2008 Bowl Season Louisiana Snubbed by Indi Bowl

[NewsCopy]

  BATON ROUGE - College bowl games are big money-makers, but it takes money - including state revenue - to put them on, promoters of the events say.

This year's state budget contains about $2.2 million to support the Sugar Bowl, New Orleans Bowl and the Independence Bowl. All of the funding is within the lieutenant governor's budget under the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.

The Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, the state's only Bowl Championship Series event, received the bulk of that funding, $1.5 million. The PetroSun Independence Bowl in Shreveport received $359,160 and the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl received $335,217.

The rest of the story

Mike Hasten • mhasten@gannett.com • December 10, 2008

[NewsCopy]

  BATON ROUGE - Lafayette legislators are questioning the Independence Bowl's selection of Northern Illinois when it could have selected the University of Louisiana and drawn a larger crowd to an in-state rivalry against Louisiana Tech.

"It's a slap in the face to our university and to Louisiana taxpayers," said Sen. Mike Michot, R-Lafayette.

"The Independence Bowl receives state funds and when it has the opportunity, like this year, it should invite state schools."

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Mike Hasten • mhasten@gannett.com • December 10, 2008

[DestinCajun]

""The Independence Bowl receives state funds and when it has the opportunity, like this year, it should invite state schools."


Ringadingdingy. It's why it was created in the first place.

[HoustonCajun]

_ ""The Independence Bowl receives state funds and when it has the opportunity, like this year, it should invite state schools."


Ringadingdingy. It's why it was created in the first place. _

Nice to see our State Legislators rallying around UL. In a strange way, our getting snubbed might help turn things around in Lafayette and get people to support UL like they have never done in the past.

[CajunProud]

_ Yeah, that was beautiful the way things lined up just like we needed. Sucked to have it all go for naught. Hated to see all of that mojo used up. It certainly won't be there for the next time we need it. _

It will, because we will create our own and won't need to rely on others for assistance.

After fuming over the events that have transpired over the last couple of days and really thinking about the state of our program, I am very excited for the future of our University and the athletics programs. I am sitting in my office right now looking out of the window and although it appears to be dark, windy and cold outside, I can barely keep my eyes open from the blinding light that is UL's future. For some reason, I just feel warm all over.

GEAUX CAJUNS.

[scotto_25]

_ LOL!! Yeah, more like Schlitz and Coors Light!!! _

More like "Schmidt's Gay"

-from SNL

[TheRaginCajun06]

I was just sitting here thinking how awesome it would be to have a Bowl Game in Lafayette. I think there are too many bowls already, but that would have secured two more 6-6 teams!

Another idea would be to pull the Independence Bowl from Shreveport and bring a bowl game to Lafayette. Can you imagine the feel of a Mardi Gras or Festival Internationale surrounding a bowl game? This area would be great to host an event.

I was reading the economic impact of these games and I think Lafayette would be the best city for a college bowl game. Tailgaitin', parades, great food and drinks.

I'm sure we could get a big sponsor I like the Tabasco Cajun Bowl. I'm just dreaming here, but maybe... just maybe!

[Arkstfan]

The theory when government funds tourist attractions is to bring visitors, preferrably from out-of-state but if it can keep in-state residents from taking dollars to other states then that is good.

Northern Illinois will do well to bring a 1,000 fans. Each of those fans will have to spend in excess of $8,000 each in Shreveport/Bossier to recover the state's investment. If you count trapped dollars, ie. Tech fans spending in Louisiana rather than elsewhere and it attracts a total of 28,000 (20,000 Tech, 1,000 NIU, 7,000 local) each fan still has to spend $320.53 per person. If you aren't staying in a hotel that's a hard number to hit.

By contrast the Cajuns or Red Wolves would have easily brought 10,000, most would have been in hotel rooms and reduced the recovery point to $242.57 per person. With hotels generally requiring a three day stay, that number is very easy to hit.

More importantly it exposes a group of people to the region who logically are targets to become repeat visitors, especially the Arkansas crowd who tends to visit Mississippi for its casino experience rather than north Louisiana despite very similar drive times in central Arkansas.

[MetryCajun]

Our stadium is not big enough or nice enough, IMHO.

[Arkstfan]

If you've got the local folks willing to get behind it and organize it can be done. It takes a strong local committment to selling tickets and small sponsorships. I can't imagine the university would be overly excited because it would be a strong competitor for local dollars.

I enjoyed the Lafayette experience with the New Orleans Bowl despite being miffed at the lack of signs and such around town promoting the game and the general lack of awareness we encountered. Given the short lead time I sure there wasn't much thought given to getting local business fired up and competing for visitor dollars.