Enhancing Student Engagement and Fan Support for University Athletics.

[ULvictory]

I truly admire your efforts and your ideas.

But go visit the last in game threads for softball and baseball. These are fans that proclaim to be diehards in the sports that have been successful.

There were hundreds of want to be fans following those threads. Do you think what you saw in there made any of those that are not signed up members of RP want to donate, go buy tickets, etc.?

Much of todays attendance issues also surround the fact that otherwise diehard fans who would have never even thought about missing a sporting event live and in person experienced the patio/game room/home viewing option because of Covid and they liked it so much, they never went back. Even the strongest of programs are being hit by this same concept.

So, your untapped audience are those that surface after Covid. I know you have to start somewhere, but that’s a very small audience.

Finally, I agree that you can’t just win to get them in. See Napier years, it was arguably better, but even in the two great season, it’s not like he knocked it out the park with butts in the stands.

Now, let’s look at where football, baseball and softball stsnd:

Football

1. Louisiana has about 5,000 fans that will actually attend no matter what

2. Louisiana has about an additional 3,000 fans that will buy tickets no matter what but may or may not attend

3. Louisiana has about another 7,000 fans that attend pretty regularly, but any chink in the armor, they may or may not go. This includes losing, weather, kid’s conflicting event, hunting season, fishing opportunity, wedding, LSU home game, LSU game at same time . . .

4. the rest are a pot luck of casual fans that may or may not attend a couple games a year, but religiously watch most of the games on TV

Baseball

1. Louisiana has about 2,000 fans that will attend 75% of the games no matter what

2. Louisiana has about another 1500 fans that will buy tickets no matter what but may or may not attend.

3. Louisiana has about another 1,000 fans that attend pretty regularly, but any chink in the armor, they may or may not go. This includes losing, weather, kid’s conflicting event, hunting season, fishing opportunity, LSU game at same time . . .

4. the rest are a pot luck of casual fans that may or may not attend 10 or so games a year, but religiously watch most of the games on TV

Softball, about same ratio’s as baseball but I am not familiar with the specific numbers.

That’s our fan base. All of the things you propose combined with winning will make a difference. How much of a difference, all things considered (including particularly the home 65” flat screen TV side by side with the 50” tv, IPad and cell phone, access to almost every game real time, patio and entertainment rooms with cold beer, hard liquor, restrooms, freat food of choice, no lines, no parking issues, no traffic, no designated driver) can we really increase butts in the seats.

And then there is “the perception that they really don’t care and the financial realities that every single program like Louisiana face.

To be honest, I am surprised with the buy in surrounding the new football stadium and hope and pray that it will be a resounding success, then I see what is posted here and reality sets in.

Finally, I truly hope that the powers that be find the courage really shortly to jump on the bandwagon of somebody with the vision and courage which you have displayed here and allows “the ole college try” an opportunity to succeed.

Otherwise, we will continue us to experience a few bumps of success surrounding things like a new stadium, or a very successful season, etc. then things will again settle back down to the actual mean described above . . .

. . . this is my POV . . .

Good analysis, Vic.

The biggest hurdle we have ALWAYS faced here is capitalizing. Outside of Hud's first few seasons, we have never had a strategy to keep the fans around or build on success. With Hud, we averaged over 20k consistently, and then we raised prices all around thinking we could take advantage. Unfortunately, the fans said no to it. So, everyone just threw their hands up and said "oh well." Then add in getting put on probation around 2015, the locker room video in 2016 where there were some things said in the media by the HC which directly insulted a good portion of the fan base, followed up with 3 straight losing seasons leading up to the beginning of Napier's tenure at the time. And then tailgate costs went up. That's where we run into attendance woes during Billy's time here. And let's not forget COVID and three midweek games in 2021 (we have over 20k in 3 of our home games for the first time since 2016 and broke a record for attendance in a SBC CG). But instead of looking at the snowball effect of different factors, we hear "Well, Billy came in and still nobody showed up." Personally, I think if you lower tailgate costs, quit playing musical chairs with the student section and engage the fan base like Hud used to do; those numbers would've been a lot higher.

As for baseball and softball, I think baseball numbers improved this season. I don't know about you, but I thought the crowds looked a little more consistently full than in the past 5-6 seasons. Hopefully, that improves as we continue an upward trajectory of success. Softball was softball for the most part.

To me, the first step on capitalizing success is fan engagement. We all know that people here LOVE face-to-face interaction. That's why it was so successful under Hud. And I'm not saying show up to every single business in town to deliver cookies. I'm saying to hold more affordable events (bus tour?). Get the alumni association more involved in places like Houston, Dallas, and New Orleans. Create an interaction between the school and the fans that MAKE the fans want to get involved. That clay shooting event for Krewe Allons in July looks like a good first start, but go beyond that. Also, be more consistent in the RCAF pricing model when it comes to ticketing, tailgating and seat donations.

