What is behind UL football's attendance woes? Numerous obstacles keep fans from Cajun Field

[ULvictory]

When you have an entire lot inside the gates sitting empty while people park across the street, you are over complicating the issue. There is no reason to sit on our hands for 3-5 years and hope this resolves itself. Acting like glaring blunders can’t be fixed while working on the renovation (upcoming) and during fundraising stages (present and recent past) is disingenuous. You don’t need a new stadium to put up a banner honoring your first outright conference championship 30 years. Tailgating is not going to magically resolve itself because the stadium gets renovated.

The parking situation could be fixed today.

I park in Lot E (the big barren land at the corner of Congress and Bertrand) and arrived 30 minutes before kickoff for Texas State. I was 1 of 8 cars in that entire lot. For the Northwestern State game, because of the free parking offered inside of the Cajun Field gates, I was sent to Lot C with my Lot E pass. That means there's a ton of spots available to park inside the gates. Also, we took a recent poll on the Ragin Review Twitter page and asked if people would rather A) park general admission inside of Cajun Field for $20 on gameday or B) park across the street for free. 65% voted to pay to park inside of Cajun Field. Not only can the university gain extra revenue, but the parking lot looks full and active as opposed to a barren dessert that's seen now. Perception is everything in this case.

[CajunRage]

When you have an entire lot inside the gates sitting empty while people park across the street, you are over complicating the issue. There is no reason to sit on our hands for 3-5 years and hope this resolves itself. Acting like glaring blunders can’t be fixed while working on the renovation (upcoming) and during fundraising stages (present and recent past) is disingenuous. You don’t need a new stadium to put up a banner honoring your first outright conference championship 30 years. Tailgating is not going to magically resolve itself because the stadium gets renovated.

People need to stop thinking that parking and tailgating are revenue streams. They are enablers. The end goal is tickets, sponsors, donors.

[Turbine]

People need to stop thinking that parking and tailgating are revenue streams. They are enablers. The end goal is tickets, sponsors, donors.

Parking is a loss leader.

You want activity at all times, this appearance of activity eventually leads to more tickets, more sponsors (they crave activity) and more motivated donors.

Active parking is a great place to start.

[billbeck451]

put the free parking on the other side of Cajun Field in lot F and leave the home side of the people who wish to park near the tailgating area.

[facelessjonmoon]

Parking is a loss leader.

You want activity at all times, this appearance of activity eventually leads to more tickets, more sponsors (they crave activity) and more motivated donors.

Active parking is a great place to start.

This is true especially in Lafayette. Any time a new chain restaurant opens up people see a crowd/ line and jump in it

[Balanced_view]

10k in student attendance would have roughly 70% of the on campus student in attendance. That ain’t ever going to happen.

The broken relationship has to do with what the Greeks represent. How they are essentially the cardiovascular and nervous system of the student population. There isn’t any greater indication of what the engagement and connection the students have to the university than the relationship/engagement of the Greeks.

Deliberately reducing or eliminating the Greek organizations is the epitome of cutting your nose if to spite you face. They are you future donors, future fans and legacy students.

Step 1. Grow undergrad on campus population to 20k

Step 2. 40% on that student population should be Greeks

Step 3. More on campus promotion for athletics.

Step 4. High school participation and marketing/recruiting.

Step 5. Create an entertainment district centered around the new Heymann Center and Cajun Field.

Step 6. Block off Cajun Dome Blvd at 10am, food truck vendors in the medians and a DJ. Create a UL Block party every home game.

I could keep going, but that’s a start.

Thanks for the response. So while this attendance conversation is at the forefront, the loudest complaints are over 4k students not showing up? so if we had 15k last game and everything was good with the students, attendance would be 19k with no new revenue made. I point out the numbers because this is the loudest complaint.

I completely agree with students being future donors and fans so they are highly important, that being said, they dont fix the attendance problem alone until many years down the road when many classes have been stacked and built up. this fan base will have to wait for them to grow. as several other points you listed also have a time component with them, even if executed perfectly.

[Turbine]

If students added 4,000. every attendee across the way would suddenly become a sales ambassador for Louisiana football.

Within the very first year another 4,000 would be added.

[JMV JustMyView]

Thanks for the response. So while this attendance conversation is at the forefront, the loudest complaints are over 4k students not showing up? so if we had 15k last game and everything was good with the students, attendance would be 19k with no new revenue made. I point out the numbers because this is the loudest complaint.

I completely agree with students being future donors and fans so they are highly important, that being said, they dont fix the attendance problem alone until many years down the road when many classes have been stacked and built up. this fan base will have to wait for them to grow. as several other points you listed also have a time component with them, even if executed perfectly.

New revenue would be made because students have to eat and drink also.

[JMV JustMyView]

This is true especially in Lafayette. Any time a new chain restaurant opens up people see a crowd/ line and jump in it

Facts.

[Balanced_view]

If students added 4,000. every attendee across the way would suddenly become a sales ambassador for Louisiana football.

Within the very first year another 4,000 would be added.

Im going to take you guys word on this.

[ragincajun97]

The entitled world we live in now will _____ and complain and give stupid ass excuses no matter what the administration does or doesn’t do to help attendance

[Esqueleto]

The entitled world we live in now will _____ and complain and give stupid ass excuses no matter what the administration does or doesn’t do to help attendance

Agreed

[fanof71]

Looking at Maggard's answers and attitude about attendence, I though he gave a bunch of stupid ass excuses too no matter how much or how little they try or do. Maggard is worried about seats, while his high school DJ, meth music, expensive concessions (mostly) and middle school environment continues to run off or keep people away.

A new stadium isn't the answerjust like being ranked for 2 years and winning, winning, and more winning the last 6 years hasn't helped. Maggard and his game day crew have failed at this for so many years.its going to take more than a new stadium to bring back or convience Lafayette and Acadiana that this football program is worth supporting.

[Cajunsmike]

Kevin’s article appeared in hard copy of Acadiana Advocate today. Actually was lead article on Front Page of paper, not the sports section, news section. Don’t know if that is good or bad.

[fanof71]

That's better than our radio flagship did this afternoon airing a Texas State game promo