UCF joins the Sunbelt for Soccer

[BBcajun]

Does the rest of the world care about college soccer in enough capacity to make it any kind of revenue sport here. I don't think so. Quick, name a famous international soccer player that played in college.

Patrick Mullins from New Orleans, Louisiana. 2-time Hermann Award winner (the Heisman of soccer). Played at Maryland and then enjoyed a nice professional career. One of Boomer's boys....a Jesuit graduate

[Turbine]

P5 money is generated from a country of 350 million where 39% of the population considers football its favorite sport.

Soccer flips the script in a world of 8.5 billion people that consider soccer their favorite sport.

If done right it's only a matter of time before International soccer TV market revenue dwarfs what the P5 is generating today from the US market.

[CajunT]

It isn’t Joe Fans job to create a system where these kind of opportunities can flourish. That’s what we pay the Admin and Athletic staff for.



That’s like saying anyone that hasn’t coached football at the D1 level can have a reasonable open about football at the D1 level.

It is our job as supporters to say what we would support and open our wallets when the opportunity presents itself. It’s only a pipe dream to those that don’t want the program to start. Hardly an impossibility.

Fan boards give everyone the opportunity to express their ideas on athletics and what they would like to see happen.You have the freedom to throw any idea at the wall and other fans can decide if they think it's realistic, or even doable. But, if you want to be taken seriously, then be ready to present more than just an idea. I disagree with the premise, that's it's their job to "Create a System" to facilitate your ideas and make them happen. If that were the case, you would get a vote on how RCAF funds are spent. You don't get a vote, but you can designate your donation to a specific fund.

I'm sure you have heard of the term, SEED MONEY. Nothing gets done without it, and anytime there was a specific project a coach or supporter wanted to see happen, it began with seed money. They, (the athletic administration) did not provide seed money and until someone actually provided it and only then were they willing to sit down and consider the project, and or idea.

I stood on the sideline with the man that started the Supplement Fund at UL. After watching McNeese State kick our butts at Cajun Field, with larger and stronger athletes, he decided to start asking questions. He was told UL the Cajun Football program was one of two in the FBS that did not have supplements for it's athletes, the other was ULM.

He decided he would start the fund and help the athletic department pay for these products. Of course the AD at the time said RCAF was in its infancy and there was no account for it. So, until the fund was created, he and the football coach got the approval to purchase the supplements and they were paid for monthly out of the football office.

I became one of 6 to 8 people that were given a list of supporters to call and help raise money. That money was collected monthly, or quarterly; whichever was best for the donor. But, his initial seed money is what began the account and the rest of us joined his team of fundraisers. The Supplement Fund was eventually added to RCAF after it was shown it could be done.

If you want to be taken seriously and not just be another person making demands, put together a group of like minded supporters and show them you are serious. Ideas are a dime a dozen, but to make them happen you must be prepared to see it through. You are a business man, you needed a business plan to supplement your idea to start it. You didn't just hand an idea to someone and say go start my business.

Now, I didn't say it was impossible to start a soccer program at UL. I did say given our current financial state it's not feasible or logical. If you are selling that ideal, it's not my job to come up with a business model that is realistic and plausible, it's your job.

[Turbine]

The prudent thing to do would be to form an exploritory committee.

Who knows a philanthropic desperate soccer fan might live right here in Acadiana.

There are some 140,000 Louisiana residents of Hispanic decent, I can't find how many are recent immigrants.

Who knows the exploritory committee may find that Louisiana Men's Soccer already has a Futbol hungry audience just waiting for a product.

[CAJUNJUDO]

Speaking of Hispanics, my son played in his middle school playoff game at Moore Park last month. After his game was over he wanted to stick around and watch the girls team from his school. As that game was going on about 30-35 Hispanic soccer players begin to trickle onto the adjacent field dressed in full uniform. As they were warming up, they had multiple players doing soccer tricks that I had never seen before along with trapping the ball on a dime at will from 50+ yards. There was one group of 5 players that I watched for over 10 minutes as they were in a circle juggling the ball doing every trick I’ve ever learned along with a few others with ease. They all touched the ball over 100 times without it touching the ground numerous times. I was very, very impressed! After the girls game finished my son asked if these guys were going to play a game. I wasn’t sure but had assumed so. After shagging a couple balls he asked one of the players and he said they would be starting in a few minutes. Before we could make it to a very small set of bleachers, this referee pops onto the field and they begin. My son was so excited. I was too. I even sent a video to my wife. We watched for about 20 minutes and walked away very impressed. The players seemed to be early twenties to mid 40’s. They all had great footwork, quickness, and skill.

I’ve been involved with soccer for over 30 years, played select on the Atlantic coast and Michigan before completing my high school career in Louisiana. I’ve also done a couple stints in an adult league, and now coach both my son and daughter teams - over 7 years and still counting.

I don’t know when these guys play or if possibly some were in college, but I’d definitely pay money to watch a few of their games.

[Duggie35]

Eventually Soccer television rights will dwarf what P5 football gets today.

Time to establish a foothold.

Turbine,
If that ever happens, everyone posting on this site now will be dead and gone long before then!

[JamesTheJeweler]

Speaking of Hispanics, my son played in his middle school playoff game at Moore Park last month. After his game was over he wanted to stick around and watch the girls team from his school. As that game was going on about 30-35 Hispanic soccer players begin to trickle onto the adjacent field dressed in full uniform. As they were warming up, they had multiple players doing soccer tricks that I had never seen before along with trapping the ball on a dime at will from 50+ yards. There was one group of 5 players that I watched for over 10 minutes as they were in a circle juggling the ball doing every trick I’ve ever learned along with a few others with ease. They all touched the ball over 100 times without it touching the ground numerous times. I was very, very impressed! After the girls game finished my son asked if these guys were going to play a game. I wasn’t sure but had assumed so. After shagging a couple balls he asked one of the players and he said they would be starting in a few minutes. Before we could make it to a very small set of bleachers, this referee pops onto the field and they begin. My son was so excited. I was too. I even sent a video to my wife. We watched for about 20 minutes and walked away very impressed. The players seemed to be early twenties to mid 40’s. They all had great footwork, quickness, and skill.

I’ve been involved with soccer for over 30 years, played select on the Atlantic coast and Michigan before completing my high school career in Louisiana. I’ve also done a couple stints in an adult league, and now coach both my son and daughter teams - over 7 years and still counting.

I don’t know when these guys play or if possibly some were in college, but I’d definitely pay money to watch a few of their games.

They play at Acadiana Park every Sunday

[CAJUNJUDO]

They play at Acadiana Park every Sunday

Cool, thanks! Do you know about what time? I may try to catch a game after a round of frisbee golf one day.

[Cajunrunner]

Eventually Soccer television rights will dwarf what P5 football gets today.

Time to establish a foothold.

When? By 2095?

Or when a bunch of politicians outlaw American football?

[CajunVic]

Eventually Soccer television rights will dwarf what P5 football gets today.

Time to establish a foothold.

This is just silly posting . . .

[Crawfish]

I am sold! Put it on the list of priorities!

Priority # 1 30 million more for the football stadium.
Priority # 2 10 million for the baseball locker rooms.
...
Priority # 10 Tear down the Cox building and build the Athletic Quad, 4 Million.
...
Priority # 110 Raise 4 million to fund another women's sport for title 9 compliance (see priority # 111)
Priority # 111 Start Men's Soccer with another cool 4 million.

A hundred million or so should get the ball rolling. Start those bake sales!

[Turbine]

LOL

Crawfish you are the best.