Lost Opportunity?

[HogDawg]

Ruston's population is 20-25 thousand. We share this fan base with ULM, Tech and Grambling. How many season tickets do you guys really think we can sell? There is a ceiling here and I think we have hit it.

If the folks in Fayetteville were as negative as you, they wouldn't be selling 60K seats per game to Arkansas Razorback games. Fayetteville is not in a highly populated area. I was on the UoA campus yesterday and I was amazed at how similar the UofA campus is to Tech's (save for the stadium and athletic facilities, of course). The surrounding communities are very similar.

HD

[Dawgpix]

If the folks in Fayetteville were as negative as you, they wouldn't be selling 60K seats per game to Arkansas Razorback games. Fayetteville is not in a highly populated area. I was on the UoA campus yesterday and I was amazed at how similar the UofA campus is to Tech's (save for the stadium and athletic facilities, of course). The surrounding communities are very similar.

HD

Yes, Yes, HD.
The two schools ARE very, very similar, except a couple of things . . .. the UofA Law School and the UofA Med School (both located in Little Rock, their other "home" site.)

Oh, and the Waltons (good thing that family donated their millions before the Wal-Mart class action suit is settled.)

Oh, yeah, one more. Fayetteville has Aubrey!

tm

[CARTEK]

Not to piss and moan, but 360,000 call the Fayetteville area (Benton, Madison, McDonald, and Washington counties) home. I'll bet there are fewer than half that many people in Bienville, Claiborne, Jackson, Lincoln, and Union Parishes.

[champion110]

Go for a 100 mile radius around Ruston and compare that to the 100 mile radius around Fayetteville. Do the same for College Station, Texas and Stillwater, OK.

[Tech XXIX]

I think you are missing my point. What I am asking is actually, "Is Louisiana Tech taking advantage of every opportunity it has to grow the season ticket and fan base?"

I have felt every emotion I can about Tech athletics this year. From the high of beating Michigan St. to the low of losing to Tulsa and Rice in football. Miserable games at home for the men's basketball and watching the Lady Techsters drop from the very elite to a very good program. Missing out on Conference USA. You guys know what I am talking about. I have questioned if I want to even be a Tech fan. Now what I want to know is; What is Tech doing to better itself? What are we doing different? Why are we doing the same thing and expecting different outcomes?

I know that we might not sell a single ticket at the Peach festival. But I do know that Tech needs Ruston and by being at the festival, contributing in some way, it might show some other fence sitters that there are good things happening on Tech drive and they should be a part of it. It would also show that Tech athletics does more than take, it gives back, and that is a win-win situation!

[OLDBLUE]

void

[arkstfan]

Lincoln and surronding parishes have a population of 259,738

At Fayetteville, Washington and surronding counties have a population of 401,329.

There is a law school in Little Rock, but it is affiliated with UALR. There is a seperate law school in Fayetteville.

The biggest difference though is that Washington and neighboring counties are the corporate headquarters of Wal-Mart, the nation's largest retailer, Tyson Foods, the nation's largest producer of poultry and beef and second largest producer of pork, and JB Hunt, the largest publicly held truck carrier.

[champion110]

Arkstfan,
Did you include Shreveport, Monroe, and Alexandria in that figure???? That is all within a 100 mile radius.

Shreveport may seem like a good distance from Ruston to those that live in a larger city, but it is jump on I-20 for those in Ruston and is considered as part of the area. That is why we play games there.

[Dawgpix]

Lincoln and surronding parishes have a population of 259,738

At Fayetteville, Washington and surronding counties have a population of 401,329.

There is a law school in Little Rock, but it is affiliated with UALR. There is a seperate law school in Fayetteville.

The biggest difference though is that Washington and neighboring counties are the corporate headquarters of Wal-Mart, the nation's largest retailer, Tyson Foods, the nation's largest producer of poultry and beef and second largest producer of pork, and JB Hunt, the largest publicly held truck carrier.

Hate to split hairs with you, but the law school orginally was affilated with UA-F (like the UA med school) when UA-LR was LRU.
Now, if Jonesboro and A-State were the center of this discussion about comparing towns, we'd have all different statistics and outlooks.
tm

[dawgtired]

If we are talking about exposure... why has Tech never offered to host the entire festival at Aillet Stadium/TAC/Tailgate Alley? You have plenty of room for vendors outside (not to mention alot more parking) and they could also use the TAC for the arts and crafts.

Really, has anyone else been disgusted with the availabilty of the parking downtown and the physical layout of the festival? It would be a much more family friendly environment if it was all in one place. The festival would probably draw more people and Tech would get free exposure... Am I missing something?
More people, better layout, more vendors, more money for Ruston and Lincoln Parish, more exposure for Tech. It's a win-win for everyone.

I know the merchants downtown probably would be inconvenienced by this (i.e. no shopping in the stores...) but that could be overcome by them setting up booths and tents there at the festival site. Seriously, surely I'm not the first person that has ever thought of this... What keeps it from happening?

[TXDAWG81]

I know the merchants downtown probably would be inconvenienced by this (i.e. no shopping in the stores...) but that could be overcome by them setting up booths and tents there at the festival site. Seriously, surely I'm not the first person that has ever thought of this... What keeps it from happening?

See "Merchants Downtown". They ain't setting up booths over at the STAC when they can get the traffic in their stores.

[CARTEK]

Go for a 100 mile radius around Ruston and compare that to the 100 mile radius around Fayetteville. Do the same for College Station, Texas and Stillwater, OK.

We still are low man on the totem pole!

UA would pull in western OK and southern MO...both growing areas!

ATM pulls in a big chunk of Houston.

OSU pulls in OKC.

[gostAte]

Hate to split hairs with you, but the law school orginally was affilated with UA-F (like the UA med school) when UA-LR was LRU.
Now, if Jonesboro and A-State were the center of this discussion about comparing towns, we'd have all different statistics and outlooks.
tm

Jonesboro:

Population (year 2000): 55,515, Est. population in July 2002: 56,888 (+2.5% change)
Males: 26,610 (47.9%), Females: 28,905 (52.1%)

Elevation: 330 feet

Median resident age: 31.8 years

Median household income: $32,196 (year 2000)
Median house value: $87,000 (year 2000)


Ruston:


Population (year 2000): 20,546, Est. population in July 2002: 20,592 (+0.2% change)
Males: 9,896 (48.2%), Females: 10,650 (51.8%)

Elevation: 319 feet

Median resident age: 24.0 years
Median household income: $23,001 (year 2000)
Median house value: $81,000 (year 2000)

Information courtesy of: www.city-data.com

[arkstfan]

Hate to split hairs with you, but the law school orginally was affilated with UA-F (like the UA med school) when UA-LR was LRU.
Now, if Jonesboro and A-State were the center of this discussion about comparing towns, we'd have all different statistics and outlooks.
tm

Split all you like.

The UALR law school was originally an independent school. It was then merged into UA Fayetteville's much older school and Little Rock was a night campus only. Later it was severed from Fayetteville and made part of UALR and became a full campus. Diplomas now read University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

[arkstfan]

Just did surrounding parishes and counties. UA misses a lot of population as well that way. But the gap does close to Tech's favor a bit, especially if you exclude Oklahoma and Missouri populations.

As to ASU, Craighead and surrounding counties is 233,282

One thing that stands out to me. The closest in-state four year college that is publicly supported by the state of Arkansas is 115 miles from UAF and they play in Division II. In ASU's case the nearest are Division II UCA and it's a non-football Division I UALR both at about 130 miles.