This can all work considering we did these things with a much smaller staff in 2011 than we have now. It just takes a little more effort and thinking outside the box.

[CajunVic]

Good analysis, Vic.

The biggest hurdle we have ALWAYS faced here is capitalizing. Outside of Hud's first few seasons, we have never had a strategy to keep the fans around or build on success. With Hud, we averaged over 20k consistently, and then we raised prices all around thinking we could take advantage. Unfortunately, the fans said no to it. So, everyone just threw their hands up and said "oh well." Then add in getting put on probation around 2015, the locker room video in 2016 where there were some things said in the media by the HC which directly insulted a good portion of the fan base, followed up with 3 straight losing seasons leading up to the beginning of Napier's tenure at the time. And then tailgate costs went up. That's where we run into attendance woes during Billy's time here. And let's not forget COVID and three midweek games in 2021 (we have over 20k in 3 of our home games for the first time since 2016 and broke a record for attendance in a SBC CG). But instead of looking at the snowball effect of different factors, we hear "Well, Billy came in and still nobody showed up." Personally, I think if you lower tailgate costs, quit playing musical chairs with the student section and engage the fan base like Hud used to do; those numbers would've been a lot higher.

As for baseball and softball, I think baseball numbers improved this season. I don't know about you, but I thought the crowds looked a little more consistently full than in the past 5-6 seasons. Hopefully, that improves as we continue an upward trajectory of success. Softball was softball for the most part.

To me, the first step on capitalizing success is fan engagement. We all know that people here LOVE face-to-face interaction. That's why it was so successful under Hud. And I'm not saying show up to every single business in town to deliver cookies. I'm saying to hold more affordable events (bus tour?). Get the alumni association more involved in places like Houston, Dallas, and New Orleans. Create an interaction between the school and the fans that MAKE the fans want to get involved. That clay shooting event for Krewe Allons in July looks like a good first start, but go beyond that. Also, be more consistent in the RCAF pricing model when it comes to ticketing, tailgating and seat donations.

This can all work considering we did these things with a much smaller staff in 2011 than we have now. It just takes a little more effort and thinking outside the box.

really can't disagree with anything you say

nobody ever at UL has the charisma that HUD brought to the program

he was magnanimous around anyone who was in front of him

he made the big donors feel like they were at his dining room table every time he was in their presence

he made the small donors feel like they were at his dining room table every time he was in their presence

and he was out there a lot

the last two football coaches just did not and do not have that

so, how do we compensate for the differences in character especially in times like now when it is most dearly needed

also, things have changed so much since HUD and between the issues you described at the end of the HUD era and Covid, one has to wonder what is out there to salvage

i guess we will see with the new stadium, it may be our last saving grace for football

as for baseball, the three or four rows around me in Section 108 were as dormant this year as in the past 4 years or so

there were maybe 5 or 6 games with above average actual attendance but my estimate would leave it at that

[CajunVic]

ps and now with the secret society of JMV, I'm not sure anything Cajun or Louisiana are salvageable . . .

[ULvictory]

really can't disagree with anything you say

nobody ever at UL has the charisma that HUD brought to the program

he was magnanimous around anyone who was in front of him

he made the big donors feel like they were at his dining room table every time he was in their presence

he made the small donors feel like they were at his dining room table every time he was in their presence

and he was out there a lot

the last two football coaches just did not and do not have that

so, how do we compensate for the differences in character especially in times like now when it is most dearly needed

also, things have changed so much since HUD and between the issues you described at the end of the HUD era and Covid, one has to wonder what is out there to salvage

i guess we will see with the new stadium, it may be our last saving grace for football

as for baseball, the three or four rows around me in Section 108 were as dormant this year as in the past 4 years or so

there were maybe 5 or 6 games with above average actual attendance but my estimate would leave it at that

I think those events like the state tour that Texas State is doing as well as more events in other cities with groups like the alumni association bridge that gap. But we have to have a starting point somewhere.

