How much $ does it take to buy a quality home game?

[ManAboutTown]

One more comment about this. Non conference games are over. It is not the fault of the team or staff that McNeese is so weak this year or that the UNO game was on the night of a Saints game. Team seems to have improved and I know staff is encouraged. We now have several conference games at home coming up. If what we saw in Georgia is any indication, those could be fun. Let's focus on those now and worry about the pre conference schedule after the season. When that time arrives next year, best way to impact that is for you guys with concerns to attend the Pepperdine and Tech games. That may give encouragement that buying a D1 game is worth it. That is for later. Right now, jags are the issue. This has been an informative debate however.

I hear you. I'm excited for the games this week. I'm just asking because I was genuinely curious, and concerned for the long term health of the basketball team.

[Cajunsmike]

I hear you. I'm excited for the games this week. I'm just asking because I was genuinely curious, and concerned for the long term health of the basketball team.

As I said debate was informative and respectful. Hopefully folks now understand the issue more clearly.

[Boomer]

I certainly did not chastise you for that view as mine is the same.

---And mine!!! I don't like the pro baseball but its ok since there is no conflict!!

[CajunT]

Concerning guarantee games:

Each year, coach Marlin is given a figure he's asked to bring in. Usually two guarantee games will cover it. Coach Marlin has the option to bring in a bigger number if there's something special he wants to do. For instance, the trip to Spain a couple of years ago.

The figure he is given that must be brought in goes into the general fund for athletics. Now, to be fair, that is true of football as well. But since the vast percentage of your athletic budget goes to football, it stands to reason most of the guarantee money goes to football as well.



I thought that it was the same for football, but I wanted to hear it from you knowing it come from the direct source involved in the budget. Yes, most of our athletic budget goes to football as is standard procedure at 90% of FBS programs across the country. So just for the record, football's guaranteed money is going to the budget as well, no special treatment. As for the amount of money, it is also true football guarantees bring in more money like this season's trip to Georgia. Basketball guarantees are not close to that total in sum.

To answer another question, while you say our fans understand how nearly impossible it is to get an at large berth, some people on this board still bring that up...which was why I did.

As far as the NIT is concerned, you get an auto berth by winning your regular season in conference. You can go oh-fer in non conference and still get an NIT bid if you win your league.

The at-large bid for the NIT is pretty few and far between for mid-majors. If my memory serves me right, there were three given out last year. The bulk of the NIT goes to high major and nearly high major (Atlantic 10, Missouri VAlley, WCC, etc.) teams and auto qualifiers.

Okay, and I also thought that is the case but I knew you would know more about the NIT then I do. Forget about the fans that are discussing at-large bids to the NCAA or NIT, if they haven't come to the rationalization that its not going to happen playing in the SBC, they won't ever understand. That being said, clearly your body of work during the entire season including conference play matters beyond three games in the SBC Tournament. So post season play is attainable if you win your regular season title or the SBC Tournament. So it doesn't just come down to playing three games with post season options available in the NIT. But you have to win games on the road.

It's very difficult to get into the NIT as a mid major at large nowadays. Since the NCAA took it over, it's been an extension of the NCAA tournament. If you are a mid major from the Sun Belt, you probably need 24+ wins.

I've said more than once the closest thing to the NIT that we remember is the CIT....primarily for mid majors....and I remember when the majority of NIT teams fit in that category. No more.

I appreciate the information Jay and I think you have shed some light on what the deeper concerns are right now for our MBB program. But it still comes down to two main obstacles on the subject of scheduling; 1) Dates available for games in the Cajun Dome 2) Funds.

So this gets back to the statement I made in another thread about conference realignment Jay, the need to re-evaluate our current immediate goals. With our current state budget crisis, we know more cuts are coming to higher education and thus further reducing our transfer to athletics. We have to find ways to increase our athletic budget and that includes asking for a student athletic fee. While I supported the facility plan from day one, our current economic status should change our focus from raising money for the football stadium for a year or two, to raising money to endow our athletic scholarships and funding the stipend without cutting our athletic budget further. I know some people will dismiss my proposal but this is a branding issue. You cannot go out and sell this athletic program to anyone while you are cutting athletics across the board and allowing your MBB program to go under funded while trying to enhance your athletic brand nationally. We've already took a step back in branding with the NCAA football probation and our ongoing cuts to our athletics. We need to be able to compete better and build our MBB program brand, or we are just spinning our wheels. JMO

[Cajunsmike]

Concerning guarantee games:

Each year, coach Marlin is given a figure he's asked to bring in. Usually two guarantee games will cover it. Coach Marlin has the option to bring in a bigger number if there's something special he wants to do. For instance, the trip to Spain a couple of years ago.

The figure he is given that must be brought in goes into the general fund for athletics. Now, to be fair, that is true of football as well. But since the vast percentage of your athletic budget goes to football, it stands to reason most of the guarantee money goes to football as well.



I thought that it was the same for football, but I wanted to hear it from you knowing it come from the direct source involved in the budget. Yes, most of our athletic budget goes to football as is standard procedure at 90% of FBS programs across the country. So just for the record, football's guaranteed money is going to the budget as well, no special treatment. As for the amount of money, it is also true football guarantees bring in more money like this season's trip to Georgia. Basketball guarantees are not close to that total in sum.

To answer another question, while you say our fans understand how nearly impossible it is to get an at large berth, some people on this board still bring that up...which was why I did.

