Re: Increasing Attendance at Our Sporting Events
Originally Posted by ManAboutTown
Several years of work ahead but here's a road map..
1) Immediately stop flooding the zone with propaganda. Die-hard fans (the core of your sustainable support base) want the truth. They want to know that the admin is self-aware enough to understand the current realities. Stop treating us like children and talk to us like adults. This "positivity" saturation is counterproductive.
2) Decide on a damn mascot. Get athletes and reps back in the elementary schools and blitz the 0-10 year old potential fans of this university with engagement. NOW.
3) Invest whatever it takes into our media outreach and production capabilities. All I hear from these admins is, "ESPN+ is killing us." Well, get off of your asses and use it to your advantage. Engage a whole new segment of supporters that you didn't have access to before ESPN+ and do everything you possibly can do to make it possible for in-house production. Get rid of Leirfield, bring operations in-house, use KRVS and our very talented people to our advantage. There is nothing more Cajun than that.
4) Stop comparing Lafayette, LA to any other place on the globe. Learn the history of this culture. Litereally everything we do, from how we spend our money to how we spend our time is different. Our bubble was never truly "americanized," in the traditional sense. We still rely on ourselves, our close-knit networks, and our tribal tendencies for all walks of life. Again, implement strategies that harness the power of our nature. We are not Boone, NC or San Marcos, TX. Trying to produce revenue based on those areas is a sure way to fail (see the last 3 years).
5) Engage our most involved, most passionate fans in a public arena. No, not our biggest donors. Our recognizable, consistent faces that show up to everything. Keeping good communication with boots on the ground can substantially improve understanding between the white color and blue color groups. Town halls with real participation. Radical change to tailgating. The removal of the gatekeeping that is going on between booster groups and administrators. The growing divide between the culture inside of the athletic administration and the culture they're supposed to be serving.
6) Take your foot off of the throats of our student body. Cut the liability BS; every school is dealing with evolution and change. We are taking the lazy, easy way out by stamping out everything that makes MH uncomfortable. They're killing future fans and donors. Instead of engaging Student Government with efforts to help form the foundation of a student-involved RCAF, they use their resources to police the Greeks and any perceived "uprising" of unsanctioned participation around our events. It's ridiculous.
7) STOP CHASING CORPORATE DOLLARS AND ENGAGE SMALL ACADIANA BUSINESS. It's an indictment of their understanding of this area and work ethic when you consider how many businesses are untapped around here! On more than one occasion, very well-known, local business people have approached athletics about getting involved with fundraising on the ground level (I'm one of them.) You guys would be shocked to know the names, but those people have not been given the time of day. Apparently, being a "fit" is a big problem for the leadership in athletics. They only want "their kind of guys" pounding pavement for them.
8) Adopt the revenue models of Festival International, Acadiens, Moncus Park events, etc. Cajun people, for the most part, WILL NOT purchase, invest or give to something that they feel is being forced upon them. Make the cost of entry nominal, get Acadiana into your event and then let them choose where they'll spend their money. It's the truest form of American Capitalism. And before you tell me, "tHey NeEd tO pAy dA bIllZzzZz," you can save it. There is nobody at the damn games. If your product is worth spending money on, we'll open up the wallet (see Mark Hudspeth and Tony Robichaux) They are literally risking nothing by banking on money spent for passion, inclusion, and ownership rather than obligation. When did RCAF General Fund donations and members plummet? After the institution of mandatory RCAF donations for season tickets. When did tailgating plummet? Mandatory RCAF donations (and also ridiculous price hikes).
9) Outside of premium experiences for spots well equipped and near the stadium, open the lot back up to tailgaters FOR FREE. When you amass a waiting list, bring back small fees. Cut the RV lot charges in half and get the RV village back! Allow tailgating at the Cajundome for basketball (they currently don't). Allow people to set up their tents, campers, coaches, cooking equipment, etc 2 days before the games, like we used to. Bring back cocktail hour and have a Friday night block party to get the community out. Set up a band stand at the corner of Congress & Betrand. Let that area grow organically, for free and get rid of that eye sore of an area on gameday. The entire thing needs an overhaul.
10) Commit to excellence - for all coaches, across the board - and get rid of the country club comfortability. Maggard was fine making people uncomfortable when he got here. He has since been totally baptized by the MH few. Time to reset that. All coaches need to be competing for a championship year in and year out. This "sometimes we're committed, sometimes we're not" BS is killing our fanbase more than people realize. 6-6 more than two years running should get you fired. Not finishing in the top 4 of this ____ty SBC basketball conference should get you fired. Multiple years without regionals in the diamond sports should get you fired.
11) Stop hiring interns and hire professionals. Our support system has been atrocious and way too transient the last 3ish years. This should not be a "learn on the job" destination. If it's viewed that way, change the damn culture. We need to take pride in what we have. Hire freaking professionals to market, sell, promote, game manage, etc. All the way down to the janitorial staff and concession cleanups. Run the place like a business, not a charity!
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