Sun Belt Attendance numbers

[old alum]

Lafayette metro is half a million .

When I saw this my first thought was "no way". Then I thought maybe I should look it up. I owe Scott Malkinson an apology.The Parishes of the Acadiana Region account for a population of 642,673 according to the 2022 census count. That is about double what I thought it was.

Lafayette Parish 247,866
Acadia Parish 56,744
St. Martin Parish 51,236
Vermlion Parish 56,952
Iberia Parish 68,327
St. Landry Parish 81,773
Evangeline Parish 31,986
St. Mary Parish 47,789

We are currently drawing 2.6% of the people of our region, and that includes students at the university. I would also say that if you believe that there are 16,700 people actually at the football games then I would like to sell you some high dry land in the middle of the swamp.

In order to sell out our new, reduced seating stadium we will need to have 4.8% of our citizens go to the games. That would be 1 out of every 21 people in Acadiana choosing to go to a fairly priced venue. Once they are there they will be overcharged for poor quality food, and drinks that cost 3.5 times what you pay in a convenience store. The other option is to not buy food at the game and tell the children that you will leave when they start complaining, meaning you will be gone by the end of the first quarter. Why? because there is zero gameday experience for children.

We can go on and on about why people do not go to the football games, but for many it is simply because the quality of the product does not meet the price of attending a game. A family of four will drop $200 to go to a game, IF NOT MORE.

Don't say it costs more to go to an LSU game. They are always ranked in the top 25, and have had 2 recent Heisman winners. I'm not LSU fan, but I also know that their product on the football field and basketball court(s) is far better than ours.

Drop the prices, give free refills on $6 soft drinks, and put a decent product on the field and you will fill up your new stadium.

[Jacob81]

Good post. Unfortunately we have to worry about catering to the familys to get butts in the seats. I feel like the big schools could care less if there are any kids in attendance.

[CajunRebel]

This is BAD. Though we’re only third-worst, practically we are the worst. Georgia State and ULM have good reasons. Georgia State is in the same city as Georgia Tech and ULM just sucks.

But seriously.

I’ve watched enough Sun Belt games to know that lots of these teams are reporting BS numbers. I watched a couple USM games that had maybe 200 people on the east side of their stadium.

[Ragin9221]

Lafayette metro is half a million . The biggest issue is that the outreach of the areas outside of the city of lafayette has gone from minimal to zero. There were plans to have ambassadors for each Parish. I had even volunteered for the Vermilion chapter. However once Nico left that idea was scrapped.

It is possible just got to do it the right way, now no one is saying we are able to attract this many per game but we can at least 20 to 25k per game if Festival International can attract 300k. Until we make it an event and change our perspective on gameday and tailgating we will continue to go down hill.

Source:
https://listenupyall.com/2022/04/27/...national-2022/



Festival International normally attracts up to 300,000 attendees over the five-day period but organizers expect to eclipse previous records in attendance this year.

[Turbine]

It is possible just got to do it the right way, now no one is saying we are able to attract this many per game but we can at least 20 to 25k per game if Festival International can attract 300k. Until we make it an event and change our perspective on gameday and tailgating we will continue to go down hill.

Source:
https://listenupyall.com/2022/04/27/...national-2022/



Festival International normally attracts up to 300,000 attendees over the five-day period but organizers expect to eclipse previous records in attendance this year.

Five rolling events on Game Day at The Swamp (all day long) and everyome counts.

I think we could get attendance up to 70,000.

[Ragin9221]

Five rolling events on Game Day at The Swamp (all day long) and everyome counts.

I think we could get attendance up to 70,000.

There is no reason not to do it this year, if for anything to promote the new stadium and showing things are getting done.

Also with Grambling , Tulane, and App State coming to Cajun Field we should have at least 20k for each one of those games.

This is why we need to do it.

[Turbine]

Five rolling events on Game Day at The Swamp (all day long) and everyome counts.

I think we could get attendance up to 70,000.

I see I misspelled 'everyone' with "everyome"

Instead of admitting my mistake, I'm going to say everyome means Everyone come.

[ragin50]

There is no reason not to do it this year, if for anything to promote the new stadium and showing things are getting done.

Also with Grambling , Tulane, and App State coming to Cajun Field we should have at least 20k for each one of those games.

This is why we need to do it.

