How much $ does it take to buy a quality home game?

[Hatch]

Agreed. I think we need to try to schedule more of these home/home series vs quality opponents. I know that we got this one done and we have done similar with La Tech. Look the reality is we are not going to get many Alabama's, Miami's and the likes to the Cajun Dome, but we can get some La Tech's, Pepperdines and the likes here swapping home and homes. Because remember they are in the same boat. They need us and we need them. I would love to see us schedule more home and homes with conferences with 11-20 RPI's. These would include MWC, MAC, MVC, Big West, Horizon, West Coast, Ivy League, Southern and MAAC. The SBC is currently 19th in RPI, the others list are #11-20, with the exception of 19 in order. I would throw in the CUSA, who has a current Conference RPI of 21, in case you were wondering.

This is the route we need to take in my opinion. Paying for an SEC team is a pipe dream. I think I remember hearing that we were only paying Louisiana College 5 grand for that game this year, there is no point in spending an extra $60k on top of that to bring in a Swac school that might bring another 200 people into the dome compared to one of the non D1 schools, remember we are talking about scheduling November/December games when the average fan is still in football mode. If we can play 2 money games, equal that with 2 games we buy against an NAIA or D2 school (per the rules theses are not exhibition games no matter what some of you say), then fill out the schedule with a few quality home and homes that is ideal. I know this is still easier said than done. I like what we did with Pepperdine and UCLA this year, we need to see if some of the schools coming in for money games against LSU would be interested in getting a twofer on their trip then we return the home game the next year.

[CharlieK]

This!

If we're going to lose money, I'd rather risk bringing an Aub, Miss St, or Houston to Lafayette, spend the $100-125k and sell 4200 tickets, than pay $70k to Jackson St, sell 2000 tickets and generate ZERO interest.

[/QUOTE]

If we beat the teams we should beat, we would sell a lot more than 4200 for a high profile team. I think, financially, it's a no brainer. I'm not a scheduling expert so I don't know what other hurdles are there.

[CajunRebel]

The real question is how much money are you willing to lose by inviting quality opponents to the Cajundome. And what part of the athletic budget are you willing to take that money from? And if someone chimes in saying they can raise the money, who around here is willing to pay <100k to see Houston play in the Cajundome?

[CrazyCajun]

The real question is how much money are you willing to lose by inviting quality opponents to the Cajundome. And what part of the athletic budget are you willing to take that money from?

The real question is how many season ticket holders are you willing to lose by year after year putting horrible home schedules together? What part of the budget? Basketballs part... Marlins pocket, I don't really care..figure it out. As a program they owe it to the supporters to bring in some better games.

[CajunRebel]

The real question is how many season ticket holders are you willing to lose by year after year putting horrible home schedules together? What part of the budget? Basketballs part... Marlins pocket, I don't really care..figure it out. As a program they owe it to the supporters to bring in some better games.

How many season ticket holders do you think we lose out on because our out of conference schedule is weak?

[ManAboutTown]

How many season ticket holders do you think we lose out on because our out of conference schedule is weak?

Home schedule as a whole***

[CajunT]

The real question is how much money are you willing to lose by inviting quality opponents to the Cajundome. And what part of the athletic budget are you willing to take that money from? And if someone chimes in saying they can raise the money, who around here is willing to pay <100k to see Houston play in the Cajundome?

Easy question to answer Cajun Rebel, UL is not making money in athletics. So it's no different then football or any other sport. Go out and raise the money, just like every other coach. No one said it will be easy, but it's something that is required of every head coach in the program.

[CrazyCajun]

How many season ticket holders do you think we lose out on because our out of conference schedule is weak?

Are we breaking season ticket sales records? Like we are in other sports?

[BirdofParadise]

I've said it many times. History will bear me out.

In the last 20 years, attendance for home basketball games before January 1 is bad no matter who you bring in.

In another thread, MAT talks about Tennessee and Nevada. Tennessee was a top ten team and we had to play them three for one. We drew fewer than 6,000 fans. Nevada drew less than 5,000. The last SEC team before Tennessee was Mississippi State. We didn't draw 4,000.

The hypothesis that a better schedule equals decidedly better attendance is a myth. The numbers don't lie.

[ManAboutTown]

Financially, I get the trade off. But if people don't think that dull home slate after dull home slate won't affect the long term interest in basketball, I don't know what to say. It's killing us.