*Rumored Lamar to FBS discussion*

[Guest CardAmbassador]

I'm guessing both Lamar and SHSU will get invited to the WAC in June. The WAC is going to be the new "southwest" conference in a few years. Probably SJSU and Utah State will eventually find new homes in the MWC.

 

I'm not as convinced of SHSU possibly going to the WAC as I am about LU, and we all know the level of uncertainty around LU even getting an invite. If we both get invited it unbalances the WAC so a western football school would ned to be added.

 

I agree that USU and SJSU will eventually find new homes, especially if the WAC goes the FCS move up route.

[Bearkat25]

I'm guessing both Lamar and SHSU will get invited to the WAC in June. The WAC is going to be the new "southwest" conference in a few years. Probably SJSU and Utah State will eventually find new homes in the MWC.

 

I'm not as convinced of SHSU possibly going to the WAC as I am about LU, and we all know the level of uncertainty around LU even getting an invite. If we both get invited it unbalances the WAC so a western football school would ned to be added.

 

I agree that USU and SJSU will eventually find new homes, especially if the WAC goes the FCS move up route.

 

I’m not too sure about that. My sources have been confirmed on both sides with this report. I don’t personally know Texas Terror but his sources have been lining up with mine. SHSU also had a football auction where we mapped out the dollar signs for a potential move. Like I told you (CA), my friends who have ties to the WAC said that if the Montana twins say, “NO” again (like they’ve already done) then open the flood gates into Texas expansion. I questioned it at first but now I see it’s a fact. We are trying to reach the 15 million dollar mark by 2013. Why would our AD do that if we wanted to stay in the SLC? Here is TT’s take:

http://bobcatreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=952&start=0

 

SHSU football auction (Mentions money for potential move):

http://katfans.com/newforum/index.php?topic=1757.0

It’s still a wait and see game…

[Guest CardAmbassador]

I'm guessing both Lamar and SHSU will get invited to the WAC in June. The WAC is going to be the new "southwest" conference in a few years. Probably SJSU and Utah State will eventually find new homes in the MWC.

 

I'm not as convinced of SHSU possibly going to the WAC as I am about LU, and we all know the level of uncertainty around LU even getting an invite. If we both get invited it unbalances the WAC so a western football school would ned to be added.

 

I agree that USU and SJSU will eventually find new homes, especially if the WAC goes the FCS move up route.

 

I’m not too sure about that. My sources have been confirmed on both sides with this report. I don’t personally know Texas Terror but his sources have been lining up with mine. SHSU also had a football auction where we mapped out the dollar signs for a potential move. Like I told you (CA), my friends who have ties to the WAC said that if the Montana twins say, “NO” again (like they’ve already done) then open the flood gates into Texas expansion. I questioned it at first but now I see it’s a fact. We are trying to reach the 15 million dollar mark by 2013. Why would our AD do that if we wanted to stay in the SLC? Here is TT’s take:

http://bobcatreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=952&start=0

 

SHSU football auction (Mentions money for potential move):

http://katfans.com/newforum/index.php?topic=1757.0

It’s still a wait and see game…

 

I don't doubt that with LU looking seriously at moving up that SHSU is now doing the same. I will say that I think LU is ahead of SHSU on the waiting list. I know coming from me that could sound biased, but as much school pride as I have in LU I don't say that as a cardinal but as a impartial observer. I also know that LU getting into the WAC, amounts to option Z for the WAC. So I am by no means dilusional about where LU stands in this either.

 

If SHSU is legitimately trying to reach $15 million in their AD by 2013 then I don't doubt a FBS move up is the goal. My concern lies in the western portion of the WAC, and their egos if two more Texas FCS upgrades from the same conference are the next WAC expansion candidates. Keeping the Western portion of the WAC pleased is important, I think since most of the departing members are in the Northwest and there have already been two additions in the South east (Texas) adding more candidates in the southeast might make the western school dissatisfied.

 

The only positive I see now is that UTSA, TxST, La Tech and NMSU are all in this region of the country and they might be in favor of more regional rivals. Keeping NMSU and La Tech happy is probably even more important than keeping the western schools happy because NMSU and La Tech have far more options to switch conferences than those out west.

 

For the WAC to remain viable in my amateur opinion they must go to a 12/14 model or something of that sort, this makes scheduling worlds easier and the conference would be very stable.

