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

[Big Poppa]

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

Why? Everywhere in America you pay for parking in lots and reserved tailgate spots. Are all schools getting it wrong.

[Duckster]

Parking & tailgate fees were significantly hiked several years ago which coincided with fewer Saturday home games. Scared folks off. Am not against all price hikes. Understandably a big part of the athletic departments job is raising new revenues. But the increases were too dramatic coupled with added weeknight games making it an unattractive deal for fans. Bumping up pricing gradually every other year so fans can absorb it without the sticker shock is more sensible. IMO, inside the fence is paid parking. Its never too late to correct a mistake. Start over. Roll back parking and tailgate pass pricing in the outer lots within the fence to 2014 levels or something like that. Only charging $10 bucks, first come-first serve, to park in some outer lots is better having part of something rather than all of nothing. The other thing for administration to remember is inflation is taking a big bite out of disposable income for a lot of folks. Everyone has their own tipping point where they think, screw it. So reprice to reflect current market conditions.

[Rainman66]

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.

Please point to where I said to wait 3-5 years to DO SOMETHING? I said we would know if Dr Maggard had a good strategy or not in 3-5 years.

[JMV JustMyView]

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.

Bad. Most folks don't read the newspaper these days.

[Esqueleto]

Bad. Most folks don't read the newspaper these days.

nm

[ZoomZoom]

Wonder if it’s a ULS thing…from BB&B…

The LAST thing that traditional 4 year universities have to offer is the EXPERIENCE.

Greek life, Campus life, Tonk, Concerts, Athletics, Clubs. This is where Tech did excel and could excel, but has done everything they could to diminish the campus experience over the past decade.

Our men’s basketball team used to pack them in. Now we can’t get them to come for giveaways.

AND…

Better communication and interaction with graduates and donors. The people working in the current alumni center have been doing the same things for at least the past 20+ years. It's not working. We have a steady flow of Tech grads who lose interest in Tech immediately after getting their sheep skin. We need to cultivate "Fans of Tech". Fans don't evolve from graduation, attendance, or bureaucratic BS. They evolve from great memories while at Tech (being a winner) and from receiving attention with real marketing.

We've got to pay lower level employees real money. We've got to know they are passionate about doing their jobs and enjoy what they do. Before this can be put in place we've got to have real leadership. Our presidents have done nothing in this area during my post-Tech attendance. Our last AD was a total failure and it appears our current AD is an empty suit as well. BVDV was an outsider who made some horrible blunders, but I don't believe he ever made a move without getting the nod from his boss. He actually knew the business, but was out of touch with our culture.

[NODCajun]

I don't believe folks in Lafayette have a very high opinion of UL football. How many times does channel 3 or 10 lead off with LSU? How many UL grads spend their money in BR wearing purple? I think the local opinion of UL football has to improve.

[Big Poppa]

I don't believe folks in Lafayette have a very high opinion of UL football. How many times does channel 3 or 10 lead off with LSU? How many UL grads spend their money in BR wearing purple? I think the local opinion of UL football has to improve.

When you finish in the top 20 2 years in a row and it doesn’t move the needle there is a problem.

[jaxmc1023]

Because those top 20 finishes netted us two more crappy bowl games against teams that casual fans (the ones who fill the other 60% of the stadium) couldn't care less about.

LSU is fighting for 5-star recruits and big name portal transfers.

UL is desperately trying to keep our talented players here.

LSU is playing for championships in every sport.

UL is playing for New Orleans bowls in football, and first round appearances to the tournaments in most other sports.

G5 teams struggle with attendance because their would-be casual fans have a hard time justifying dropping big money and dedicating a whole Saturday to a game that ultimately means nothing in the grand scheme of college football especially when all their friends are hosting a party at home to watch LSU play some big name P5 team

Texas State is packing their stadium right now because they are where we were in 2014. Once they go to a few Cure Bowls to play MAC teams, that crowd will lose interest as well.

The difference is their games are FUN to attend, evidenced by the videos that have been coming out. Same with App State. UL games are as stale as the bowls we keep going to, and I worry that the admin believe the Cure to this problem is adding more "premium" features like seatbacks and fancier decorations.

[Jacob81]

Because those top 20 finishes netted us two more crappy bowl games against teams that casual fans (the ones who fill the other 60% of the stadium) couldn't care less about.

LSU is fighting for 5-star recruits and big name portal transfers.

UL is desperately trying to keep our talented players here.

LSU is playing for championships in every sport.

UL is playing for New Orleans bowls in football, and first round appearances to the tournaments in most other sports.

G5 teams struggle with attendance because their would-be casual fans have a hard time justifying dropping big money and dedicating a whole Saturday to a game that ultimately means nothing in the grand scheme of college football especially when all their friends are hosting a party at home to watch LSU play some big name P5 team

Texas State is packing their stadium right now because they are where we were in 2014. Once they go to a few Cure Bowls to play MAC teams, that crowd will lose interest as well.

The difference is their games are FUN to attend, evidenced by the videos that have been coming out. Same with App State. UL games are as stale as the bowls we keep going to, and I worry that the admin believe the Cure to this problem is adding more "premium" features like seatbacks and fancier decorations.

Great freakin post

[Winning]

Because those top 20 finishes netted us two more crappy bowl games against teams that casual fans (the ones who fill the other 60% of the stadium) couldn't care less about.

LSU is fighting for 5-star recruits and big name portal transfers.

UL is desperately trying to keep our talented players here.

LSU is playing for championships in every sport.

UL is playing for New Orleans bowls in football, and first round appearances to the tournaments in most other sports.

G5 teams struggle with attendance because their would-be casual fans have a hard time justifying dropping big money and dedicating a whole Saturday to a game that ultimately means nothing in the grand scheme of college football especially when all their friends are hosting a party at home to watch LSU play some big name P5 team

Texas State is packing their stadium right now because they are where we were in 2014. Once they go to a few Cure Bowls to play MAC teams, that crowd will lose interest as well.

The difference is their games are FUN to attend, evidenced by the videos that have been coming out. Same with App State. UL games are as stale as the bowls we keep going to, and I worry that the admin believe the Cure to this problem is adding more "premium" features like seatbacks and fancier decorations.

Fax machine printing facts

[CajunRage]

Why? Everywhere in America you pay for parking in lots and reserved tailgate spots. Are all schools getting it wrong.

You aren't understanding my point. Parking and tailgating are lagniappe. Tickets, sponsors and donors are the priority. Parking and tailgating are things that as long as you cover your cost, you can break even (or even come out of pocket a bit) in order to maximize the priorities. If you are worried about losing the revenue of the current tailgaters at the expense of growing attendance, you are doing it wrong.

[Turbine]

You aren't understanding my point. Parking and tailgating are lagniappe. Tickets, sponsors and donors are the priority. Parking and tailgating are things that as long as you cover your cost, you can break even (or even come out of pocket a bit) in order to maximize the priorities. If you are worried about losing the revenue of the current tailgaters at the expense of growing attendance, you are doing it wrong.

Not physically, but mentally, parking has become a bottleneck towards attendance.

Its as if eliminating the bottleneck physically (waiting to park) was Priority One.

[ZoomZoom]

Crazy idea for student growth…scan attending student IDs into a database. Each game, give away something, like a laptop, 1k tuition credit, whatever at the start of the fourth quarter. The last home game, every student that has made EVERY game, in a raffle for a car, free tuition for a semester runner up position.

Invest now, ROI down the road.

[Cajunsmike]

More people still read hard copy than you realize. I see several being distributed daily in my neighborhood.