Does Winning Cure Attendance Issues?

[fishingjon]

First, the kids in charge have to understand that a UofL game in NOT like a concert or other ticketed event where digital tickets may make more sense. UofL game attendance is based in large part on tailgating and paper tickets are easily transferable whereas digital tickets are not. So you can't just invite a large number of people to the tailgate with the expectation that you can get them a ticket and put their butts in the seats. Nothing against digital tickets; they should definitely be an option for those who chose to use them. They simply shouldn't be the default requirement. Send people who want paper tickets their dang tickets without forcing a special request and special trip ahead of the season to get them. There is no reason to make this complicated. The lack of paper tickets is directly proportionate to decreased attendance. (Repeat that last sentence to fully comprehend its truth -- the administration seems oblivious to it). Even strangers with extra tickets find it difficult to sell cheap or give away when approaching the stadium and end up eating them, which means they go unused and remain empty seats.
For example, I know several long-time season ticket holders who gave up their tickets due to this single issue. Yell "boomer" all you want but those ardent fans are now gone; they just watch at home on TV. And as one of the people who organized large tailgates, we we able to invite large numbers of people for the party and then put tickets in their hands to get them into the stadium where they had a great time and cheered on the team. We do not do that anymore; it's no longer practical or feasible. And my cohorts who still do tailgates now have very limited attendance, especially when compared to pre-digital tickets. The fiasco of forced digital tickets cannot be overstated. It is issue number 1 when addressing attendance issues. Small tailgates equal smaller attendance. A simple yet ignored concept.

Now we can talk about tailgating itself. The number of empty spaces in the Bronze lot is almost inexplicable. So let's talk about the purple/green lot (and please stop changing the colors every time we get new sponsors). And stop pretending that CAF points mean anything to the average fan who has been attending every game for decades -- those are the fans we want at the games but they are not rewarded or accommodated in any significant way. Assigned spots have their purpose but prevent groups from getting together to tailgate. (See my above comments regarding how tailgating issues negatively affect attendance). But there is a common ground that was completely overlooked when UofL tried to swing the pendulum back to tailgating but made first come, first served a bit of a cluster ****. My personal suggestion -- which I have offered to the administration for a few decades -- is to give the donors who rarely attend assigned spots on the left side of the green lot. They can show up late and pull right in or not at all as usual; they'll be happy either way. Then make the right side of the green lot a first come, first served -- but leave some flexibility for friends to join up who may have missed the convoy to drive in together. And you do this by simply letting them pick their area! Don't force them into a dictated assignment on the spot that changes every game. There are MANY who would give up places closer to the tunnel to have some continuity further back in WHERE they set up each game so that they can easily be found every time. (For example, we had a long-time tailgate party at a particular lamppost in green lot section B that everyone knew where to congregate and grab their tickets before the game -- we can't do that anymore). In short, UofL overcomplicated something that is very important to many fans and negatively impacted attendance. Whatever changes they implement again, whether similar to my ideas or not, just make it fan friendly. It currently is not.

There are other ideas to better the fan experience but I'll stop now b/c I'm not the Unibomber. I have business and event experience and am confident that I could immediately increase game attendance 5000-10,000 per game if given the authority to make simple changes.

And in case any of this comes across as negative (it is intended to be constructive, not destructive), let me just say GO CARDS!

Great post

 

[kypecos]

Very good points and well stated. Have you thought abut applying for the long vacant President position? I am not kidding either.

At the very least, it would be awesome if you were on the BOT in some capacity. What you said just makes too much common sense. Wish the administration would hire you as a consultant...your ideas are stellar. Your post was choc full of good suggestions and refreshing to read vice the casual vitriol of the normal posts we are seeing on this board. Very nice job!

As a UofL alumni, I don't think that I qualify for a leadership position at the University. Have to be an outsider or UK grad. But thank you for the kind words.

 

[beantowncard]

As a UofL alumni, I don't think that I qualify for a leadership position at the University. Have to be an outsider or UK grad. But thank you for the kind words.

Alumnus.

 

[beantowncard]

Winning cures attendance issues over the long haul. A three game winning streak, no. A stretch of 10 years of winning records, yes.

 

[RealStateBird]

Not in this city were at a minimum 30% are suck fans, another 30% can’t afford tickets. That leaves you 40% Card fans in the entire city to fill that stadium. You might have 10k fans from out in the state at each game.

 

[bearcatsuc]

I think Wake, Duke and BC have the least supporting FB fans who will travel.

The ACC has just too many small and private schools

Sounds like the old Big East, with the exception of UL and WVU.

it will be interesting how B12 schools travel to Cincy. I’m guessing it will generally be better than the ACC. There’s nothing else to do in a lot of B12 locales, except leave.

 

[beantowncard]

Sounds like the old Big East, with the exception of UL and WVU.

it will be interesting how B12 schools travel to Cincy. I’m guessing it will generally be better than the ACC. There’s nothing else to do in a lot of B12 locales, except leave.

Winning certainly improves attendance; you have to do it over time.

 

[nccardfan]

Yes, I do think winning can bring back the fans. Like the Cycle17 said though, it seems that Louisville fans really only want to come if they are guaranteed a win. Part of the issue is that we almost are never in contention for a conference championship. We haven't been able to exercise the Clemson demons and even if we do this year, they have already wrapped up the division. Fans want us to play for something and 7-5 and 6-6 bowls don't get it. I actually soured a bit on going to games, especially the UK game. I get all hyped up into thinking, hey they suck again but then they shove it in our face. I have never left a game early but I did the last UK home game. I left right after halftime.

 

[Thecycle27]

I did too. It was awful, but that was more because I didn’t want to hear UK fans. To me there still isn’t anything like live sports.

Louisville isn’t going to win every home game they don’t recruit that well and it is never a packed house. Clemson has lost 1 games in like 6-7 years and that was on a last second FG. It is a great home field advantage. Louisville fans want them to win but aren’t willing to help make that happen. Louisville could be an incredible home field. It just isn’t and that is on the fans that decide to stay home. The fans that go are great. People are going to stay home but they shouldn’t whine about attendance and wins. It all matters.

A good test of the theory is if the beat Clemson what the attendance is for a Top 25 matchup.

Last thing a 12 team playoff makes this much more interesting. Talent is going to get spread out.

 

[earsky]

Winning certainly improves attendance; you have to do it over time.