Every FCS team brings something to the table that ULM does not. A home game without a return trip. If ULM was willing to take that sort of deal (at FCS or premium FCS prices) , we would put them in the regular rotation. I think a few good ideas have been expressed here. Make them buy tickets in advance or offer them a 2 for 1.
I think there is some reason to breathe a little life into their program. I think keeping them strong enough to battle ULL is important, but ULL lately has been sinking low enough that we probably don't need to boost ULM to keep them competitive.
I'm ok either way. Bottom line, If we sign a deal we need to make sure it is a good deal for us.
There is some mild novelty in playing them again. You will get a sizeable crowd for the first game. Use it for a season opener much like NSU.
The only way that I would schedule ULM is with Tech having the 1st game, a few years in between, and a guarantee on ticket sales.
The novelty wears off just like NSU and then no one shows up.
It's really not like the NSU situation. Our fans have historically shown up for the series in both Ruston and Monroe. NSU was dwindling down to nothing by the time they ended the series in S'Port. nlulm fans who are wearing purple and yellow come out as do some of our purple and yellow Tech grads. It's like a big high school setting.
They'll never sign a 2-1 deal. However the advanced purchased ticket deal would be a great idea. If they want to play the game as bad as they say they do, SURELY they could sell 7500 tickets. If they don't, it would prove once and for all that no one has any interest in watching this game. Win-Win either way for us. I know we would bring twice that many to Monroe.
HD, anything that would give the perception of Tech being a better/more established program would not happen. As I mentioned in another post, I believe we could offer them $500K for a single game to be played in Ruston and they would turn it down due to the negative perception it would cast on them.
Unless we decide we want to give out a ton of band scholarship money, like Northwestern does, the difference in bands will be there.
We need lots more brass for our football band. Lots of trumpets and trombones, etc. . That's where the big sound comes from.
Good old Memorial Gym
PD is right. Even if it was a financially brilliant decision in their favor, if it somehow made Tech look like the bigger fish, they'd turn it down. They're that stupid.
Strike First and make some kind of offer and make it very, very, public. ULM always has the opportunity to turn it down, but make it all completely transparent and public.
The Tech AD and maybe SID should team up and name all the reasons we are offering the deal we are offering. Tech can use past history of how ULM loses interest in the series quickly and it is not a good deal for either school, use the numbers and anyone can see a series does not make sense.
ULM Coach and AD has always made a habit of calling TECH out, why not call them out. This series is dead and gone, if we want to play them, they are no different than NSU, SLU, Southern, and others, treat them that way. We do not have anything to gain by going to their stadium other than making our fans drive
35 miles to outnumber the home crowd and watch a beat down and add to ULM's coffers.
We are holding all the cards, stop acting like we need them for something, they can take it or leave it, just make sure everyone knows what is offered.
ONE AND DONE!
It's easier than that. Make them an offer via email explaining what we will accept and why. Be a reasonable as possible (we are trying to get 2 for 1s with whoever and a 1 and done with you or 2 for 1 is all we can muster, etc. etc.) When they turn it down leak it via third person to Cory Diaz (Dawgpix can do it), refuse to comment when Cory asks but confirm that there were discussions, and turn it over when he makes a FOI request. We don't run to media, media finds it, game isn't played, Tech wins two times, 5 if they agree to play.
At worst Bruno gets to go onto twitter and explain why he turned a game down when his admin has made the desire to play a public priority. I think the last AD even publicly stated it was a goal at his opening press conference. What are they gonna do? Call us pricks?