The Ragin Cajun Brand & Conference Realignment: Rick Jones

[Cajun Soldier]

It kills me that people are categorizing others as casual fans because they don't go to Cajun Field and watch the games. Lots of them watch the games on tv. But my question is how many of you would buy a 2022 car with no engine in it at new car price. My point is until we put a new engine in the program ( better game day experience, better home schedule, less week day games amongst other things) we can't expect the non die hard fan to attend. How many people give or sell there tickets to an LSU/ULM or whatever powder puff goes to LSU. We got to put out a better product and have to beat the bad teams we play convincingly if we want fans to be excited about Cajun football. JMO

[Big Buds]

Great episode! Hit the nail on the head! Really appreciate what y’all are doing. Keep up the good work.

[Boomer]

Great episode! Hit the nail on the head! Really appreciate what y’all are doing. Keep up the good work.

…...Well how bout……hey it’s your home team…. BACK ‘EM…… GEAUX CAJUNS1

[ManAboutTown]

Great episode! Hit the nail on the head! Really appreciate what y’all are doing. Keep up the good work.

Thanks Big fella. Means a lot coming from you.

[ZoomZoom]

This game for the program at Cajun Field is a lot bigger than most casual fans realize.

Drove by there yesterday, they were cutting the grass in the parking field. Hope they took care of the ant piles. Can’t see them in the dark.

A Casual Fan

[ZoomZoom]

Yelling at people that they "have" to start spending more of their discretionary dollars on the Cajuns will turn many people off. Being enthusiastic about the request and benefit of joining the cause is one thing. I support that fully. Telling people they are not good citizens if they are not interested will not help. People don't like being TOLD what to do. Evidence is the pace of vaccinations in this country. That started to PLUMMET as soon as the President announced his requirements. Let's not have that happen with our efforts to increase support for the Cajuns

Point on. It’s up to the program to win with an exciting product and fans being positive. Wear your gear, it doesn’t have to be only on Fridays and game day. Make it something people want to be a part of.

Put it this way...we’ve all been told we have to support LSU because they’re the state flagship. I’m pretty sure the vast majority here fall into the “uh, no” category.

[ManAboutTown]

Point on. It’s up to the program to win with an exciting product and fans being positive. Wear your gear, it doesn’t have to be only on Fridays and game day. Make it something people want to be a part of.

Put it this way...we’ve all been told we have to support LSU because they’re the state flagship. I’m pretty sure the vast majority here fall into the “uh, no” category.

Agree on principle. And yes, it's incumbent upon the seller to create a product or experience that a consumer wants to buy. But there is nuance here. Consider the comments Rick made about the skipped generation of GEN X'ers, it falls more on Boomers and Millennials to bring those folks into the fold. It's just that, those two generations are so fundamentally different and rarely work well together.

[Jacob81]

It kills me that people are categorizing others as casual fans because they don't go to Cajun Field and watch the games. Lots of them watch the games on tv. But my question is how many of you would buy a 2022 car with no engine in it at new car price. My point is until we put a new engine in the program ( better game day experience, better home schedule, less week day games amongst other things) we can't expect the non die hard fan to attend. How many people give or sell there tickets to an LSU/ULM or whatever powder puff goes to LSU. We got to put out a better product and have to beat the bad teams we play convincingly if we want fans to be excited about Cajun football. JMO

If you’re not a die hard than you’re a casual fan. It’s not an insult.

[shof]

If you’re not a die hard than you’re a casual fan. It’s not an insult.

I guess that makes me a diehard casual fan.

[Cajun Soldier]

If you’re not a die hard than you’re a casual fan. It’s not an insult.

Yes but you can be a die hard fan and not attend the games in person. I love the Saints and Astro I buy their gear but not always going to drive to the cities to see them I watch lots of their games on tv doesn't make me a casual fan. My nephew has a goal of playing for the Cajuns, buy's Cajun gear every chance he can. Visits the stadium every time he is in town and watches the games on tv in Columbus Georgia he's not a casual fan. My point is just because someone doesn't attend games in person doesn't make them a casual fan. Lots of Alumni live out of state and can't attend in person. I hate always trying to label people as you're this or you're that why can't we just all be Cajun fans and do what we can within our own powers to improve our University instead of bulling people to do things that maybe they cannot do. (not calling you a bully)

[cajungrad2001]

Just wanted to thank you for another excellent podcast this was the best one yet. It can’t be easy doing what you are doing but you make it enjoyable and engaging which is only the good ones can pull that off

[RaginCajun309]

Great podcast, it’s nice to hear good things from an outsider.

As to the die hard v casual comments, if you’re on this board then you are probably closer to the die hard end of the spectrum. You don’t have to attend every game (some people live out of state) or give every extra penny you have to RCAF to be a die hard. Wear red, watch the game (in person if possible), promote the brand to friends and family and most importantly have fun being a Cajun fan. We’re going to win some and going to lose some, we may or may not be in a new conference, our QB may or may not be the best or most average, our basketball is...well, we can all agree on that topic!

What I gathered most from the interview with Rick is to be a Ragin Cajun!