UCF joins the Sunbelt for Soccer

[ManAboutTown]

It may or may not be an albatross, but it is difficult to see it being break even from the beginning, and you will still have to add a non-breakeven women's sport or two to match what is spent.

There is little doubt in my mind that Dr Maggard would love to add men's soccer. Where does the money come from is the ultimate question.

You’re right to be concerned about startup costs and the challenges that come with that. I just don’t think it’s cost prohibitive like some seem to. I also think the potential far exceeds the risk.

[Big Buds]

Women’s soccer Drew 2500 people twice last season. A team that hasn’t been very good over the course of its history.

Soccer is the fastest growing sport in America and it’s not particularly close. If you can break even in G5 softball that plays in a mediocre SBC, you can certainly break even playing in a top conference with a good men’s program. Soccer is also not nearly the albatross, budget wise, that football, baseball or MBB is.

And for people asking about donors.. I would definitely change my commitment to support men’s soccer.

Some people will tell you lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the US but that is neither here nor there. I’ve been advocating for a Men’s Soccer team for years and now is the best time to add it!

[CajunRebel]

You’re right to be concerned about startup costs and the challenges that come with that. I just don’t think it’s cost prohibitive like some seem to. I also think the potential far exceeds the risk.

The biggest issue is geography. There are three D1 soccer schools within driving distance of Lafayette: HBU, Incarnate Word, and SMU. If you want to play anyone else you’re buying something like 20-30 plane tickets. And in conference play, every single game would be a plane ride.

It would be brutally expensive — especially if $100 oil is here to stay.

[CajunT]

You’re right to be concerned about startup costs and the challenges that come with that. I just don’t think it’s cost prohibitive like some seem to. I also think the potential far exceeds the risk.

I think there are short term cost and long term potential and risk to measure. I don't believe a program in it's infancy is going to average 2,000 or even a 1,000 fans in attendance. The product won't be very good and outside of SBC programs, higher profile programs will not want to visit Louisiana for that reason. And there will be literally no budget to pay good programs to come to Lafayette.

Secondly, in our current financial environment, the university will not add two additional programs. One must be added for women's sports because of Title 9 compliance. So, a men's program must be dropped and the question is which sport? Soccer has a much larger roster than golf and tennis.

While there is potential long term as you stated, I believe based upon our current financial status of reduced budgets the past two years and projected cuts this year, your expectations are simply not realistic.

[ManAboutTown]

I think there are short term cost and long term potential and risk to measure. I don't believe a program in it's infancy is going to average 2,000 or even a 1,000 fans in attendance. The product won't be very good and outside of SBC programs, higher profile programs will not want to visit Louisiana for that reason. And there will be literally no budget to pay good programs to come to Lafayette.

Secondly, in our current financial environment, the university will not add two additional programs. One must be added for women's sports because of Title 9 compliance. So, a men's program must be dropped and the question is which sport? Soccer has a much larger roster than golf and tennis.

While there is potential long term as you stated, I believe based upon our current financial status of reduced budgets the past two years and projected cuts this year, your expectations are simply not realistic.

1) Don’t need to pay good programs to come to Lafayette with this strength of league.
2) Most sports don’t have 1k in attendance, so I’m not sure why we’re throwing around that number.
3) The product not being good is just an assumption.
4) No reason why we can’t add women’s golf (which has a big undercurrent of support already) and/or Beach Volleyball, another very popular sport here. Cost would be minimal. And yes, we could stand to lose a men’s sport or two.
5) I have no expectations because we aren’t, to my knowledge, pursing SBC membership at this time.
6) While the budget concerns are legit, this state just got an ass load of fed dollars and is about to make a grip on these academic advancements. Also enrollment is up. Also the athletic department is about to get a huge boost in momentum once the football stadium is announced and Marlin is fired. I think we’ll be in good shape.

What we can’t do is do what we’ve always done and be reactive. We need to be proactive on this.

