Finally...a glimpse of how it all went down -- a GREAT read

[glm47]

You're right. No one cares about us. We have to take care of ourselves. Since Football and Basketball attendance is down at LA Tech, I think Tech officials should be doing a better job of embracing the Shreveport and Monroe area "markets" with both, a short and long term advertising.marketing blitz. Specifically, here's the recipe for Tech to revive its' athletic fortunes quickly:

Three ways to do that are,

1) Fire Skip Holtz, because he's a HUGE part of the football attendance problem. Send Skip packing at the end of this season, and thank him for his 9-years of service. But it's time for a change, at LA Tech. Move on. No regrets.

2) Blitz the Shreveport and Monroe markets with billboard, periodical, TV and radio advertising. FORCE our head coaches to seek and be interviewed regularly by local print, radio and TV media representatives. This should be happening anyway, but it's not.

3) Play a multi-game football series (say 5 years, minimum) in Shreveport's Independence Stadium. It doesn't matter who the games are against, just get it done. Tech hasn't played a regular season football game at Independence Stadium since losing 59-57 to Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M in 2012. That was fun wasn't it? I can't believe Tech hasn't played a regular season football game there since. Oh, and schedule ULM too. That's right. It's time to get aggressive, and claim what's ours. That means we're claiming Shreveport AND Monroe! Besides, now that ULM is supposedly in the "superior" conference, it will be fun to send the Sunbelt an OOC loss every year by beating the Indians.

LA Tech needs to let these 2 north Louisiana markets know just how important they are to LA Tech University. They are everything to Tech. We draw most of our students from these two communities, and more LA Tech alumni live in these two communities than in any other community in the WORLD! Investing back into these two communities is SMART BUSINESS, for LA Tech. And any LA Tech officials that don't like it should STFU, and just get these 3 things done ASAP.

It's time for things to change.

We’ve tried Shreveport. They would rather have their heads up LSU’s ass though LSU does nothing for Shreveport. They look down on Tech. Screw Shreveport.

[inudesu]

Yes, maybe having one foot out the door is just business, but your conference is never attractive to anyone when they know most members want to leave first chance they get. You are not going to turn yourself into a desirable conference with that approach. Do you want this conference to be known just as a place holder stepping stone?

I think we need to be looking at some other schools for possible expansion and/or member replacement, stay where we are at right now, but have another date waiting. We need to be able to offer them some stability, a revolving door does not do it, at least not for me anyway. All members constantly expressing that they cannot wait to get out of this conference all the time just does not encourage much camaraderie.

I just don't think it matters. The leadership of these new schools isn't stupid (well, maybe one school excepted). They're not joining CUSA because they think we're going to all be together for the next 40 years. NMSU is joining because they need a conference. This whole thing was a Godsend for them. The FCS schools are joining because it's a path to FBS (a path that they're concerned may be closing). Liberty wants a shot at bowls and trophies and all the rest.

And if any of us leave, chances are a replacement school won't be joining for our giant tv contract or because of long term rivalries or potential rivalries. And stability won't be much of a factor either. It'll be because CUSA is a path to FBS (for FCS schools) or a better than independent option for the current FBS independents.

I don't like the conference less because everyone would be willing to leave. It's just the situation we're all in.

It probably would have been better for WKU to not say it aloud, but it doesn't bother me that they did. Stability won't help this conference (even if it were possible).

[Bone_afide_Dawg]

In addition to all the valid marketing stuff, Tech needs to do some fan friendly basics too beginning with getting into the real world regarding its football parking and ticket price packages. It’s far past time to quit trying to squeeze out every penny of the general fans. Overpricing a poor product ain’t working. We need people in the seats and hopefully they’ll be cheering for the team and not booing the coach.

[techman05]

Pretty confident we couldn’t give away tickets for people to watch the current product. I don’t remember ticket prices being that big of an issue when we were running high octane with Sonny. Was it discussed here?

[HogDawg]

We’ve tried Shreveport. They would rather have their heads up LSU’s ass though LSU does nothing for Shreveport. They look down on Tech. Screw Shreveport.

So you're suggesting we give up? I'm not being antagonistic. "Giving up" is always an option, and it sounds like that's what you're recommending? Tech just lost a chance to move to the AAC and was left stranded AGAIN because we supposedly don't have a "MARKET". Even you have to agree with that. So, if we don't pull "market" numbers from Shreveport-Bossier and Monroe, where will we pull them from?

Regardless of future conference opportunities, LA Tech needs to invest in these two communities because that's where the largest number of potential fans, students and supporters will come form. Like it or not, these two communities are home to more people with LA Tech ties than any community in the world.

[DawgyNWindow]

So you're suggesting we give up? I'm not being antagonistic. "Giving up" is always an option, and it sounds like that's what you're recommending? Tech just lost a chance to move to the AAC and was left stranded AGAIN because we supposedly don't have a "MARKET". Even you have to agree with that. So, if we don't pull "market" numbers from Shreveport-Bossier and Monroe, where will we pull them from?

Regardless of future conference opportunities, LA Tech needs to invest in these two communities because that's where the largest number of potential fans, students and supporters will come form. Like it or not, these two communities are home to more people with LA Tech ties than any community in the world.

This is a drop the mic post!

If market size is the biggest factor to success, Ruston's population of 20,000+ just won't do it. We have the smallest market in the new CUSA if that is the case and may end up being the entirety of CUSA in the next shuffle.

