App State attendance

[cajunref]

Maggards "Premium Experience" will make a difference...

Sure it will....

[fanof71]

Sure it will....

Sarcasm sir, Sarcasm...

[cajun4life]

Time to move off of this thread. It’s time to focus on Coastal.

[Cajunsmike]

Fact is, that is the core of our fanbase. All the big $$$ in Lafayette are too good for little ole’ UL. I’ve been connected personally with the private school community in Lafayette for 40 years. I’ve never seen the general enrollment/families of these schools lean so heavily towards LSU. Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, it was 75/25 in favor of UL (USL)…it’s now honestly 90/10 in favor of LSU. We truly have an uphill battle in our own backyard.

That is because all LSU games are on TV today and they are in the mini NFL. Media makes their games out to be of grand importance. On the positive side, we have been getting lots of some very good players from local schools via the preferred walk on program. Many are passing up scholarships elsewhere to do so.

[BabbForHeisman]

Fact is, that is the core of our fanbase. All the big $$$ in Lafayette are too good for little ole’ UL. I’ve been connected personally with the private school community in Lafayette for 40 years. I’ve never seen the general enrollment/families of these schools lean so heavily towards LSU. Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, it was 75/25 in favor of UL (USL)…it’s now honestly 90/10 in favor of LSU. We truly have an uphill battle in our own backyard.

I totally believe what you are saying and have experienced it myself. But there’s a very important underlying question: If the LSU football team (and to some extent, baseball team) had been a low-range SEC team during the past few decades, would we have seen this shift?

Absolutely not.

[Million$Mullet]

I totally believe what you are saying and have experienced it myself. But there’s a very important underlying question: If the LSU football team (and to some extent, baseball team) had been a low-range SEC team during the past few decades, would we have seen this shift?

Absolutely not.

Of course not. But the reality is they’ve won 3 national championships in 20 years and played for another. Nobody wanted to be there before saban. He changed the culture there and every coach since him has a natty. Kelly could very well bring them another. It’s just the cool place to be and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

[angeleast]

Time to move off of this thread. It’s time to focus on Coastal.

I ll start.. F the beach chickens

[RaginCajun77]

If we want to increase attendance at Cajun Field, then leadership must start thinking outside of the box. First, we need to do a better job at getting name non-conference opponents to Cajun Field. People want to see a game against Texas A&M a lot more than Northwestern State. Market games like your life depends on it. Not everybody monitors social media, use billboards, radio, and TV. Put signs up around campus and along Johnston and Congress. Then you must start getting game day right. There are too many missteps and negative experiences spread a lot quicker than positive ones.

Survey fans, what do they identify as pain points? Reach out to recent graduates and get their feedback. What do current students have to say?

Work has to be put in, a new stadium with premium amenities won't solve our woes.

[jaxmc1023]

Media makes their games out to be of grand importance.

BECAUSE THEY ARE OF GRAND IMPORTANCE. They are top 10 football team.

And in the sports where maybe they aren't strong enough to contend for titles (ex. Basketball), they focus on creating fan experience and game atmosphere

We are in no way their equals when it comes to sports, and yes that includes the occasional midweek baseball game or softball regional.

LSU games are fun. UL games are not. And yes, if you continue to rely on Homer Simpson and John Fogerty for another 20 years, that will include baseball as well.

[fanof71]

I echo the above post...

[Clutch0364]

I agree with what a lot of people have said in here but one of the big problems is creating a tradition that can be followed. Seems like every year you hear “new Cajun field tradition”, we have to maintain something that people can look forward to. Some of that is songs…lsu going viral for singing set it off and always doing calling Baton Rouge, ve tech with enter sandman…meanwhile we are trying to start a Ragin Cajun chant that absolutely nobody can get into.
Some ideas will go against a family friendly atmosphere bc students aren’t there for that. Let them be hooligans for a few hours. As long as they aren’t throwing slurs at players or physically harming anyone, let them do their thing.

And last the team that handles game day needs to stop ____ting the bed when crowds show up. You are turning away fans that we can’t afford to lose.

[zeppelincajun]

BECAUSE THEY ARE OF GRAND IMPORTANCE. They are top 10 football team.

And in the sports where maybe they aren't strong enough to contend for titles (ex. Basketball), they focus on creating fan experience and game atmosphere

We are in no way their equals when it comes to sports, and yes that includes the occasional midweek baseball game or softball regional.

LSU games are fun. UL games are not. And yes, if you continue to rely on Homer Simpson and John Fogerty for another 20 years, that will include baseball as well.

People will scream from the mountain tops that we need traditions but then in the next breath take a swipe at the traditions we do have. Baseball games won’t be fun if we keep doing Centerfield for the next 20 years? I’m sorry man. I agree UL football games could use a strong infusion of fun. If you aren’t having fun at UL baseball, you are probably just an insufferable person.

[Turbine]

Whomever is in charge of gameday for the last 20-years should have been going from table to table like Istre & Bertrand at Shucks, Louvierre at Zea's, and Chick-fil-a.

I don't even know who is in charge of game day operations. I wouldn't be shocked if it were a draw-your-check nepotism hire.

[zeppelincajun]

Also in what way are we not equals to the LSU softball program. We have the same number of WS appearances as them and beat them in a regional at their place two seasons ago.

[RaisingCajun08]

I agree with what a lot of people have said in here but one of the big problems is creating a tradition that can be followed. Seems like every year you hear “new Cajun field tradition”, we have to maintain something that people can look forward to. Some of that is songs…lsu going viral for singing set it off and always doing calling Baton Rouge, ve tech with enter sandman…meanwhile we are trying to start a Ragin Cajun chant that absolutely nobody can get into.
Some ideas will go against a family friendly atmosphere bc students aren’t there for that. Let them be hooligans for a few hours. As long as they aren’t throwing slurs at players or physically harming anyone, let them do their thing.

And last the team that handles game day needs to stop ____ting the bed when crowds show up. You are turning away fans that we can’t afford to lose.

Even for TSAB & VT, those "traditions" were new at one point. Difference is, it caught on quick and stayed. Probably because they played it twice, then 3 times, and now its a tradition. We try a "new Cajun Field tradition" and if it doesnt work the 1st time, it stops.

There are plenty of things that could be done to make our entrance both local family friendly and fun for students. Talking out loud and 1st idea on top of my head is start with a short clip of a Cajun/Zydeco song. Does not have to be more than 20 seconds and then transition to something more popular to suite the students. Example: Bosco Stomp or Haterz and transition to Narco by Trumpet Timmy. I'm sure someone smarter than me can come up with something. But I think it would be fun and would work.