Louisiana adds Lamar to 2026 football schedule

[Turbine]

your bait and switch is identified on its face . . . you know well thats not what I said . . . I thought the presidential election was over . . .

Well at what point are you saying it becomes "a true negatator which eventually is not recoverable financially" ?

[CAJUNSby90]

If the P4 get the contract they are expecting $3 million payouts will be the norm.

This year Texas paid UTSA $1.7 mil
Auburn paid New Mexico $1.9 mil

Lots of other examples.

Nebraska craves home games because thy all sell out, but they also want quality opponents.

With Louisiana having been ranked for two of the last 4 years possible 3 of the last 5 if they win out, negotiating value has never been higher.

One away game for 3 home games is something a school like Nebraska would jump at.

Two pay, one no pay.

Texas and Auburn arent returning the trip to the other schools. We do a 3-1 with Nebraska we arent getting paid for their 3 home games. So then we better hope we make GREAT money for that one home game otherwise its a colossal failure.

[Turbine]

Texas and Auburn arent returning the trip to the other schools. We do a 3-1 with Nebraska we arent getting paid for their 3 home games. So then we better hope we make GREAT money for that one home game otherwise its a colossal failure.

The value is in the package deal.

I have said repeatedly "2 games" for an appearance fee.

Louisiana would go for free for the third game.

The two no return home games are invaluable to Nebraska, they will pay. Now I can see them paying less than top dollar but far more than Louisiana would get playing at home.

A two-million-dollar payday is equal to 40,000 fans at the Swamp at an average of $50 per ticket.

[ULGrad@HOU]

Let say for sake of argument Maggard has not been good from a football scheduling standpoint. So that’s one important aspect of his position.

Another important aspect is hiring of head coaches. During his tenure, AD Maggard has hired:

Glasco, at a time some were trying to burn down the softball program
Napier
Deggs
Dez to replace a departing Napier
Habetz to replace a departing Glasco
Tommy Badon

Now we’ll see with Badon, Habetz and Dez ultimately, but two of those three were considered home run hires by folks who follow Cajuns softball and T&F. Dez has some of us (myself included) eating crow this season.

Glasco and Napier had success, and Deggs looks to have revitalized the baseball program.

All that brought into discussion, I ain’t aboard the Fire Maggard Train.

It's not a fire-able offense for sure, but it hurts the program. I like his decision making on coaches (didn't like the way Des came about, I never disliked the person Des) but he can do so much better to enhance the fan interest and he won't do it. He wants an easy schedule which increases the chances of wins, but I prefer not to go that route. I would like to see the Cajuns take on better programs, not necessarily top 10, but decent nationally recognized programs.

[Big Buds]

Perfect schedule:
Top AAC/MW G5 (Fresno St.)
Top P5 3-1 or 2-1 (Arizona St.)
Top AAC/MW G5 (Memphis)
Lower P5 (Syracuse)
SBC

[CAJUNSby90]

The value is in the package deal.

I have said repeatedly "2 games" for an appearance fee.

Louisiana would go for free for the third game.

The two no return home games are invaluable to Nebraska, they will pay. Now I can see them paying less than top dollar but far more than Louisiana would get playing at home.

A two-million-dollar payday is equal to 40,000 fans at the Swamp at an average of $50 per ticket.

$50 tickets, our fans would lose their minds

[Policarp]

Nebraska loses millions in a 3 for 1. They likely clear over 5 million per home game.....it would be cheaper for them to pay us 2.5 million per game for all 4 games to be in Lincoln. Any variation that includes an away game vs G5 and THEY lose $$$$.

0% chance this will ever happen.

[CAJUNSby90]

Nebraska loses millions in a 3 for 1. They likely clear over 5 million per home game.....it would be cheaper for them to pay us 2.5 million per game for all 4 games to be in Lincoln. Any variation that includes an away game vs G5 and THEY lose $$$$.

0% chance this will ever happen.

but in the video game it worked!

[Turbine]

...He wants an easy schedule which increases the chances of wins...

It also increases his chances of being marlinagized.

[Turbine]

Nebraska loses millions in a 3 for 1. They likely clear over 5 million per home game.....it would be cheaper for them to pay us 2.5 million per game for all 4 games to be in Lincoln. Any variation that includes an away game vs G5 and THEY lose $$$$.

0% chance this will ever happen.

In negoatitions they must be presented the value of facing good OOC opponents at home.

Their fans will not sit for a non stop conveyor belt of weak home opponents.

Louisiana's bargaining power of being ranked 3 of the last 5 years is of immense value at the table.

A single away game to get 3 home games is in Nebraska's best long term interest, no mater waht they lose in the one "loss leader" game.

[covcaj]

Nebraska loses millions in a 3 for 1. They likely clear over 5 million per home game.....it would be cheaper for them to pay us 2.5 million per game for all 4 games to be in Lincoln. Any variation that includes an away game vs G5 and THEY lose $$$$.

0% chance this will ever happen.

This. Why would a G4 school give up a home game? They can certainly schedule all the OOC opponents they need to without giving up a home game and lose money. Not sying it never happens, but it is rare.

[ZoomZoom]

With the A4 adding a conference game, there are 64 +/- less opportunities for A4 OOC games. Throw in the growth of made for tv matchups, the opportunities for the G5 are diminishing. Don’t be surprised the payouts start to drop in a few years to what they pay FCS programs today. The greed will leverage the payouts down. FCS schools will slowly get squeezed out the picture.

Always follow the money. It’s coming.

[Turbine]

This. Why would a G4 school give up a home game? They can certainly schedule all the OOC opponents they need to without giving up a home game and lose money. Not sying it never happens, but it is rare.

Rare is right, but happens if the negotiator is worth their salt.

Nebraska did a Home-and-Home with Wyoming and Fresno State in the last decade, and thats not even a two-for-one or a three-for-one.

Those would be game changers for the home bound schools.

[Rainman66]

Rare is right, but happens if the negotiator is worth their salt.

Nebraska did a Home-and-Home with Wyoming and Fresno State in the last decade, and thats not even a two-for-one or a three-for-one.

Those would be game changers for the home bound schools.

How much has college football AND its finances changed in the last decade?


Good negotiating is important, but you have to have a negotiating partner.


There are always exceptions, but the vast majority is the vast majority for a reason.

Dr Maggard is best AD we have had in decades. He isn’t perfect, but he is really, really good.