They’ve Given Up

[ManAboutTown]

I sort of understand the frustration some of us have, but I will wait until the 2025 season to see what changes may take place in a renovated Cajun Field. I agree that some minor things could be done now, but I have a hard time justifying spending money on an old stadium while at the same time trying to raise money for a renovation project. I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel until Cajun Field is renovated. But, until then, I will continue having my a-s-s in Cajun Field to see my team play.

Duggie, if they don’t fix the real problems (and they’re not to this point), how is a renovated CF any different than a renovated CajunDome? Sure, it’ll be a shiney new toy for Lafayette to play with for 6 months, but what happens after? I can tell you what happened in the CajunDome… it was more empty after the renovation than before.

Sure we need to win. Sure we need a new football stadium. But we need to fix the core issues or we’ll have a nice new empty stadium. And to sit back and wait, and tell fans “just wait for the new stadium” (which btw doesn’t really fix any real logistical issues, from what I’ve been told) is a lazy and incompetent way to run a D1 athletics program. Prices will soar, reseating, moving of students, more mandatory RCAF investments… Its coming across the board. Yet, the donor base and ticket holders aren’t growing. Guess what that means…

[60swerethebest]

I think the funniest post of the year is Covid and NI research center got us R1. Funny
Rest of post pretty accurate.

[FeelDaRage]

Duggie, if they don’t fix the real problems (and they’re not to this point), how is a renovated CF any different than a renovated CajunDome? Sure, it’ll be a shiney new toy for Lafayette to play with for 6 months, but what happens after? I can tell you what happened in the CajunDome… it was more empty after the renovation than before.

Sure we need to win. Sure we need a new football stadium. But we need to fix the core issues or we’ll have a nice new empty stadium. And to sit back and wait, and tell fans “just wait for the new stadium” (which btw doesn’t really fix any real logistical issues, from what I’ve been told) is a lazy and incompetent way to run a D1 athletics program. Prices will soar, reseating, moving of students, more mandatory RCAF investments… Its coming across the board. Yet, the donor base and ticket holders aren’t growing. Guess what that means…

That's assuming the stadium even gets renovated. How long ago have they initially announced this? Almost a decade? A decade plus? Yet they're still sitting on their hands and in the meantime doing nothing to create an atmosphere that can transfer over to a renovated stadium thereby making it a worthy investment.

[Big Buds]

MAT, please don’t stop supporting Louisiana athletics! Sleep on it, bro. We need EVERY diehard out there.

As far as RR goes, yeah take a step back and be with the family. But don’t let go of the rope all together.

[Big Buds]

Just this week I have received at least 4-5 emails about the upcoming season, one mailer, at least daily facebook posts with many being hype video's for the upcoming season. I don't do twitter but can only assume their are tweets going out daily. Last week I received my parking passes only days after I spoke to a rep at rcaf about mailing them since I won't be in town till game day this year, and received a direct email from rcaf. I can't comment on the Lafayette advertising since I live out of town, but to day that rcaf and athletics aren't marketing is a misleading statement.

That is because you are a Season Ticket holder/RCAF member and etc. like most of us. You’re locked in and follow all their social media accounts. The frustration seems to be towards the casual fan that isn’t as engaged. We need to market so much better to that crowd.

[Duckster]

MAT, you been hard charging fan a long time. Might just be some burnout. It happens, it will pass. Having said that, its probably unfair to give athletics dept. marketing of football season tickets an F coming off a losing season that easily could have been a winning season. Grade them an I for incomplete job or U for unsatisfactory. They need to do better. They gotta sell it! However spring/summer of 22 they earned an F not promoting hard or broadly enough to capitalize coming off a football championship season plus promoting new coach plus conference expansion. As fans or donors, we can't let past underachieving results define the future. For example, football competitors Troy and So. Alabama took a step past us last year plus ULM beat us. That creates fan apathy like no other. While those losses were hard to swallow, I'm more optimistic about this season. However if we can't surge back ahead of those three teams this year, then we have major issues. Fans should holler long and loud in team support and when necessary when its time to protest complacency in this case the athletic department's season ticket marketing plan.

