SBC-MAC Challenge: LA 86, BG 60

[ZoomZoom]

This is very true. As someone who's kids are now going to college, I've noticed how so many kids don't even consider UL at all when choosing schools. They all want to go and get that experience that apparently here, they just don't see anymore.

I don't think I ever even applied to another school as UL was in my backyard and it was a no brainer and I had a great time but kids today don't see it that way. One way I can tell you for sure that the university has screwed it up is with the greek system. They've neutered it so much that it is laughable. That is one of the main draws for so many of the kids as they all seem to want to rush and what school's have the best atmosphere and feel. We apparently do not.

Our kids were all raised as cajun fans, went to games, tailgated went to bowl games etc.. But as they get older the university just doesn't appeal to so many and its sad. No idea how to fix it but its definitely something I've noticed.

One of our 2 opted for college. Went to LHS/gifted program. The head of that department was the spouse of a LSU football legend. She told her students they could do better than ULL. Was kind of a joke State was referred to East Lafayette High.

Our child never considered UL even though raised where both parents, UL grads, despised State. Of course, went to State; Centenary was the only other Louisiana school looked at.

[RaginScotsman]

ODU still outdrawing us 3-4 times over and they are in last place in the conference. Yikes.

[Scott Malkinson]

Read an article yesterday with the media questioning attendance at MBB at a Big 10 program and the sharp decline the last few years. The program, Iowa. At the same time, their WBB is setting attendance records. There are only X number of fans and Y amount of money. It’s simple math and logic…follow the money. Catlin Clark is marketing gold today. Fans just migrated to WBB.

So stepping away from the forest, UL softball and baseball has grown over the last 30 years. UL has X number of fans with Y money. As those sports grew, MBB attendance has shrunk. It’s been a growing issue for years and nobody apparently bothered to figure out why. The numbers were there every year in the media guide.

SB is always competitive and baseball righted the ship after a lull for a FEW years.

SB is a NCAA tournament regular. Baseball has 18 NCAA appearances since ‘88 (35 years). MBB has 7, WBB 1.

Always follow the money. I am NOT faulting the fans, it’s basic human nature. Throw in the pain the ass attending games at the CD has become, that’s just another reason.

Note to football, same applies. The SBC championship game set an attendance record. Hiring a home town hero looked good on newspaper (media), but hasn’t translated to ledger paper bottom line. Didn’t move the needle at all for WBB.

Growing the fanbase isn’t happening. That’s why the dome has mostly boomers who were around decades ago. And the same will occur with the other sports if the X number of fans remain static. People leave for other sports, age out, or become indifferent and just quit coming. UL needs to figure out how to replace those fans.

The other media around the
state think Dez is a glorified high school coach and Marlin is a complete _______. That was the running joke at the NOLA bowl. We wonder why the 2 major sports support is nose diving off a cliff.

[ZoomZoom]

A movement for change in MBB coaching should be for the sake of change, not a campaign for one’s homeboy. Got that problem on two fronts already. Creditability is zero going that route, except with one’s inner ring.

Besides that’s not the core problem. UL didn’t respond to change that took place decades ago. The landscape changed, we responded by being deaf to the canary in the coal mine. Few want to admit it, ESPN changed the game, UL stood idly by. We got left behind in MBB and it wasn’t a priority. We could have the second coming of Adolph Rupp and we’d be in the same boat. We’re ready to hang up MBB tickets, but it’s not CBM. It’s the constant noise and the excessive “security”. I get it it’s a generational thing. I understand the SB yesterday had a stadium DJ for timeouts. Not my thing.

Yes, a lot of outside things beyond UL’s control yesterday happened. But statistically this was coming one day.

[RaginReview]

A movement for change in MBB coaching should be for the sake of change, not a campaign for one’s homeboy. Got that problem on two fronts already. Creditability is zero going that route, except with one’s inner ring.

Besides that’s not the core problem. UL didn’t respond to change that took place decades ago. The landscape changed, we responded by being deaf to the canary in the coal mine. Few want to admit it, ESPN changed the game, UL stood idly by. We got left behind in MBB and it wasn’t a priority. We could have the second coming of Adolph Rupp and we’d be in the same boat. We’re ready to hang up MBB tickets, but it’s not CBM. It’s the constant noise and the excessive “security”. I get it it’s a generational thing. I understand the SB yesterday had a stadium DJ for timeouts. Not my thing.

Yes, a lot of outside things beyond UL’s control yesterday happened. But statistically this was coming one day.

McNeese, who has not won in over a decade, is almost tripling our attendance numbers. Why? Because they have a coach who brings energy while the administration promotes the program to the community.

Love or hate Wade, the guy is selling tickets at a Southland school with 1/3 of our budget and half of our enrollment while we draw 914 coming off of a NCAA Tournament appearance.

[ZoomZoom]

McNeese, who has not won in over a decade, is almost tripling our attendance numbers. Why? Because they have a coach who brings energy while the administration promotes the program to the community.

Love or hate Wade, the guy is selling tickets at a Southland school with 1/3 of our budget and half of our enrollment while we draw 914 coming off of a NCAA Tournament appearance.

It helps having an AD that was the prior MBB coach that oversaw a train wreck, in fairness, mostly not all his fault. He was wearing 2 hats for awhile. Nobody talks about that. Meantime if not for a murder at NWST McLeast would have a zero in their FB win column last fall. And that attendance sucks.

X number of fans, Y amount of money. ALWAYS follow the money.

[RaginReview]

It helps having an AD that was the prior MBB coach that oversaw a train wreck. Nobody talks about that. Meantime if not for a murder at NWST McLeast would have a zero in their FB win column last fall. And that attendance sucks.

X number of fans, Y amount of money. ALWAYS follow the money.

Their football program has fallen off a cliff as of late. With that said, we should be drawing more than 914 to our basketball games.

[ZoomZoom]

Their football program has fallen off a cliff as of late. With that said, we should be drawing more than 914 to our basketball games.

Not disagreeing with that. But still comes down to what people want to do with their money. That’s with everything, just watch around Costco; not enough people and money to support everything built in the last year.

UL needs to fix it, but how do they fix decades of neglect? They need a clown with national connections like Fletcher but with a proven winning record (which Fletcher lacked). But only after the off court day game product is fixed. Rubberband chicken flippers and balloon blowing game is exciting as driving a Yugo.

[fanof71]

Looks like a whole lot of not caring going on in the athletic department...If Maggard and his Merry band of marketing savants really cared, don't you think that something would happen to increase FB and MBB attendance? You've got 5 to 8 folks over there just drawing checks, obviously...Ticket sales are a major source of revenue...Maggard believes hiring an outside sales force to sell tickets is the answer...Really? Hell be churning and burning through $25k a year rookie sellers inside of 6 months...The community is apathetic to UL athletics, an environment created by UL all by itself...not COVID, not the economy, not necessarily TSAB either...but by UL. The house needs a good cleaning, starting with Maggard and his cronies in MH

[ZoomZoom]

One thing not brought up regarding local hs students, many attend AP UL classes. The novelty of UL is gone. UL needs to be aggressively recruiting at the first point of contact, and not count on “they’re local” thing.

[R1Letterman]

One thing not brought up regarding local hs students, many attend AP UL classes. The novelty of UL is gone. UL needs to be aggressively recruiting at the first point of contact, and not count on “they’re local” thing.

I think AP classes and dual enrollment classes are two separate things

[R1Letterman]

Although some place "local" is en vogue, isnt that a big marketing play for craft beers?

But ibsee your point. I went to HS down the street from UNO, so i didnt really want to feel like i was driving to HS for for more years.