 

So there are some positives and negatives in LU and SHSU's favor. Like I have stated on earlier threads I don't have a problem with SHSU wanting to better themselves, after all you guys are in the same system as us. I just view this whole situation as very shaky and I feel like if any FCS upgrades are added in Texas it will be LU first, but you might be right, it could be SHSU and LU.

[Guest bigred360]

I'm not sure, but isn't there a limition on attendance for football before you can qualify for FBS status? I'm sure Lamar and SHSU would have to address this issue.

 

Then for Lamar they would have to add an additional women's sport due to the increase of scholarships from 63 to 85.

 

I want Lamar to go to a FBS conference be that the WAC or Sun Belt but there are some hurdlers to clear first.

[Guest CardAmbassador]

I'm not sure, but isn't there a limition on attendance for football before you can qualify for FBS status? I'm sure Lamar and SHSU would have to address this issue.

 

Then for Lamar they would have to add an additional women's sport due to the increase of scholarships from 63 to 85.

 

I want Lamar to go to a FBS conference be that the WAC or Sun Belt but there are some hurdlers to clear first.

 

UTSA and TxSt both did not meet the attendance requirement yet they are in. From all that I have read there is virtually no enforcement of this rule.

 

Softball should take care of the title IX requirement.

[Guest bigred360]

CA, I PM'd you the link to the football players Lamar is looking at for 2012.

[BigRedTrack]

I thought that I read in these posts that April 12 was the day of the WAC announcement. Well, obviously that was incorrect. I now believe there is no validity in any of these reports, but is wishful thinking.

[Guest CardAmbassador]

I thought that I read in these posts that April 12 was the day of the WAC announcement. Well, obviously that was incorrect. I now believe there is no validity in any of these reports, but is wishful thinking.

 

April 12th was the day that Villanova was going to vote on going FBS. This date was pushed back because the Big East members had reservations about Villanova joining the Big East when they only have the ability to expand their current statdium to around 35k. The Big East average is greater than 50k currently.

 

Currently there is no date to watch beside June 1st. This is the absolute last day the WAC can invite someone to join for the 2012 Football season.

 

No body knows what is going to happen with the WAC right now, thats about as much as I can say with certainty.

[TexasTerror]

These two questions should answer everything you need to know.

 

Can Lamar and SHSU afford FBS right now? No.

Can Lamar and SHSU afford to pass up the opportunity if invited to FBS now? No.

 

If either or both institutions get invited - which is something that has been brought up as of late due to the continued rejection by current FBS member institutions of the WAC - our schools will have to accept the invite and do what is necessary to get our house in order so we are competitive as soon as possible.

[TexGator]

I'm not sure, but isn't there a limition on attendance for football before you can qualify for FBS status? I'm sure Lamar and SHSU would have to address this issue.

 

Then for Lamar they would have to add an additional women's sport due to the increase of scholarships from 63 to 85.

 

I want Lamar to go to a FBS conference be that the WAC or Sun Belt but there are some hurdlers to clear first.

 

UTSA and TxSt both did not meet the attendance requirement yet they are in. From all that I have read there is virtually no enforcement of this rule.

 

Softball should take care of the title IX requirement.

 

There is enforcement of this rule. From my sources, the way they got around it was that they were invited by a conference (not petitioning to join the FBS) AND their season ticket sales were sufficient to warrant an exception.

 

For LU to hit the number to be seriously considered, they'd need to schedule some "home" games out of Beaumont against some schools that draw well.

 

Tidwell- if you're reading this, offer gobs of money to TAMU, Okie St., and Baylor to change the games against them to "home-and-'home'" at their venue, Reliant, or Rice Stadium.

 

Idaho did this for a couple of years by using Washington St.'s stadium for home games... including one against WSU.

 

Also, it'd require LU to drop another $20M on "The PUS" to expand it to over 30,000 seats.

[coachacola]

The attendance rule is not an issue with Lamar going to the WAC. Lamar needs an athletic budget of at least $15 million per year and right now they're at about $12 million. The WAC doesn't have to invite anybody else this year, but if they do I think the deadline is July 1st, not June 1st.

 

I think Lamar is waiting to see what happens with other conferences because Tidwell and others keep saying they are expecting big changes. It's no secret Tidwell and Simmons prefer a more regional conference (ie Sun Belt) so I think they are waiting to see if that will happen.

 

I actually think that both Lamar and SHSU will probably get invited together to join the WAC for 2013 instead of 2012. That will give both schools an extra year to build up their athletic budgets and that will let the WAC expand more slowly.

[Guest NorthoftheBorder]

These two questions should answer everything you need to know.

