More in-depth story:
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2017/jul/13/feasibility-of-ualr-football-to-get-stu/
UALR has relied on donations to support athletic ventures. The university was able to construct a new basketball arena for the 2005-06 season because of a $22.4 million gift from the late businessman Jackson T. Stephens, and in January 2016, the Coleman family, owners of the former Coleman Dairy company, agreed to donate nearly 8 acres for the university to build a new baseball field and sports complex.
The Razorbacks have played football games at War Memorial Stadium since 1948. Under its current agreement with War Memorial Stadium, UA-Fayetteville will play one game in the Little Rock stadium through the 2018 season. It is unknown what will happen afterward.
UA Athletic Director "Jeff Long has to make some decisions on football games at War Memorial, and there may be some value in this process in how this decision is made," Stodola said.
I posted yesterday in another thread that it would shock me if the Sun Belt presidents and Benson haven't been aware of this for at least the past year and given it their quiet endorsement. And keep in mind Benson believes 10 is the perfect number for Belt football. From the story I posted:
"UALR has received assurance from the Sun Belt Conference that if it does create a football team, the team will have a spot within the conference."
As Dwayne said, for ULM the clock is ticking.
He may say 10 is the perfect number (he's wrong, it's 9) but that doesn't mean he'd kick someone out to get there. Seems more likely they'd bring back NMSU (or another school leveling up or Liberty or someone) to go to 12 than to drop a member within the geographic footprint.
But you never know.
I'm from El Dorado. I came here instead of Arkansas or Miss. State. UALR was a non factor. Like stated above, it's mostly a commuter school and the part of town that it is in isn't very attractive.
I do know several Tech grads that moved back up there and give Tech no thought. Bandwagon pigs fans.
Not being a pigs fan in Little Rock can make one sort of a social outcast, much the way not being a Tiger fan in Baton Rouge can if you allow it to. I give people in those kind of situations a pass if they become what I call "social fans" of the local team. Still, there's no excuse for a Tech grad's losing his passion for Tech, no matter where he lives.
UALR/UArkansas with football would be no different than UAB/UAlabama.
Louisiana Tech University
Flagship of the University of Louisiana System
I've been to a few Ark game watching party, I just watch the game. It's hard for me to get overly excited for a school that I have no connection with. Folks here know that I rep Louisiana Tech.
Regarding UALR football, no one will go watch them on a Saturday especially if Arkansas is playing. It's like LSUS trying to start a football team. UALR students have no pride in their school, they have coined it University of Last Resort.