“What’s in it for me” is exactly what needs to be answered.
The admin answered with more legroom, better seats in some sections, nicer concessions for some people, and easier to climb ramps up to the ticket gates.
Oddly enough, what most people are actually asking for, is for them to go back to the wild west atmosphere on gameday. Luckily, the people that might be bothered by Average Joes drinking Natty Light and cursing at the other team, they have a brand new glass lobby to stand around and congratluate each other in.
Not sure if directed at me, but I notice your company doesn’t perform its services for free or give local discounts, right? Just saying, why does the conversation always have to begin with what are you going to give me? That is a different mentality that do not understand. I invest at my level and don’t expect extra incentives that others get for high giving levels. I raised my family; help pay for my two oldest to graduate from UL as Ragin Cajuns. Money was tight at times; we had a budget just like families today. If there was a local promo like for Boy Scouts, we would try to attend as a Troup, but I purchased the family package of 5 for a number of years, even when times were tough. I never ask for discounts outside of what was offered. It was not part of my fandom, just like today I don’t ask for my AARP Discount.
And that was funded by whom? Over 200 donors that donated $50K per and corporate donations. Almost $50M raised, not by giving away t-shirts, pizza and plastic cups right. If we want changes, they all come with a price. Even game day promotions.
The winning kind, I don’t need $2 cheap beer. Nothing is stopping anyone from drinking all the beer they want tailgating. I never came to games to get drunk, I did enjoy drinking a few before the game. I have no interest in eating stadium food and running to beer lines and toilets all game. I’m there to enjoy college football and hang out with people that have been Ragin Cajun fans that I have known for years that are diehard fans. The party is not my thing for a number of years. Occasionally family joins me when in town and now grand kids. I can take care of snacks, but the best food is in the parking lot.
T and that is how you experience the game. I only tailgate once a year and rarely buy anything other than water at the game. We are diehards. There are way more people who want the party and social event. If they keep marketing to us, UL athletics is dead.
Park at the Blackham bro. I hear there is big savings there. Next thing you will saying is the City Bus transit should be free. Someone has to pay in the real world for such things. Just messing with you!
My brother, I hear you and it’s dying a slow death now. Once they go back to $34K to $36K budgets, we will be done. No student fees, so it requires other to invest. When that happens, people can enjoy their FCS games at Cajun Field for $12. I will be done and enjoying fishing in the Basin or the Marsh.
I swear people never learn… we had it in front of us in the late 90’s to 2000’s.
Louisiana IceGators. Affordable. Sold out EVERY game. 12k+ crowds outdrew some NHL teams. For MINOR LEAGUE hockey.
Yes, it was new. But it was also exciting. The play on the ice was fun, and fans loved seeing a good fight. But there was NEVER a dull moment. Think about the fact that people lost their MINDS over catching a hot dog being shot at them in the stands from a cannon. There were YMCA contests between sections (as stupid as it sounds, it worked). There were really exciting on ice promotions. It was just a FUN event, and it was CONSISTENT.
Fast forward to a few years later. The team still played at a high level, but attendance dwindled to 2k a game. Why? They priced out their fans. A $20 ticket turned into a $50 ticket. A $5 popcorn and drink turned into a $15 combo. The promotions got stale. The games were fun to watch, yes, but 10% of those fans actually showed up for the game. 90% showed up for the entertainment.
Every year we complain about the same damn things. Every year, they undoubtedly happen again. Until they start listening and stop thinking they’re smarter than everyone else, I have zero confidence anything will change. It’s great to sit in these beautiful stadiums, and that can’t be lost in the conversation. But stepping it up with in-game promotions and experience just takes effort, which we only really see once we call people out directly.
Know what the IceGators did when some guys started dressing up as unofficial mascots at the games? They got someone to sponsor them and made them a part of the atmosphere.
UL is to national college football as the Ice Gators are to professional hockey.
It was an entertaining attraction that people really enjoyed, until they raised prices, cracked down on the Natty Light style entertainment (ex. fights), and rolled out the same production year after year after year.
If anything, UL should see the Ice Gators tombstone at the end of the road they’re on, and try to change course
