Originally Posted by
TheWetPhoenix
Let me start by saying that I have not read all the responses in this thread yet, so if I repeat anything that has been said I'm not copying, great minds just think alike.
For background info, I graduated in 2013 and I spent a fair amount of time thinking about this when I was a student. I was in band the full 5 years it took me to get my 4 year degree, so I had limited experience with tailgating prior to the 2014 season when my wife and I began tailgating at least one game a season. My last tailgate was against Mississippi State in 2018, I work with several LaTech and MState alumni and we had a blast. We set up a little behind the Argent close enough to the road where we could park 2 or 3 vehicles and get out easy after the game. We did that for 5 seasons until the rule changes. I live in NE Texas and I love Tech, I will encourage my children to attend if they want to go to college. I love watching it grow and seeing the changes when I come back. College, and everything it has to offer, is and EXPERIENCE. Lasting memories, good and bad, that shape what is to come. The university has got to find balance between building a positive experience and appeasing the money bags.
I agree with what many have said about the product on the field not bringing in fans. We have not been exciting to watch for several year, and while I agree that this year seems significantly improved, we have to find a way to win the close games (I don't intend this to be a post to rag HCSH, that is for another time)
Some things that would improve the atmosphere...
1. Make tailgating easy - for students a great way to do this would be to provide the equipment needed for them to tailgate. Tents, tables, chairs, coolers, charcoal grills, flags, all branded with the LaTech Logos. These could be provided with a security fee. Have students pay a fee to "rent" the equipment and when it is returned in good condition, they get the fee back. This makes it realistic for your average group of students who want to attend the game, to go since they don't have anywhere to store equipment like a sorority/fraternity does. Nobody is out significant money and it makes it easy. Plus the sea of State Ts would look amazing.
For other tailgaters I think there should be two options Free tailgating around the TAC or in the park where they may tailgate free of charge and have a 2 vehicle max, this would make it easy to get equipment and people in but not crowd it with vehicles moving in and out creating a safety hazard. Paid tailgating could happen in the parking lot but the university has got to provide to some basics like electrical hookups (to get rid of the generators). For designated camper parking their should be full hook ups just like at a camping site (electricity, water, sewage, maybe even cable for watching other games while tailgating) This option would likely appeal to the businesses that set up spots also.
2. Make it fun - Make it an all day event. I have heard of some universities who make it a big deal for the students to "stake out" their tailgate spots. Have all the students/organizations start at the TAC with their equipment and at a given signal, they race to set up at the best spots, there should be a designated area for student tailgating. This generates a competitive and electric atmosphere long before the game starts that the students should carry over to the game.
I'm not going to get on here and publicly say underage drinking is OK, but for the love of God this is college, we all know its happening, we are not going to stop it, so best we can do is control the outfall, not stifle the fun.
Let the student organizations generate some competitions between them. that will develop naturally and can only help the atmosphere grow.
Bring in vendors. food vendors, drink vendors (yes I mean alcohol), memorabilia vendors. I'm not saying turn it in to a street fair, but we have got to provide for the average fan. A lot of people are going to show up right before the game so they can either eat before they arrive or buy from the concessions, if we provide for them earlier in the day, they will hang around longer and help the atmosphere grow.
I have not gone to a home game this year but from what I saw on social media, it looks like the team did not enter at the Argent. The teams arrival should ALWAYS be a big deal, I'm not sure the argent is the ideal place given they have to walk the length of the field, but a majority of the tailgating should be positioned so that fans can easily be there for the arrival. This helps get the players hyped before the game.
I loved the idea of the stage with live music we had a few years back. I never liked any of the music that was played but if we set up an area with a stage, good music, and the vendors I mentioned around it, you have a great kicking off point. Maybe the team enters near the stage so a "master of ceremonies" can officiate it from the stage and generate some hype from the crowd getting everyone involved.
3.Visitors - We have to designate a decent area for visitors to tailgate. We are not such a large school that we can afford to be inhospitable and make them tailgate by Hale Hall or the new parking lot where the softball field was. We have plenty of room, let them in around the rest of us and be gracious hosts.
I realize most of these are easier said than done, but those are some thoughts I have had for a while.
ps. the band does get scholarships but they are small. maybe some of you givers might consider donating to just the band. I have never met the new director but i know Jim did a lot with the very little budget we received. I was told once that the BOP had an operating budget of <$100,000. That is far removed from many of the top tier bands in the country with budgets of over $1,000,000. Bear in mind, that 100k was over 10 years ago when I heard that, but the band did not have a significant enough budget to even consider traveling to away games en masse until after the Poinsettia Bowl debacle.
...ok...I'm done.
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