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Thread: Selling out the LSU game a once in a 100 year priority

  1. Support Selling out the LSU game a once in a 100 year priority.

    On October 5th 2002 an away game is scheduled to be played between Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns and Louisiana State's Tigers.

    This is a special game. A little known and non publicized fact (except here) is that this is the 100 year anniversary of the two schools very first meeting.

    Interestingly the attendance issue was mentioned in a line from the October 18th 1902 Lafayette Gazette which focused on the first ever 1902 football meeting on October 16th, it stated "Quite a large crowd witnessed the game…"

    Here we are exactly 100 years later and some UL fans would love to have less than a large crowd witnessing the game. On the 100-year anniversary of Louisiana vs. LSU football there is actually ridiculous talk of boycotting the game due to a slight that occurred in a totally unrelated sport.

    Still others take the stance that since the two schools haven't played football in over 60 years, then nothing is missed if they never play again.

    Still others conclude that a boycott of the Louisiana-LSU game will hurt only LSU and not Louisiana. This is no doubt based on the fact that the Ragin' Cajun athletic program is going to get it's 2002 guarantee regardless of attendance.

    This is a case of when being right does not make one right. Being right for the 2002 ramifications does not make the decision the right one long term.

    So where will the above logic lead? Let's think long term. . . .

    If it became fact that Louisiana couldn't sell 7000 tickets for a game 40 miles away, there isn't a bowl selection committee that would listen to the illogic of why and what public sentiment was like the October after a baseball series was cancelled.

    Forget the New Orleans bowl. Focus instead on the fact that coach Bustle is trying to raise Louisiana's national perception. Ok, lets say there is another season where Louisiana has a fantastic record but just happens to come in second in conference, it has happened before.

    There isn't a bowl committee in existence that would venture an invite to a school with a non-traveling fan base. How do you think LSU got the invite to the Peach Bowl in 2001? I'll tell you, it was their traveling fan base.

    Or how about this, once the minimum attendance criteria is enacted, how many schools in the first place would want to play a school, any school that can't sent at least a few fans their way? This would kill any chances of home and home or even home/home and home. Think of the future money lost if we can't sell out the LSU game.

    Forget that LSU would lose interest in playing Louisiana, all they are asking for is a complete sellout, nothing more. If Louisiana can't bring that one criterion to the equation then Ragin Cajun fans have nothing to offer that a school from Nantucket couldn't offer.

    Is there a University in Nantucket? A question which brings me to my point, in the long term, not playing LSU will hasten to kill national exposures, which is the only way many people ever hear about a school. Non exposure will end up hurting enrollment, recruiting, and perhaps even research dollars. Never do you want the masses to ask, is there a University in Lafayette, Louisiana?

    Athletic expenditures in the 21st Century will continue to become Universities number one exposure medium. Athletics is the only true successful frontal lobe attack, because if a University can reach the frontal lobe, it has a chance of being a memory. Don't let the only memory of playing LSU be the 1902 game.

    I say let's not be fair weather fans, we need to mentally separate the temporary ending of the baseball rivalry from the football centennial's resurrected engagement. Also lets not boycott the LSU game, as this will create the perception that Louisiana brings nothing to the table. The perception that a game with Louisiana is no different (attendance wise) than if LSU had played just about any far off school. Lets sell out the 7000 and ask for another 100, you know for anniversary sake.


  2. #2

    Alumni

    Turbine, are you saying that we are not even close to selling our allotment? What is going on with us.
    MobileCajun


  3. Default

    Originally posted by MobileCajun
    Turbine, are you saying that we are not even close to selling our allotment? What is going on with us.
    MobileCajun
    About 5 or so semi-unrelated factors came together at the same time and stalled LSU ticket sales.

  4. #4

    UL 1984, 1999 . . . .

    Tubine, can you elaborate as to what stalled ticket sales. I sent my money in for the four tickets that I am allowed to purchase.

    MobileCajun


  5. #5

    Default

    Well said. You hit the nail on the head. If we can't sell our allotment of tickets for the LSU game we don't deserve a look from a bowl game.


