LU to Sunbelt??

[coachacola]

 

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider Sun Belt Conference schools only received $40,000 a year in conference revenue compared to others. Then you wonder why schools leave.

 

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider $40, 000 just pays only one office salary.

 

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider 5m SBC member schools want to past up programs like Liberty, when the SBC doesn't really have anything to offer. You have to build to get.

[Cplatt]

Thats not alot of money. My honest opinion is to build your facilitites until they are top of the line while staying in the SLC. Facilitites get reecruits, recruits win, winning gets $$$$. We all know thats what its all about. What is the biggest PUS can get to? Will it be enough? 2013 is a huge year for Woodard and the boys. Also toss some dough to the Montagne. Softball can hold off another year at Ford Park. We need to make our money generating venues the best they possibly can be. Building a winning tradition is key, the rest will come

Cplatt

[jdcurran235]

Rumor that Cusa could be expanding before June 1st

[jdcurran235]

New Benson Interview:

http://crimsontothecore.forumatic.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7045

 

Says football should be entering into a period with no expansion soon.

 

[jdcurran235]

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 3h

#SunBelt Commissioner Karl Benson & Sun Belt President Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr. will conduct a media teleconference tomorrow at 11:30 AM (CST)

[jdcurran235]

ben george ‏@laxtonto 2h

@BrentThibodeaux didnt think so... Figured that they would wait... Worried that the Belt might die due to lack of int erst like the WAC

[LUSportsFan]

This article indicates that no additions will be made at this time, but the operative sentence goes around the world and basically says nothing.

 

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/05/sun_belt_announces_conference.html

"...While discussions have taken place concerning adding new members to the league, there will not be an immediate announcement of any additional members joining the Sun Belt on Wednesday, though league officials continue to keep the possibility of adding another school to the roster as an option. The league had reached a membership that would have included 12 football-playing members, allowing the opportunity to go to divisional play and to host a championship game. But when Western Kentucky announced it would leave for Conference USA (after the upcoming season), nullified those opportunities.

 

There is a possibility a new member will be added soon, but commissioner Karl Benson told AL.com recently the league would be "deliberate'' in making such a move and while it could happen soon, there remains the possibility it will not happen at all, or for quite a while..."

[jdcurran235]

With the exception of Liberty (Politics Prevent Invite) I wonder if the SBC is having trouble finding someone to accept an invite?

 

In other words the main schools everyone has heard about (JMU, MoSt, Lamar,SHSU, JXU) have all said not this year?

[justwinbaby06]

Who cares. Just WIN baby. LOL

 

Was this direct to me? If so I don't believe I even commented on this post...I hope you were just quote Al Davis..,,

[coachacola]

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider Official: Sun Belt Conference will not add a new program to its membership anytime soon. Also there will be no divisional play in basketball

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider

Sun Belt Conference has showed us that they are a status quo conference and not a progressive conference cause of a few minds.....

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider

The new "American" Conference overcame a huge lost in a few months. The Sun Belt take a hit and move backwards.

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider

Now you wonder why programs leave for better. This is a sad day for the fans of the Sun Belt Conference and had hope. WOW.....

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider

When CUSA expands they raid the Sun Belt again. Sun Belt continue to fall backwards. They set their selves up for failure with politics.

Kimberly Hatcher ‏@charlemont1

@SunBeltInsider short-sighted and small-minded. They'll be even less significant or non-existent in a few years.

[JJWooten]

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider Official: Sun Belt Conference will not add a new program to its membership anytime soon. Also there will be no divisional play in basketball

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider

Sun Belt Conference has showed us that they are a status quo conference and not a progressive conference cause of a few minds.....

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider

The new "American" Conference overcame a huge lost in a few months. The Sun Belt take a hit and move backwards.

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider

Now you wonder why programs leave for better. This is a sad day for the fans of the Sun Belt Conference and had hope. WOW.....

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider

When CUSA expands they raid the Sun Belt again. Sun Belt continue to fall backwards. They set their selves up for failure with politics.

Kimberly Hatcher ‏@charlemont1

@SunBeltInsider short-sighted and small-minded. They'll be even less significant or non-existent in a few years.