 

Can Lamar and SHSU afford FBS right now? No.

Can Lamar and SHSU afford to pass up the opportunity if invited to FBS now? No.

 

If either or both institutions get invited - which is something that has been brought up as of late due to the continued rejection by current FBS member institutions of the WAC - our schools will have to accept the invite and do what is necessary to get our house in order so we are competitive as soon as possible.

 

Well Terror, thats the first that I've seen where you admit that in the long run, it is best for SHSU to move to FBS and leave the FCS. Everything in life is a gamble, but this is a gamble I believe that LU has to make to be viable for the long term. I can only imagine that would be the case for SHSU as well. I am still a bit skeptical that San Antonio will embrace UTSA football, but with 2m+ population within a 50 mile radius, you have to like the odds. LU and SHSU being as close to Houston as they are can be a force as well.

[Guest CardAmbassador]

TAMU sells out their huge stadium with a smaller MSA than what Beaumont has.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan-College_Station_metropolitan_area

 

Population is not an issue, neither is attendance at the FBS level. The 15k attendance rule is a rolling average over a two year period anyway. So you can get away with dipping below 15k. Also there are already schools in the WAC that have less than 15k average yearly attendance.

 

Why will the WAC invite SHSU and LU in 2013? Isn't one of the main arguments for adding either of our schools to the WAC is that we give them a 8th football member by 2012 which they need to ease scheduling and remain bowl viable?

 

I would love to believe 2013 was the date because that would give us more time. Regradless we should be raising our budget dramatically (at least to $15 mil) and then calling up the WAC and Sunbelt. I think their are schools already in both of those conferences that are less atractive than LU is as a FBS school especially if we get our budget to $15 mil.

 

And I looked it up again coach, you were correct, July not June 1st is the deadline to switch conferences for the 2012 season.

[Guest NorthoftheBorder]

TAMU has a lot of built in long term advantages over LU/SHSU which is why they can draw like they do, namely being a 100+ year old 4 year institution that has been playing football at the highest level for all those years with UT as their chief rival and a much larger student body and alumni base that is highly affluent and well connected within the state. TAMU could be in Marfa Texas with all those advantages and draw 80k a game. Now, does that mean LU cannot rise up to be competitive in FBS. Why yes they can and you can look to Boise State as the model. Can LU draw 35-50k for home games in a stadium in Beaumont. Heck yes is they have a very competitive FBS team with high profile opponent. People will come out of the woodwork in the Golden Triangle to watch. JMHO

[TexasTerror]

Well Terror, thats the first that I've seen where you admit that in the long run, it is best for SHSU to move to FBS and leave the FCS. Everything in life is a gamble, but this is a gamble I believe that LU has to make to be viable for the long term. I can only imagine that would be the case for SHSU as well. I am still a bit skeptical that San Antonio will embrace UTSA football, but with 2m+ population within a 50 mile radius, you have to like the odds. LU and SHSU being as close to Houston as they are can be a force as well.

 

Stems from my feelings on the direction of the Southland...

 

If Lamar + TXST both leave for FBS - our hands are forced. Is it what I want? Not exactly, but we'll have no other choice, so we'll have no option, but to accept an invite.

 

We do not want to remain in an SLC filled with the Louisiana schools. Our fans prefer playing the Texas SLC teams (TXST, Lamar, SFA particularly) and those schools financially would not be able to keep pace with us and give us no incentive to improve.

[Guest bigred360]

I really want Lamar to go FBS but if our athletic budget is at the low end of the conference it will be hard to be competitive.

 

Glad I know we have the right people in place to make the right decision regarding conference realignment.

[Guest NorthoftheBorder]

This is where I am at on this right now. I think Lamar is not moving very fast on the FBS deal and that is why things have not materialized sooner. Not sure why, but just have a gut that LU is not doing or saying all the things that the WAC would like to hear/see just yet. Don't have any inside info, just a feeling based on how this is playing out which makes me very unsure what Dr. Simmons really wants to do. I am still of the opinion that passing on FBS now has risk and you could find yourself on the outside looking in whith no options for a long time in the future. If you get in FBS and you want to make a move to another FBS conference when an opportunity opens up, IMHO you are in a much better position.

