Realistic Game Day Expectations?

[KajunKrazy]

You can _____. You can try to reason. You can try it all. But ultimately, you need to look at your potential client base and determine what it will take to get them inside the stadium. Continuing to do the same and expect them to change their minds is just bad business. Does it seem wrong to give free parking and tailgating for example? Sure it does. But where does opportunity cost come in? If you increase attendance to Hud era, you replace ALL revenue from TG and RV spots several times over with ticket sales. You also have 10k+ more customers to market to for small RCAF donations and more premium seats. This in addition to fixing the gameday management inside the stadium is how you build an atmosphere. When you are selling out the stadium and still have demand, that's when you start nickel and diming. Not when you have 20k open seats every weekend.

I partially agree with you. I 100% agree that the biggest thing lacking here is a place for the casaul fan to walk up, claim a spot and tailgate. But you do not want to up root your current donors to do so. Many RCAF members are members for the sole reason to buy parking passes and tailgate spots only, you take that away your membership declines over night.

If we are to grow as many want to grow it is time to start thinking outside the fences of Cajun field parking lot. It just isn't big enough for 30k fans to park and tailgate. It is time to create something totally new for the walk up fan. How many college stadiums TG's are concentrated to a parking lot on the north and west side of the stadium only? None. Most are spread out across campus. IMO the best place for that expansion is from the Cajun Dome to the Blackham. There is plenty of space for first come first serve tailgating. You could hire a second band and have them play in the big field between frat row and Blackham. If they continue to limit growth inside of cajun field fences only they won't have the room to get to the capacity most desire.

[Gris-Gris]

I partially agree with you. I 100% agree that the biggest thing lacking here is a place for the casaul fan to walk up, claim a spot and tailgate. But you do not want to up root your current donors to do so. Many RCAF members are members for the sole reason to buy parking passes and tailgate spots only, you take that away your membership declines over night.

If we are to grow as many want to grow it is time to start thinking outside the fences of Cajun field parking lot. It just isn't big enough for 30k fans to park and tailgate. It is time to create something totally new for the walk up fan. How many college stadiums TG's are concentrated to a parking lot on the north and west side of the stadium only? None. Most are spread out across campus. IMO the best place for that expansion is from the Cajun Dome to the Blackham. There is plenty of space for first come first serve tailgating. You could hire a second band and have them play in the big field between frat row and Blackham. If they continue to limit growth inside of cajun field fences only they won't have the room to get to the capacity most desire.

Have any of these ideas been pitched to the people in charge? We need to start writing some emails. Who’s the brains behind all this?

[Turbine]

When you talk about Lafayette as a community as a whole and you say we are a community that wants something for free that is just not true. You know how many people from this community that are at that festival and are spending big bucks in BR on Saturdays in the fall? Cajun fans, not Lafayette, are an entitled bunch that wants every thing for free. Those that get to park across the street for free complain because they can’t park in the RCAF lot for free. We have free parking right across the street from the stadium. No where else in America are you getting that deal. If you go to an on campus stadium and you park as close as from the Light Center to Blackham you are paying equivalent to RCAF lots here. UL HAS NO PARKING PROBLEMS AT ALL. Actually one the best situations in the country. UL is one of the most affordable college football outings in all of FBS football, with the best parking situation there is compared to on campus venues, but people here will complain no matter what.

So you have parked your car...

Now what?

CM is saying make it a multifaceted event with the football game being the culmination.

Ideas, not complaints.

[CajunRage]

I partially agree with you. I 100% agree that the biggest thing lacking here is a place for the casaul fan to walk up, claim a spot and tailgate. But you do not want to up root your current donors to do so. Many RCAF members are members for the sole reason to buy parking passes and tailgate spots only, you take that away your membership declines over night.

If we are to grow as many want to grow it is time to start thinking outside the fences of Cajun field parking lot. It just isn't big enough for 30k fans to park and tailgate. It is time to create something totally new for the walk up fan. How many college stadiums TG's are concentrated to a parking lot on the north and west side of the stadium only? None. Most are spread out across campus. IMO the best place for that expansion is from the Cajun Dome to the Blackham. There is plenty of space for first come first serve tailgating. You could hire a second band and have them play in the big field between frat row and Blackham. If they continue to limit growth inside of cajun field fences only they won't have the room to get to the capacity most desire.

I live 2 blocks from the stadium. The tailgating scene is nothing like it was a decade ago. The investment, time and additional logistics required for that second location would be wasted. That "second class" tailgating will get the same response as the empty paid parking lot. Is RCAF going to foot that bill when the ROI isn't there? You are trying to force things when it needs to be organic. I want people planning to tailgate and getting to a full Cajun Field lot and then having to look for a spot to set up shop. The university can have a plan for when this happens but it shouldn't be offered as an option ahead of time. All you are doing is creating more and more supply when demand already isn't there.

[CajunT]

Let me say this, and some people aren't going to like it. The attendance wasn't great to begin with, so does it really matter now? We can talk about all the promotional things the athletic department should be doing, but if people need to be given discount parking and tickets to come watch a program that has been ranked the past 2 seasons and lost 1 game last year, it's just not going to happen. I know, they hired Coach Desormeaux. Got it!

[cjr3888]

Have any of these ideas been pitched to the people in charge? We need to start writing some emails. Who’s the brains behind all this?

Most of the ideas being brought up have been tried by the administration.
-Charged parking per game was tried.
-Tailgating & parking at Blackham. People complained about the walk.
-Free parking across the street. People are still complaining about the walk.

As far as a second band. I'm sure some of you have booked bands before and know that it's not cheap.

Food trucks or any 3rd party vendors will struggle because SODEXO will make it so hard to profit that it's not feasible for them to show up.

