McNeese sells out ticket allotment for historic October 16 game at Tiger Stadium

[McNeese75]

Lake Charles, LA- The McNeese State Athletic Department announced today that they have sold out of its 6,000 ticket allotment for the October 16 football game against LSU. "We are excited that our fans have supported us in this endeavor," said Director of Athletics Tommy McClelland. "This is a historic game for McNeese State, Cowboys fans and that state of Louisiana, and we are tremendously grateful to the Cowboy faithful for supporting us."

In addition, the athletic department announced that the MSU ticket office will be taking ticket requests for the game on a first come first served basis, in the event additional tickets become available. Fans are encouraged to call the ticket office at 337.562.4MSU to put their name on the waiting list.

The athletic department also announced that on Wednesday September 8, MSU students will have the opportunity to purchase tickets. 500 tickets have been set aside for MSU students for a one day sale. Currently registered students can come to the ticket office beginning at 8:00 am and must present a valid student ID before purchase. All MSU student ID's must be validated prior to purchase. Students may have their ID cards validated at the bookstore or the ticket office.

2010 football season ticket are on pace to shatter the previous season ticket record set last year. 2010 season tickets just surpassed the 8,000 mark for the third consecutive year with more than six weeks left until the 2010 season opener against the Lamar Cardinals. "A tremendous thank you goes out to the Cowboy faithful again, as they have bought in to the excitement that is Cowboy football," said McClelland. "Our season ticket holders are the life blood for the athletic department, and we appreciate each and every one of them."

[TexasTerror]

Props to McNeese. They most certainly travel well, even for FBS games, as it showed at Louisiana-Lafayette and Tulane in previous years. Keep it up Pokes!

[centexguy]

Props to McNeese. They most certainly travel well, even for FBS games, as it showed at Louisiana-Lafayette and Tulane in previous years. Keep it up Pokes!

I agree. I know McNeese has no interest in going FBS, but if any school in the SLC deserves to be FBS, it's them. They support their football team the old fashioned way...with ticket sales.

[TexasTerror]

I agree. I know McNeese has no interest in going FBS, but if any school in the SLC deserves to be FBS, it's them. They support their football team the old fashioned way...with ticket sales.

Problem is their general lack of funding. If they could get a substantial student fee passed, they could make something of it.

Otherwise, they would be similar to ULL or ULM if they went FBS. May have a sport or two perform well from time to time (ULL in softball, ULM in...well nothing nowadays), but the rest would be relatively 'dead weight'

[msusig]

I think we will have a good year for home game attendance, if the weather cooperates this year. Can't wait to tailgate.

[GeauxLions94]

Problem is their general lack of funding. If they could get a substantial student fee passed, they could make something of it.

Otherwise, they would be similar to ULL or ULM if they went FBS. May have a sport or two perform well from time to time (ULL in softball, ULM in...well nothing nowadays), but the rest would be relatively 'dead weight'

Hey, don't forget about their waterskiing team ... oh wait, that's not a sponsored sport ... carry on xoopsx


The University of Louisiana at Monroe Water Ski Team has been the dominant ski team since the inception of collegiate water ski competition in 1979, capturing 20 National Championship titles over the past 29 years.

[mikebigg]

McNeese travelled relatively well for the game in Grambling... though not to the same extent that we travelled there. However some of the increase in fans at Lake Charles that year were Grambling "fans" who don't travel at all but were simply from the area.

Still Kudos to McNeese because the have a class program. Having said that and not to "hate" on McNeese, poo on LSU. I have been told that their AD for scheduling Verge Ausberry has stated that they will not schedule Grambling or Southern as they have committed to other in-state schools.

Guess who you won't see with LSU gear (not that I wear any other schools gear anyway)...and I hope Nick Saban continues to bust an ankle in their rumps and bust their hearts every year. Roll Tide (and no, I don't like them either)

[TexasTerror]

Still Kudos to McNeese because the have a class program. Having said that and not to "hate" on McNeese, poo on LSU. I have been told that their AD for scheduling Verge Ausberry has stated that they will not schedule Grambling or Southern as they have committed to other in-state schools.

I've heard that neither school wants to schedule LSU in football...and that it was just pretty much going forward that LSU was going to play the other in-state schools with the exception of Grambling, Southern due to their unwillingness to join in.

[mikebigg]

I've heard that neither school wants to schedule LSU in football...and that it was just pretty much going forward that LSU was going to play the other in-state schools with the exception of Grambling, Southern due to their unwillingness to join in.

That's not what I heard... Also, I read in the Advocate a comment made by Stump Mitchell when he came on board as SU's new coach. When asked if he would like to play LSU, he commented (paraphrase): Yes, not in the first year but after McGinty (his redshirt soph qb) has two years as a starter, I would!