[TexGator]

TAMU has a lot of built in long term advantages over LU/SHSU which is why they can draw like they do, namely being a 100+ year old 4 year institution that has been playing football at the highest level for all those years with UT as their chief rival and a much larger student body and alumni base that is highly affluent and well connected within the state. TAMU could be in Marfa Texas with all those advantages and draw 80k a game. Now, does that mean LU cannot rise up to be competitive in FBS. Why yes they can and you can look to Boise State as the model. Can LU draw 35-50k for home games in a stadium in Beaumont. Heck yes is they have a very competitive FBS team with high profile opponent. People will come out of the woodwork in the Golden Triangle to watch. JMHO

 

I agree with everything you said other than the "100+ year" part. SMU and Rice weren't pulling 50,000 for games in the SWC (other than the UT and TAMU games). Heck, UofH wasn't pulling 50,000 for games against teams other than UT and TAMU when they were good and still struggle to sell out their games at a 35,000-seat stadium after playing in several years of bowls.

 

Building up a university community is the key to bringing in big crowds. We averaged 16,079 last season. To make LU a viable FBS school, we need to be pulling 30,000+ for games, but that's not something we can do overnight.

 

My ideas for building up the LU football community to make the program more attractive to bigger conferences:

Step 1- Encourage tailgating (not talking Big XII/SEC arrive-on-Wednesday tailgating, but more people out there putting the scent of animal flash and TexJoy into the air... oooh, endorsement opportunity- the "TexJoy Tailgate Plaza")

Step 2- More alumni events outside of the Beaumont area. LU has thousands of alums in Greater Houston and the Metroplex... especially with the M.Ed. program that is adding hundreds of new alums every month.

Step 3- Add an additional paycheck game to the calendar each year. Getting beaten by 2-3 touchdowns against a team may hurt, but only until the check clears. I'd rather go 7-4 with a couple of losses to teams that will get us attention (and listed on the ESPN ticker on Saturday) than 9-2 and beat up on NAIA schools. Of course, that all changes if you actually start making the FCS playoffs (prior to any move up to FBS).

[Guest CardAmbassador]

TAMU has a lot of built in long term advantages over LU/SHSU which is why they can draw like they do, namely being a 100+ year old 4 year institution that has been playing football at the highest level for all those years with UT as their chief rival and a much larger student body and alumni base that is highly affluent and well connected within the state. TAMU could be in Marfa Texas with all those advantages and draw 80k a game. Now, does that mean LU cannot rise up to be competitive in FBS. Why yes they can and you can look to Boise State as the model. Can LU draw 35-50k for home games in a stadium in Beaumont. Heck yes is they have a very competitive FBS team with high profile opponent. People will come out of the woodwork in the Golden Triangle to watch. JMHO

 

I agree with everything you said other than the "100+ year" part. SMU and Rice weren't pulling 50,000 for games in the SWC (other than the UT and TAMU games). Heck, UofH wasn't pulling 50,000 for games against teams other than UT and TAMU when they were good and still struggle to sell out their games at a 35,000-seat stadium after playing in several years of bowls.

 

Building up a university community is the key to bringing in big crowds. We averaged 16,079 last season. To make LU a viable FBS school, we need to be pulling 30,000+ for games, but that's not something we can do overnight.

 

My ideas for building up the LU football community to make the program more attractive to bigger conferences:

Step 1- Encourage tailgating (not talking Big XII/SEC arrive-on-Wednesday tailgating, but more people out there putting the scent of animal flash and TexJoy into the air... oooh, endorsement opportunity- the "TexJoy Tailgate Plaza")

Step 2- More alumni events outside of the Beaumont area. LU has thousands of alums in Greater Houston and the Metroplex... especially with the M.Ed. program that is adding hundreds of new alums every month.

Step 3- Add an additional paycheck game to the calendar each year. Getting beaten by 2-3 touchdowns against a team may hurt, but only until the check clears. I'd rather go 7-4 with a couple of losses to teams that will get us attention (and listed on the ESPN ticker on Saturday) than 9-2 and beat up on NAIA schools. Of course, that all changes if you actually start making the FCS playoffs (prior to any move up to FBS).

 

I completely agree about the community portion of your post. LU needs to build a community of support. Tidwell is taking the first steps to do this with his Athletic Banquet which raises money to give LU athletes letterman jackets and class rings.

 

My impression was that everyone really enjoyed the tailgating last year.

 

Does anyone have complaints about the LU tailgating, I would love to hear them because we need to make sure that portion of our football experience is first class.

