How to Increase Attendance?

[KajunKrazy]

We need to figure out how App State is able to create a buzz around there program.

It just seems like we cant create that same type of buzz !

It starts when they are students and continues as alumni. Our students for the most part don't support our athletic teams and then go to BR on Saturdays as alumni. Not sure how to break that trend?

[Gris-Gris]

The Athletics Dept needs to hire a survey field research team to reach out and find out what would make people consider going to the games.

I will agree with the comment that stadium logistics are old fashioned and just plain SUCK. Tailgating, concessions, lines, customer service, conveniences, all of it needs to be looked at with a fine-toothed comb. details matter!!

[fanof71]

Why do fans go to games??

Entertainment
Joy
Place to be
Something to do
Family time
Obsession
Support the team
Support the university
Support certain player
Support coach
Feel obligated as alumni
Feel obligated as long
time fan
And so on. Everyone that attends or doesn’t attend has a reason to go or a number of them. For me I check almost all the boxes. Some people may only check 1 or 2 at any given time some all or most.

The more reason you have the more likely you’re going hell or high water.

If you are a fan of the team and want to support them you should feel obligated to go.

If you are a fan and could go but decide with that time you’ll stay home and watch instead of going support the team, you should feel a sense of guilt that you aren’t doing your part.

We can complain about thing in and out of the control of the administration, but at the end of the day. We are all capable of going to the game for about $20 and watch the greatest teams in program history.

I’ve been going for years and have plenty of complaints. My biggest current complaint is warm up music. I have absolutely no issue with the team wanting to play their style of music to get ready. But if they can’t find 1 hour of music without every curse word blaring over the PA then they need to scratch that music and play something else. Is there not 1 hour of rap music that doesn’t have curse words? Eminem, most of the main stream 90’s rap. IDK. It’s a family friendly environment and that music isn’t family friendly.

337DJ Menace is your hook up...

[Jacob81]

The argument about other schools having great attendance is this.

When attendance across the nation start dropping for a lot of reasons, Attention span being #1. Lots of schools had great teams, great tradition, great fan bases. No one in the country is really gaining on that number and teams like Louisiana who were behind the 8 ball because we lacked all those thing at that time will have an even harder time gaining it now.

[Hudsheen#Fired]

I know for one thing. Tailgating prices need to drop from 450 to like 250 to try and appeal to more people. Made get word out all offseason that tailgate spots are $250 and don't require a rcaf donation. We need to fill these Tailgating spots. I love tg3 but man is it dead over here.
If Tailgating is full more and more people are going to want to join in on the fun and start buying tickets to the game.

[Ragin9221]

All these are valid points. I am with Ryan.

If we can’t hold a conversation on what the real problem is then what we doing ?

We minus well pack up shop be an academic school. Why are we even in a conference.

If people get offended about what is really going on then it will never change.

Maybe the problem is us, and the university, not the people who are not showing up

If I own a business and I am losing customers do I say F them!! They are arrogant, entitled, selfish _____s. I promise I will go out of business real quick

[Jacob81]

337DJ Menace is your hook up...

I don’t have a clue how members of the administration can be in the stadium hearing that and not make a change. Sure it’s “ bleeped out” almost. I herd the P—— word plain as day yesterday then the word following was bleeped. Apparently mother F er is allowed. The bleep out “uck” it’s sad representation of our university. And I would say for a lot of fans it falls near the category of the locker room incedent. It’s a belief and culture they don’t support and because the university is allowing it they out.

I’m 41 and the language part bothers me. I would bet there’s a whole lot more about it that bothers our older generations.

[CajunVic]

I don’t have a clue how members of the administration can be in the stadium hearing that and not make a change. Sure it’s “ bleeped out” almost. I herd the P—— word plain as day yesterday then the word following was bleeped. Apparently mother F er is allowed. The bleep out “uck” it’s sad representation of our university. And I would say for a lot of fans it falls near the category of the locker room incedent. It’s a belief and culture they don’t support and because the university is allowing it they out.

I’m 41 and the language part bothers me. I would bet there’s a whole lot more about it that bothers our older generations.

Looks like you need a little more research.

[CrazyCajun]

Parking across the street is free. You can buy a parking pass for $60($10 a game) or save $10 a game and walk 10 minutes instead of 5

You can buy a parking pass for $360 not $60…and what first timer will spend that? Again, half the parking lot is empty…it’s not working

[Jacob81]

Looks like you need a little more research.

On what? You must have been a women in a previous life. You speak in riddles I can’t comprehend most of the time.

[zeppelincajun]

I clarified in my comments after this, it’s not a price issue for me personally. For me personally the environment at the stadium is horrible. It’s the overall logistics of the experience. Last game I attended it took me literally an entire quarter of football to get my kid a candy bar. And they ran out of pop corn before halftime.

And I’ll say it again…. I’m the obvious majority here. You may not like what I’m saying but our attendance blows and it can’t be everyone’s fault except the Athletics Department. Go read comments anywhere on social media and you see tons of people posting exactly what I’m saying. If the stadium was full everry Saturday I could see you pushing back on me, but it’s empty.

Asking a basic question is not pushing back on you. I’ve been as hard on this university as anyone. I wrote Maggard and Yankto a dang email after the App game we pushed so hard because the concessions were atrocious. I’ve acknowledged in this thread that needs to be addressed.

When you start your post with the typical family can’t afford to attend, and the cost to attend is basically high school level I’m just curious what people would be willing to pay. people seem to be free or bust with this program.

[Jacob81]

You can buy a parking pass for $360 not $60…and what first timer will spend that? Again, half the parking lot is empty…it’s not working

Explain? Because of the RCAF payment minimum? If that’s the case then they should change it.

X amount RCAF donor should get a parking pass for free with season ticket purchase with parking areas per donation level. That should occur to a certain parking distance. The rest of parking passes should be a 1 time season purchase with tickets. For what would be lot D and Cajundome(example)

Sorry first timers. You cant just buy a parking pass or pay at the gates to park close. There has to be a certain amount of incentive to spend money. If you’re asking a donor to shell out $500-$1,000 to park 50 ft away and that donor knows joe blow wants to “checkout” a Cajuns game and can park 100 ft further for $10 you’d have a real problem.