[GAD]

Should be a good game, the Pokes might matchup well with the Tigers but the officials not so much

[mikebigg]

Should be a good game, the Pokes might matchup well with the Tigers but the officials not so much

Depth and overall talent will be to LSU's advantage...but I expect McNeese to bring a good effort.

[Redbird Ray]

Judging on attendance, is it a fair to say that McNeese is more popular than ULL in SW Louisiana? It sure seems like ULL would have the advantage by playing in FBS, having more funding, larger enrollment, bigger stadium, larger local population base etc. But it seems like more often than not, McNeese outdraws them from week to week.

If my assessment is reasonably accurate here, then huge props to McNeese and their fans! Tons of competition in Louisiana, and they have a hardcore fanbase. Regardless of the outcome, I hope McNeese fans can put 10K in Tiger Stadium!

BTW, I would love for Illinois State to have a home and home with McNeese State.

[TexasTerror]

Judging on attendance, is it a fair to say that McNeese is more popular than ULL in SW Louisiana? It sure seems like ULL would have the advantage by playing in FBS, having more funding, larger enrollment, bigger stadium, larger local population base etc. But it seems like more often than not, McNeese outdraws them from week to week.

If my assessment is reasonably accurate here, then huge props to McNeese and their fans! Tons of competition in Louisiana, and they have a hardcore fanbase. Regardless of the outcome, I hope McNeese fans can put 10K in Tiger Stadium!

BTW, I would love for Illinois State to have a home and home with McNeese State.

If you look at the biggest attended games in Sun Belt history, they either involve an FCS school or a 'road game'.

The FCS games include contests featuring Grambling (ULM), Southern (ULL) and McNeese (ULL). The 'road games' which constitute the top three involve ULM's games in LITTLE ROCK against Arkansas that were counted as ULM home games!

[Twentysix]

Congrats, rock that Bison style(metrodome takeover) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GNk8EDKFCw&feature=related (If you arent familar NDSU brought 30,000 people to the metrodome for the game)! (Several years ago)

[msusig]

McNeese has torn down and rebuilt a majority of the dorms, added two academic buildings (nursing & Fine Arts), put down artificial turf at the stadium, and currently renovating & adding on to the field house. Hurricane Rita hurt enrollment, but ever since McNeese has been growing. Hopefully the economy improves and the new president will prove to be pro-sports and does things to increase the size of the university.

[Grizzaholic]

Good for you McNeese!

[McNeese75]

Article from the Baton Rouge Advocate

http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/featured/99005664.html?showAll=y&c=y

[CopperCat]

McNeese has some of the best fans in the FCS. They travel well, they have some of the best tailgating food (that's secondhand but I believe it), overall classy people. I would love for McNeese to go into Tiger Stadium and hang one of LSU. Hopefully there will be some coverage of this thing I can catch somewhere, but living in the northwest that might be hard to come by. There's always the gameday thread I suppose.

[AppStsGr8]

Go get 'em, Cowboys! You'll get nothing but admiration from this App fan. The McNeese fans were just fabulous in Boone. I'm looking forward to making the trip to McNeese when App plays there.

[FormerPokeCenter]

Well, the App folks in Boone were just fabulous to us. I can't tell you how many people pulled their cars over to the side of the road as we were walking back to the hotel to offer congratulations and to ask questions about McNeese and Lake Charles. Quite simply, the Boone trip is my favorite college football experience as a fan. It's going to be hard for another program/fan base to impress me like the folks at App State did.

Of course, the scenery in the area is hard to beat, too ;)

[JohnStOnge]

I think that if there WERE any resistance on LSU's part to bringing in Grambling or Southern this experience will probably eliminate it. What they see is that they only have to pay McNeese about $450,000 while they would have to pay a FBS bottom feeder something like $750,000 to $1,000,000. And McNeese sold more tickets than a FBS bottom feeder would. They know that Southern, for sure, would sell as many tickets as they would be willing to provide. Grambling might not do quite as well but would also sell more tickets than a FBS bottom feeder would. Then they could make sure the bands come and promote the bands. It's too good financially to ignore.

A few years ago when I was preparing an article for that I-AA magazine this site was doing I talked to a guy in the LSU athletic Department about I-AA games. LSU was going to play Western Illinois that season. He was talking about how LSU makes more money by scheduling a game like that than it does scheduling a home and home with a school like Virginia Tech. They'd make even more money scheduling Grambling or, especially, Southern.

[AppStsGr8]

We had a few Pokes enjoying some tailgating with us in the stadium lot. When they found out they couldn't take some of their stuff into the stadium, they just threw it in our car and picked it up after the game. While I can't say I liked the final score, I can say without hesitation that the McNeese team and fans were a grand testimony to what college football ought to be - good times before and after, hard fought game on the field, a little good-natured ribbing, and a hearty handshake until the next time. Until next time ... Go Get 'Em, Pokes!