Football Attendance Comparison

[John Cocktolstoy]

There is a HUGE disconnect.

When you have a former football player Richard 'Dicky' Haik saying Desormeaux is the new coach at 'USL' you have a community disconnect.

Where was this? Was it in print? Heck I am in my 50s. My grandfather and great uncles still called USL, SLI in the 1990s. I think that stuff just happens with older folks.

[CajunVic]

Where was this? Was it in print? Heck I am in my 50s. My grandfather and great uncles still called USL, SLI in the 1990s. I think that stuff just happens with older folks.

My dad is 82. He went to SLI and still knows that there is a USL. Once ingrained its hard to break.

[moorecajun]

Where was this? Was it in print? Heck I am in my 50s. My grandfather and great uncles still called USL, SLI in the 1990s. I think that stuff just happens with older folks.

I agree. I am just not one of the name police. I graduated from USL and I still call it that on occasion. It just happens, it is no disrespect or disconnect, just me.

[ManAboutTown]

Apps biggest crowd was 35K against Wake Forest an in state ACC school. They drew 31k against in state FCS Elon equivalent to our SU or McNeese. Those were 2 of the to 3 biggest crowds. The other was against the university of Miami.

The cajuns drew 31K against FIU on a Saturday in October when they brought no one here. And that wasn’t a top 5 crowd.

Exactly why you’re wrong. (Again)

Boone has a population of ~20k people. It is a huge hassle to get there. Most of their alumni live out of town.

And yet, they still got 35k to a game against an in-state non traditional power. And 31k against freaking Elon.

Lafayette proper has ~140k people with almost half a million within 50 mile radius. Many of our alumni live in this city. And we have to beg companies to buy multiple ticket packages to boost season ticket numbers. We have to bribe people to show up to conference games. We barely got 31k for a nationally televised conference championship game.

[raginbeef]

Exactly why you’re wrong. (Again)

Boone has a population of ~20k people. It is a huge hassle to get there. Most of their alumni live out of town.

And yet, they still got 35k to a game against an in-state non traditional power. And 31k against freaking Elon.

Lafayette proper has ~140k people with almost half a million within 50 mile radius. Many of our alumni live in this city. And we have to beg companies to buy multiple ticket packages to boost season ticket numbers. We have to bribe people to show up to conference games. We barely got 31k for a nationally televised conference championship game.

Amen

[fanof71]

Exactly why you’re wrong. (Again)

Boone has a population of ~20k people. It is a huge hassle to get there. Most of their alumni live out of town.

And yet, they still got 35k to a game against an in-state non traditional power. And 31k against freaking Elon.

Lafayette proper has ~140k people with almost half a million within 50 mile radius. Many of our alumni live in this city. And we have to beg companies to buy multiple ticket packages to boost season ticket numbers. We have to bribe people to show up to conference games. We barely got 31k for a nationally televised conference championship game.

And App announced this morning it has sold out of its season tickets...11,000 with 6 home games...

[Turbine]

Where was this? Was it in print? Heck I am in my 50s. My grandfather and great uncles still called USL, SLI in the 1990s. I think that stuff just happens with older folks.

Perhaps I am spoiled by the non-disconnected who used UL and "Louisiana" right out the gate even though their diploma said, SLI or USL.

People like Steve Gossen, Cajun Charlie, Frenchie and many others.

ps Judge Haik is interviewed on this week's Discover Lafayette podcast.

[CajunT]

Exactly why you’re wrong. (Again)

Boone has a population of ~20k people. It is a huge hassle to get there. Most of their alumni live out of town.

And yet, they still got 35k to a game against an in-state non traditional power. And 31k against freaking Elon.

Lafayette proper has ~140k people with almost half a million within 50 mile radius. Many of our alumni live in this city. And we have to beg companies to buy multiple ticket packages to boost season ticket numbers. We have to bribe people to show up to conference games. We barely got 31k for a nationally televised conference championship game.

Others have acknowledged this fact, but what they have is tradition. Outside of the last decade, our success on the football field has been sporadic at best. You don't build tradition off of one successful decade.

Your point concerning the small population in Boone is also poignant. They are representative of the small college football towns like Troy, Ruston and others that have had success in the lower classifications for many years. That can't be replicated here in Lafayette at this point. It's not happening.

Finally, let me say that I have stayed out of the discussion for the most point up until this point and have read through a number of the post. It's total bs that Dr. Maggard and this administration has not tried to improve the game experience at Cajun Field. While it is true that they haven't always been successful in the actions they've taken, they have been the most progressive administration in trying to add some value to our game experience beyond the product on the field in my memory of attending games at Cajun Field. They reached out to season ticket holders and RCAF members with surveys. The problem is anytime you enhance activities with college football there is a cost associated with it. And our fan base has already proven that when that cost is passed down to the consumer, they aren't happy. See the change in parking fees for further illustration of my point.

This administration also return the student tailgating area to Cajun Field after foolishly moving it. The students were also given input on the events. Has it changed the number of students in attendance?

Like a number of people here, I agree there are a few things that may reasonably change or enhance the in person game experiences at Cajun Field. And a mascot and a more entertaining band doesn't move the needle in that direction. But it does make for more entertaining conversation on this board.

For me, it's do the simple things well and enhance what you can. Don't over promise improvements that you can't deliver. And most importantly, keep winning!

Geaux Cajuns!

[John Cocktolstoy]

Perhaps I am spoiled by the non-disconnected who used UL and "Louisiana" right out the gate even though their diploma said, SLI or USL.

People like Steve Gossen, Cajun Charlie, Frenchie and many others.

ps Judge Haik is interviewed on this week's Discover Lafayette podcast.

Well if you’ve ever talked to the man you will know his favorite subject to talk about is usually him and his playing days. At least he took time to talk about Mike and USL. Ill look for the interview.

[John Cocktolstoy]

Exactly why you’re wrong. (Again)

Boone has a population of ~20k people. It is a huge hassle to get there. Most of their alumni live out of town.

And yet, they still got 35k to a game against an in-state non traditional power. And 31k against freaking Elon.

Lafayette proper has ~140k people with almost half a million within 50 mile radius. Many of our alumni live in this city. And we have to beg companies to buy multiple ticket packages to boost season ticket numbers. We have to bribe people to show up to conference games. We barely got 31k for a nationally televised conference championship game.

I have been to Boone and spent 4 different weeks working all over the state of NC. One thing App has going for it is all other schools are clean across the other end of the state. They don’t have a school 45 minutes away drawing 100k on Saturdays. Boone, oxford, Starkville, Manhattan Ks and Auburn all very much alike as towns if you take the university out. Population really has nothing to do with it because those schools all draw well. It’s all about pride in your school and making that connection.

I am sure Elon brought at least 5 to 10 thousand of that 3rd largest crowd. Because there is nothing about Elon that would have made the App base overly excited, to show up more than the average crowd. And there is no doubt Wake traveled very well to Boone to make that crowd. Probably much like SU here except they were all in the same colors.

Do you think 11k is a good number of season tickets to sell? App st this week just announced they are sold out of season tickets at 11k.

Our biggest problem is turning students into good alumni, if we had every SLI USL UL alumnus that are in Baton Rouge every weekend that still live in the state of LA, to start coming home our problems would be solved. These are people that love football but could care less about their own school. That is the puzzle that has to be figured out if we are ever to fix it.