Crowd estimate for Basketball Senior Night.

[zephyr]

Seeing your post made me reflect on this issue. I would definitely agree that apathy and cost are big factors in attendance numbers. I believe the apathy is due to a couple of factors: 1) only one NCAA tournament appearance in Marlin’s tenure; and, 2) Sunbelt conference. As far as Marlin, I would equate him to Bustle and Hud in the sense that they were the right coaches at the right time, but not the coaches to get UL to the level that we believe we should be. I like Marlin as a person and am very happy for him and the team for the tremendous season they are having, but let’s be honest, this is a very weak conference and in the chances that the team has had to get quality wins, they have been not only beat, but blown out. If they were to get in the NCAA’s and win a game or two, I would say that Marlin deserves another couple of years, but if they don’t, I would like to see another coach at the helm.

As far as (2), as stated above, the Sunbelt is extremely weak as a whole and has been for some time. Nobody wants to see those teams come to the dome.

On a personal note, I do not like watching games at the dome. I know they have made recent changes to make it a more intimate experience, and those changes are great, but it still doesn’t match the feel and intensity that Blackham had. If the university ever had the money, I would prefer a new stadium where Blackham now sits with the same capacity and intimacy.

As you stated, I think money/cost is a big factor as well. The oilfield has not returned and entertainment dollars are on the short side for a lot of people.

Having said all of the above, I hope this team goes far in post season and I’m very proud of them for what they have accomplished thus far.

I'm not going to the dome to see other teams. Don't get me wrong, I was in the Dome back when UMASS came in #1 in the country so that point has exceptions but I would go to see a good cajuns team that has chemistry and character not to mention talent and is coached well. This year's team has all of that. I'll go see them even if we are playing Troy versus UNC. I go to see my team, not the opposing team.

Also, I think you are being a little dismissive of this year's accomplishments. To say that you'd want us to move on if we don't an NCAA game or get in after the year we've had is a little hardcore. I've seen something in this team that I have not in some time. Consistency. Because of that, we have a shot at a 5 star recruit and have already had a decent recruiting class.

Just curious but are you a big baseball guy? How do you feel about Robe? Curious to know with what this season is shaping up there how you feel his job security should be?

[CrazyCajun]

I agree that the economy is a factor. A big one. Only thing I don't understand is why hasn't baseball been affected. Can anyone answer that?

Different crowd and while i think
travel ball is a bad model it has increased interest and participation in the sport of baseball.

[CajunRebel]

Marlin has not performed in the matter we are used to?

OK, let's see:

If we win the tournament, that will be two NCAA in eight years
Paschal had two in seven years
Fletcher had two in eleven years.
Evans had two in seven years
Lee had one in six years.

And, here's another thing: We've been in the Sun Belt for 27 seasons. How many times have the Cajuns been the outright regular season champion.

This is the first one. THE FIRST ONE
(We had the best record in 04, but they only recognized division champions then.)

And, while doing this, Marlin is graduating kids at a higher rate than anyone in memory.

I'm not for giving him a lifetime contract, but your perception does not equal our reality.

I'm glad you aren't the AD. And, speaking of which, Maggard LOVES Marlin.

Now this is something we can definitely agree on.

Complaining about not winning a conference championship every year is like an NFL team complaining about not making it to the Super Bowl every year.

It is damn hard to win a conference championship.

[Cajunsmike]

Different crowd

What do you mean by that? Are you trying to say that people who follow baseball are not the same as the ones who follow basketball? There may be some truth to that. Why has the economy not affected the baseball folks? Are they more financially stable? I will add one point about basketball. The people who are fans do support the program with passion. The Rebounders Club raised ~ 70 grand this year for the program. According to information I was given recently, that is twice what the Diamond Club raises for baseball and there are more Diamond Club members.

[zephyr]

Adjusted for inflation, median household income in this city has dropped from a high of $53,000 to $45,500. There is less disposable income to go around in this city. And yes, some of these families are UL fans.

Personally, I think it is more than safe to assume that this reality is one reason (out of many other reasons) that our attendance is lower.

If you are going to maintain that this has absolutely no effect on attendance, if you really beleive that there are no UL fans in Lafayette having to readjust how they spend money these days, I don’t know what else to say to you.

