Athletic Budget 2026 and beyond

[Rainman66]

I know we are laser-focused on UL, the budget issue is affecting all non-P4 programs, and a good number of P4 programs.

Just read that Va Tech’s budget is $122M and they are 14th in the ACC. They feel they need to get to $229M to be competitive.

There isn’t going to be any middle class in college athletics in 5 years.

[JMV JustMyView]

What you are hearing at this point hasn't been stated in private other than $4M. That number is 10% from 2025, $46M to $40M at this point. Additional cuts could be coming but nothing has been stated beyond that discussion even in private. It's speculation from this point how far is could go from there. But if we eventually fall back to $34M to $36M, the program is pretty much cooked across the board.

I believe the department is cooked regardless and I also believe Maggard will be gone soon.

[CajunT]

I believe the department is cooked regardless and I also believe Maggard will be gone soon.

If it is reduced to the before mentioned number, of course he will be gone. The department has its issues; the institution remains unchanged from its traditional political nonsense within its halls.

[MarlinMan3]

Seems all our smart R1 researchers could come up with a college version of this:

[UL_Cajuns]

Too bad we didn't make the CFP like many predicted to offset these costs.
LOL!

Guess we are stuck with Des at the hip now.

[MarlinMan3]

Too bad we didn't make the CFP like many predicted to offset these costs.
LOL!

Guess we are stuck with Des at the hip now.

We should have been in ny6. Would will still have benefits from those funds? Although we had a lot of money, if we were able to renovate stadium

[CajunNation]

OK. Let's do this. We've been through worse. We'll suck it up for a few years and regroup then.

It's actually a good thing that we have a local guy as head coach. It means more to Des. Any other guy would just leave or phone it in when faced with a budget cut.

I'm over complaining now. We have to deal with the cards we've been dealt.

We're Cajuns. This is what we do. We make Gumbo out of nothing.

[Cajunrunner]

Jerry Luke LeBlanc.

When you talk about good ole boy network mentality that plagues our state…here’s an example.

He ran UL’s finances for the past 15 years old so after learning from the very best. 20 years in the state legislature learning from the likes of John Alario, Francis Thompson and Edwin Edwards during that time.

[HoustonCajun]

I know we are laser-focused on UL, the budget issue is affecting all non-P4 programs, and a good number of P4 programs.

Just read that Va Tech’s budget is $122M and they are 14th in the ACC. They feel they need to get to $229M to be competitive.

There isn’t going to be any middle class in college athletics in 5 years.

Oklahoma has a huge budget yet couldn't afford to send their band on a road game. OK State coach complained that Oregon's budget was so much larger that they would have trouble competing and lost 66-0.

Schools with $100M+ still have trouble with finances and can't compete with schools with $200M budgets.

LA Tech has a roughly $30M budget and just beat USM who has a $36M budget. ULM has a $20M budget and just beat UTEP. What will UL do with a lower budget when they aren't competitive now?

[CajunNation]

Oklahoma has a huge budget yet couldn't afford to send their band on a road game. OK State coach complained that Oregon's budget was so much larger that they would have trouble competing and lost 66-0.

Schools with $100M+ still have trouble with finances and can't compete with schools with $200M budgets.

LA Tech has a roughly $30M budget and just beat USM who has a $36M budget. ULM has a $20M budget and just beat UTEP. What will UL do with a lower budget when they aren't competitive now?

We will figure this out.