[Datt Meggs]

really can't disagree with anything you say

nobody ever at UL has the charisma that HUD brought to the program

he was magnanimous around anyone who was in front of him

he made the big donors feel like they were at his dining room table every time he was in their presence

he made the small donors feel like they were at his dining room table every time he was in their presence

and he was out there a lot

the last two football coaches just did not and do not have that

so, how do we compensate for the differences in character especially in times like now when it is most dearly needed

also, things have changed so much since HUD and between the issues you described at the end of the HUD era and Covid, one has to wonder what is out there to salvage

i guess we will see with the new stadium, it may be our last saving grace for football

as for baseball, the three or four rows around me in Section 108 were as dormant this year as in the past 4 years or so

there were maybe 5 or 6 games with above average actual attendance but my estimate would leave it at that

He was magnanimous and non-monogamous. Impressive to say the least…

[CajunVic]

He was magnanimous and non-monogamous. Impressive to say the least…

so was his wife, so what’s the point . . .

[Ragin9221]

If the University did 1/10 of the things we propose on this board we be singing there praises!

[CajunVic]

If the University did 1/10 of the things we propose on this board we be singing there praises!

you have lots of great thoughts however this one could truly operate to challenge your credibility

[jaxmc1023]

Hud's tenure was just a congruence of many things happening at once for a fanbase that had been waiting for them for a long time

Ticket prices had been relatively flat for a long time. Everyone kept their tailgate spot and season tickets, because even if you could only go to a few games a year, it really wasn't that expensive and when you did go, all your buddies had their spots and you can drive right up to them and have a nice day in peace.

Hud comes in and wins, averages 29k per home game, gets us to our first bowl where Acadiana sends a huge contingent down to Nola. Things are good. The biggest discussion was "how do we get more of the 50k people in the parking lot to come into the stadium!?"

University sees all this, and decides to start raising prices. Next season, attendance drops from 29k to 22k. They put Hud out on the ticket drive tour, and he managed to drag it back up to ~25k, but never back to where it was.

. and they kept raising prices. Kept making new tailgating rules. New parking rules. New concession prices, new "can't come in and out" policies.

Are any of these things uncommon at other football stadiums? Of course not But at the time, the overwhelming majority of our fanbase were people who had been coming to UL games for years, and remembered it being (A) cheap and (B) easy. Now suddenly you're making things difficult or expensive for those people, and some decided to walk away. Now, any time someone mentions ticket prices being too high, the standard response is "$110 / 5 home games is $22 per game -- find me another school with prices that low!". Except very few can actually attend all 5 games, AND you're trying to re-recruit people who remember paying $5 a game to go..

But who isn't fazed by walking through metal detectors, paying $7 for beer, walking 1/4 mile from your car to the stadium? Younger people. They do it all day, every day, and seldom do you hear them complain about it. So it's a good thing we've worked so hard to cultivate a relationship with our students and new alumni.

Vic's numbers are probably pretty close to accurate. Although I would argue that I think you can measure this fan base in tickets, rather than fans. How many purchased tickets are floating around on gameday?

5k WILL get used
3k MIGHT get used
etc

I would guess that the number of corporate tickets that were purchased during Hud's tenure was CONSIDERABLY higher, which meant more paid attendance, and more tickets to give away to employees and their families to boost actual attendance

[CajunVic]

Hud's tenure was just a congruence of many things happening at once for a fanbase that had been waiting for them for a long time

Ticket prices had been relatively flat for a long time. Everyone kept their tailgate spot and season tickets, because even if you could only go to a few games a year, it really wasn't that expensive and when you did go, all your buddies had their spots and you can drive right up to them and have a nice day in peace.

Hud comes in and wins, averages 29k per home game, gets us to our first bowl where Acadiana sends a huge contingent down to Nola. Things are good. The biggest discussion was "how do we get more of the 50k people in the parking lot to come into the stadium!?"

University sees all this, and decides to start raising prices. Next season, attendance drops from 29k to 22k. They put Hud out on the ticket drive tour, and he managed to drag it back up to ~25k, but never back to where it was.

. and they kept raising prices. Kept making new tailgating rules. New parking rules. New concession prices, new "can't come in and out" policies.

Are any of these things uncommon at other football stadiums? Of course not But at the time, the overwhelming majority of our fanbase were people who had been coming to UL games for years, and remembered it being (A) cheap and (B) easy. Now suddenly you're making things difficult or expensive for those people, and some decided to walk away. Now, any time someone mentions ticket prices being too high, the standard response is "$110 / 5 home games is $22 per game -- find me another school with prices that low!". Except very few can actually attend all 5 games, AND you're trying to re-recruit people who remember paying $5 a game to go..

But who isn't fazed by walking through metal detectors, paying $7 for beer, walking 1/4 mile from your car to the stadium? Younger people. They do it all day, every day, and seldom do you hear them complain about it. So it's a good thing we've worked so hard to cultivate a relationship with our students and new alumni.

Vic's numbers are probably pretty close to accurate. Although I would argue that I think you can measure this fan base in tickets, rather than fans. How many purchased tickets are floating around on gameday?

