When will things be sweet?

[DestinCajun]

I agree 100% with the Troy statement.

Do they hold summer camps for athletic department personnel?

Oh yes, and Okie St football better have their jox on snugly come Sept.

[Clutch0364]

Good grief you really don't know me if you think I like to push peoples buttons. I'm just shocked that we are second to last in the nation. How did we afford the indoor practice facility? I did do a google search but couldn't find anything to back up what you said. Since you seem to be in the know, why is it so underfunded? How could little ole Troy be passing us up? I hope you game at the Tigue isn't rained out and the Cajuns win.

STUDENT FEES!!! That is why!!! We are not allowed to collect student fees from athletics. Schools like FAU and FIU collect lots of money from student fees. The bottom 3 athletic budgets in 1a are LA Tech, UL, and ULM.

[Zeebart21]

STUDENT FEES!!! That is why!!! We are not allowed to collect student fees from athletics. Schools like FAU and FIU collect lots of money from student fees. The bottom 3 athletic budgets in 1a are LA Tech, UL, and ULM.

Thats definitely 1 reason.

Z.

[RCAJUN90]

STUDENT FEES!!! That is why!!! We are not allowed to collect student fees from athletics. Schools like FAU and FIU collect lots of money from student fees. The bottom 3 athletic budgets in 1a are LA Tech, UL, and ULM.

Assuming it is some sort of state law that affects all the schools in LA why can't it be changed?

[Pirogue]

Assuming it is some sort of state law that affects all the schools in LA why can't it be changed?

It is a state law, and it's a very importanat one... otherwise universities [other than the flagship] would try to improve their athletic programs, facilities etc.

This would NOT be in the best interest of LSU. And since they have the TAF... it doesn't hurt them so much.

[CajunGuru]

Assuming it is some sort of state law that affects all the schools in LA why can't it be changed?

I ran across revenue reports to the NCAA for the year 2004-05 as reported by the Indianapolis Star. For some reason Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee State did were not included in the report. I categorized the type of revenue (except for a small amount of miscellaneous) and below is what I found. Since this board does not lend itself well to spreadsheets I'll take each category separately and comment on them. I couldn't separate the football revenue because many schools do not designate revenue for a particular sport.I also included member Western Kentucky who will not begin conference play until 2008.All figures are in $millions.

Ticket Sales
Western Kentucky 1.307
UL-Lafayette .944
Troy .641
North Texas .421
UL-Monroe .333
Florida Atlantic .317
Florida International .164

Student Fees
Florida International 10.757
Florida Atlantic 6.527
North Texas 4.316
Western Kentucky 4.238
Troy .475
UL-Lafayette 0
UL-Monroe 0

Guarantees
UL-Monroe 1.630
North Texas 1.241
Troy 1.234
UL-Lafayette .926
Florida Atlantic .436
Florida International .296
Western Kentucky .281

Contributions
North Texas 2.610
Troy 2.109
UL-Lafayette 1.497
Western Kentucky 1.132
Florida International 1.004
UL-Monroe .995
Florida Atlantic .949

Institutional Support
Troy 6.128
Western Kentucky 5.810
Florida Atlantic 4.927
UL-Lafayette 3.233
UL-Monroe 2.903
Florida International 1.374
North Texas 0


Media
North Texas 1.191
Florida Atlantic .657
Troy .579
Western Kentucky .541
UL-Lafayette .486
UL-Monroe .471
Florida International .459

Advertising
Western Kentucky .593
Florida Atlantic .467
Troy .358
North Texas .346
Florida International .211
UL-Monroe .144
UL-Lafayette .101

Concessions, Programs, Parking
North Texas .214
UL-Lafayette .145
Western Kentucky .133
Troy .108
Florida Atlantic .072
Florida International .027
UL-Monroe .025

Total Revenue
Western Kentucky 14.578
Florida Atlantic 14.455
Florida International 14.431
Troy 11.976
North Texas 10.643
UL-Lafayette 7.622
UL-Monroe 6.652

[RCAJUN90]

I ran across revenue reports to the NCAA for the year 2004-05 as reported by the Indianapolis Star. For some reason Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee State did were not included in the report. I categorized the type of revenue (except for a small amount of miscellaneous) and below is what I found. Since this board does not lend itself well to spreadsheets I'll take each category separately and comment on them. I couldn't separate the football revenue because many schools do not designate revenue for a particular sport.I also included member Western Kentucky who will not begin conference play until 2008.All figures are in $millions.

