App State attendance

[RaisingCajun08]

Festival International occurs on the same weekend as Jazz Fest in New Orleans, but attendance never gets affected by it. Why? Because they don't succumb to the scheduling conflict and don't allow it to affect them by making it attractive for people. For UL events, we throw our hands up and say "Well, there's nothing we can do about what is happening in Baton Rouge." I have heard past administrators tell me that directly. We openly surrender to it instead of being innovative and thinking outside of the box in creating excitement.

Everyone knows that we have a systemic problem in this state when it comes to the school in BR. It's time we start learning how to counter it instead of accepting it or questioning why people in this area don't support the school as much as we should. Start getting answers. I'd even go so far to ask people locally what it would take for them to show up to Cajun Field rather than to drive over an hour in traffic to Baton Rouge. I sound like a broken clock when I say that face to face communication in this area is key. Knock on doors. Shake hands. Go to the morning coffee shops. But for all that is sacred, stop surrendering to it.

Perfect example here. What this is all about? Event experience. Face it, our game day experience is marginal at best. How many threads have we had here about various topic and how bad it really is. From getting in the game, to concessions, to PA, etc, etc.

Really the only things we really have is a great area for tailgate and parking. How many other stadiums in the country have what we have? Not many. Again, we do everything we can to push people people away.

Again to your point about Festival International and Jazz Fest. For me personally, I have had many many chances to go to Jazz Fest (for free). I have skipped out due to conflicts with Festival International and Crawfish Festival. This past year was the 1st time I that I went. It was such a great experience, I could kick myself for not going in the past. Plan on going back this coming year and many years to come. Its all because of the event experience. That is why these types of events are popular.

[cajunref]

At LSU, they've always embraced their history, tradition, culture,and relevance to to the greater population....at UL Maggard has done nothing to accomplish any of the above...nothing out means nothing in...and UL has most of the assets here to accomplish that...it's all just a money grab in a high school environment...it it's not a priority to improve at UL, why would anyone make it that...

Well stated. Exactly what is going here under Maggard's leadership. They have no clue how/or want to engage the average fan, it's all about the big money donors, money grab as you stated. Take a page out of Hud's book about engaging the fans we really need,
or else nothing will change and may get worse, renovated stadium or not.

[Turbine]

Quit it with the marketing schtick. Even if that was better how many people would it pull? A marginal amount.

The part I didn't quote is valid, but don't fall into the 'do nothing' mindset because of marginal results.

Marginal amount results should be a huge ever present goal.

Marginal increments are how great things are built.

[ULvictory]

Perfect example here. What this is all about? Event experience. Face it, our game day experience is marginal at best. How many threads have we had here about various topic and how bad it really is. From getting in the game, to concessions, to PA, etc, etc.

Really the only things we really have is a great area for tailgate and parking. How many other stadiums in the country have what we have? Not many. Again, we do everything we can to push people people away.

Again to your point about Festival International and Jazz Fest. For me personally, I have had many many chances to go to Jazz Fest (for free). I have skipped out due to conflicts with Festival International and Crawfish Festival. This past year was the 1st time I that I went. It was such a great experience, I could kick myself for not going in the past. Plan on going back this coming year and many years to come. Its all because of the event experience. That is why these types of events are popular.

You just nailed it: EVENT. College football games are events. That means there's more to it than what is being played on the field. I hate to admit it, but look at what was displayed in Baton Rouge the other night. There were many more highlights than the game itself from the pregame to the light show to the student participation. Even the amount of people who show up who don't even go into the stadium. Why? Because it's an event. That's why it's funny when I hear "Well when Billy won, people still didn't show up." (Let's not forget Covid, the remnants of the locker room video just a few years before, 3 straight losing seasons, and 3 midweek games in 2021). All about Billy's record but nothing about the event itself which included long concession lines when attendance was good, a champions fund in RCAF that was added which meant more cost, and increased tailgate costs,

If we can somehow find people to attend our event while also getting the event right (don't run out of bottled water, don't turn away fans with diabetic packs, etc.), our attendance will increase regardless of who plays an hour away.

[Turbine]

When I was texting with my app buddies during the game one mentioned that there was nobody there. I said well you’re looking at the construction side but there can’t be more than 10k here. It was a terrible number and I feel stupid for even thinking this town would bring another 20k plus number at the same time lsu was playing at home against a top ten historic rival. I feel sorry for the players and coaches cause this team deserves more from this city. If we can’t get 20k on a perfect weather night game against app f’n state after beating wake and usm then I don’t really know what else to say. It’s embarrassing.

Thats an osmosis "can't get."

A didn't try "can't get."

There are "can't gets" out there, but the can gets either haven't been invited yet or in some bottled water under the bridge cases, been disinvited.

I still think they are gettable.

[Cajun90]

Maybe we need an RCAF Director like Hud to recapture Acadiana. Do we even have an RCAF Director? It is not in Des' personality to be like Hud. Neither was Napier. Both are proof that winning alone does not increase excitement about UL football and related attendance. We need someone to promote UL and get back the excitement we once had under Hud.

Why RCAF? This is our fund raising arm. They aren't supposed to be the entertainment committee. They are already taxed with doing things that aren't really part of their mission statement. And there are a lot of people who view their RCAF donations (no matter how small) as some sort of club dues which should entitle them to a litany of benefits. There are quite a few people out there that believe if they give a couple of hundred dollars they expect that much in benefits coming back to them. Thats not how it works. We can definitely do better but I don't believe RCAF is the answer.

[ZoomZoom]

LSU finally got there answer to Va Tech’s “Sandman” kickoff sing a long hype. “calling Baton Rouge”…not as flashy but it works.

Meantime, we still have POA playing “Respect”.

