to what it was before he arrived. And from that point, the inconsistency on AND OFF the field left room for people to question whether or not success was sustainable here.

And in comes Napier who has showed us that it is possible. But here's the main difference. Hud is a great sales man. Napier is an analytical, laid back coach. Hud can sell the product through promoting it at functions while Napier does it on the field. We Cajuns are very much "face-to-face" type people that Hud's good at. While Napier is an awesome coach, he's not the biggest promoter. That's just his demeanor. Great guy, though. Very laid back.

A good friend of mine told me this week that in this area, we need people promoting the program face-to-face almost like an old-school approach from going door-to-door (not literally in the sense). In that regard, win some more; and the people will show up. It's very possible, and I really don't think the school to east has too too much to do with it because if you recall, they were undefeated and #1 in the country in 2011. And that year, we set a record for average attendance at Cajun Field.

So promote effectively, win, and they will come.

[CajunNation]

This is right on point, I also can add even though it is out of our control (so they say) bringing better quality opponents. Problem is in the sunbelt we have no choice.

We HAVE a choice.

Scheduling Up. We need attention grabbing wins in addition to championships. We need MORE P5 games.

[ManAboutTown]

I’ve kept my mouth shut about this for the last week, but here’s the thing. As great as Maggard is, I don’t think he (or the people under him) understand this part yet. I don’t have time to get too deep into the weeds here, but I just don’t think the athletic department is doing a good job reaching the community and convincing them to buy in to what we’re doing.

People came to Cajun Field when Hud was here because Hud found a way to make them all care. He found a way to make them want to show up every Saturday. He made them think we were going to build something big here and they bought in.

Maggard and Napier are kicking ___ like we’ve never seen before but I just don’t think they are taking the right steps to get the message out. Our current marketing strategy is to put out high quality content... and that’s it. But that’s not enough. You can’t just put out cool videos and expect to win over people’s hearts. There is a psychological component to this and I’m almost positive we have no real strategy in place to address it.

The students aren’t coming because their hearts and minds are in other places. Our athletic department’s job is to make them fall in love with the program and the experience.

I was going to wait until after football season, but I think this is 100% dead on. I have been compiling some info for this specific reason. Even mentioned it in the last pod. There is still a huge disconnect between the community and the marketing strategy, in my view.

[du42]

I agree with the teams that we play at home should be better named Schools. I have that issue with basketball as well. I also lose interest when we have 3 straight Saturdays in which we do not play. Mid week games are not helping.

[Cajunrunner]

I agree with the teams that we play at home should be better named Schools. I have that issue with basketball as well. I also lose interest when we have 3 straight Saturdays in which we do not play. Mid week games are not helping.

The last part we really have no control over. Conference affiliation with TV agreements dictate that.

As for the first part, yes we have control over opponents to an extent, but with scheduling for football done several years in advance, improving that aspect would not show until 5-6 years from now.

Maggard is in his third year. That game we played against Miss State to open the season this year was something worked out by the previous AD, and involved the game we played in Starkville last season. That should show how far in advance OOC scheduling, especially G5 vs. P5, is worked out.

[ULvictory]

I think a simple start would be just for coaches to publicly promote the game during the press conferences. Say something along the lines of "I want Cajun Field to rocking this Saturday. I want that stadium vibrating. I want the students on the rail playing their part........" And then, use the local media to promote that. Just that simple message will get people to the game.

Instead of answering why they don't show up, just ask them to show up beyond tweets and facebook messages.