We have to get the fans we had back, whatever that takes, then expand our footprint. If I was an expert in marketing I would suggest ways to do it, but since I am not I would think we should hire someone who can.

We had a close call this year with ULM almost becoming a viable football team. WE have to gain that market too.

[HogDawg]

This is a drop the mic post!

If market size is the biggest factor to success, Ruston's population of 20,000+ just won't do it. We have the smallest market in the new CUSA if that is the case and may end up being the entirety of CUSA in the next shuffle.

We have to get the fans we had back, whatever that takes, then expand our footprint. If I was an expert in marketing I would suggest ways to do it, but since I am not I would think we should hire someone who can.

We had a close call this year with ULM almost becoming a viable football team. We have to gain that market too.

In all seriousness, I just told you how to do it.

LA Tech has not played a game in Shreveport or Monroe since joining CUSA in 2013. We need to grow our circle of influence, and along with it our student enrollment and our game day fan attendance. With our continued poor coaching, we've watched our own fan base get smaller and smaller every year, until finally, only 3K attended yesterday's game. Where's all the excitement? Maybe having Tech play a "State Fair" Game against different opponents (e.g., Baylor, or SMU, or TCU, etc...) at least once a year in Shreveport will help generate some excitement. Texas & OU still find value in it.

I see people criticize former Tech AD Tommy McClelland all the time. Well, if you want to criticize T-Mac for something legit, criticize him for completely ignoring the north Louisiana markets of Shreveport, Bossier and Monroe for almost a decade. T-Mac's predecessors were smart enough to know that Tech needed the S-B market, so they scheduled games against Grambling (2010) and Texas A&M (2012). And we haven't played there since.

[DallasDog]

What was the official attendance for yesterday’s game?

[Bone_afide_Dawg]

I get all the market stuff and agree that if we could expand our footprint and be the north Louisiana institution then that would be great. Sure advertising is an important part of that, but advertising a winning, conference champion and nationally ranked top 25 program is a snap. I’m not saying anything new, but let’s not let it slip that Tech needs to quit the crap of being good with being OK. If Tech is ever going to get to the promised land of being a seriously good team in a good conference then we’ve got to have a President, AD and coach who start by winning the conference champion and I’m not talking about once every 10 years. I’m talking about 7 in 10 years. Yeah I’m the guy who spurs his horse to, through and beyond the finish line.

[HogDawg]

I get all the market stuff and agree that if we could expand our footprint and be the north Louisiana institution then that would be great. Sure advertising is an important part of that, but advertising a winning, conference champion and nationally ranked top 25 program is a snap. I’m not saying anything new, but let’s not let it slip that Tech needs to quit the crap of being good with being OK. If Tech is ever going to get to the promised land of being a seriously good team in a good conference then we’ve got to have a President, AD and coach who start by winning the conference champion and I’m not talking about once every 10 years. I’m talking about 7 in 10 years. Yeah I’m the guy who spurs his horse to, through and beyond the finish line.

I agree with you. See step #1 in Post #29 in this thread.

1) Fire Skip Holtz, because he's a HUGE part of the football attendance problem. Send Skip packing at the end of this season, and thank him for his 9-years of service. But it's time for a change, at LA Tech. Move on. No regrets.

It no longer matters whether some people think Skip is a "good coach" or not. The fact remains that Skip is a drag on attendance. Most fans don't like him. They are burned out. I don't like him. I was in Homer yesterday, only 35 miles from Ruston, and I didn't even bother to attend the game. Why? Because I literally can't stand his style of play. And I'm literally an inch from never going back until he is replaced.

To make this work, all three steps need to be completed. Only adopting one or two of the steps won't get it done.

[PawDawg]

What was the official attendance for yesterday’s game?

Official (announced) was 14,068. What I saw was less than 7500. Great job Skip, Tommy, and Dr. Guice!

[DallasDog]

That attendance should be viewed as a fireable. Skip Holtz… breaking the fanbases spirit, and the schools pocketbook one game at a time.

[PawDawg]

That attendance should be viewed as a fireable. Skip Holtz… breaking the fanbases spirit, and the schools pocketbook one game at a time.

Actually it goes much higher than the HC in football. The AD gets a pass because he had no clue of what he was getting into. Our president has been watching the decline and going along with it since he rubber stamped an unproven SLC guy who he was told to hire by his political bosses.

[DawgyNWindow]

I get all the market stuff and agree that if we could expand our footprint and be the north Louisiana institution then that would be great. Sure advertising is an important part of that, but advertising a winning, conference champion and nationally ranked top 25 program is a snap. I’m not saying anything new, but let’s not let it slip that Tech needs to quit the crap of being good with being OK. If Tech is ever going to get to the promised land of being a seriously good team in a good conference then we’ve got to have a President, AD and coach who start by winning the conference champion and I’m not talking about once every 10 years. I’m talking about 7 in 10 years. Yeah I’m the guy who spurs his horse to, through and beyond the finish line.

Yep. when you market yourself you have to have an entertaining product. You can't show up just to "compete" or or just sit on a lead and hope everything goes in your favor. You may lose, but you have to entertain those that spent the money and time to show up.

You cannot advertise a gourmet restaurant and have a menu that contains only crackers and water. Your customers may get full (assuming they are willing to eat enough crackers to do so), but they will leave unsatisfied and won't be back.

[DallasDog]

ULS board is not going to replace a president without some major scandal or financial misconduct. Get rid of the problem you can remove and go from there.