Tech to the Belt?

[VObserver]

Imagine Tech vs. ULM or UL with a trip to the Sun Belt title game on the line. Packed stadium. Local media buzzing. Regional pride hanging in the balance. That’s the kind of atmosphere that builds traditions, moves merchandise, and pulls casual fans off the couch and into the stands.

It’s not just about history—it's about relevance. Conference stakes give old rivalries new fire. And in this era, where schools like ours don't have the luxury of massive TV contracts or national spotlight, we need to create excitement that resonates locally and regionally.

So yes, if that’s the scenario—Tech in the Sun Belt, fighting for a championship berth against UL, ULM, or Southern Miss Ark St. it absolutely creates more excitement, more passion, and more revenue. That’s the answer, loud and clear. Let’s lean into it.

So you are OK with inviting a team into your conference that has spent the last couple of decades belittling you, your conference mates and your conference; not just privately, but in press release after press release across several athletic and academic generations. Sorry, but my mind doesn't work like that.

Want to lose money from long time donors like me? Invite Tech.

[Ragin9221]

So you are OK with inviting a team into your conference that has spent the last couple of decades belittling you, your conference mates and your conference; not just privately, but in press release after press release across several athletic and academic generations. Sorry, but my mind doesn't work like that.

Want to lose money from long time donors like me? Invite Tech.

Exactly—and that’s the twist no one wants to admit:

The friction, the pride, the history—that’s not a reason to keep them out. That’s the reason to bring them in.

Because rivalries aren’t born out of politeness—they come from decades of tension, passionate games, and competing identities. The fact that Tech has thrown shade at our conference over the years? That makes every matchup personal. It gives the fans a reason to show up. It gives the players something bigger to play for. And it gives the media a story to tell.

In a world where schools like ours have to fight for attention, emotion is currency. Every jab in the past becomes fuel for the fire. Every press release turns into bulletin board material. Every game? Electric.

This isn’t about making peace with the past. It’s about using it—to build something that actually gets people talking and keeps fans invested.

So yes, the very reasons some say “no” are the exact reasons we should say “let’s go.”

[Million$Mullet]

It’s amazing how many of our fans are in favor of tech joining the conference. Like others have mentioned they can be a rival across all sports without having to be in the same conference. They basically refused to play us in football once they went west and belittled us every step of the way. They did it in 2015 right in our faces at the football game in Ruston. It will always be tuck fech with me. But having said all that, both presidents of the Lafayette and Monroe universities will 100 percent vote tech in. It’s up to the eastern schools to block them.

[Ragin9221]

It’s amazing how many of our fans are in favor of tech joining the conference. Like others have mentioned they can be a rival across all sports without having to be in the same conference. They basically refused to play us in football once they went west and belittled us every step of the way. They did it in 2015 right in our faces at the football game in Ruston. It will always be tuck fech with me. But having said all that, both presidents of the Lafayette and Monroe universities will 100 percent vote tech in. It’s up to the eastern schools to block them.

I want you to read my post above yours!? Thats my whole argument in a nutshell.

[Million$Mullet]

I want you to read my post above yours!? Thats my whole argument in a nutshell.

It’s a silly argument imo. Nothing against you personally or anyone wanting them back in. Tech gets back in this conference we may as well go back to USL

[JMV JustMyView]

It’s a silly argument imo. Nothing against you personally or anyone wanting them back in. Tech gets back in this conference we may as well go back to USL

We are basically already back to USL. Not really relevant in anything but football.

[MarlinMan3]

We are basically already back to USL. Not really relevant in anything but football.

And that is where the most pressure will be exerted to ensure that success does not continue, or is not recognized

[Ragin9221]

It’s a silly argument imo. Nothing against you personally or anyone wanting them back in. Tech gets back in this conference we may as well go back to USL

We will always be seen as a mid-major until we earn a spot in a stronger conference like the Big 12 or PAC-12. The reality is—we’re all mid-majors right now. And as I’ve said before, The differences between us are marginal at best.

So instead of fighting over scraps and holding onto false hierarchies, we need to focus on what actually moves the needle: building relevance, growing rivalries, and creating excitement that fans will show up for.

Let’s stop pretending. We’re not the SEC. We’re not the Big Ten. And that’s not a weakness—that’s our starting point.

Mid-majors like us are fighting a different battle now. We don’t have billion-dollar media deals or boosters dropping million-dollar NILs. We’ve got to build something real. Something regional. Something loud.

Letting Louisiana Tech into the conference? That’s not surrender. That’s a power move. We’re not just adding a team—we’re adding stakes, fuel, and fire. Rivalries don’t grow in echo chambers. They come from friction, from history, from a little bit of bad blood that makes every game matter.

You want fan engagement? You want revenue? You want relevance? Then give the fans something they actually care about. Give them Tech vs. UL with the Sun Belt West on the line. Give them packed stadiums, short road trips, and bragging rights that last all year.

This is the era of strategic survival. So no—we’re not giving up.
We’re getting smarter. Bolder. Louder.

[Ragin9221]

You want to exert dominance?Then we need to go all in on Louisiana. And I’ve tried—every single post about logos, mascots, fan engagement—that was me pushing the envelope

Because that’s how you move the needle.

If Tech is such a threat, or if letting them in feels like giving up, then the responsibility is on our admins to show otherwise.Step up. Back the talk. Prove we’re better.

Saying “we are Louisiana” is easy. Living it—owning it—is the hard part.

And so far, they haven’t shown me that they’re willing to do the hard things to truly move this program forward.

[CajunSID]

We will always be seen as a mid-major until we earn a spot in a stronger conference like the Big 12 or PAC-12. The reality is—we’re all mid-majors right now. And as I’ve said before, The differences between us are marginal at best.

So instead of fighting over scraps and holding onto false hierarchies, we need to focus on what actually moves the needle: building relevance, growing rivalries, and creating excitement that fans will show up for.

You do not need the support, but you are 100% correct. I get the disagreement, but the have nots need to build around regional rivalries all across the country.

I get it: nobody wants to eat at the kids table. But this school (and state) has done very little to prove UL should get a seat with the adults.

So playing (and beating) a bunch of schools we all know and dislike is the next best thing.