Attendance Decline

[Duckster]

It is not rocket science.

I can only use myself and my friends and relatives as examples of UL fans, and I admit that the sample size is small and seriously slanted toward older people. That being said, this is what I think should be done to make the Cajun Field experience something that people want to do.

1. First and foremost: Remember that fans are both your customers and your investors. Everything you do should be done to strengthen this bond rather than weaken it.

2. Remember that the vast majority of your customers and investors have limited entertainment dollars. If the in-stadium experience is less than outstanding, the customer will stop spending his limited funds in your venue.

3. Open the gates to the parking lot at 8:00 am game days; fans who tailgate want to be able to make it a day long event. Have a section of first-come first served free parking inside the stadium fence. Open it only from 8:00 am until noon.

4. Close off Cajundome Blvd. at 8:00 am game days and establish first-come first served tailgating from Blackham to the Cajun Dome.

5. Keep doing what we are doing with tailgating on the Bertrand side of the stadium. Some people are more than willing to pay for a reserved tailgate spot.

6. Fix the cell phone/internet problem at the stadium.

7. Take cash or card for concessions at all locations in or out of the stadium.

8. NEVER, under any set of circumstances, run out of water in concessions.

9. Double the size of the band, and re-name it the Pride of Louisiana. Turn off all canned music inside the stadium when the band enters the stadium; keep it off for the rest of the game. Fans want to feel like they are at a college football game, not trapped in a 4 hour video game. Fill the time-outs and dead ball pauses with music from the band.

10. Make whoever is on the PA quit being a damn cheerleader; we have kids on scholarship to do that job. The PA cheerleading is another thing that promotes the video game atmosphere.

11. Let the student section do student section things; by making the student section a jail, we discourage student involvement.

12. Utilize some portion of the ribbon board and/or the big board to show scores of other games, particularly other games involving conference mates or in state schools.

I could go on, but this dozen suggestions would make the Cajun Field experience much better for me, and I assume for most other fans as well.

Perfect!

[Esqueleto]

It is not rocket science.

I can only use myself and my friends and relatives as examples of UL fans, and I admit that the sample size is small and seriously slanted toward older people. That being said, this is what I think should be done to make the Cajun Field experience something that people want to do.

1. First and foremost: Remember that fans are both your customers and your investors. Everything you do should be done to strengthen this bond rather than weaken it.

2. Remember that the vast majority of your customers and investors have limited entertainment dollars. If the in-stadium experience is less than outstanding, the customer will stop spending his limited funds in your venue.

3. Open the gates to the parking lot at 8:00 am game days; fans who tailgate want to be able to make it a day long event. Have a section of first-come first served free parking inside the stadium fence. Open it only from 8:00 am until noon.

4. Close off Cajundome Blvd. at 8:00 am game days and establish first-come first served tailgating from Blackham to the Cajun Dome.

5. Keep doing what we are doing with tailgating on the Bertrand side of the stadium. Some people are more than willing to pay for a reserved tailgate spot.

6. Fix the cell phone/internet problem at the stadium.

7. Take cash or card for concessions at all locations in or out of the stadium.

8. NEVER, under any set of circumstances, run out of water in concessions.

9. Double the size of the band, and re-name it the Pride of Louisiana. Turn off all canned music inside the stadium when the band enters the stadium; keep it off for the rest of the game. Fans want to feel like they are at a college football game, not trapped in a 4 hour video game. Fill the time-outs and dead ball pauses with music from the band.

10. Make whoever is on the PA quit being a damn cheerleader; we have kids on scholarship to do that job. The PA cheerleading is another thing that promotes the video game atmosphere.

11. Let the student section do student section things; by making the student section a jail, we discourage student involvement.

12. Utilize some portion of the ribbon board and/or the big board to show scores of other games, particularly other games involving conference mates or in state schools.

I could go on, but this dozen suggestions would make the Cajun Field experience much better for me, and I assume for most other fans as well.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! To all of this. Bravo

[Turbine]

Can we have some in sync roaming band members around the stadium like Trumpet and Sax?

