How to Increase Attendance?

[Ragin9221]

For reasons/excuses for why people will not attend Louisiana football games check out the post by Zachary Dubois in the Ragin Cajun football group. 218 comments. After reading the comments I think we would have to provide free tailgating, free parking at Cajun field, then sell tickets to the game for $10. Casual fan expectations. However, I do agree our concessions need to be greatly improved

Not Free!! People still have to pay for stuff. If I get a beer I pay for it, if I get food I pay for it, if you want the privilege of having your own personal tailgate area you pay for that with your RCAF membership. I say we still charge same price for tickets, instead of average fans bringing there chairs, we have a designated area for these folks where they can pay for there own food and drinks where they can tailgate.

If you want to park closer you better pony up 20 bucks to park for limited parking in Cajun Field.

[Jacob81]

Troy our director of football operations would be perfect.

He would be good but I’d rather someone even younger. Like a Richie falgout or a Jace Conrad.

[RaginCajun77]

When we consider attendance, we need to start setting annual goals. We aren't going to go from averaging 15,000-18,000 in attendance annually to 25,000 to 30,000 overnight. Seating capacity at Cajun Field is 41,426, we're currently averaging less than 50% capacity. 18,000 in attendance is 43.45%. I attached a map of Cajun Field below, currently we have a lot of space allocated to tailgating and premium parking that goes unused. The casual or potential fan passes by Cajun Field and the visual message they receive is this isn't a place to be. If you want to build excitement and attendance, you must start at Cajun Field and get people within the fences. That means reallocating tailgating and parking in a way that gets space filled. I'd be willing to bet a substantial portion of this unoccupied space doesn't generate revenue, so we need to think carefully about the value of this space and what the average individual is willing to pay to park/tailgate. Again, you must look at it from the aspect of $0 in revenue. We're in a long game here, where we start is going to be less than what we would like to charge and then over time and with demand we increase accordingly. Again, the visual you want to create within the fences is a full house.

Move student tailgating back behind the student side of the stadium. Make the Red Zone sections P, Q, and R and allow students to buy up to 20 escort tickets. Make the students and their guests front and center. We must market games via TV, radio, and social media and do it consistently. Get players and coaches out there promoting this program.

Hold Sodexo accountable to get concessions in order. If they continually fall short, then we need to pivot to another option.

[cajun55]

Going to read this thread but before reading I will say we have to look good on TV. The crowd/cameras have to be setup for television so when people see the fans they want to be there. That’s a start. I get many texts from people saying doesn’t look like the crowd is good. The Hill, the band area, visitors, I’m sure this is obvious and in planning. Lafayette is a place to be town.

[Esqueleto]

Free? Wrong....The problem with giving things away for free isn’t what you’d think. Yes, if you give it away, you’re not getting paid for value you’ve created, which most people don’t like doing. However, the real drawbacks of “free” are different.

First, it lowers the perceived value of what you’ve given away. If you’re willing to just hand it out for the asking, it must not be worth much, right? Well, if you’re doing things right, the giveaway may be quite valuable, but those who get it without paying for it won’t easily see that value. It’s sort of like you have a great sense of accomplishment when you do something that challenged you, but if you did the exact same things and found it easy to do, your sense of accomplishment won’t be there.

Second, and perhaps more important, if you get something without having to pay for it, you have no “skin in the game.” This means you don’t feel called to actually take advantage of it. If it’s an ebook or worksheet, you may have simply saved it somewhere in your computer, or even printed it out and filed it away. However, you most likely didn’t really read it carefully and learn from it everything you could. It’s almost guaranteed that you haven’t implemented in your life anything it taught you.

Again, this free stuff is a reward for showing up...it offers little incentive to attend in the first place....the attendance woes won't be cursed with free...

Excellent post! Spot on!

[Jacob81]

Coastal had 23,000 for army first game. Sell out. And win. They play garner Webb Saturday and have 12,000. Doesn’t look terrible in that small stadium but it’s less than us. Just saying maybe our fan base is good and our stadium needs to be smaller to look better.

I thought originally the endzone addition was done to make make room for when the upper deck came down??

[RaginCajun309]

Going to read this thread but before reading I will say we have to look good on TV. The crowd/cameras have to be setup for television so when people see the fans they want to be there. That’s a start. I get many texts from people saying doesn’t look like the crowd is good. The Hill, the band area, visitors, I’m sure this is obvious and in planning. Lafayette is a place to be town.

55 don’t waste your time reading this thread, it’s typical RPBS. You are right, we look like shat on TV, absolutely turrible. I never see a camera angle from the field looking up the student section where they know they’re gonna be on tv. It’s always a shot at an angle of the guys on the rail in the red togas. Don’t get me wrong, I was that guy in college but they aren’t aware they are being filmed, so they aren’t screaming their heads off. Every big Saturday night P5 TV game has at least 3-4 or more shots of the student section going crazy. Why don’t we have that?

Atmosphere brings people in and the students bring the atmosphere, not old guys like us. We have to get students to the games, let them have fun, and they will become lifelong fans who come back and buy season tickets. You can’t expect non-alumni to be the driving force of your attendance, unless you are a blue blood or win a couple natties.