5k WILL get used
3k MIGHT get used
etc

I would guess that the number of corporate tickets that were purchased during Hud's tenure was CONSIDERABLY higher, which meant more paid attendance, and more tickets to give away to employees and their families to boost actual attendance

yes, yes, yes, yes and yes . . . did I say YES

[HoustonCajun]

Hud's tenure was just a congruence of many things happening at once for a fanbase that had been waiting for them for a long time

Ticket prices had been relatively flat for a long time. Everyone kept their tailgate spot and season tickets, because even if you could only go to a few games a year, it really wasn't that expensive and when you did go, all your buddies had their spots and you can drive right up to them and have a nice day in peace.

Hud comes in and wins, averages 29k per home game, gets us to our first bowl where Acadiana sends a huge contingent down to Nola. Things are good. The biggest discussion was "how do we get more of the 50k people in the parking lot to come into the stadium!?"

University sees all this, and decides to start raising prices. Next season, attendance drops from 29k to 22k. They put Hud out on the ticket drive tour, and he managed to drag it back up to ~25k, but never back to where it was.

. and they kept raising prices. Kept making new tailgating rules. New parking rules. New concession prices, new "can't come in and out" policies.

Are any of these things uncommon at other football stadiums? Of course not But at the time, the overwhelming majority of our fanbase were people who had been coming to UL games for years, and remembered it being (A) cheap and (B) easy. Now suddenly you're making things difficult or expensive for those people, and some decided to walk away. Now, any time someone mentions ticket prices being too high, the standard response is "$110 / 5 home games is $22 per game -- find me another school with prices that low!". Except very few can actually attend all 5 games, AND you're trying to re-recruit people who remember paying $5 a game to go..

But who isn't fazed by walking through metal detectors, paying $7 for beer, walking 1/4 mile from your car to the stadium? Younger people. They do it all day, every day, and seldom do you hear them complain about it. So it's a good thing we've worked so hard to cultivate a relationship with our students and new alumni.

Vic's numbers are probably pretty close to accurate. Although I would argue that I think you can measure this fan base in tickets, rather than fans. How many purchased tickets are floating around on gameday?

5k WILL get used
3k MIGHT get used
etc

I would guess that the number of corporate tickets that were purchased during Hud's tenure was CONSIDERABLY higher, which meant more paid attendance, and more tickets to give away to employees and their families to boost actual attendance

When Hud was here, tailgating was awesome. But, the game experience inside the stadium was sadly lacking. No fan interaction and nothing compelling to get the average fan to return. Then we started losing and changed parking requirements and added fees and the fans stopped coming. We started winning again with Napier, but the fans didn't come back. We have done nothing since Hud to regain the great tailgating experience and we have never done anything to create the right atmosphere and fan experience inside the stadium. And, we do nothing to engage students and create that lasting tradition that gets them to the stadium and keeps them coming back after graduation.

A major part of the problem outside of UL's control is the media. EVERYTHING is geared to the P4 conferences and schools. G5 schools are an afterthought. The consumer is driven to watch the P4 games on tv or go to the stadium if they can get tickets as a much better alternative to attending a G5 game. It's not just LSU. Look at any state and the P4 schools totally dominate coverage, attendance and tv ratings. And, listen to any sports talk radio station locally and nationally. There is never mention of G5 schools, certainly not nationally, unless something spectacular draws their attention. Many fans are becoming more comfortable watching a P4 game on tv than attending a live game that has limited game day appeal.

In the absence of a UL marketing plan to attract students, Lafayette and Acadiana alumni and residents, to reopen tailgating to its former great experience, and enhance the in-stadium fan experience, UL will continue to be a small time program with minimal support, at least in the eyes of fans.

UL is doing all the right things academically as Cajun Fun pointed out. But, that seems to remain a best kept secret as we don't want to rattle any cages. So, no one knows about what UL has now become, no one cares about athletics, and we aren't increasing student enrollment because of that. Athletics is the glue that brings students and alumni together and is that window to the world that we are not taking advantage of that is integral to the university's future overall success. Athletic success needs to mirror academic success and UL needs to publicly tout its accomplishments and state its commitments if UL is to become a truly recognized major university.

[CajunVic]

with the hire of Napier, our AD made calculated decisions which, along with the effects of covid just did not pan out and all of that ballooned out of control with Napier's departure, free transfer rules, NIL and the currenct financial condition of the university

all the stars aligned when HUD came here and then commencing with the locker room video, except for accomplishing the major fundraising for a new stadium, all of the stars have been in a total and complete muddle against Louisiana

hopefully some stars can start to align in our favor again with the coming of the new stadium

and now we are where we are today, with a new