[CajunT]

1) Don’t need to pay good programs to come to Lafayette with this strength of league.
2) Most sports don’t have 1k in attendance, so I’m not sure why we’re throwing around that number.
3) The product not being good is just an assumption.
4) No reason why we can’t add women’s golf (which has a big undercurrent of support already) and/or Beach Volleyball, another very popular sport here. Cost would be minimal. And yes, we could stand to lose a men’s sport or two.
5) I have no expectations because we aren’t, to my knowledge, pursing SBC membership at this time.
6) While the budget concerns are legit, this state just got an ass load of fed dollars and is about to make a grip on these academic advancements. Also enrollment is up. Also the athletic department is about to get a huge boost in momentum once the football stadium is announced and Marlin is fired. I think we’ll be in good shape.

What we can’t do is do what we’ve always done and be reactive. We need to be proactive on this.

Your point of being reactive is a valid one. But, we are reactive because we have had to play catch up for the last decade. Unfortunately, we are still under funded financially budget wise and have yet to renovate the football field.

Unless someone is willing to drop seed money over seven figures, it's just not financially feasible. You can't be proactive with smoke and mirrors, you need actual investments.

[ZoomZoom]

Women’s soccer Drew 2500 people twice last season. A team that hasn’t been very good over the course of its history.

Soccer is the fastest growing sport in America and it’s not particularly close. If you can break even in G5 softball that plays in a mediocre SBC, you can certainly break even playing in a top conference with a good men’s program. Soccer is also not nearly the albatross, budget wise, that football, baseball or MBB is.

And for people asking about donors.. I would definitely change my commitment to support men’s soccer.

Might want to check the box scores. Never drew 2,500 in Lafayette last fall for women’s soccer. 2,373 v LSU is the only thing close. Here’s reality…

Prairie View 477
SLU 511
GAST 102
stAte 179
LR 212
Texas State 223
ULM 168

Just for S&Gs…road games last year:
McNeese 195 (from MSU site)
Miss State 314
Kentucky 341
Tennessee (17) 312
Houston 100
Alcorn 50
Troy 103
South Alabama 150
Coastal 257
GaSo 156
App 257
LR (tournament) 150

And this supposedly after one of our “best” seasons ever.

https://ragincajuns.com/sports/women.../schedule/2021

We do have a club lacrosse team already, seen their trailer. We can’t get the money for Cajun Field at this moment, don’t see a sugar daddy for any start up program. Just a honest observation.

Playing catch up…heck we haven’t come close in WSOC since the program’s inception.

[JMV JustMyView]

1) Don’t need to pay good programs to come to Lafayette with this strength of league.
2) Most sports don’t have 1k in attendance, so I’m not sure why we’re throwing around that number.
3) The product not being good is just an assumption.
4) No reason why we can’t add women’s golf (which has a big undercurrent of support already) and/or Beach Volleyball, another very popular sport here. Cost would be minimal. And yes, we could stand to lose a men’s sport or two.
5) I have no expectations because we aren’t, to my knowledge, pursing SBC membership at this time.
6) While the budget concerns are legit, this state just got an ass load of fed dollars and is about to make a grip on these academic advancements. Also enrollment is up. Also the athletic department is about to get a huge boost in momentum once the football stadium is announced and Marlin is fired. I think we’ll be in good shape.

What we can’t do is do what we’ve always done and be reactive. We need to be proactive on this.

Which men's sports could we drop?

[UL_Cajuns]

I hope people realize how big youth soccer is in this state. There is no Div 1 soccer in Louisiana which is mind boggling. This would be a huge get if we can add a UL men’s soccer team.

LC and LSUA have men’s soccer but they are not D1. Anymore colleges have men’s soccer in LA?

[ZoomZoom]

Men’s soccer is played in the fall, usually on Friday nights or Saturdays. Therein is the biggest hurdle in the south, direct competition with football.

[Policarp]

1st step I'd take.. Make the focus on arranging NIL $ and be aggressive with academic scholarships for players vs school athletic scholarships......as a non athletic scholarship sport you shouldn't have to counter with adding non revenue women's sports additions or dropping other men's scholarship programs.

[CajunGrad16]

I would love to have a men's soccer program.

What men's program do we drop or what women's program(s) do we add and where does the money come from for the new offerings?