That's a great Google search. However, there are several flaws in your theory. First, you are only looking at Lafayette city proper. You aren't looking into the surrounding areas. Second and perhaps your biggest flaw lies with a lumping of ALL households in the city. Not all demographics are the same. The person who will be looking to go to UL sports is not the person who's family's combined income is $50,000. You look at other sectors and the AHI is double or triple that number. For example, in Youngsville the Median Household Income is nearly $100,000. Why? These are younger families who's members have higher paying jobs than some of the other groups you are lumping together in Upper Lafayette for instance.

These are the people that are recent alums and have disposable income that are our targets. So, outside of getting into an economics debate, I completely understand that our economy is "down" from several years ago. However, you have failed to answer my question about the 80's. That time was a true bust time and it wasn't one or two years, it was a decade. However, our basketball attendance in 86 was almost double what it is now even with a smaller population, fleeting home prices, increasing interest rates etc.. How do you explain that?

[CrazyCajun]

What do you mean by that? Are you trying to say that people who follow baseball are not the same as the ones who follow basketball? There may be some truth to that. Why has the economy not affected the baseball folks? Are they more financially stable? I will add one point about basketball. The people who are fans do support the program with passion. The Rebounders Club raised ~ 70 grand this year for the program. According to information I was given recently, that is twice what the Diamond Club raises for baseball and there are more Diamond Club members.

There are plenty that crossover but there are a lot of people in this area who only support baseball. Every sport has crossover and every sport has people who only support that sport. The clubs have nothing to do with it. How many seats you fill at the rebounders club? Now put those people in the dome or at Russo. Not sure what a handful of boosters financial support has to do with putting thousands of butts in seats at venues. We weren’t putting g this many at baseball in 2013 either. Marlin isn’t in year 4 of some great run, it’s year 1. Will he build on it or will it be the exception. If baseball continues the way they are now i promise you that stadium won’t be sold out next year.

[zephyr]

What do you mean by that? Are you trying to say that people who follow baseball are not the same as the ones who follow basketball? There may be some truth to that. Why has the economy not affected the baseball folks? Are they more financially stable? I will add one point about basketball. The people who are fans do support the program with passion. The Rebounders Club raised ~ 70 grand this year for the program. According to information I was given recently, that is twice what the Diamond Club raises for baseball and there are more Diamond Club members.

Exactly Mike. That is what I'm trying to get CajunRebel to answer. He says economy but I'm calling BS on that, at least to a degree. Baseball people sure have no problem attending games even though we suck. We can't use the economy as a general answer when it isn't supported for all sports.

[Cajunsmike]

Different crowd and while i think
travel ball is a bad model it has increased interest and participation in the sport of baseball.

Let me throw out another theory about baseball support vs basketball support. Let's throw the economy in there as well. Let's suppose people are forced to choose between baseball and basketball since they have to cut back. Many choose baseball due to recent history. The basketball team has won in recent years but not at the post season level baseball did in 2013-2016. Two Regional Finals and two super regionals in those four years. Now if basketball continues to have seasons like this one (or close to it-unrealistic to expect what this team has done every year) while baseball has a couple of disappointing seasons the nos. may reverse. Also, the new ballpark may be helping baseball. Once the novelty of that wears off, performance will dictate if that support is maintained. I say why can't both sports be excellent and make fans have a real tough decision.

[Cajunsmike]

There are plenty that crossover but there are a lot of people in this area who only support baseball. Every sport has crossover and every sport has people who only support that sport. The clubs have nothing to do with it. How many seats you fill at the rebounders club? Now put those people in the dome or at Russo. Not sure what a handful of boosters financial support has to do with putting thousands of butts in seats at venues. We weren’t putting g this many at baseball in 2013 either. Marlin isn’t in year 4 of some great run, it’s year 1. Will he build on it or will it be the exception. If baseball continues the way they are now i promise you that stadium won’t be sold out next year.

I agree no. of boosters or there support level has nothing to do with attendance. Only pointing out that some people who support basketball do so with passion.

[Cajunsmike]

I agree no. of boosters or their support level has nothing to do with attendance. Only pointing out that some people who support basketball do so with passion.