@LATechSports Announces North Endzone Facility Plan

[inudesu]

We just need to make sure that the opponent is a P5 opponent that will bring many fans (So no Wake Forest or Kansas).

P5 opponents that will bring many fans don't play many road games at G5 teams (or other P5 teams for that matter).

[TYLERTECHSAS]

Some of you on this board that are so adamant that if we don't do a home and home with some of the power 5/larger programs at the Joe is unacceptable, need to get a grip. If I'm a Florida State or University X, why in the world would I want to play at the Joe with a max 23K seats where lodging accommodations suck in Ruston and the airline arrangement suck even more...REALLY!

Lodging accommodations don’t suck anymore. Just call earlier to get a room. Visiting teams have been staying at the new Marriott Courtyard.

[HogDawg]

Many of you guys need to view playing games in Shreveport as a way to market and generate interest in LA Tech sports. After all, Shreveport is home of the largest LA Tech alumni base in the world. Shreveport-Bossier is the low hanging fruit in LA Tech's footprint.

- Just imagine the 30 to 50 yr old LA Tech alumni living in Shreveport and coming to a Tech football game at Indy Stadium for the first time in years. If he has a GREAT experience, he's likely going to want to pack up the wife and kids and drive to Ruston to see more games, at least occasionally. That's how you build a fan base.

- LA Tech should already be marketing to that S-B area anyway, but we really don't (with very few exceptions).

[TYLERTECHSAS]

We need to take over/acquire LSUS or ULM. Period! Heck go for both while the US and LA economy sucks and should demand a restructuring by taxpayers of this state.
This is a job for LG and any Tech lover with financial and/or political stroke in Shreveport and BR.
We need to start the hard work process again and asap!

[Champ967]

In the unlilkely event Tech were to ever subsume LSUS, I'd advocate for continuing their men's soccer program and allowing that one team to keep the "Pilots" name.

[sportdawg]

Our coaches also need to hold camps in the SBC in addition to their regular camps in Ruston. I would love for my son to have gone to a basketball camp in the summer, but we couldn't drive to Ruston daily for a week.

[Blue Dawg]

In the unlilkely event Tech were to ever subsume LSUS, I'd advocate for continuing their men's soccer program and allowing that one team to keep the "Pilots" name.

That would be cool.

[HogDawg]

We need to take over/acquire LSUS or ULM. Period! Heck go for both while the US and LA economy sucks and should demand a restructuring by taxpayers of this state.
This is a job for LG and any Tech lover with financial and/or political stroke in Shreveport and BR.
We need to start the hard work process again and asap!

All the talk of LA Tech subsuming LSUS or acquiring ULM needs to be squelched for now. That's all BS. We've already seen that neither is going to happen in the near future. Right now, I'd like to see LA Tech simply focus on winning football and basketball championships, and position ourselves for an invitation to a much better conference.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

All the talk of LA Tech subsuming LSUS or acquiring ULM needs to be squelched for now. That's all BS. We've already seen that neither is going to happen in the near future. Right now, I'd like to see LA Tech simply focus on winning football and basketball championships, and position ourselves for an invitation to a much better conference.

This is why I stated for DrLG and the Tech financial and power/political stroke types to start the work and process. This doesn’t involve the athletic department. Dang HD, do you quit when turned down or fail at something? I doubt it.

[HogDawg]

This is why I stated for DrLG and the Tech financial and power/political stroke types to start the work and process. This doesn’t involve the athletic department. Dang HD, do you quit when turned down or fail at something? I doubt it.

No, but I clean up my act first, and get my own house in order before venturing into the "pie in the sky" strategic stuff. If LSUS and ULM can't help us win football or basketball championships and get us into a better conference, then I'm not really interested in them anyway. Those are really long term goals.

[Dawgonit]

P5 opponents that will bring many fans don't play many road games at G5 teams (or other P5 teams for that matter).

So obviously it's not easy to get them to G5 stadiums but it does happen. We have had Mississippi State twice at the Joe. Tulane was going to host Oklahoma before the hurricane this year and has multiple home P5 opponents in the future. Obviously going to New Orleans is a desirable trip so it's not exactly apples to apples. What makes this easier than getting a team to the Joe is that this is a bigger neutral venue. We've had OKST, Miami, and Texas A&M play in Shreveport against us. I don't see why we couldn't get some more regional P5s like Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU, Arkansas, Missouri, Ole Miss, Miss St...etc. It would be once a year. Shreveport could help financially incentivize teams to come too. Tens of thousands fans coming to Shreveport brings lots of money to the city.

[DawgyNWindow]

Dangit -- yall know how I feel about agreeing with HD, but ... I agree that the occasional game in S'port is a good thing. But with some caveats:

1) Not more than once / year.

2) Needs to be the right team. Either P5 or a high-profile G5 with a nat'l following. (eg. BYU, AFA). Great Shreveport games I remember include vs. Cal, Baylor, TAMU, Miami, OK St.

3) Must market the ever-living spit out of it for no less than 2 months leading up it -- billboards, print, SM, radio, etc.

4) Off-site parking with reliable shuttle service.

5) Do it consistently for no less than 4-5 consective years before making any judgements about it's effectiveness re: "market"

OPTIONAL:

6) Ideally -- this game should be the same weekend every year. So everyone KNOWS that Tech ALWAYS has their big game on THIS particular weekend EVERY autumn.

7) Game needs to have a name. But without the word "classic". And one that highlights SBC / NWLA, not necessarily Tech.

8) We should seriously consider partnering such a game with the State Fair. (I know some folks feel like that represents the bad-old days or bush-league times. But we're not talking about playing NSU here.) I'm thinking combo-tickets, carnival / midway / family atmosphere, and a full day of available activities leading up to evening kickoff.

Perfect...including the State Fair part. That's a win/win for Tech and SBC.

[Dowty]

Our coaches also need to hold camps in the SBC in addition to their regular camps in Ruston. I would love for my son to have gone to a basketball camp in the summer, but we couldn't drive to Ruston daily for a week.

This x1000000. Same for baseball and football.

[Dwayne From Minden]

I'm interested in the numbers that the Tech-LSU game at The Bag in Bossier will pull...

I'll be highly surprised if it's over 8 or 9 thousand - highly

[eagle2180]

Well, with attitudes like yours, I guess LA Tech just needs to roll it up and stay happy in CUSA 5.0, along with Sam Houston St, Jacksonville St and NMSU. You don't appear to be looking for genuine solutions, just poor excuses why you can't get something done. That's what's laughable.

No, I think staying put is stupid. I’m just expressing a different view point. La Tech has tried to get the S’port market for years…..hasn’t happened to date. Why do you attend and support La Tech athletics? What years did you attend? La Tech has at least a 10-15 year gap of alumni that don’t have much interest in their alma mater. Why is that? You have to make lifelong fans out of current students. It wouldn’t hurt to entice the kids of alumni with some fun and excitement on game day. La Tech’s market presents some challenges. There are no easy fixes. Playing games in S’port hasn’t been a huge long term boost historically. I’d bet if La Tech could be near capacity attendance at home games and had an above average athletic budget we wouldn’t be left out in conference realignments.