I despise the constant PA song list filling almost every second of non action time at sporting events. But more and more programs have embraced certain PA based songs during points in the game. UWV (don’t remember song but they have an “Eat $ Pitt line) and Florida (Won’t Back Down) have 4th quarter songs for instance.

It may be the PA guys are replacing marching bands, which would be disappointing.

[RaisingCajun08]

LSU finally got there answer to Va Tech’s “Sandman” kickoff sing a long hype. “calling Baton Rouge”…not as flashy but it works.

Meantime, we still have POA playing “Respect”.

I despise the constant PA song list filling almost every second of non action time at sporting events. But more and more programs have embraced certain PA based songs during points in the game. UWV (don’t remember song but they have an “Eat $ Pitt line) and Florida (Won’t Back Down) have 4th quarter songs for instance.

It may be the PA guys are replacing marching bands, which would be disappointing.

Its all relevant. There is a place for both PA and marching bands when done right. Pretty sad state of affairs when almost every high school football game I went to this year has had a better atmosphere than Cajun Field. Maybe we should hire a PA announcer from a local high school. Lots of them get it right.

I know the PA guy probably does not have a say so in the music or even play it. But yall get the point. Our atmosphere could be so much better.

[HoustonCajun]

Festival International occurs on the same weekend as Jazz Fest in New Orleans, but attendance never gets affected by it. Why? Because they don't succumb to the scheduling conflict and don't allow it to affect them by making it attractive for people. For UL events, we throw our hands up and say "Well, there's nothing we can do about what is happening in Baton Rouge." I have heard past administrators tell me that directly. We openly surrender to it instead of being innovative and thinking outside of the box in creating excitement.

Everyone knows that we have a systemic problem in this state when it comes to the school in BR. It's time we start learning how to counter it instead of accepting it or questioning why people in this area don't support the school as much as we should. Start getting answers. I'd even go so far to ask people locally what it would take for them to show up to Cajun Field rather than to drive over an hour in traffic to Baton Rouge. I sound like a broken clock when I say that face to face communication in this area is key. Knock on doors. Shake hands. Go to the morning coffee shops. But for all that is sacred, stop surrendering to it.

Look at E. Carolina. They are the G5 model when it comes to attendance. They are in North Carolina which has 4 P4 schools, UNC, NCSU, Duke and Wake Forest, yet they have a 50,000 seat stadium and had over 46,000 fans when they played App State despite being 2-10 the year before and 3-3 this year. It would be interesting to look at their marketing efforts. I wonder when UL plays away games in packed stadiums, do our people really look at what is going on at these stadiums, talk to the athletic staff to see what they are doing to have great attendance and figure out how UL could possibly take something away from the experience that could enhance our situation? I suspect not because it seems to be business as usual week after week. Too many excuses and no game plan to change the results.

Actually, we might have had the formula with Hud. But, Hud was a unique guy. Can't expect our coaches to be our marketing branch as well. Need another dynamic person to headup RCAF and get out in the Acadiana area promoting UL. We need to overcome all of the LSU, hunting season, high school games, and festival excuses, etc. and promote Acadiana's university, UL.

[RaisingCajun08]

With Festivals Acadiens this past weekend, why couldnt we do something to embrace that festival instead of totally ignoring that it was going on. Or expecting that people would totally leave that festival to go to Cajun Field. Oh, that's right, its the same administration that years ago kicked kids off campus because they were playing Cajun music in the quad.

Yes, they are now one of the most well known Cajun bands in the world.

[HoustonCajun]

Why RCAF? This is our fund raising arm. They aren't supposed to be the entertainment committee. They are already taxed with doing things that aren't really part of their mission statement. And there are a lot of people who view their RCAF donations (no matter how small) as some sort of club dues which should entitle them to a litany of benefits. There are quite a few people out there that believe if they give a couple of hundred dollars they expect that much in benefits coming back to them. Thats not how it works. We can definitely do better but I don't believe RCAF is the answer.

It doesn't have to be the Director but perhaps put Marketing under the arm of RCAF which will go hand in hand in raising money for UL athletics. Have a Master Plan for increasing fund-raising, attendance (students, season ticket holders and walk-up public, community involvement and pride in ownership, tailgating, and in-stadium game experience. This all needs to be a coordinated process for overall success under one umbrella.

[zeppelincajun]

Look at E. Carolina. They are the G5 model when it comes to attendance. They are in North Carolina which has 4 P4 schools, UNC, NCSU, Duke and Wake Forest, yet they have a 50,000 seat stadium and had over 46,000 fans when they played App State despite being 2-10 the year before and 3-3 this year. It would be interesting to look at their marketing efforts. I wonder when UL plays away games in packed stadiums, do our people really look at what is going on at these stadiums, talk to the athletic staff to see what they are doing to have great attendance and figure out how UL could possibly take something away from the experience that could enhance our situation? I suspect not because it seems to be business as usual week after week. Too many excuses and no game plan to change the results.

Actually, we might have had the formula with Hud. But, Hud was a unique guy. Can't expect our coaches to be our marketing branch as well. Need another dynamic person to headup RCAF and get out in the Acadiana area promoting UL. We need to overcome all of the LSU, hunting season, high school games, and festival excuses, etc. and promote Acadiana's university, UL.

While I agree with much of what you said here, it is worth mentioning that what ECU deals with in regards to P4 schools is distinctly different than our struggles with LSU. LSU is 1 hour down the road from us and has won 3 national titles since the turn of the century. Between the 4 P4s in NC, they dont have a single football title in that timeframe. They actually have zero titles at all combined post WWII. Duke has a couple unclaimed titles before that. I don’t see this as a reason to pack it in and close shop as some do, but it is an extra hurdle we have to get over.