A great read and a great testament to the fantastic leadership at ULM...

LINK

"... ULM and Idaho have a few things in common when it comes to football. In addition to card-carrying membership in the Sun Belt, the two schools were once national championship contenders at the FCS level, but that’s where the similarities end.

ULM will not be making a similar institutional move back to FCS as long as President Nick Bruno is in office.

“I feel we’re where we need to be,” Bruno said. “The Sun Belt is a good fit for us and there are things external to us in Louisiana that could affect us in one fell swoop, but I don’t see that happening, and I’m committed to staying in FBS.” ...

Didn't think there was an issue here. Other than a few a few message-board posters, hadn't even heard of this as an option.

Warhawks (Indians) didn't just flirt with a national championship we were 1987 National Champions

(05-15-2016 02:44 PM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  Didn't think there was an issue here. Other than a few a few message-board posters, hadn't even heard of this as an option.

Agreed, FoUTA. The reason I shared the article was more for the extraordinary leadership and their vision for ULM's (probably) bright future around the corner, which was very interesting, at least to myself. A great testament on how to plan for big boy football on a shoestring and the proper mindset needed to get there.

Of course ULM isn't going FCS. Only Idaho is that dumb, and even with Idaho it took an absolute perfect storm. If you have an FBS ticket and a conference to play in dropping down makes zero sense whatsoever -- FCS is expensive too.

Other than this October 8th I wish ULM all the FBS success in the world.

(05-15-2016 03:15 PM)warhawk1 Wrote:  Warhawks (Indians) didn't just flirt with a national championship we were 1987 National Champions

But you've had what? One winning season since becoming fbs?

Surprised it warranted addressing.

(05-16-2016 07:31 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Surprised it warranted addressing.

The fact that it WAS addressed is concerning to me. Was anybody even talking about ULM moving down?

(05-16-2016 09:18 AM)Klak Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 07:31 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Surprised it warranted addressing.

The fact that it WAS addressed is concerning to me. Was anybody even talking about ULM moving down?

No, but it an article that has long needed to be addressed. Through all the losing seasons there has always been a small uninformed minority saying we need to drop down. With Idaho actually doing it, this needed to be written to show we aren't interested in doing that and financially it wouldn't save money or make any sense.

Well, it has been discussed about all the financial issues that Louisiana is having, and affects on the universities.


If Idaho was located in the middle of the Sun Belt, they would be a full member of it, and no need to evaluate. Travel in another conference (like the Southland) wouldn't be to much different for them.

Idaho is stuck in one of the hardest to reach areas of the lower 48, with no similar schools that want to play FBS nearby.


I bet if the Idaho Legislature had required home and home series with Boise, and Wazoo had been willing to guarantee the same, Idaho would have stayed FBS. But Idaho couldn't get series with the two closest FBS schools to them.

(05-16-2016 01:23 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  Well, it has been discussed about all the financial issues that Louisiana is having, and affects on the universities.


If Idaho was located in the middle of the Sun Belt, they would be a full member of it, and no need to evaluate. Travel in another conference (like the Southland) wouldn't be to much different for them.

Idaho is stuck in one of the hardest to reach areas of the lower 48, with no similar schools that want to play FBS nearby.


I bet if the Idaho Legislature had required home and home series with Boise, and Wazoo had been willing to guarantee the same, Idaho would have stayed FBS. But Idaho couldn't get series with the two closest FBS schools to them.

Makes you wonder, how did the University of Idaho allow Boise St, a former JUCO, take over that state the way they did. Got to think that does come into play when states like Ga are making budget constraints the way they are.

(05-16-2016 01:23 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  Well, it has been discussed about all the financial issues that Louisiana is having, and affects on the universities.


If Idaho was located in the middle of the Sun Belt, they would be a full member of it, and no need to evaluate. Travel in another conference (like the Southland) wouldn't be to much different for them.

Idaho is stuck in one of the hardest to reach areas of the lower 48, with no similar schools that want to play FBS nearby.


I bet if the Idaho Legislature had required home and home series with Boise, and Wazoo had been willing to guarantee the same, Idaho would have stayed FBS. But Idaho couldn't get series with the two closest FBS schools to them.