Charging to tailgate per week is a good idea they are trying but I don't see anyone actually buying spots yet. One thing we don't know if the total number of parking passes sold for each lot. Cut down the lot sizes and use the farther lots as pay per game.

[Big Poppa]

Simple economics. The demand is not very high for Cajuns football compared to other football experiences in the State. What can we offer that LSU can’t? Affordability. Free parking is a great start. Lower prices and get people in the gate. Then sell sell sell and gradually increase that demand, then start raising prices.

Great example: why buy reserved seats when I can buy GA and still sit wherever I want? The economics are broken.

We need a billboard ad:

“Cheapest ticket in the State”

But UL ALREADY HAS FREE PARKING. It’s right across the street from the stadium no other school in the country offers that. It’s already one of the most economic deals in all of the FBS. By the way are you that guy I have to run out of my seat every game?

[Big Poppa]

I live 2 blocks from the stadium. The tailgating scene is nothing like it was a decade ago. The investment, time and additional logistics required for that second location would be wasted. That "second class" tailgating will get the same response as the empty paid parking lot. Is RCAF going to foot that bill when the ROI isn't there? You are trying to force things when it needs to be organic. I want people planning to tailgate and getting to a full Cajun Field lot and then having to look for a spot to set up shop. The university can have a plan for when this happens but it shouldn't be offered as an option ahead of time. All you are doing is creating more and more supply when demand already isn't there.

I disagree with you with all do respect. KK is on to something as a tailgater for over 30 years and life long fan the number one question I’ve been asked by my casual fan friends is, is there anywhere I can throw up my tent and tailgate, and the answer has always been no. There is no room for this currently in CF because all the grassy areas are current TG spots. I am going to assume you are not suggesting to displace loyal folks who have been buying their spots for many years? You call it organic or forced because its never been done. I call it thinking outside the box if you want to double the current TG participation. Great thought KK.

[CajunRage]

But UL ALREADY HAS FREE PARKING. It’s right across the street from the stadium no other school in the country offers that. It’s already one of the most economic deals in all of the FBS. By the way are you that guy I have to run out of my seat every game?

A dead tailgating atmosphere around the stadium gives no incentive to park across the street and make that walk. Charge and arm and a leg when demand gets so high that you can. Hell, charge across the street too when that happens. With the demand where it is right now, everyone needs to be funneled inside the gates. Until the casual fan has someone next to them say "c'mon, it's time to go in", they aren't coming in. Everything should be concentrated on ticket sales and not how much we should charge for parking or tailgating.

[CajunRage]

I disagree with you with all do respect. KK is on to something as a tailgater for over 30 years and life long fan the number one question I’ve been asked by my casual fan friends is, is there anywhere I can throw up my tent and tailgate, and the answer has always been no. There is no room for this currently in CF because all the grassy areas are current TG spots. I am going to assume you are not suggesting to displace loyal folks who have been buying their spots for many years? You call it organic or forced because its never been done. I call it thinking outside the box if you want to double the current TG participation. Great thought KK.

When you say no, do they not show up at all?

[Esqueleto]

You can _____. You can try to reason. You can try it all. But ultimately, you need to look at your potential client base and determine what it will take to get them inside the stadium. Continuing to do the same and expect them to change their minds is just bad business. Does it seem wrong to give free parking and tailgating for example? Sure it does. But where does opportunity cost come in? If you increase attendance to Hud era, you replace ALL revenue from TG and RV spots several times over with ticket sales. You also have 10k+ more customers to market to for small RCAF donations and more premium seats. This in addition to fixing the gameday management inside the stadium is how you build an atmosphere. When you are selling out the stadium and still have demand, that's when you start nickel and diming. Not when you have 20k open seats every weekend.

AMEN!

[KajunKrazy]

A dead tailgating atmosphere around the stadium gives no incentive to park across the street and make that walk. Charge and arm and a leg when demand gets so high that you can. Hell, charge across the street too when that happens. With the demand where it is right now, everyone needs to be funneled inside the gates. Until the casual fan has someone next to them say "c'mon, it's time to go in", they aren't coming in. Everything should be concentrated on ticket sales and not how much we should charge for parking or tailgating.

There was a time not long ago there was a waiting list for TG spots with a lessor product on the field and they charged the same back then. This is an apathy thing free won't fix it. If one is not willing to walk across the street to watch the cajuns then probably is not willing to walk from deep along Bertrand in Cajun field to watch the cajuns.

[CajunRage]

There was a time not long ago there was a waiting list for TG spots with a lessor product on the field and they charged the same back then. This is an apathy thing free won't fix it. If one is not willing to walk across the street to watch the cajuns then probably is not willing to walk from deep along Bertrand in Cajun field to watch the cajuns.

It sounds like you are content with a 1/3 full stadium and the "cool club" of RCAF donors.

And I don't know how to get it through some of your thick skulls that it's not about the free aspect. It's about the inability for anyone outside of the "cool club" to get inside of Cajun Field gates and become season ticket holders/donors. I'm going to open a bar and anyone with a raginpagin handle can come in. If you aren't on RP, you have to stay outside on the patio.

[JamesTheJeweler]

Stay away from that FB page at all costs. Biggest collection of idiots. Geezus, it's mind numbing how stupid the comments are. Completely clueless.

[Cajun Monkee]

Serious question.

What goes on at an LSU that makes the "gameday experience" more desireable?

Is there organized tailgating immediately around Tiger Stadium? And is it free?

Is there a band playing at a stage prior to the game?

Is there (probably) tens of thousands of parking space around Tiger Stadium (and a good chunk of them are free)?

Are fraternity and sorority rows all within easy walking distance of Tiger Stadium?