[ManAboutTown]

MAT, please don’t stop supporting Louisiana athletics! Sleep on it, bro. We need EVERY diehard out there.

I could never totally stop. I’m saying, their answer to everything is to “give more. Shut up and donate.” And I’m just not doing that anymore.

And I predict I’m not the only one fed up..

[ManAboutTown]

MAT, you been hard charging fan a long time. Might just be some burnout. It happens, it will pass. Having said that, its probably unfair to give athletics dept. marketing of football season tickets an F coming off a losing season that easily could have been a winning season. Grade them an I for incomplete job or U for unsatisfactory. They need to do better. They gotta sell it! However spring/summer of 22 they earned an F not promoting hard or broadly enough to capitalize coming off a football championship season plus promoting new coach plus conference expansion. As fans or donors, we can't let past underachieving results define the future. For example, football competitors Troy and So. Alabama took a step past us last year plus ULM beat us. That creates fan apathy like no other. While those losses were hard to swallow, I'm more optimistic about this season. However if we can't surge back ahead of those three teams this year, then we have major issues. Fans should holler long and loud in team support and when necessary when its time to protest complacency in this case the athletic department's season ticket marketing plan.

I was burnt out back when we hired Alden. Lol

This ain’t that. This is total lack of faith in the direction we’re headed with regard to leadership in the athletic administration, RCAF and Martin Hall.

[CrazyCajun]

Just this week I have received at least 4-5 emails about the upcoming season, one mailer, at least daily facebook posts with many being hype video's for the upcoming season. I don't do twitter but can only assume their are tweets going out daily. Last week I received my parking passes only days after I spoke to a rep at rcaf about mailing them since I won't be in town till game day this year, and received a direct email from rcaf. I can't comment on the Lafayette advertising since I live out of town, but to day that rcaf and athletics aren't marketing is a misleading statement.

Getting an email when you are already in the database isnt what I would call marketing. We already know the 10k who will be there regardless.

[angeleast]

Man its tough being a Cajun Fan sometimes. Hopefully with a new Govenor coming in will give T Joe the motivation to move on. We need new leadership period.

[JamesTheJeweler]

I swear some of you have battered wife syndrome. If you're waiting for Martin Hall to suddenly wake up and do it's job, that's delusional. What it comes down to fellas, is, how many times will you let Lucy pull the football from you? New USL....same as the old USL. Sad.

[Cajunsmike]

When diehards like the ones on this board start saying they are done, that is when we are in real trouble. I will never be done, not as a fan, not as a supporter, not now and not ever. We may not like the direction the administration is taking, but that doesn't mean we give up, that means we scream louder. When guys like MAT and others "give up" we are done. So, they didn't listen to you, so f'n what, say it again to different people, or say it in a different way. Don't give up, don't ever give up on this school and this athletic program. We may not like it, but losing the diehards are the end of this athletic program. We need to build a new group of diehards behind us. I see more UL and Louisiana and Ragin' Cajuns around this town then I did 30 years ago. I think there is an opportunity, it's going to take hard work and getting our hands dirty.

The starting point for this corporations around town. We need to take companies, big, small and medium size that support UL and promote the hell out of them all over social media, word of mouth and everywhere in between. We need to get our business around town to get their employees and children into the stadium every Saturday. Sure, we would love them to be corporate sponsors, but they don't have to be, they can support from outside the RCAF if they would like.

This would need to be a grassroots effort from the fan base, if the university does not get on board with us, then we will do it without them.

I will never stop supporting the Cajuns, NEVER!!!!!!

The day I take my last breath on this earth, I will still be watching a Cajun event.

Oil field service companies were aroung buying corporate tickets in 2011. Those days are not returning. We need to have the current lead businesses step up. Locker room video, COVID, and TV availability have all changed since then. What some believe to be overpolicing of students last year also hurt us. I do agree the proximity to LSU is a factor that most of our peers do not have to compete with. I have outlined our challenges. That does not mean give up. With great challenge comes great opportunity. When you do have success in such a situation, the taste of victory is even sweeter. Keep in mind what a great overall athletic year 2022-23 was. Few schools at our level made the NCAA tournament in basketball, baseball, and softball. That is rare in any year. Let's capitalize on that momentum as we move into 2023 football.