Football Attendance Comparison

[fanof71]

If they are more alike than I think then I guess folks can't use the excuse I read about how hard it is to get to and how there is nothing around it. Because if that is the case then little Johnny and Jill aint living at home with mommy like T-boy form all around Acadiana with easy accesses to UL. So which is it I'm starting to get confused here.

I'm talking enrollement, academics, etc...size and footprint of the university. And, it ain't that hard to get to...sort of like trying to get to Houma via 90. But, if you ain't used to driving on state highways that zig and zag around mountains, then yea, it can be a challenge.

[JMV JustMyView]

Agree with this. Up until the sun belt we had 1 bowl opportunity for 3 years in big west. The rest we were independent for the most part with no bowl tie in.

Please don't bring up being independent. Mr. Turbine would like to have a word with you sir.

[GeauxCajuns]

What were their season ticket sales the 2-3 years prior (let’s exclude 2020).

They arguably had better years prior to those seasons and top 25 rankings. They also had Miami as a home game in recent years (I think).

So what’s different about this year, what’s the outlier? It’s been alluded to and discussed already, but I think it may be the reason for the sell out. We’ll see in time.

Now, if it takes a 2 for 1 in scheduling to get the bump in season tickets sold, yes, I say mimic them in that model.

[KajunKrazy]

What were their season ticket sales the 2-3 years prior (let’s exclude 2020).

They arguably had better years prior to those seasons and top 25 rankings. They also had Miami as a home game in recent years (I think).

So what’s different about this year, what’s the outlier? It’s been alluded to and discussed already, but I think it may be the reason for the sell out. We’ll see in time.

Now, if it takes a 2 for 1 in scheduling to get the bump in season tickets sold, yes, I say mimic them in that model.

We have no one to mimic them with. They are getting the Flagship for the state of North Carolina in Boone. LSUAMBR aint coming here. I can assure if they were and Dr Magard said you have to be a season ticket holder to attend it would be a sell out, their fans would buy them up in a heart beat. With an RCAF donation.

[CajunVic]

We have no one to mimic them with. They are getting the Flagship for the state of North Carolina in Boone. LSUAMBR aint coming here. I can assure if they were and Dr Magard said you have to be a season ticket holder to attend it would be a sell out, their fans would buy them up in a heart beat. With an RCAF donation.

As arrogant as this board claims them to be, I doubt seriously that many of their fans would do that.

[CajunT]

We have no one to mimic them with. They are getting the Flagship for the state of North Carolina in Boone. LSUAMBR aint coming here. I can assure if they were and Dr Magard said you have to be a season ticket holder to attend it would be a sell out, their fans would buy them up in a heart beat. With an RCAF donation.

You are absolutely correct! Let me me also disagree with the opinion that we need to play 4 P5 programs a year on the road to garner respect from the elites in college football. That's complete nonsense, they don't care either way and it doesn't help that the staff will inevitably have to overcome 4 guaranteed losses in a season.

I do agree that our home schedule should improve and playing more top G5 programs like SMU, East Carolina, Memphis, Fresno State and a few others would greatly enhance our season ticket value. But it takes two to get a deal done.

[KajunKrazy]

I'm talking enrollement, academics, etc...size and footprint of the university. And, it ain't that hard to get to...sort of like trying to get to Houma via 90. But, if you ain't used to driving on state highways that zig and zag around mountains, then yea, it can be a challenge.

OK. We were talking 2 totally different things I was talking building fan bases and supportive alumni. I don't think enrollment and academics plays of a huge roll in that aspect.

It is my opinion a good fan base starts at the student level and making that connection while kids or in school. From every thing I have heard about App it is more of a destination school than it is a commuter school. Meaning most kids live in Boone and don't live in a 40 mile radius and live with Mommy and Daddy. Kids who live in the college town tend to much more engaged and get more involved in campus activity which builds a greater love for their school. The majority of UL students live in small Acadiana towns and only go to school for class. When school is over they drive home and never come back for any kind of on campus extracurricular activity. Those many students never connect with the university as students or alumni. The day they graduate is the last day they step foot on campus.

