September 2, 2004
TO: Fans, Friends, and Supporters of LSU Athletics
FROM: Skip Bertman, LSU Athletics Director
In just two days, we will raise the curtain on yet another season of LSU Football. It’s time to light the lights in Tiger Stadium for one of the great experiences in all of collegiate athletics.
LSU Football is woven into the culture of South Louisiana. And to everyone who comes to campus on Saturday, it means something different. For some it is a family event. For others it is a hobby. For some it is a religion. For others it is a culinary affair. And still for others it is just a passing fancy.
LSU Football is a very personal experience for many Tiger fans. They look forward to it year around and relish every moment of every fall Saturday. We want you to enjoy the 2004 football season and hope it holds many great memories for you. Enjoy the games, enjoy the tailgating and be safe in your travels.
SPORTSMANSHIP
Allow me to offer my annual reminder to please be courteous to your fellow fans, regardless of whether they wear the purple and gold or, this week, the orange and black. Remember that our visiting fans from other schools contribute to our economy by staying in our hotels and eating in our restaurants. Let’s make them feel welcome everywhere they go. We’ll let the players take care of things on the field.
We estimate there is only one percent of the fans, maybe less, who cause any trouble at LSU events. But one percent of 100,000 fans is still 1,000 people who can ruin the experience for an LSU fan or a visitor.
I hope the other 99 percent will protect our school’s pride. Call LSU Police if you see any trouble. Outside the stadium, you can call (225) 578-3231 to reach the police dispatch. This year we have a new easy-to-remember in-stadium number if you need police assistance: LSU-SAFE. That’s 578-7233.
We’ll be taking large contingents of Tiger fans to Auburn, Georgia, Florida and Arkansas this year. I hope all of our fans will treat our visitors the way we hope to be treated when we travel throughout the SEC.
TRADITION FUND
Thank you to the 45,000 fans who chose to participate in the first year of the Tradition Fund by renewing their season tickets. Your contributions have created over $7.5 million in new revenue for the athletics program, allowing us to make aggressive plans for improving the future of LSU Athletics.
The Tradition Fund has allowed us to team with the Tiger Athletic Foundation to begin renovations to Tiger Stadium and construction of a new Football Operations Center. It has allowed us to begin to paint, clean and refurbish areas of Tiger Stadium, as you will see this weekend.
The Tradition Fund has allowed us to begin renovations to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and to make plans to improve facilities very soon for our softball, baseball and swimming programs. We have needs throughout all of our programs, and the Tradition Fund will allow us to address those needs over the course of the coming years.
With 98 percent of our season ticket holders renewing their seats for this year, I think you’ll find that the Tradition Fund has had little affect on the culture of the stadium. Those fears that a contribution plan would chase off many of our fans were unfounded. The presumption that the boisterous long-time supporters would be replaced by complacent Johnny-come-lately fans proved to be erroneous.
LSU fans are loyal and they recognize the changing landscape of college athletics. Be proud of the improvements you see now and in the future. You are making them happen.
WHO ARE YOU?
As I said above, we have a very diverse collection of fans from all walks of life. But just who is sitting in Tiger Stadium?
Our research tells us that the average season ticket holder attends 6.5 home games per year, owns 3.2 season tickets and tailgates at least six hours before every game. Over three-quarters of our fans have taken kids to a game, nearly 90 percent usually or always tailgate at home games, and one-fifth of all tailgaters don’t even go into the stadium for the game. We welcome them all to the LSU campus.
OLYMPICS
LSU is beaming with pride over the accomplishments of our student-athletes who participated in the recent Summer Olympic Games in Athens.
Derrick Brew (4×400 relay) and Kelly Willie (4×100 relay) brought home gold medals in track for the USA while Derrick also took a bronze in the 400 meters. John Moffitt brought home silver for the USA in the long jump, while Lady Tigers Nadia Davy and Ronetta Smith scored bronze medals in the 4×400 relay for Jamaica.
In all, we had 17 current and former LSU student-athletes who competed in the Summer Olympics for the United States and other countries.
We welcome your comments, so write to us at LSUvision@etigers.net. Although we cannot promise a response to every e-mail we receive, please be assured that every letter will be read. Thank you for your continued support of Tiger Athletics.