Sad part is a strong G5 conference could be formed if rules allowed.
NAU is a good example decent sized school in an area that isn't over saturated with good academics.
Portland St ,Sacramento St and EWU could be good FBS markets.
Add to that the flagship schools that are at the top of FCS.
SDSU,NDSU and the Montana schools

Why would ULM drop their in a conference already.
U Mass or NMSU maybe if future realignment doesn't help them.

(05-16-2016 01:32 PM)Usajags Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 01:23 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  Well, it has been discussed about all the financial issues that Louisiana is having, and affects on the universities.


If Idaho was located in the middle of the Sun Belt, they would be a full member of it, and no need to evaluate. Travel in another conference (like the Southland) wouldn't be to much different for them.

Idaho is stuck in one of the hardest to reach areas of the lower 48, with no similar schools that want to play FBS nearby.


I bet if the Idaho Legislature had required home and home series with Boise, and Wazoo had been willing to guarantee the same, Idaho would have stayed FBS. But Idaho couldn't get series with the two closest FBS schools to them.

Makes you wonder, how did the University of Idaho allow Boise St, a former JUCO, take over that state the way they did. Got to think that does come into play when states like Ga are making budget constraints the way they are.

Odd mix Idaho has .
Idaho is a well respected for academics and highly criticized in athletics.
Boise state is a G5 power and one of the lowest rated schools in FBS.
The football strength often shines a light on their poor academics.
The state has zero chance of having a P5 program one day.

(05-16-2016 07:31 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Surprised it warranted addressing.

Just my two cents but I feel like ULM's AD only addressed the issue when asked by the reporter. And we all know reporter ask the dumbest questions at different times.

(05-16-2016 02:26 PM)ValleyBoy Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 07:31 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Surprised it warranted addressing.

Just my two cents but I feel like ULM's AD only addressed the issue when asked by the reporter. And we all know reporter ask the dumbest questions at different times.

it'll probably be asked again. ULM with only a $12 - 14 million budget isn't screaming to want to be competitive at the FBS level. With that budget you might as well be FCS where you can be more competitive.

(05-16-2016 02:49 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 02:26 PM)ValleyBoy Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 07:31 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Surprised it warranted addressing.

Just my two cents but I feel like ULM's AD only addressed the issue when asked by the reporter. And we all know reporter ask the dumbest questions at different times.

it'll probably be asked again. ULM with only a $12 - 14 million budget isn't screaming to want to be competitive at the FBS level. With that budget you might as well be FCS where you can be more competitive.

Yes ULM needs better support to be completive at the FBS level but they would take an even bigger hit to there competiveness to all there sports programs if they moved down to FCS.

Quote:ULM is set to receive a total of $2.6 million in revenue from guarantee games and Sun Belt membership in 2016. The payouts ULM generates from playing at Oklahoma and Auburn next fall total $1.2 million, while the athletic department will receive $400,000 for playing at New Mexico.

The $2.6 million in 2016 revenue accounts for more than 20 percent of ULM’s 2015 athletic budget and made it possible for the Warhawks to schedule a rare home season opener with FCS Southern University next fall.

Along with the rest of the Sun Belt, ULM receives $1 million from conference membership annually — a $750,000 cut from the College Football Playoff, $150,000 from the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and $100,000 in football television revenue.

“When you look at the financials of it, you give a lot when you drop down. It outweighs the savings, and that’s why it’s not an option.”

Current NCAA rules allows only one FCS win per season to count toward an FBS team’s bowl eligibility, which creates limited demand — and payouts — for FCS opponents.

Wickstrom said dropping from the FBS’s 85 football scholarships to 63 in FCS would cut some costs, but only net a total of $330,000 in savings.

“That’s the reason you don’t drop down. That $1.2 million drops to about $400,000, and you’re not playing New Mexico at all,” Wickstrom said.

http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/sports/.../84333026/

(05-16-2016 01:32 PM)Usajags Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 01:23 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  Well, it has been discussed about all the financial issues that Louisiana is having, and affects on the universities.


If Idaho was located in the middle of the Sun Belt, they would be a full member of it, and no need to evaluate. Travel in another conference (like the Southland) wouldn't be to much different for them.

Idaho is stuck in one of the hardest to reach areas of the lower 48, with no similar schools that want to play FBS nearby.


I bet if the Idaho Legislature had required home and home series with Boise, and Wazoo had been willing to guarantee the same, Idaho would have stayed FBS. But Idaho couldn't get series with the two closest FBS schools to them.