[TexGator]

TAMU has a lot of built in long term advantages over LU/SHSU which is why they can draw like they do, namely being a 100+ year old 4 year institution that has been playing football at the highest level for all those years with UT as their chief rival and a much larger student body and alumni base that is highly affluent and well connected within the state. TAMU could be in Marfa Texas with all those advantages and draw 80k a game. Now, does that mean LU cannot rise up to be competitive in FBS. Why yes they can and you can look to Boise State as the model. Can LU draw 35-50k for home games in a stadium in Beaumont. Heck yes is they have a very competitive FBS team with high profile opponent. People will come out of the woodwork in the Golden Triangle to watch. JMHO

 

I agree with everything you said other than the "100+ year" part. SMU and Rice weren't pulling 50,000 for games in the SWC (other than the UT and TAMU games). Heck, UofH wasn't pulling 50,000 for games against teams other than UT and TAMU when they were good and still struggle to sell out their games at a 35,000-seat stadium after playing in several years of bowls.

 

Building up a university community is the key to bringing in big crowds. We averaged 16,079 last season. To make LU a viable FBS school, we need to be pulling 30,000+ for games, but that's not something we can do overnight.

 

My ideas for building up the LU football community to make the program more attractive to bigger conferences:

Step 1- Encourage tailgating (not talking Big XII/SEC arrive-on-Wednesday tailgating, but more people out there putting the scent of animal flash and TexJoy into the air... oooh, endorsement opportunity- the "TexJoy Tailgate Plaza")

Step 2- More alumni events outside of the Beaumont area. LU has thousands of alums in Greater Houston and the Metroplex... especially with the M.Ed. program that is adding hundreds of new alums every month.

Step 3- Add an additional paycheck game to the calendar each year. Getting beaten by 2-3 touchdowns against a team may hurt, but only until the check clears. I'd rather go 7-4 with a couple of losses to teams that will get us attention (and listed on the ESPN ticker on Saturday) than 9-2 and beat up on NAIA schools. Of course, that all changes if you actually start making the FCS playoffs (prior to any move up to FBS).

 

I completely agree about the community portion of your post. LU needs to build a community of support. Tidwell is taking the first steps to do this with his Athletic Banquet which raises money to give LU athletes letterman jackets and class rings.

 

My impression was that everyone really enjoyed the tailgating last year.

 

Does anyone have complaints about the LU tailgating, I would love to hear them because we need to make sure that portion of our football experience is first class.

 

Well, I hung out with some of the tailgaters (unfortunately, my wife doesn't have any desire to get a tailgate spot... so my suggestion to get one fell on deaf ears), but we need hundreds more people out there... preferably thousands. This is an especially big thing to push for the out-of-towners who we want want to make a day out of it and not just arrive at 5 and leave during the 4th quarter "to beat the traffic out of town."

 

We'll see if I can sway it with the promise of some Zummo boudain, Earl Campbell sausage, and some Bubba Burger burgers.

[jdcurran235]

They should also set up spot for overnight camping like what they do at McNeese. There are a lot of people that go out there with RV's

[Guest CardAmbassador]

They should also set up spot for overnight camping like what they do at McNeese. There are a lot of people that go out there with RV's

 

That's a good suggestion. I hope certain things change as the university learn from the first year.

 

I would also suggest a more active announcer at the game. Our announcer last year was not good at all, he needs to be into the game and telling people what to do.

[TexGator]

They should also set up spot for overnight camping like what they do at McNeese. There are a lot of people that go out there with RV's

 

That's a good suggestion. I hope certain things change as the university learn from the first year.

 

I would also suggest a more active announcer at the game. Our announcer last year was not good at all, he needs to be into the game and telling people what to do.

 

As someone who has done PA announcing, I can say with quite a bit of certainty that he was probably doing what LU Administration told him to do... some places want a "homer" announcer... some places want an understated person... it all depends on the instructions given.

 

Of course, we could get the guy who used to announce Galveston Ball games who would say "And another 1st Down for the TORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRS!" Annoying if you're the opponent.

[Jack]

I am on my mobile so I can't repaste the still live transcript of the chat with LA Tech AD Van De Velde, but I underlined something that might interest you guys. Check it out, and I don't care if you guys copy me for your posters.

 

http://bobcatreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=952&start=90

[lu cards]

our tailgating group expanded from 8 parking spots and 20 people last year to 12 parking spots and 30 people this coming year.i think 7 of the people coming in didnt attend a game last year.i was told by them that they heard how great lu tailgating was and decided to get in on it.i expect this to be the norm and lu will have way more people tailgating this year.word of mouth is the best advertising!!