In the past 14 years, attendance for LSU baseball home games has managed to stay near the top of the national rankings, despite some inconsistencies in numbers from season to season. After the most recent lull in attendance figures, first-year coach Paul Mainieri seems to be on his way to raising those numbers. According to LSUsports.net, the Tigers were No. 6 in the nation in attendance in 1994, No. 3 in 1995 and led in attendance every season from 1996-2005. Since that 1994 season, the Tigers have brought back home three national titles, seven Southeastern Conference West championships and three overall SEC titles to Baton Rouge. But since then LSU’s last national title in 2000, attendance has been somewhat sporadic. LSU’s overall home attendance declined every season from 2000 to 2003. The Tigers had a total home attendance of 154,676 fans in the 2000 National Championship season, compared to only 122,749 fans in 2003. In 2004, when the Tigers finished No. 7 in the College World Series, LSU averaged 4,457 fans per home game, the highest average of the decade. Total and average attendance have declined steadily since that season, and total attendance dipped below 100,000 people in 2006, Smoke Laval’s final season as the Tigers’ head coach. So far this year, Mainieri has revived fan interest in LSU baseball, although not to the levels of the pre-Smoke Laval era. Through 15 home games of Laval’s final season, the Tigers’ total attendance was 32,561, in contrast to the 53,608 fans who came out to watch through the first 15 home games of his inaugural season. Mainieri’s team has averaged 3,019 fans per game in 15 home games this season. However, LSU is coming off a season-low 1,558 actual attendance in the Tigers 6-3 win Mar. 13 against McNeese State University. Junior second baseman Chris Jackson said he has noticed a slight drop-off in attendance in recent years, but that drought seems to be done. “It seems like it was in kind of a decline [in terms of] actual attendance,” Jackson said. “I don’t know why, but it seems like this year the fans are coming back. They’re passionate about our team.” The Tigers’ home park, Alex Box Stadium, has a seating capacity of 7,760, and Jackson said at times, that total can at times feel like much more. “Even though we can only fit 7,500 people in the stands, they make it feel sometimes like it’s 40 or 50 thousand people,” he said. “It’s a good feeling to come to a school that has such passionate fans like that.” While actual attendance has shifted up and down this decade, season ticket numbers have remained consistent since 2001. LSU has averaged 6,499 season tickets sold in that time period, with the high total being 6,610 in 2003. Season ticket sales have increasedfrom 6,486 in 2006 to 6,520 in Mainieri’s first season. Senior pitcher Clay Dirks said Mainieri has played a major factor in ticket increases. “It’s definitely possible with the new coaching staff and new era of LSU baseball,” Dirks said. “It might be that people just lost interest and are now ready to come back for whatever reason.” Jackson said he thinks Mainieri’s personality and approachable attitude are factors as to why attendance has increased from last season to this season. “Coach Mainieri really gets out there and does a lot of good things with the fans and the community,” he said. “He takes time to sign to autographs before the games, and he does a great job of that.” If the Tigers stay on average for the remaining 12 home games this season, LSU will finish with a total attendance of 81,513 fans, almost 17,000 fewer than this past season. Dirks said he expects attendance to rise even more once conference play kicks into full gear. He also said with all the season tickets that have been sold, Alex Box Stadium should be more compact than it has been. “We need to do better,” he said. “I realize that the season tickets are sold, [and] season ticket numbers are up. Where are [the season ticket holders]? I realize all the seats in the grandstand are accounted for, but it hasn’t been filled up yet. We want them to come out.” Dirks said he appreciates the support fans have given the baseball program since he has come to LSU but realizes that baseball support will never reach the level of some other sports. “When we won the SEC outright, we got acknowledged on the field at Tiger Stadium,” Dirks said. “That was an experience. A third of the stadium was probably getting something to drink or using the restroom, but it was still unreal how loud it was. You try to compare what we have to football. You can’t really compare.”
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