Sun Belt Adding Men's Soccer, League Will Include Two SEC Schools

[R1Letterman]

I'm down for dropping basketball and adding men's soccer

They might reassign Big Fish….. lol Doesnt govt keep most employed when job is downsized? ha.

[RedTails]

I am a massive advocate for adding mens soccer but there is a glaring issue that I know is going prevent Maggard from doing it.

This conference first off, is top notch, extremely talented teams joining it.

Marshall, James Madison, Coastal, West Virginia, and Kentucky have all been ranked in the past 2 years with Marshall winning the national championship in 2020.

Our issue would be travel cost and that’s it. This conference is regionally based on the east coast. It would cost a ton to send our teams out there for every conference away game. Now that wouldn’t be a problem if the mens soccer home games would bring in 10,000 fans every game which they could tbh.

Soccer is a very popular sport down in Louisiana and I believe it could succeed. Just need to convince Maggard.

If we do make a team we would dominate Louisiana and the south. So much hidden talent in this state.

Louisiana has produced two Herman Award winners, which is the equivalent to the Heisman so there is talent. If that talent had a proper D1 team to go to we could get a ton of it.

Great point. Would need some other western SBC teams to start teams to reduce travel costs. I could see how that's a nonstarter.

[CajunT]

I am a massive advocate for adding mens soccer but there is a glaring issue that I know is going prevent Maggard from doing it.

This conference first off, is top notch, extremely talented teams joining it.

Marshall, James Madison, Coastal, West Virginia, and Kentucky have all been ranked in the past 2 years with Marshall winning the national championship in 2020.

Our issue would be travel cost and that’s it. This conference is regionally based on the east coast. It would cost a ton to send our teams out there for every conference away game. Now that wouldn’t be a problem if the mens soccer home games would bring in 10,000 fans every game which they could tbh.

Soccer is a very popular sport down in Louisiana and I believe it could succeed. Just need to convince Maggard.

If we do make a team we would dominate Louisiana and the south. So much hidden talent in this state.

Louisiana has produced two Herman Award winners, which is the equivalent to the Heisman so there is talent. If that talent had a proper D1 team to go to we could get a ton of it.

If you add soccer, which sport do you add for women's sports that is required by Title 9? And how do you fund it and the extra scholars and cost of attendance?

[ZoomZoom]

I really hate saying this, but until the SEC and Big 12 south make men’s soccer a priority, it’s not happening in the south. And then it’s too late for UL. Marshall and Akron are making it while they can.

And I hate to pop the bubble, Louisiana isn’t a hotbed for a lot of national talent. Not even close.

[JoshuaC]

I don’t have all the answers on how it would work but I think it could.

Womens beach volleyball is another sport I’d give a go at. LSU is ranked #5 in it and they’ve been consistently ranked ever since they made the sport.

Beach volleyball is popular in Louisiana and every high school plays girls volleyball so you have people to recruit all over.

It could work here tbh and that’s the sport I’d go with for title 9 purposes to offset the mens soccer scholarships.

[CajunVic]

I don’t have all the answers on how it would work but I think it could.

Womens beach volleyball is another sport I’d give a go at. LSU is ranked #5 in it and they’ve been consistently ranked ever since they made the sport.

Beach volleyball is popular in Louisiana and every high school plays girls volleyball so you have people to recruit all over.

It could work here tbh and that’s the sport I’d go with for title 9 purposes to offset the mens soccer scholarships.

We ought to go with it just for the entertainment value it provides . . .

[CajunT]

I don’t have all the answers on how it would work but I think it could.

Womens beach volleyball is another sport I’d give a go at. LSU is ranked #5 in it and they’ve been consistently ranked ever since they made the sport.

It could work here tbh that’s the sport I’d go with for title 9 purposes to offset the mens soccer scholarships.

I love your enthusiasm and the idea, but saying it could work without an actual plan to get it done doesn't make it plausible. I'm not a person that loves to say we can't do that here at UL, but it all comes down to money.

One way to fund it would be a student athletic fee, but I don't believe the students body would vote for it in light of the NIL, stipend and current student debt. He'll, if I was a student today working my way through college, I wouldn't support it. In today's current events, specific college athletes have become a privilege class.

[RaginCajun309]

We can barely get 25k butts in the seats for a top 25 ranked football team. Soccer attendance would be low low low.

[cjr3888]

If you add soccer, which sport do you add for women's sports that is required by Title 9? And how do you fund it and the extra scholars and cost of attendance?

Side note on adding a women's sport. I've always said the first sport we need to add is beach volleyball. It's an extension of the volleyball program we already have and will help improve the overall volleyball program. The few volleyball people I know use the beach season to prepare for indoor season.

On the men's soccer note, there's no way they will draw 10K a game. I've never played the game in my life but I go to the women's games when I can. We would need a sugar daddy to fund the sport and a women's sport at the same time for it to become a reality.

[CajunT]

Side note on adding a women's sport. I've always said the first sport we need to add is beach volleyball. It's an extension of the volleyball program we already have and will help improve the overall volleyball program. The few volleyball people I know use the beach season to prepare for indoor season.

On the men's soccer note, there's no way they will draw 10K a game. I've never played the game in my life but I go to the women's games when I can. We would need a sugar daddy to fund the sport and a women's sport at the same time for it to become a reality.

LOL! It's funny how Beach Volleyball keeps coming up, but not surprisingly!

[LouisianaB]

Get rid of track.

How many track meets have You gone to?

[LouisianaB]

LOL! It's funny how Beach Volleyball keeps coming up, but not surprisingly!

FYI, College doesn’t wear the traditional beach volleyball attire. Sorry boys