Bring the students, they will bring the juice (atmosphere) and they will buy tickets and come to games after graduation. I don’t know if it’s the same as the mid nineties when I was there but please for all things holy have the UPs quit giving kids a hard time for drinking beer and issuing tickets. That should be number ____ing one on this list.

I’ve been to Boone twice, never met anyone who didn’t attend App St. They don’t get Walmart fans and we won’t either so quit expecting them.

Build a nice 15-20k stadium and enjoy the games with fellow alums.

[RayneCajun]

55 don’t waste your time reading this thread, it’s typical RPBS. You are right, we look like shat on TV, absolutely turrible. I never see a camera angle from the field looking up the student section where they know they’re gonna be on tv. It’s always a shot at an angle of the guys on the rail in the red togas. Don’t get me wrong, I was that guy in college but they aren’t aware they are being filmed, so they aren’t screaming their heads off. Every big Saturday night P5 TV game has at least 3-4 or more shots of the student section going crazy. Why don’t we have that?

Atmosphere brings people in and the students bring the atmosphere, not old guys like us. We have to get students to the games, let them have fun, and they will become lifelong fans who come back and buy season tickets. You can’t expect non-alumni to be the driving force of your attendance, unless you are a blue blood or win a couple natties.

Bring the students, they will bring the juice (atmosphere) and they will buy tickets and come to games after graduation. I don’t know if it’s the same as the mid nineties when I was there but please for all things holy have the UPs quit giving kids a hard time for drinking beer and issuing tickets. That should be number ____ing one on this list.

I’ve been to Boone twice, never met anyone who didn’t attend App St. They don’t get Walmart fans and we won’t either so quit expecting them.

Build a nice 15-20k stadium and enjoy the games with fellow alums.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This right here!!!! Everything else mentioned needs to be addressed, but if this doesn't get fixed then it's over!! This fan base (the casual fan) is an excuse waiting to happen.

Geaux Cajuns!!!

[RaginCajun309]

The casual fans we need are not Maw Maw and Paw Paw to drive in from Craw-ley. The casual fans are on campus, a mile from the damned stadium. Get those 15-20k into the stadium.

Some of those 15-20 k may have to drive in from Craw-ley as a commute tho.

[Jacob81]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This right here!!!! Everything else mentioned needs to be addressed, but if this doesn't get fixed then it's over!! This fan base (the casual fan) is an excuse waiting to happen.

Geaux Cajuns!!!

This ties into my thoughts on the other thread, which should be here, a high school student section right next to the student section. You grow that side. Grow the culture with the kids. Let them be a special part of something. Then they will sign up to do it for 4-5-6 years at UL

[Ragin9221]

When we consider attendance, we need to start setting annual goals. We aren't going to go from averaging 15,000-18,000 in attendance annually to 25,000 to 30,000 overnight. Seating capacity at Cajun Field is 41,426, we're currently averaging less than 50% capacity. 18,000 in attendence is 43.45%. I attached a map of Cajun Field below, currently we have a lot of space allocated to tailgating and premium parking that goes unused. The casual or potential fan passes by Cajun Field and the visual message they receive is this isn't a place to be. If you want to build excitement and attendence, you must start at Cajun Field and get people within the fences. That means reallocating tailgating and parking in a way that gets space filled. I'd be willing to bet a substantial portion of this unoccupied space doesn't generate revenue, so we need to think carefully about the value of this space and what the average individual is willing to pay to park/tailgate. Again, you must look at it from the aspect of $0 in revenue. We're in a long game here, where we start is going to be less than what we would like to charge and then over time and with demand we increase accordingly. Again, the visual you want to create within the fences is a full house.

Make the Red Zone sections P, Q, and R and allow students to buy up to 20 escort tickets. Make the students and their guests front and center. We must market games via TV, radio, and social media and do it consistently. Get players and coaches out there promoting this program.

Hold Sodexo accountable to get concessions in order. If they continually fall short, then we need to pivot to another option.

Okay 20 dollar parking in F.
M section parking pass can stay.

Also the Cajun Country Rice RV Parking I feel like that is always vacant. Could we cut that in half and give the RVs closes to the stadium. Open the rest up for more 20 dollar parking.

Move tailgate 1 to lot C

And we build a nice family tailgate like a Champions Square, or like Tulane’s Tailgate Villiage along that road. Where tailgate 1 use to be. Alumni tailgating can stay.

Keep the rest of the parking the same just would have to move people in Lot C to other parking spots.To either B, D, and E.

What y’all think?? Don’t beat me up to bad for my thoughts

[zeppelincajun]

Okay 20 dollar parking in F.
M section parking pass can stay.

Also the Cajun Country Rice RV Parking I feel like that is always vacant. Could we cut that in half and give the RVs closes to the stadium. Open the rest up for more 20 dollar parking.

Move tailgate 1 to lot C

And we build a nice family tailgate like a Champions Square, or like Tulane’s Tailgate Villiage along that road. Where tailgate 1 use to be. Alumni tailgating can stay.

Keep the rest of the parking the same just would have to move people in Lot C to other parking spots.To either B, D, and E.

What y’all think?? Don’t beat me up to bad for my thoughts

My family has been tailgating in TG1 for 20+ years. They love their spots. You are going to royally ____ some people off with that.