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

[sunbeltsports]

This is a rant about UL Attendance and here are my ideas...
1. The University of Tulsa is trying to break a world record before their game this week. "Largest Beer Tasting Event" before the game. UL should do this but "Largest Jambalaya Pot". Currently 3,371 lbs from 2009. Buy 1 Ticket get a free bowl of Jambalaya. Hopefully increase attendance.
2. Kids Night - Kids get in free
3. Local Team Night - Local football teams get in for free
4. Food Truck Roundup - Food trucks in the parking lot
5. Best dressed Cajun fan gets x amount of cash
6. Cancer Research Night - Every ticket sold gives a % to cancer research foundation
7. Gulf Brew Festival happens at Cajun Field this week, not downtown Lafayette.
These are just some of my ideas to increase this awful attendance

[Turbine]

This is a rant about UL Attendance and here are my ideas...
1. The University of Tulsa is trying to break a world record before their game this week. "Largest Beer Tasting Event" before the game. UL should do this but "Largest Jambalaya Pot". Currently 3,371 lbs from 2009. Buy 1 Ticket get a free bowl of Jambalaya. Hopefully increase attendance.
2. Kids Night - Kids get in free
3. Local Team Night - Local football teams get in for free
4. Food Truck Roundup - Food trucks in the parking lot
5. Best dressed Cajun fan gets x amount of cash
6. Cancer Research Night - Every ticket sold gives a % to cancer research foundation
7. Gulf Brew Festival happens at Cajun Field this week, not downtown Lafayette.
These are just some of my ideas to increase this awful attendance

That's not a rant that's a rally.

Some rally good ideas.

[RaginDave]

This is a rant about UL Attendance and here are my ideas...
1. The University of Tulsa is trying to break a world record before their game this week. "Largest Beer Tasting Event" before the game. UL should do this but "Largest Jambalaya Pot". Currently 3,371 lbs from 2009. Buy 1 Ticket get a free bowl of Jambalaya. Hopefully increase attendance.
2. Kids Night - Kids get in free
3. Local Team Night - Local football teams get in for free
4. Food Truck Roundup - Food trucks in the parking lot
5. Best dressed Cajun fan gets x amount of cash
6. Cancer Research Night - Every ticket sold gives a % to cancer research foundation
7. Gulf Brew Festival happens at Cajun Field this week, not downtown Lafayette.
These are just some of my ideas to increase this awful attendance

#7 is a great idea, but it would hard pressed to move it from Acadiana Center for the Arts to Cajun Field. Now moving it to the CajunDome could be an idea. But more importantly I think you should make some sort of combo ticket, for instance, Gulf Brew Tickets are $40, Cajun Football Tickets are let's say $20 (on average) for General Admission. Sell General Admission with the purchase of a Gulf Brew Ticket for $50. Meaning you offer the Gulf Brew for $40, but for $10 more you get both and open that up as an option.

[GeauxCajuns]

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.

They gave away a tv and AirPods last week to students who were there in the fourth quarter

[Big Poppa]

Yes I'm aware of that but I mean like physical tickets that also gets them into the student tailgate and other activities. If you're a student and just meet someone new to the area what a better place to get to know someone than at Cajunfield

Anyone can walk into the student tailgate without ID or ticket.

[Big Poppa]

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.

If you gonna say because we are not competing for a national championship for football there will never be much interest. Then we just a soon shut down about 85% of the P5 programs and all the G5 because realistically only the top 10 to 15 percent compete for a national championship.

[ZoomZoom]

They gave away a tv and AirPods last week to students who were there in the fourth quarter

Do that every home game, building to the big prize. Air pods are nice, but won't fill the student section.

The RPCA just threw out over a dozen ideas.

I'm begging our admin to drop the hard lining act with our future donors and get them into the fold before it's too late. We'll have a nice and clean stadium a decade from now and crowds smaller than today's simply because MH ran them off as students and us older fans have lost our ability to go.

There is only ONE chance at a first impression with any situation. Caging up tailgating and heavy handedness is a horrible first impression to potential donors.

Change the narrative, be proactive.

[RedTails]

Took this pic: UNT in 2011.

Pretty sure that was our future HC in the bottom left of that picture. Although the longer time passes, the more unsure I am.

[SMD7636]

This 2011 picture was at a time when the administration supported the Greeks and allowed them to put their letters on the hill. Let’s go back to doing that if it brings students to the games.

[KajunKrazy]

This 2011 picture was at a time when the administration supported the Greeks and allowed them to put their letters on the hill. Let’s go back to doing that if it brings students to the games.

Actually in a meeting between the Greeks, Athletics, and Dean Lindsey, just before the season started, she recommended putting the letters on the hill. The Greeks all agreed that it looks very 1AA or D2 ish. They don’t want to do that .