While at the bowl game last night I had the opportunity to speak with a group of Tulane fans that joined ours to watch and pull for USM. As we watched the bands perform from the stands during the game, the guys in the group that had joined us commented that Tulane needs to get off their butts and do something about getting a band. When we informed them of the hiring of the band director from USC, the purchase of uniforms, etc., they looked at us in disbelief. They asked if we were joking! Then the subject of Tulane needing a new stadium of the own came up. We informed them of the issue being explored and they shut us down completely, refusing to believe anything we were saying regarding the direction of the program. They preferred to live in ignorance and denial. No wonder Tulane is having such trouble attracting new fans.

Not to defend them, but this attitude comes from 50 years lukewarm, at best, support from the university administration.

As much as we hated Cowen because of the review, it seems to me that he has come around to realize that, if you're going to have athletics, you need to give it support. And, if you do, you at least give it a chance to be successful. The band, the major Turchin renovation, the realistic chance of renovating Fogelman, football stadium talk, etc. are all signs of support from the Administration.

The "fans" will come around when they see concrete results.

"Concrete results"..no pun intended,

That's interesting. Not all Tulane fans are internet types like us. If I didn't bother with the computer I'd be hard pressed to tell you how I would have found out about the Turchin renovation, or the band, or exploration into a football stadium, etc.

As others have posted, the University has to do a better job getting this kind of info out to the general public so that the "casual fan" like the folks Observer posted about, would actually know about this stuff and might take greater interest in TU Athletics.

Guys like us (i.e. die hards) will seek information, daily. The casual fan (i.e. the ones we need to flesh out the fan base) need to be sought and informed.