I still remember the 1968 game in Monroe. Northeast had a chance to tie for the GSC championship. Their president asked that our students not come because their stadium only held about 6000 (like our old stadium), but FJ told him to bring out every portable bleacher they could find. I think there were about 10,000 there to watch Richie Golman take the opening kick off back for a TD and that was as close as it got. We didn't even win the GSC championship (we lost to McNeese and USL) but got the invite to the Grantland Rice Bowl because of our exciting type of play and our OOC record (defeating ECU, Miss. State, New Mexico State, and USM). USL fans were Pi**ed to say the least.
09.13.97 ULM 28,714
09.09.17 Mississippi St 28,100
09.05.15 Southern 27,905
12.13.99 ULM 27,360
10.03.15 ULL 26,910
09.20.14 Northwestern 26,004
11.17.12 Utah State 25,614
08.30.08 Mississippi St 25,224
10.02.11 Hawaii 25,212
Games in Ruston with reported attendance over 25k.
I really don't mind bringing them over for a home game. Eventually, the novelty will wear off just like it always does.
In fact, let's let that replace our FCS game.
But I wouldn't make it a regular thing, unless we rotated between ULM, SELA, Nicholls, etc.
It did then because you had a couple of generations where we were rivals. Now you have at least one that doesn’t care about them anymore than any other shitty team we get to come play at our house. You also have some like me that are old enough to have been part of some of that rivalry in the 80’s etc and won’t spend a dime to to watch us play them.
So if my 30+ years of support, tickets etc don’t show up for that game, where is the casual fan to replace me. There isn’t one, it’s well established that the population base in the area isn’t set up financially or numbers wise to establish a strong walk up base, and their fans won’t come after the first one to replace me either.
And the product on the field and in the AD’s office has moved the needle backwards significantly even if there was some casual fan/population to convert to Tech in the area. TMAC is actually hurting making future fans out current students. These current and future generations question why, they won’t give/support because it’s loyalty. They paid ever higher prices for their degrees and to them that break even point is the degree.
That means playing ULM is basically a gimmick to salve the wound instead of actually cure the disease. Disagree etc, counterpoint etc, I don’t take any of this personally.
All someone needs to do is bring one friend to replace my ticket, and my wife, my dad, his wife, my mom, her husband, my step sister, and her two kids. That’s who usually comes to games with me. They come to UMass, Southern P5 etc.
Never mind what I said here. The fact that this site logs me out far too soon and far too often screws up my posts.
Just curious why you feel so strongly about not playing them at all under any circumstances? I don’t think it should be more often than every 10 years, but they aren’t any different than playing a team like USA or UMASS. Only difference is that we might have an above average crowd playing ULM.
I wonder if joining the Sun Belt might help attendance? I don't sense any passion to beat the teams in the West Division of CUSA (or the East really). ULM and ULL at least draws out some passion from our fans.
I would like to switch up some teams though... bring Southern Miss and North Texas and Middle Tennessee and WKU. Lose Ga State, Coastal Carolina, and Texas St (maybe others).
Do you want to fill up Joe Aillet? It’s easy! Win a lot! When fans expect to win or play well against quality opponents they will show up in droves! Any highly successful program can fill their stadium! Tech just hasn’t strung together enough successfully seasons to attract new fans or those that ride the fence! The crowds that come to Tech games are the same people that have been attending for the ladies 40 years!