Old School Tiger fans...

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watered down, spoiled, ignorant, educated, less passionate?

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though only by a small percentage.

certainly more spoiled, bandwagonish

more passionate outside the stadium maybe but less inside

I wouldn't say ignorant, just expectations that Jeebus himself couldn't reach sometimes

still Top 5 passionate bases in the country though

I would say the fans today are more ignorant mostly because they became fans with the recent success and don't know much about football in general.

I would also say the fans today tend to be just as passionate, but the stadium atmosphere inside is not mostly because of the TAF and hikes in prices. Big games (Florida, Alabama, etc.) are hyped, but all other games have about 60,000 fans most of which arrive late and leave early. that's the biggest difference I've noticed from past to present.

Fans are worse everywhere. Go to any board of a team that has some history and ask this question. You'll get the same answer. LSU is still the best in the country.

The big difference between now and 25 years ago is level of expectations.

Back then, an 8-4 season would have been considered a a great season.

Now, it's a "total disaster."

While I enjoy being able to expect SEC championships every year and the occasional run at a national title... I find that the expectations of the average fan these days (especially the "casual" ones) to be seriously out of whack.

I also find that there are more "experts" when it comes to playcalling, etc. in our stands than ever before. Do everyone a favor and just shut the hell up with your expert analyses of every down, which are usually no more detailed than "GUH! WHAT THE F*** ARE YOU DOING????!!"

SHUT. THE. HELL. UP.

Thank you.

Just for some comparisons -

Up until the late 90's, bowls did not want LSU because it was widely believed that LSU did not travel well at all.

Up until about 1998, getting as many tickets as you wanted in the lower bowl was simply a matter of calling the LSU ticket office, actually getting someone on the phone, and telling them exactly what you wanted.

Up until the 2000's, we never sold out away gamss (the sole exception being the 1998 Notre Dame game). So, we really earned our reputation as a fan base that did not travel.

Now, what changed all that?

Some say Dinardo started it. Some give all the credit to Saban.

Personally, I think the internet had more to do with it than anything/anyone else. LSU's internet presence is second to none.

Good question - speaking as a '72 grad and a lifelong LSU fan -- Games of the mid 60's and early 70's were characterized with Mac being owned by the Bear, one great upset of Arkansas in '65 or '66, and a whole lot of unrealized expectations. Games were fun, exciting, and lots of passonate fans, tailgates were great, the band stirring, etc. Accomplishments of the past decade has kicked the fun level up a few notches, but older fans (for the most part) were almost as dedicated just less rewarded.

....I find that it was a different socio-economic group of fans. 30 years ago, fans were more blue collar.

Today, fans are more affluent both in education and finances.

30 years ago, fans were more loyal even in bad times.

Today, there are more LSU fans and they are very passionate. You really have to stay one step ahead of them because it's like a frenzy when it comes to tickets for events and games.

30 years ago, LSU fans travelled well to bigger bowl games. Today, they travel well to all bowl games.

30 years ago, expectation levels were pretty low. No one really expected a national title.
Today, the expectations are extremely high.

Two other observations, tailgating was really non-existent 30 years ago. There were no organized tailgating groups. It was done by a few people on a very small scale.

Also, 30 years ago, you could drive up on game day and buy tickets at the ticket booths from LSU. That would be unheard of today.

Just like the society, more arrogant and spoiled.