The Future of Cajun Nation

[ZoomZoom]

Stop making the university the victim. They're not. And no, I'm not using "lazy" in this discussion." It's in front of all of us to see.

If the alumni association reached out to the restaurant to do a watch party, it is not of the obligation for the restaurant to carry the rest of the weight because it worked one time. It is the job of the alumni association or any other university association to be persistent in continuing these endeavors in order to recruit more fans and encourage them to give/donate to their respected foundations. Not picking up the phone a second time is on the university. It's their promotion.

Interns must of switched.

[CajunVic]

Think what you want on that. I could care less. I'm not going down this rabbit hole with you.

I'll stick to what I said in that it is not the restaurant's responsibility to promote the athletic brand on behalf of the university as much as it is the university's responsibility to do the same and attract new fans. The entire premise of that watch party was to provide a venue to help the university bring in new donors.

Now that is L.A.Z.Y.

[zeppelincajun]

But didn't the restaurant who did it say "it was not worth the trouble and effort"

You throw "easy" and "lazy" around like they mean something while at the same time appear to be too lazy to look at what is easy to see in this discussion. Without more information as to why the restaurant felt it was too much trouble to do it again and exactly what they are requesting be shifted to the university, this is just another thread to trash the university. The Good Lawd knows we have enough ammunition in that respect without possibly making up something that is really not there.

I thought this was a thread about the future of Cajun Nation…

[CajunVic]

I thought this was a thread about the future of Cajun Nation…

It is.

[ULvictory]

Now that is L.A.Z.Y.

Enough with the personal insults. Let's discuss starting now.

UL is the ultimate benefactor of these watch parties. Sure the restaurant makes money, but ultimately the alumni association and other entities within the university are the ones that should be pushing for them above anyone else. Even if the restaurant makes money off of these events, the university entities should still be showing face to give fans opportunities to donate/give money/engage.

And to be fair, I'm not being obtuse when I say I don't see where the school benefits if restaurants are throwing watch parties and the AA and RCAF don't participate in those. They need to show face at all of these events.

[CajunVic]

Enough with the personal insults. Let's discuss starting now.

UL is the ultimate benefactor of these watch parties. Sure the restaurant makes money, but ultimately the alumni association and other entities within the university are the ones that should be pushing for them above anyone else. Even if the restaurant makes money off of these events, the university entities should still be showing face to give fans opportunities to donate/give money/engage.

I don't disagree with any of the general conclusions you raise. However, without a specific description of what exactly the University provided for this venture, it is impossible to judge either side. That has been my position from the beginning and it will not change.

For hypothetical sake, lets say it took 1000 hours of university time and $100,000 of cash. Is your position the same?

One side or the other may be unreasonable here, but with the information we have, no one will ever know. It's not fair to judge without accurate information. At that point, you may become part of the problem as opposed to the solution.

[zeppelincajun]

It is.

Which is a valid topic. We can’t sustain running this program longterm with the current level of fan support. We are already in the negative and that’s with our core older fanbase still being with us. As we start to lose those folks, there’s not much left. My generation (the 32s ) has a few folks because of the HUD era and historic run in baseball but even that crew is starting to thin out. Then you’ve got the completely lost generations with the Baldwin era and this current batch where we are hellbent on harassing our frats and few students who do show up. Every couple months we see a thread on here where we’ve lost another of our lifetime, diehard fans. I’m just not seeing where we are cultivating that next group. Our student sections are light to empty. The basic things other universities do to appeal to kids we see as unnecessary. Don’t let one example you disagree with given in this thread distract you from the larger issue at hand.

[CajunVic]

Which is a valid topic. We can’t sustain running this program longterm with the current level of fan support. We are already in the negative and that’s with our core older fanbase still being with us. As we start to lose those folks, there’s not much left. My generation (the 32s ) has a few folks because of the HUD era and historic run in baseball but even that crew is starting to thin out. Then you’ve got the completely lost generations with the Baldwin era and this current batch where we are hellbent on harassing our frats and few students who do show up. Every couple months we see a thread on here where we’ve lost another of our lifetime, diehard fans. I’m just not seeing where we are cultivating that next group. Our student sections are light to empty. The basic things other universities do to appeal to kids we see as unnecessary. Don’t let one example you disagree with given in this thread distract you from the larger issue at hand.

I am not, however, to take the same ole Lazy, Easy, they do nothing attitude when you have NO facts and when some arm of the university did in fact do something positive is certainly not productive and will not lend itself to that arm doing something again that is good because all they get here is bashed, in the end.

The better route would have been a little investigation and then sitting down with the arm and get the facts and see if there is a simple solution that could be suggested. Instead, we show up here and bash the valiant effort because it was not enough even though we do not know the facts.

This, the mascot, the bus tour . . . are all little things that could help, but without information, solving each of these will not happen. Bashing them without information is a certain recipe for failure.

[Cajuns1]

I am not, however, to take the same ole Lazy, Easy, they do nothing attitude when you have NO facts and when some arm of the university did in fact do something positive is certainly not productive and will not lend itself to that arm doing something again that is good because all they get here is bashed, in the end.

The better route would have been a little investigation and then sitting down with the arm and get the facts and see if there is a simple solution that could be suggested. Instead, we show up here and bash the valiant effort because it was not enough even though we do not know the facts.

This, the mascot, the bus tour . . . are all little things that could help, but without information, solving each of these will not happen. Bashing them without information is a certain recipe for failure.

Last night someone from Rice University called me. Because I went to three baseball games last season to watch the Cajuns and saw I lived close by, they called to offer me an eight game ticket package for $125. I tested the intern who called and told her to e-mail me the info. Within 5 mins, I had all of the ticket info, as well as the date and time she would call me back to follow up. I am moving forward with purchasing the package.

Why? Because they asked. I've been giving money to UL for 20+ years. Even when I worked for them, most of that money I made went back to the university in the form of donations.

They've never EVER called me and had a conversation about tickets or giving. No one has ever personally called and thanked me for giving. And I'm not talking about donation receipts I get in the mail. I am talking about a human picking up the phone to have a conversation with a donor of 20+ years.

So how are you gonna spin that lack of communication with "having no FACTS?" I guess you'll say its somehow my fault for thinking that I need to feel appreciated or even expecting someone to talk to me as a donor.

I think it's funny that you say "sit down with them to get the facts" when they won't even return phone calls when people want to GIVE MONEY.

[CajunNation]

...I think it's funny that you say "sit down with them to get the facts" when they won't even return phone calls when people want to GIVE MONEY.

I am a guy that will never stop supporting my alma mater, but the above message is true.

I guess the reply would be that funding of staff is an issue. Well, it is only an issue because it is not important enough to the Administration, and there lies the rub.

People wonder why we don't have the same passion as other schools in our conference. Those fan bases have never had their spirits broken by their own leadership.