The easiest women’s sport to add would probably be women’s golf

[CAJUNJUDO]

With a USL2 league team based in Lafayette it could potentially attract better talent. Can players play for both a university and a semi-pro team now that NIL is not controllable?

[BigGreenTruck]

1) Don’t need to pay good programs to come to Lafayette with this strength of league.
2) Most sports don’t have 1k in attendance, so I’m not sure why we’re throwing around that number.
3) The product not being good is just an assumption.
4) No reason why we can’t add women’s golf (which has a big undercurrent of support already) and/or Beach Volleyball, another very popular sport here. Cost would be minimal. And yes, we could stand to lose a men’s sport or two.
5) I have no expectations because we aren’t, to my knowledge, pursing SBC membership at this time.
6) While the budget concerns are legit, this state just got an ass load of fed dollars and is about to make a grip on these academic advancements. Also enrollment is up. Also the athletic department is about to get a huge boost in momentum once the football stadium is announced and Marlin is fired. I think we’ll be in good shape.

What we can’t do is do what we’ve always done and be reactive. We need to be proactive on this.

1)Yes you do or you could be like FAU last year. FAU hired their coach the same year Marshall got Chris Grassie, The thing is his 1st 4 years he was 17-39-4. Come 2021 FAU started out 6-1-3 and they thought they were decent. Then they had #5 Marshall come to town and lost 3-0 and then lost the next 5 in a row. You can't play 4-6 ranked teams in conference and then play nobodies out.

2)Marshall avged 1300 last year in a stadium that holds 1006. We also had 2474 for Kentucky, 1742 for Akron and 3,033 for WVU.

3)Most schools including DI schools don't take soccer seriously. The avg DI coach makes less than 50K a year at 48.5K. Only 26 schools pay more than 100K, Marshall's Chris Grassie is the highest paid coach at 375,750.

Marshall used to be one of those schools that had soccer just there. From 1994-2012 Marshall played on a soccer field pushed up against Joan C Edwards stadium with maybe 100 temp seats during the season.

Also the last thing the Sun Belt needs is 3-4 programs decide they want to sponsor men's soccer. It would go from the Sun Belt fighting the Big East for the 2nd best conference year in and year out and the ACC on occasion as the best conference to praying to hopefully get 2 in the NCAA. It would be like adding FIU, New Mexico State, UMass and UConn to Sun Belt football.

[ZoomZoom]

1)Yes you do or you could be like FAU last year. FAU hired their coach the same year Marshall got Chris Grassie, The thing is his 1st 4 years he was 17-39-4. Come 2021 FAU started out 6-1-3 and they thought they were decent. Then they had #5 Marshall come to town and lost 3-0 and then lost the next 5 in a row. You can't play 4-6 ranked teams in conference and then play nobodies out.

2)Marshall avged 1300 last year in a stadium that holds 1006. We also had 2474 for Kentucky, 1742 for Akron and 3,033 for WVU.

3)Most schools including DI schools don't take soccer seriously. The avg DI coach makes less than 50K a year at 48.5K. Only 26 schools pay more than 100K, Marshall's Chris Grassie is the highest paid coach at 375,750.

Marshall used to be one of those schools that had soccer just there. From 1994-2012 Marshall played on a soccer field pushed up against Joan C Edwards stadium with maybe 100 temp seats during the season.

Also the last thing the Sun Belt needs is 3-4 programs decide they want to sponsor men's soccer. It would go from the Sun Belt fighting the Big East for the 2nd best conference year in and year out and the ACC on occasion as the best conference to praying to hopefully get 2 in the NCAA. It would be like adding FIU, New Mexico State, UMass and UConn to Sun Belt football.

Seems FAU figured the Herd out in the C-DOA Tournament. The SEC with all that money will probably one day do like they did with softball, get tired of losing to the “little guys” and invest.

Enjoy the moment in the sun, really, enjoy it.

Great attendance numbers, abet inflated with 3 biggies, the year after a NC. Closing out ‘21 with 3 losses including a one and done in the NCAAs and C-DOA Tournaments makes ‘22 attendance numbers something to watch.

https://herdzone.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule/2021