[Ragin9221]

Call me crazy? Why cant people just tailgate next to there vehicles? I realize traffic is coming in and out, but as long as i am not prohibiting traffic from going in and out then it shouldn’t be a problem. We did this for years no issue! We have cops that monitor the situation and if anyone is blocking access then they need to be told that they cant do that here.

[CajunVic]

right now I see our fan base for football in the following numbers:

5,000 will always attend every game unless they are in the hospital or bed ridden

8,000 that will make substantially all games (80% attendance), rain or shine but will have an occasional family conflict events, opening day of some hunting season, etc. for which they may miss

6400 = 11,400

2,000 Season ticket holders not in either group (60% attendance) these purchase season tickets to support Louisiana but not necessarily as much to actually attend most games

1200 =13,600

20,000 Alumni who do not have season tickets but will attend a couple games a year if there is no family conflict, hunting conflict, conflict with an LSU game whether they want to attend the LSU game or even watch it on TV if there is a time conflict ( 15% attendance)

3,000 = 16600

others not in any of these categories 1,400

1400 = 18,000

Folks, that is our fan base whether we like it or not . . . we have seen that winning has boosted that number a couple of thousand, but it is what it is and really with minor anomalies has always reverted back to somewhere around that attendance number

The new stadium may move the needle somewhat but don't expect it to be a monumental movement.

If all that is proposed here to enhance the game day experience was put in place, that may move the needle somewhat, but again, don't expect the movement to be monumental.

If we do not get a somewhat robust NIL program in place, winning will continue to be more difficult and that will definitely reduce from the results we are having this year because of the reduction in talent that we are able to attract.

without the injection of personal insults and directives, lets entertain here your observations, objections and solutions as to each of the things provided above in an attempt to alter the past trends concerning attendance . . . have at it. . .

[Cajunrunner]

Why is it when sports become more successful, which in turns becomes more visible, you feel the need to remind everyone about Academic Excellence?

No one will deny the primary function of the university is to educate people. But while we are talking about attendance decreases, what about the drastic decline in degree seeking students? Isn’t that a bigger problem?

+1

And here’s the thing. While we like to promote the academics of UL on this board…the reality is what brings folks here is discussions about Ragin Cajuns athletics. So yeah, we’re gonna talk sports on here 97.183% of the time.

[Cajunmac]

9. Double the size of the band, and re-name it the Pride of Louisiana. Turn off all canned music inside the stadium when the band enters the stadium; keep it off for the rest of the game. Fans want to feel like they are at a college football game, not trapped in a 4 hour video game. Fill the time-outs and dead ball pauses with music from the band.


THIS!!!

[SMD7636]

I agree with #9. Rename the Marching Band to the Pride of Louisiana

[shof]

On that note, maybe the band could play during TV timeouts instead of that god awful canned music we play at ear damaging volume.

I thought of this while sitting in Bobcat stadium Tuesday night. Didn’t really notice any piped in music, but the band was playing often.

[Esqueleto]

I thought of this while sitting in Bobcat stadium Tuesday night. Didn’t really notice any piped in music, but the band was playing often.

Amen! I was there, too, and agree with you. Also, the best PA announcers are the ones you don't notice. Big tuna is one of the worst

[Cajunrunner]

On that note, maybe the band could play during TV timeouts instead of that god awful canned music we play at ear damaging volume.

I found the music selection for the App State game to be pretty good. Much better than some previous games.

But I would agree with the band playing a whole lot more.

[ZoomZoom]

I thought of this while sitting in Bobcat stadium Tuesday night. Didn’t really notice any piped in music, but the band was playing often.

Texas State played “Neck”, but could pick up what the crowd chanted.

[Esqueleto]

Texas State played “Neck”, but could pick up what the crowd chanted.

ST bobcat D**K, B***H

[tdncz]

Clearly, without debate, these problems could be “fixed” if “someone at the top” cared enough or were motivated enough to address these KNOWN issues.

The problem: these “someones at the top” are asleep at the wheel, enjoying their salary, and are simply unmotivated to address any innovative or transformational ideas.
IT STARTS AT THE TOP!

[cajun4life]

I found the music selection for the App State game to be pretty good. Much better than some previous games.

But I would agree with the band playing a whole lot more.

App St game was about the best it’s been in ages.