Makes you wonder, how did the University of Idaho allow Boise St, a former JUCO, take over that state the way they did. Got to think that does come into play when states like Ga are making budget constraints the way they are.

It's just embarrassing. We're still light years ahead of them academically, but somehow nobody in our administration over the past 2 decades has been able to grasp how much athletics is helping them close the overall gap between the two schools. And this FCS thing plays right into their hands.

Now I'm getting pissed off all over again. Thanks a lot.

(05-16-2016 01:23 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  Well, it has been discussed about all the financial issues that Louisiana is having, and affects on the universities.


If Idaho was located in the middle of the Sun Belt, they would be a full member of it, and no need to evaluate. Travel in another conference (like the Southland) wouldn't be to much different for them.

Idaho is stuck in one of the hardest to reach areas of the lower 48, with no similar schools that want to play FBS nearby.


I bet if the Idaho Legislature had required home and home series with Boise, and Wazoo had been willing to guarantee the same, Idaho would have stayed FBS. But Idaho couldn't get series with the two closest FBS schools to them.

We could have easily worked something out with Wazzu. Probably could have had our "home" game played in Pullman and doubled the gate. BSU is another story. They won't play us in anything because it's part of their overall strategy and because nobody at Idaho has any balls whatsoever to make it happen.

(05-16-2016 02:49 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 02:26 PM)ValleyBoy Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 07:31 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Surprised it warranted addressing.

Just my two cents but I feel like ULM's AD only addressed the issue when asked by the reporter. And we all know reporter ask the dumbest questions at different times.

it'll probably be asked again. ULM with only a $12 - 14 million budget isn't screaming to want to be competitive at the FBS level. With that budget you might as well be FCS where you can be more competitive.

Money doesn't make you competitive. Good coaching and recruiting does. Was ULM's budget bigger when they beat Alabama or Arkansas, was Alabama's or Arkansa' budget smaller when they lost to ULM???

It's all about being able to evaluate coaches and their ability. That makes a good G5 program.

(05-16-2016 02:59 PM)ValleyBoy Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 02:49 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 02:26 PM)ValleyBoy Wrote:  

(05-16-2016 07:31 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Surprised it warranted addressing.

Just my two cents but I feel like ULM's AD only addressed the issue when asked by the reporter. And we all know reporter ask the dumbest questions at different times.

it'll probably be asked again. ULM with only a $12 - 14 million budget isn't screaming to want to be competitive at the FBS level. With that budget you might as well be FCS where you can be more competitive.

Yes ULM needs better support to be completive at the FBS level but they would take an even bigger hit to there competiveness to all there sports programs if they moved down to FCS.

Quote:ULM is set to receive a total of $2.6 million in revenue from guarantee games and Sun Belt membership in 2016. The payouts ULM generates from playing at Oklahoma and Auburn next fall total $1.2 million, while the athletic department will receive $400,000 for playing at New Mexico.

The $2.6 million in 2016 revenue accounts for more than 20 percent of ULM’s 2015 athletic budget and made it possible for the Warhawks to schedule a rare home season opener with FCS Southern University next fall.

Along with the rest of the Sun Belt, ULM receives $1 million from conference membership annually — a $750,000 cut from the College Football Playoff, $150,000 from the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and $100,000 in football television revenue.

“When you look at the financials of it, you give a lot when you drop down. It outweighs the savings, and that’s why it’s not an option.”

Current NCAA rules allows only one FCS win per season to count toward an FBS team’s bowl eligibility, which creates limited demand — and payouts — for FCS opponents.

Wickstrom said dropping from the FBS’s 85 football scholarships to 63 in FCS would cut some costs, but only net a total of $330,000 in savings.

“That’s the reason you don’t drop down. That $1.2 million drops to about $400,000, and you’re not playing New Mexico at all,” Wickstrom said.

http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/sports/.../84333026/

Wait, what?? They are receiving a TOTAL of 1.2M for both those P5 games? That is already FCS pay. Something is wrong with that quote. Or their A.D. needs to be fired. GS is getting 1.2 (if we sell our allotment of tickets) from Clemson alone.

The quote states that 2.6M is the total for the money games AND conference payouts (CFP money mostly). That's just sad.