I read App gets 8-10 thousand students at the games. A big reason for that is because they are in Boone and there is nothing else to do and of course a good product. If they were in small towns in the same distance of NI to Laf they wouldn't be coming back. Those 8-10 will become good alumni supporters some day.

UL struggles to get good support because on Saturdays the majority of students are in places like Opelousas, Breaux Bridge, Kaplan, Abbeville, New Iberia, Crowley.....A small minority of students are actually in Lafayette on the weekend. Until someone can figure out how to get the commuter students involved and engaged our school will always struggle with student support which turns into good Alumni support.

[CajunEXPRESS]

I think their attendance has a lot to do where the schools are located. Move them to the western parts of their states where the alumni live and attendance would be much better.

Part of the problem is that so few graduates make Louisiana their homes after generations doing just that. The Cajun nation is dying a death of attrition. Not at all surprising our attendance continues to be a struggle.

[CajunEXPRESS]

OK. We were talking 2 totally different things I was talking building fan bases and supportive alumni. I don't think enrollment and academics plays of a huge roll in that aspect.

It is my opinion a good fan base starts at the student level and making that connection while kids or in school. From every thing I have heard about App it is more of a destination school than it is a commuter school. Meaning most kids live in Boone and don't live in a 40 mile radius and live with Mommy and Daddy. Kids who live in the college town tend to much more engaged and get more involved in campus activity which builds a greater love for their school. The majority of UL students live in small Acadiana towns and only go to school for class. When school is over they drive home and never come back for any kind of on campus extracurricular activity. Those many students never connect with the university as students or alumni. The day they graduate is the last day they step foot on campus.

I read App gets 8-10 thousand students at the games. A big reason for that is because they are in Boone and there is nothing else to do and of course a good product. If they were in small towns in the same distance of NI to Laf they wouldn't be coming back. Those 8-10 will become good alumni supporters some day.

UL struggles to get good support because on Saturdays the majority of students are in places like Opelousas, Breaux Bridge, Kaplan, Abbeville, New Iberia, Crowley.....A small minority of students are actually in Lafayette on the weekend. Until someone can figure out how to get the commuter students involved and engaged our school will always struggle with student support which turns into good Alumni support.

It’s not as if Lafayette parish students were all in on Saturday.

[CajunNation]

...the staff will inevitably have to overcome 4 guaranteed losses in a season...

I could not disagree more with this mindset.

The biggest win in the Napier era, and it ain't close, was the Iowa St victory. That put us on the map, and led to 2 end of season Nation Rankings.

We don't have to play 4 every year, but we should play at least 2.

Yeah, we should pursue top G5 programs for Home and Homes as much as possible. However, the fallback position should not be Eastern Michigan. It should be Iowa St. I could not care less about losing a 6th home game if it means the opportunity to elevate our program into the stratosphere. LIKE WE JUST SAW!

[John Cocktolstoy]

I could not disagree more with this mindset.

The biggest win in the Napier era, and it ain't close, was the Iowa St victory. That put us on the map, and led to 2 end of season Nation Rankings.

We don't have to play 4 every year, but we should play at least 2.

Yeah, we should pursue top G5 programs for Home and Homes as much as possible. However, the fallback position should not be Eastern Michigan. It should be Iowa St. I could not care less about losing a 6th home game if it means the opportunity to elevate our program into the stratosphere. LIKE WE JUST SAW!

2020 was a strange year. That was a great win. Would we have pulled that off if the stadium wasn’t empty and Iowa state had their fan base behind them? Possibly. History is not on our side to say we would have .

[KajunKrazy]

It’s not as if Lafayette parish students were all in on Saturday.

What percentage of Lafayette parish students make up the total 18 or 19K student body? Many Lafayette parish students are no different than the Iberia, St. Landry, St Martin, Vermillion if they still living with mom and dad. They drive to cajun field get on the red school bus, go to class, go home, and get involved in nothing on campus. They too are commuter students. No difference. I refer to that type as going to school not going to college.