As far as the NIT is concerned, you get an auto berth by winning your regular season in conference. You can go oh-fer in non conference and still get an NIT bid if you win your league.

The at-large bid for the NIT is pretty few and far between for mid-majors. If my memory serves me right, there were three given out last year. The bulk of the NIT goes to high major and nearly high major (Atlantic 10, Missouri VAlley, WCC, etc.) teams and auto qualifiers.

Okay, and I also thought that is the case but I knew you would know more about the NIT then I do. Forget about the fans that are discussing at-large bids to the NCAA or NIT, if they haven't come to the rationalization that its not going to happen playing in the SBC, they won't ever understand. That being said, clearly your body of work during the entire season including conference play matters beyond three games in the SBC Tournament. So post season play is attainable if you win your regular season title or the SBC Tournament. So it doesn't just come down to playing three games with post season options available in the NIT. But you have to win games on the road.

It's very difficult to get into the NIT as a mid major at large nowadays. Since the NCAA took it over, it's been an extension of the NCAA tournament. If you are a mid major from the Sun Belt, you probably need 24+ wins.

I've said more than once the closest thing to the NIT that we remember is the CIT....primarily for mid majors....and I remember when the majority of NIT teams fit in that category. No more.

I appreciate the information Jay and I think you have shed some light on what the deeper concerns are right now for our MBB program. But it still comes down to two main obstacles on the subject of scheduling; 1) Dates available for games in the Cajun Dome 2) Funds.

So this gets back to the statement I made in another thread about conference realignment Jay, the need to re-evaluate our current immediate goals. With our current state budget crisis, we know more cuts are coming to higher education and thus further reducing our transfer to athletics. We have to find ways to increase our athletic budget and that includes asking for a student athletic fee. While I supported the facility plan from day one, our current economic status should change our focus from raising money for the football stadium for a year or two, to raising money to endow our athletic scholarships and funding the stipend without cutting our athletic budget further. I know some people will dismiss my proposal but this is a branding issue. You cannot go out and sell this athletic program to anyone while you are cutting athletics across the board and allowing your MBB program to go under funded while trying to enhance your athletic brand nationally. We've already took a step back in branding with the NCAA football probation and our ongoing cuts to our athletics. We need to be able to compete better and build our MBB program brand, or we are just spinning our wheels. JMO

I agree with Cajun T's idea of delaying the stadium to endow all scholarships and funding the stipend. As far as basketball is concerned, Cajun Express suggested earlier to play an extra money game and buy one with those funds. Well they played an extra one this year as they normally play two but played three this year. The budget situation did not allow them to buy that one home game against another D1 opponent. As far as the RCAF is concerned, many of those regular dollars go to fund coaches salaries and construction and not necessarily the general budget.

[BirdofParadise]

I told Bob if I had won the big Powerball I would give him 70 mil to build a basketball facility.

Damn the luck.......

That Cajundome situation in my opinion is a big albatross for the success of this program.

In how many facilities around the country can a team not get in its own arena to practice.

Monday was the first time since Jan. 2 that they were in the Dome.

[VObserver]

I told Bob if I had won the big Powerball I would give him 70 mil to build a basketball facility.

Damn the luck.......

That Cajundome situation in my opinion is a big albatross for the success of this program.

In how many facilities around the country can a team not get in its own arena to practice.

Monday was the first time since Jan. 2 that they were in the Dome.

Thank Dr. Authemont for that. Pinching pennies as usual and giving the city control over the dome.

[BirdofParadise]

Thank Dr. Authemont for that. Pinching pennies as usual and giving the city control over the dome.

Blame matters not to me. It was decided the Cajundome would be a multi purpose facility. It is what it is.

[ManAboutTown]

I told Bob if I had won the big Powerball I would give him 70 mil to build a basketball facility.

Damn the luck.......

That Cajundome situation in my opinion is a big albatross for the success of this program.

In how many facilities around the country can a team not get in its own arena to practice.

Monday was the first time since Jan. 2 that they were in the Dome.

If the CajunDome is this much of an issue, there is no reason to look further. This has got to be dealt with, for better or worse. I've heard bits and pieces over the last few years about the Dome being a problem, but never to the depths that we've discussed here today. It is remarkable that more folks don't know, realize or shed light on this. I wonder if that's on purpose? At any rate, seems like the investment in basketball just isn't worth what it used to be, or treasured by folks in this area like it used to be.

Is anyone talking about this besides us??

[Cajunsmike]

If the CajunDome is this much of an issue, there is no reason to look further. This has got to be dealt with, for better or worse. I've heard bits and pieces over the last few years about the Dome being a problem, but never to the depths that we've discussed here today. It is remarkable that more folks don't know, realize or shed light on this. I wonder if that's on purpose? At any rate, seems like the investment in basketball just isn't worth what it used to be, or treasured by folks in this area like it used to be.

Is anyone talking about this besides us??

Yes, there are other folks looking into the facility issue. They include people on the staff and the administration. However, I know little of what the brainstorming has come up with and am fairly certain that the Dome will continue to be our home for quite awhile.

[IberiaCajun]

Well, if scheduling basketball games at the dome is such an issue (and I don't doubt that it is), Bob should consider using Blackham for an OOC game or two each year if that makes scheduling easier. At least, it would give us more flexibility in scheduling. The atmosphere for the Evansville game last year was pretty good.

[MelRock]

Again Blackham Coliseum is going away, it is the future site of the Heymann Performing Arts Center. The Cajundome charges $10K to move the floor to Blackham.