 

That's because Karl Benson is the commissioner. He single handedly killed the WAC and now he looks like he'll be trying his best to kill the SBC.

[Guest Crawfish]

The SBC will have to expand eventually. This delay could give hopefuls like Lamar time to develop a plan to present. I look at this as an opportunity and I hope the administration does also.

 

If Lamar wants to move up, right now is the time to prepare for it. Waiting until teams are being picked is too late. Lamar needs to be proactive.

 

 

[LUSportsFan]

The SBC will have to expand eventually. This delay could give hopefuls like Lamar time to develop a plan to present. I look at this as an opportunity and I hope the administration does also.

 

If Lamar wants to move up, right now is the time to prepare for it. Waiting until teams are being picked is too late. Lamar needs to be proactive.

 

I agree, but I don't think Lamar has just been sitting idly by.

 

Completed Projects

 

1. Upgrades to football stadium including compliance with Federal accessibility requirements - Done

2. New Athletic Complex - Constructed 54,000 sq ft Dauphin Athletic Complex adjacent to stadium - Done

Cost of two projects $30,000,000

 

Note: With the Dauphin Athletic Complex already in place, we're ahead of Georgia Southern and its planned 52,000 sq ft Athletic Complex.

 

3. Construction of Football Practice Field - Vernon Glass Football Practice Field - $200,000.00 - Done

4. Steps to comply with additional Title IX requirements - Added Women's soccer in 2007; brought back Softball in 2012-2013.

5. Upgrade facilities for Volleyball and student sports - $19,000,000 renovation and expansion resulting in Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center - Done

6. Upgrade Tennis Courts - Done

7. Increasing University financial stability - Investing for the Future Campaign ... Over $100,000,000 to date with goal of $125,000,000. Endowment dramatically increased. (At end of 2012, endowment at $79,000,000) - In Progress

 

Improve Academic Standing

 

1. Moved to Doctoral Research University - Done. I think we need to continue on to achieving a High and then move to achieving a Very High Research status

2. National University - Currently classified as National University

3. Increase Academic standing. Enrollment acceptance requirements are more stringent. Programs in place to improve graduation rates. Hopefully, we'll continue concentration in this area.

4. Grow University - Increased enrollment from 8,500 in 1998 to high last fall of around 14,500. - In Progress

 

Campus Improvements - Examples

1. Cardinal Village - Five Phases Done - Modern on campus living facilities for 2,500 Students - Done

2. Dining Facilities - New dining hall completed in 2006 at cost of $6,200,000.00. - Done

 

To Do ...

 

1. Increase Football Stadium Capacity - Should cost less than expansions of other stadiums because Federal Accessibility Compliance enhancements have already been done. Would only need stadium addition and possible incremental Compliance enhancements.

2. On Campus Softball Field - planned

3. Additional enhancements to baseball stadium (In addition to recent construction (2010) of Indoor Practice Facility and Player Clubhouse) - planned

4. Enhancements to Track Stadium - Badly needed

5. Enhancements to Montagne Center (Basketball)

6. Enhancement to Student Center (Setzer Center) - proposal approved by students in 2012.

7. Administration Buildings - $15,000,000 planned for renovation of Brooks - Shivers Halls to convert them to Administration Buildings.

8. Continue building University Academic standing and financial base.

 

I'd like to see the University bring more of the Alumni and area into the process. Communications related to the Athletics programs similar to updates currently received on Academic achievements would be great. With email, cost of communication should be reduced. Also, email database would be a good source of possible Alumni interested in further supporting the University's goals.

[Guest Crawfish]

There are a lot of good things happening, but I am not sure if Lamar has been lobbying for membership. What I mean is they need to start actively campaigning and communicating with the conference. Maybe they are doing this already, but they have not, it is time to be pro-active.

 

I still believe their will be more opportunities upcoming. (other than the one to get to 12)

 

 

 

 

[jdcurran235]

CUSA wants to go to 16 and the Big 12 still needs to go to 12. Lots more dominos to fall. There will be easily another 4 or 5 spots left at the FBS level.