Will the stadium capacity be 20k next season? Seems like it will be less than that.

[ManAboutTown]

Evergreen post:

Every single person you see in these threads or on social media defending attendance or excusing lack there of, is a loser with a loser mind set and loser standards. We need to ignore losers. Losers are holding our athletic program back and losers should be called out for what they are. Even the losers with money playing “Save the Whales” with program; doesn’t change the fact that they’re losers.

Defending load management in college (esp in the SBC - lol) is loser behavior. Defending 2349 paid tickets against a ranked conference opponent is loser behavior. Saying “we’re in football mode” and “ESPN+ is killing us” is loser behavior. Family members of coaching staff arguing with fans and throwing players under the bus on social media is loser behavior. Blaming refs for every gosh damn loss is loser behavior.

Rid yourselves of the losers!

[cajun4life]

Evergreen post:

Every single person you see in these threads or on social media defending attendance or excusing lack there of, is a loser with a loser mind set and loser standards. We need to ignore losers. Losers are holding our athletic program back and losers should be called out for what they are. Even the losers with money playing “Save the Whales” with program; doesn’t change the fact that they’re losers.

Defending load management in college (esp in the SBC - lol) is loser behavior. Defending 2349 paid tickets against a ranked conference opponent is loser behavior. Saying “we’re in football mode” and “ESPN+ is killing us” is loser behavior. Family members of coaching staff arguing with fans and throwing players under the bus on social media is loser behavior. Blaming refs for every gosh damn loss is loser behavior.

Rid yourselves of the losers!

No one, and I mean no one can come up with as many excuses as Cajuns can. Bottom line, this university for the past 50 years has no clue how to develop the Cajun fan base. Excuses are for losers and that’s all we hear.

Why not deliver a message similar to this. We understand that this place is unique and we will need to approach attendance with the same sort of uniqueness as our area. Attendance isn’t where we want it to be, but we as an administration are working with our coaches, community, organizations in an effort to have a better reach into the Acadiana area. We aren’t there yet, but we will get there.

Instead it’s, well basketball is dead in the south. The refs cost us the game. People just don’t care anymore, ESPN is the devil.

You all know it’s true, excuses are just that, an excuse for failure. Why not take ownership and correct our failures.

[GreatestStory]

I think it would be very interesting to see the amount of tailgating spots sold every year since they started charging. That would probably tell a good story when compared to attendance numbers.

Tailgating used to be awesome because it was the fans who built it up to its greatness. We had a waiting list for tailgate spots and it was an exciting experience on game days.

It blows my mind how quickly greed ruined one of the best tailgating atmospheres in the country.

[Turbine]

I think it would be very interesting to see the amount of tailgating spots sold every year since they started charging. That would probably tell a good story when compared to attendance numbers.

Tailgating used to be awesome because it was the fans who built it up to its greatness. We had a waiting list for tailgate spots and it was an exciting experience on game days.

It blows my mind how quickly greed ruined one of the best tailgating atmospheres in the country.

Yep.

When they first started charging for spots, usage went through the roof.

When they began to force game time evacuation of tailgating spots while simultaneously raising prices, usage fell through the floor.

[Scott Malkinson]

It is possible just got to do it the right way, now no one is saying we are able to attract this many per game but we can at least 20 to 25k per game if Festival International can attract 300k. Until we make it an event and change our perspective on gameday and tailgating we will continue to go down hill.

Source:
https://listenupyall.com/2022/04/27/...national-2022/



Festival International normally attracts up to 300,000 attendees over the five-day period but organizers expect to eclipse previous records in attendance this year.

Need to bring the festival to Cajun field

Food trucks

multiple music stages

Gameday Parade

cook-offs competitions like a craklin , boudin and gumbo etc

[Ragin9221]

Need to bring the festival to Cajun field

Food trucks

multiple music stages

Gameday Parade

cook-offs competitions like a craklin , boudin and gumbo etc

Exactly!!

[Fais do-do]

Need to bring the festival to Cajun field

Food trucks

multiple music stages

Gameday Parade

cook-offs competitions like a craklin , boudin and gumbo etc

I said this same cook off idea for years. The whole dam Houston rodeo has cookoff competitions with lots of categories. I have seen million dollar setups for it from people! BTW, people are hustling to get wrist bands to enter them.
Give a wrist band with a purchase and entry into the stadium.