  6. #6

    Default

    Originally posted by Louisiana84
    Well said. You hit the nail on the head. If we can't sell our allotment of tickets for the LSU game we don't deserve a look from a bowl game.
    No I think you hit the nail on the head, Turbine threw out a bunch of nails and you hammered the point home. Hey Turbine what were those 5 things that came together? Was one of them when Jay Walker was first to suggest cancelling the LSU game?

  7. Default

    Originally posted by MobileCajun
    Tubine, can you elaborate as to what stalled ticket sales. I sent my money in for the four tickets that I am allowed to purchase.

    BACKGROUND:
    2001

    October 29:
    Announcement made of UL vs. LSU game on October 5th 2002

    • Nelson Schexnayder "assures that all...tickets will be sold and used."
    • University of Louisiana fans unanimously endorse game.
    2002
    June 2nd:
    Louisiana vs. LSU at Baseball Regionals. The war of competitive words ended peacefully, as LSU won two games 12-2 to advance to the Super Regionals.

    June 3rd:
    Local radio host suggests perhaps dropping Louisiana vs. LSU baseball series for at least the 2003 season till fans cool off. The next week the same host seemed to rescind the idea, the thought however was in public domain.

    July 12:
    Unexpectedly, Bertman cancels baseball/softball series between Louisiana and LSU, under the guise of fans not being able to control themselves.

    TIME TO BUY TICKTS:
    July 29:
    In the untimely shadow of Louisiana fans seething at the poor excuse for ending the baseball series, football tickets go on sale for Louisiana vs. LSU.

    Zero promotions seen promoting Louisiana's historic tilt with LSU
    • In a marketing move obviously conceived in post announcement glow, only season ticket holders can get LSU football game tickets. On top of this restriction, only one ticket allowed per matching season package.

    • Unlike every other away game, no LSU game ticket can be combined with home game ticket purchase. Separate credit card checkout required.

    • It actually would cost a fan more to go to the Baton Rouge game than traveling to Texas A&M on a party bus.$98 vs $75

    • Hundreds upon hundreds (perhaps thousands) of UL fans who want to sit with friends at the game go through LSU for game tickets. Still other fans decide to boycott the game. For others severe apathy sets in.
    Zero promotions seen promoting Louisiana's historic tilt with LSU



    August 24
    Finally sensing a fan pulse, Nelson Schexnayder regroups and announces availability of unlimited tickets, with no deadline involved "Sales will continue until the Cajuns allotted number of tickets from LSU runs out."

    • Still not fully sensing the average fans revolt at LSU forfeiting foreseeable baseball games, multiple tickets still limited to Season ticket holders.

    • Not wanting to admit the snafu, fans are asked to carry the load and serve as a sort of Ticket Master for non season ticket holders. In other words a season ticket holder could buy for anybody, but anybody could not buy or themselves.
    Zero promotions seen promoting Louisiana's historic tilt with LSU



    Sept 16
    In a complete reversing of the statement, "Sales will continue until the Cajuns allotted number of tickets from LSU runs out." a deadline of Sept. 17th is abrubtly announced for purchasing Louisiana vs. LSU game tickets.

    Sept 18th
    In spite of every possible roadblock being raised that thwarted easy ticket sales , 4600 were sold, and 2400 tickets were returned to Baton Rouge.

  8. #8

    This is Upsetting

    Originally posted by Turbine

    2001
    Sept 18th
    In spite of every possible roadblock being raised that thwarted easy ticket sales , 4600 were sold, and 2400 tickets were returned to Baton Rouge.

    That is truly a shame because I would be willing to bet that around 2400 (or more) Cajun fans were forced to by tickets through LSU. What in the world were "our" people thinking??????????

  9. #9

    Ragin' Cajuns

    from DandyDon.com
    In other news concerning LSU football: ULL has returned 2,400 of the 7,000 tickets LSU sent to them. In my opinion, it is a crying shame that a division 1-A school located 60 miles from LSU could not sell 7,000 tickets for the biggest game ever on the ULL schedule. ULL has been talking the last several years about not getting any respect from LSU and the state of Louisiana, and I doubt they will be receiving much respect for years to come after only selling 4,600 tickets to the game.
    =====================
    Don always thinks the Tiger's poop does'nt stink but in this case he is right, in that ours does. HOW COULD THE ADMIN LET THIS HAPPEN????????????


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