How to Increase Attendance?

[ULvictory]

They have tradition buddy. It's authentic and not created through discounts and coordination with festivals or downtown events. It has very little to do with Culture and everything to do with bringing children to family tailgating or inviting people over to the house for viewing. That's how a culture is built.

Tradition starts with grassroots efforts. We are a grassroots culture. In order to grant the wishes of what the athletic department is looking for, you first have to attract people which is access. Doubling the cost of tailgating in a competitive market like this one was not a smart move. They even tried it with baseball and had to go back to the original plan because of the backlash.

[zeppelincajun]

Agree! This has been beat to death. This year they have done more than ever in game promotion and people didn't show up last weekend. Same story, the festival and LSU games. Win and I'm there, the rest is nothing more that give me this, free stuff and $2 Natty. Wait, they have $2 Natty. Just win and I'm there.

We have done more than ever this year in game promotion? Where?

[HoustonCajun]

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I don't agree with this. LSU fans can watch it on television on ABC; they don't even have to have ESPN+. People want to do things—just look at Lafayette on a Friday or Saturday night, or LSU on a Saturday. The problem is, a football game isn't enough. I hate to use a generational term, but I will. This isn't the Baby Boom generation where a football game is enough. People want to go for other things. What proves that are the festivals we have that get 100k people, or look at Moncla Park on a Saturday afternoon, or a Top Golf.

Football is important, but just not as important. My experience and quality time are more important to me than a football game. I'm not saying it isn't important to the older generation, but that's the reason why I am not going, is to have that quality time with my family.

I'm not going to leave my wife and kid at home so I can go to a football game, especially when I have so few Saturdays off in a year.

Now Festival International, or Festival Acadian that is something i can go to and all my family will enjoy.

I think the generation born in the 90”s and 2000’s most will not leave there wife and kids at home to go hunting, or go to a bar, or football game to leave there wife and kids at home. That family dynamic really doesnt exist anymore in the younger generations. If i work offshore, or a job i am working on most weekends, my idea of having fun isnt spending more time away from my family when i work every friday, saturday, and sunday, and that is most people in this area do.

Thats what they need to understand.

Taking a family to the movies costs about as much as going to a UL football game. People don't seem to mind doing that, but a football game is too costly. Go figure. As someone pointed out, a football game has to be more than just the game. It has to be an event that people want to participate in.

[CajunNation]

A few thousand people stayed away last Saturday because of the near death experience of 11AM football in September.

That's lost revenue. If we have to prostrate ourselves at the altar of espn, the least we can do is make sure people don't die because we ran out of freakin' water. Gameday mismanagement. This happens every year and is one of the biggest drains on Gameday revenue.

[CajunT]

Everything that i posted will raise revenue. If Festival International wasnt making money it wouldn’t even exist or any other festival around here.

Where you make your money is on food, drinks, merchandise, vendors, everything you are doing outside the stadium.

Like i said i will spend 200 dollars to go out all day Saturday on food, drinks, face painting, ball toss, on a hat a t-shirt, a painting of The Quad, a UL necklace, just about anything that you would sell at a Festival you could sell outside the gates at Cajun Field on gamedays.

Festival model is the money making model. Our revenue would probably double if we did that stuff outside the stadium before game time, but it cant be no small affair it has to be a big spectacle like a festival!

Sir, Festival International gets a stipend from the City of Lafayette Government to help offset cost for years. They also have volunteers' work the events; UL has no such advantage, and everything has a cost. Apples & Oranges.

I was told if there was going to be any coordination between that event and a UL athletic event, the Administration would have to add some funds because no money from local or state Tourism funds can be used to promote athletic events. But you might want to reach out Dr. Maggard for clarification if there are loopholes or other avenues.

[CajunT]

Tradition starts with grassroots efforts. We are a grassroots culture. In order to grant the wishes of what the athletic department is looking for, you first have to attract people which is access. Doubling the cost of tailgating in a competitive market like this one was not a smart move. They even tried it with baseball and had to go back to the original plan because of the backlash.

Agree on the tailgating fees, but why did they? You know the answer, the need for more revenue. You know they are robbing Peter to pay Paul from the General RCAF Funds. But if you think those were too high, do you think tying homecoming or any other football game to Festival International will ease the complaints on the new premium seating cost next year. LOL!!!!

[Ragin9221]

Well there is booster clubs! As long as it isnt being used to support athletics, now this is where we would need a lawyer, but booster clubs that can help for activities outside of Cajun Field, that can help out with activiites that are happening outside of Cajun Field. As long as that booster club is not directly giving money to athletics. this could be used to help setup the tents and vendors outside before the game, but a lawyer on this subject would have to be consulted. Volunteers could be used.


The booster club could be funded through private money which would be used to help setup, just as long as the booster is not directly involved with giving money to the athletic department, but everything being sold outside would be for athletics. That wouldnt support the booster or the booster giving directly to athletics.

Could be wrong though!

[zeppelincajun]

Everything has a cost and yet we pay people to sit in lawn chairs under tents for security of our empty parking lots. Then say we can’t do “xyz” because we can’t afford the manpower. Gotta love it.

[Turbine]

When it comes to having successful repeatable events they all have (in different ways) an aspect of how they made everyone feel.

Many aspects to this covered, some tried, many ignored.

Feeling welcomed or unwelcome is only one aspect and it won't flip the script by itself anymore than great beer prices will by itself.

A great feeling about an event includes aspects that you may never plan to use or may never use, but just knowing it's available can really move the needle towards creating a "good welcome feeling."

Making events at Cajun Basin "Come Again" events is one aspect that will go a long way towards making people feel comfortable mentally, and sometimes physically.

In this digital age, let game goers come, go, and come back in.

You're welcome.

[CajunT]

We have done more than ever this year in game promotion? Where?

If you don't know you don't follow them on social media.

[Cajun90]

Everything that i posted will raise revenue. If Festival International wasnt making money it wouldn’t even exist or any other festival around here.

Festival International was around 100K in the hole for 2023. That is with subsidies and volunteers.

[Cajun90]

With your suggestions and I applaud your efforts, there is no suggestions on how to raise revenue. This program is without student fees and continually robs Petter to pay Paul from the RCAF General Fund. Sorry, but I'm willing to listen to your or anyone else's suggestions but I need to see tangle ways to raise revenue to take any of it seriously. And finding revenue streams usually doesn't began with giving things away to attract the low-end casual fan to walk into Cajun Field.

This right here nails it.