Thank you for the information. It seems we are getting a far share of donations. Student fees would be a big boost for us. Since we can't do it directly I wonder if there is a round about way of doing it like a sales tax on books sold in the bookstore that would go to the sports program? We could take a page from ULM and make some type of money and attendance game with a BCS Texas school in Houston or a BCS Mississippi or Bama school in the Superdome each year. It just seems so hopeless although winning would increase the revenue....I don't know...thanks for the information again but now I'm bummed.

[Kal]

Thank you for the information. It seems we are getting a far share of donations. Student fees would be a big boost for us. Since we can't do it directly I wonder if there is a round about way of doing it like a sales tax on books sold in the bookstore that would go to the sports program? We could take a page from ULM and make some type of money and attendance game with a BCS Texas school in Houston or a BCS Mississippi or Bama school in the Superdome each year. It just seems so hopeless although winning would increase the revenue....I don't know...thanks for the information again but now I'm bummed.

NOOOOOO WAY! Books are way too expensive as it is. There are other ways to raise revenue. Such as allowing students the option of purchasing an all sports pass for a year for 30 dollars. (as opposed to being free). It could be an optional fee assessed on their fee bill once a year. They can either accept it or decline it. Some new and exciting businesses are and have been moving into Lafayette over the past few years. The luxury suites on the student side of Cajun Field is a project that has been discussed or is in the possible planning stage. That's a great source of revenue. Another possibility would be renting out indoor practice facility time to high schools. There are endless possibilities to raise more revenue.

[CajunGuru]

NOOOOOO WAY! Books are way too expensive as it is. There are other ways to raise revenue. Such as allowing students the option of purchasing an all sports pass for a year for 30 dollars. (as opposed to being free). It could be an optional fee assessed on their fee bill once a year. They can either accept it or decline it. Some new and exciting businesses are and have been moving into Lafayette over the past few years. The luxury suites on the student side of Cajun Field is a project that has been discussed or is in the possible planning stage. That's a great source of revenue. Another possibility would be renting out indoor practice facility time to high schools. There are endless possibilities to raise more revenue.

I don't think the only option is to raise student fees, but it is part of the equation. Student Fees,Season tickets,tailgate spots and parking for a third area at Cajun field.If Alumnus and students want a better athletic program, then it's time to pay the price.Every other SunBelt program has student fees and the cost per semester to attend UL is cheaper then any other program,the exception is ULM.We all have to pay,or this program is going nowhere.

[CajunProud]

CajunGuru, RCAJUN90

This is exactly the kind of discussion that I was hoping for when I started this thread.

All the ideas for raising revenue I have seen so far are excellent. The questions are, how do we get these ideas to the people who can get them implemented? How can we make sure that those people are held accountable to us, the alum, when the ideas aren't implemented? How do we make sure that the programs are implemented, (and here is that magical, mystical word)........."SOON"?

I know that Gerald Hebert is one person to contact, but he can only do so much. Has a group of powerful alum ever requested, even demanded a meeting with Dr. Authement? Maybe this is one approach.

Keep the ideas coming.

[Clutch0364]

The one thing I would like to see is a lot more student involvement because if they see and know why things are being done they/we will get more excited about what is going on...it just seems like information does not get out to the students/the public enough.
They have a few students on here who contribute a lot to the site and who do a lot for the school but for the future of the program more students need to get involved. One thing I have always wanted to do is get a fan group started among the students for all sports (we would all get tshirts and be the leaders of cheers at games...maybe even have a member fee to help contribute to cost of shirts and to contribute to the athletic department) but I simply do not have the time with a fulltime job and school to organize it...so if any student on here reads this and would like to see something like this done like I would please organize something. I would be willing to do all I can to help! The one thing you see at all schools is if the students organize and get excited about something, it leads to the community becoming more excited about what is going on.

[IHateLaState]

A fixable problem, Yes...but it takes time and people with big goals.

Ok I've been flamed for being so "negative" and not doing enough.... I mentioned last week I have 4 Season Tickets to Baseball, Basketball and Football.. Thats what i do.... Others have pointed out that there are those in position who have the responsibility for raising funds and thus the budget.. some have even come up with tremendous ideas... The Tabasco Ragin Cajun Stadium... nice ring...

But you say be patient... ok.. how long??? I've been a fan for 40+ years.... There was a time when I thought we had those people with plans and goals.... But here we sit.. 2nd lowest budget in the country someone said.... I just dont get it....

so when will we have a new AD??

being patient here... just wondering??