How to Increase Attendance?

[cjr3888]

Yes. This attendance issue is frustrating. And honestly when I’m there I don’t care how many people are there with me. We actually looked a lot better after the crowd left Saturday. So stay empty and win is fine with me. Hahaha. My biggest concern about attendance is the issue will eventually trickle down to recruiting and play on the field. Next thing you know we will suck again.

I'm around recruits year round and trust me, fan attendance is not anywhere near the top of their priority list.

[RedBug58]

I saw this past game that there was a little cheerleading clinic and the girls were invited to perform on the field. This pulled in their parents & grandparents. Now on a bigger scale, think if we invited the Lafayette High Band for a game and called it Music Night. They are the “Music” high school in the area and their band is 300+. Let them perform at halftime and play a few songs during the game. With their parents & grand parents you may be adding a couple thousand people and exposing high school kids to UL games.

[moorecajun]

We can build something like this at TG1

Attachment 16825Attachment 16826

IFF we are ever able to afford it, there is the Champions Square development in the plans (at least a few years ago) to replace the Cox building. I think that is a great place for it for a year round entertainment area.

However, as can be seen by our lack of participatory effort (I may have made that word up!), we aren't close to being ready to do that financially.

I agree with what a lot of you are saying; it takes many years to grow a fan base. We may not be patient enough to see that but that doesn't mean its not true.

Also true, winning helps. So, I, like the rest of you, will be out there, cheering on the Cajuns to another win. Eventually, the rest of the area will wake up to it.

[Jacob81]

I'm around recruits year round and trust me, fan attendance is not anywhere near the top of their priority list.

If this is in fact true then I don’t care about attendance anymore. I just want to win.

[RedBug58]

I’m told that Drew Brees lives in The Lafayette area now. Invite him to a game and have him sign autographs inside the stadium. Promote it as Drew Brees night and give away some Saints tickets.

[Jacob81]

I’m told that Drew Brees lives in The Lafayette area now. Invite him to a game and have him sign autographs inside the stadium. Promote it as Drew Brees night and give away some Saints tickets.

Nobody seems to want to give away our tickets. Good luck talking then into saints tickets. That would actually cost the school money.

[RedBug58]

You missed the point. Every kid around here would want to meet Drew Brees; and if it’s in the stadium before the game the kids and parents would have to buy game tickets.

[Duggie35]

I don't think admission to Cajun Football games should be free to anyone on a regular basis. I would be OK with that occasionally for certain groups (kids, veterans, first responders, Boys & Girls Club, etc) for certain games. But not on a regular basis. For anyone to think that UL will make more money on concessions from those getting in free is ridiculous. The concession stands can't handle the volume of fans now, much less adding additional folks trying to purchase. Apparently, each concession area can only handle "X" number of people during the course of a game. Letting more people in for free will only create longer lines and even more frustration for those that actually pay to get into the games.

It's just me, but Saturday night was the first time I have gone to a concession stand to purchase anything DURING a game in maybe 5 or 6 seasons. The only reason I did it Saturday was because I'm a softy and one of my my Grandkids wanted Kettle Corn. Since that was about a 20-30 minute experience, that will probably be my last purchase until the stadium is renovated and someone can get a handle on improving the time it takes to purchase concessions. But for those that go to the games to eat and drink, rather than watch the game, it may not be as big a deal as it is for me.

[Jacob81]

I don't think admission to Cajun Football games should be free to anyone on a regular basis. I would be OK with that occasionally for certain groups (kids, veterans, first responders, Boys & Girls Club, etc) for certain games. But not on a regular basis. For anyone to think that UL will make more money on concessions from those getting in free is ridiculous. The concession stands can't handle the volume of fans now, much less adding additional folks trying to purchase. Apparently, each concession area can only handle "X" number of people during the course of a game. Letting more people in for free will only create longer lines and even more frustration for those that actually pay to get into the games.

It's just me, but Saturday night was the first time I have gone to a concession stand to purchase anything DURING a game in maybe 5 or 6 seasons. The only reason I did it Saturday was because I'm a softy and one of my my Grandkids wanted Kettle Corn. Since that was about a 20-30 minute experience, that will probably be my last purchase until the stadium is renovated and someone can get a handle on improving the time it takes to purchase concessions. But for those that go to the games to eat and drink, rather than watch the game, it may not be as big a deal as it is for me.

Concessions is a big problem. How is a 40,000 seat stadium not setup to handle 16,000 people efficiently?? Every game should be able to handle 30,000 people in a timely manner. Not wanting more people in the stadium because we can’t handle the crowd is backward thinking.

[Jacob81]

Also. Tickets drives are give aways could be for east side seating only. I’d imagine the lines aren’t as long on that side. Upper deck lines aren’t terrible currently. Could be better though.

[Duggie35]

Concessions is a big problem. How is a 40,000 seat stadium not setup to handle 16,000 people efficiently?? Every game should be able to handle 30,000 people in a timely manner. Not wanting more people in the stadium because we can’t handle the crowd is backward thinking.

I want more people in the stadium, but to think letting in people for free will generate more income via concession sales is not a valid argument.

[anhil8tor]

Next home game is 10/1... Homecoming.

Start advertising tickets and tailgate spots TODAY! Do the same deal they did last week.. $200 gets you a tailgate spot, 4 tickets and a parking pass. Hope the team keeps winning... but PROMOTE them. Try to get people to commit NOW!

LETS GEAUX!!!!

[RaginScotsman]

Next home game is 10/1... Homecoming.

Start advertising tickets and tailgate spots TODAY! Do the same deal they did last week.. $200 gets you a tailgate spot, 4 tickets and a parking pass. Hope the team keeps winning... but PROMOTE them. Try to get people to commit NOW!

LETS GEAUX!!!!

I'll be there with the family and we're bringing extra people too. Should be a big game early in conference play, it's homecoming, and the weather outlook is getting better as we move towards the fall.

[allincajun]

Didn’t you drop your ticket quantity bc you couldn’t give away tickets?

We need to be like App and routinely win P5 games or at least be highly competitive. To date, we can not make that pitch to the casual fan.

The casual bandwagon fans don’t care about beating G5 schools.

I stopped getting 20 tickets that we would hand out to customers because of the digital ticket situation.

[cjr3888]

If this is in fact true then I don’t care about attendance anymore. I just want to win.

Recruits these days are not dumb jocks like they were perceived way back when. These kids are smarter than ever. Here's their major priorities:
-Culture (Recruits want to be a part of a family. Their families want to know they will be safe & their basic needs provided)
-Playing Time (Leads to marketing opportunities & NIL dollars)
-Degree Options (They really do care about being prepared for life after football)
-Winning (Everyone wants to play for a winner)

*Cue Moneyball quote about 50 pounds of crap

-Fan attendance is at the bottom of any list