Louisiana Tech Receives $1.1million From The W A C

[MeanGreen61]

Tech receives $1.1M from WAC

July 4, 2007

By Jimmy Watson

jimwatson@gannett.com

Boise State's trip to a Bowl Championship Series football game, gave Louisiana Tech's athletic budget a big boost.

After receiving $667,000 from the WAC in revenue sharing last year, Tech athletic director Jim Oakes was able to deposit a $1,125,799 check recently, due in large part to Boise's win over Oklahoma in January's BCS game.

"This is the largest share that we've received since we joined the WAC," Oakes said. "Boise's participation in the BCS game was certainly beneficial for all of the WAC schools."

Five elements played into the $1.1 million payout for the Bulldogs, but the largest amount ($559,222) came from the BCS football dividend. The bulk of that money came the Boise-Oklahoma matchup, but Tech would have received some BCS money anyway.

FULL ARTICLE

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...004/1001/SPORTS

[Green Mean]

Tech receives $1.1M from WAC

July 4, 2007

By Jimmy Watson

jimwatson@gannett.com

Boise State's trip to a Bowl Championship Series football game, gave Louisiana Tech's athletic budget a big boost.

After receiving $667,000 from the WAC in revenue sharing last year, Tech athletic director Jim Oakes was able to deposit a $1,125,799 check recently, due in large part to Boise's win over Oklahoma in January's BCS game.

"This is the largest share that we've received since we joined the WAC," Oakes said. "Boise's participation in the BCS game was certainly beneficial for all of the WAC schools."

Five elements played into the $1.1 million payout for the Bulldogs, but the largest amount ($559,222) came from the BCS football dividend. The bulk of that money came the Boise-Oklahoma matchup, but Tech would have received some BCS money anyway.

FULL ARTICLE

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...004/1001/SPORTS

And we would rather be in the SBC over the WAC because............?????

Edited July 5, 2007 by Green Mean

[greenminer]

The bulk of that money came the Boise-Oklahoma matchup, but Tech would have received some BCS money anyway.

really? How does that work?

[emmitt01]

And we would rather be in the SBC over the WAC because............?????

Too many reasons to enunciate on this board for the millionth time.

[the real grad88]

What was Tech's travel cost? If it is less than 500k, they are in much better shape than any Belt school. What could we have done with that conference revenue? A bunch! More of a down payment on the stadium for one. Plus the fact that the WAC actually has a team in the conference that played in a BCS game! Let's just admit it. That fact really is a feather in the WAC's cap. I would really love to hear the opinion of Dodge on this. I have to believe that Dickey talked up the Belt as opposed to the WAC because he knew the Belt was easier to win-which was all he was ever concerned with...not moving up the food chain.

[LongJim]

What could we have done with that conference revenue? A bunch! More of a down payment on the stadium for one. Plus the fact that the WAC actually has a team in the conference that played in a BCS game! Let's just admit it. That fact really is a feather in the WAC's cap.

The Belt did get some of that money. In fact, Boise's participation increased the amount that the Belt received.

From USA Today:

"Boise State fattens take for second tier

While the six conferences with guaranteed spots in the Bowl Championship Series each receive at least $17 million, the five other I-A leagues will receive a total of approximately $18 million. That's double what they would normally make because of Western Athletic Conference champ Boise State's spot in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

The non-guaranteed leagues (Conference USA, WAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt, Mid-American) receive 9% of the projected BCS net revenue, or about $9 million on an annual basis, according to the BCS. That increases by another 9% when a team from one of those leagues is in a BCS game.

The leagues then negotiate a split, with the biggest share going to the participating conference. Of the WAC's money, more than half will go to Boise State. Athletics director Gene Bleymaier projects that at $3 million to $3.5 million.

UNT needs to take care of it's business in it's own conference, and the rest will take care of itself.

[NT80]

What was Tech's travel cost? If it is less than 500k, they are in much better shape than any Belt school. What could we have done with that conference revenue? A bunch! More of a down payment on the stadium for one. Plus the fact that the WAC actually has a team in the conference that played in a BCS game! Let's just admit it. That fact really is a feather in the WAC's cap. I would really love to hear the opinion of Dodge on this. I have to believe that Dickey talked up the Belt as opposed to the WAC because he knew the Belt was easier to win-which was all he was ever concerned with...not moving up the food chain.

I would guess that most of La Tech's $1.1 mil is already gone paying travel costs for volleyball, tennis, softball, etc. squads to the west coast. Still, I would float the idea again of an eastern WAC division and see if NMSU and La Tech bite. It would benefit the western schools too with less travel. CUSA should be the first goal, but a WAC division with NMSU, La Tech, ASU, ULL, UNT would be next best over the hodge-podge we're in, IMHO.

[the real grad88]

I would guess that most of La Tech's $1.1 mil is already gone paying travel costs for volleyball, tennis, softball, etc. squads to the west coast. Still, I would float the idea again of an eastern WAC division and see if NMSU and La Tech bite. It would benefit the western schools too with less travel. CUSA should be the first goal, but a WAC division with NMSU, La Tech, ASU, ULL, UNT would be next best over the hodge-podge we're in, IMHO.

I would be absolutely thrilled with such a conference configuration. I agree. Float the idea out there to see what happens. They might just bite on it.

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

Has anyone asked the players what their opionion is? Or what their opinion of the Sun Belt is?

[Arkstfan]

You can cut it any way you like it but absent that one time check and the bonus checks while Idaho, NMSU, and USU were paying their dues to join and the WAC is a more expensive proposition.

Some time one of the newspapers there did an article comparing costs and found it about dead even, problem was the years they based it on Tech went to Hawaii in a non-conference game and played Rice and Tulsa in conference play.

Think of every sport UNT uses a bus for most or all conference games. In the WAC, Tech has to fly to every single one of them.

[the real grad88]

You can cut it any way you like it but absent that one time check and the bonus checks while Idaho, NMSU, and USU were paying their dues to join and the WAC is a more expensive proposition.

Some time one of the newspapers there did an article comparing costs and found it about dead even, problem was the years they based it on Tech went to Hawaii in a non-conference game and played Rice and Tulsa in conference play.

Think of every sport UNT uses a bus for most or all conference games. In the WAC, Tech has to fly to every single one of them.

Not if the Eastern/Western WAC could be created as someone above mentioned. That is what I would work for behind the scenes.

[UNTLifer]

Has anyone asked the players what their opionion is? Or what their opinion of the Sun Belt is?

When it is the Athletic Department's money, I don't think they get a say in it.

[Eagle1855]

just to throw more fuel on the fire, I offer you this article....

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

I would guess that most of La Tech's $1.1 mil is already gone paying travel costs for volleyball, tennis, softball, etc. squads to the west coast. Still, I would float the idea again of an eastern WAC division and see if NMSU and La Tech bite. It would benefit the western schools too with less travel. CUSA should be the first goal, but a WAC division with NMSU, La Tech, ASU, ULL, UNT would be next best over the hodge-podge we're in, IMHO.

At one time a 12-team, two division WAC would have worked. That would have been before Troy, the two F_Us, and Western Kentucky joined the football-playing SBC. But, Idaho and ULM would have been squeezed out (assuming that Middle had been #12) as well as the above four newcomers

Would it be a stronger league that either the current WAC or Sun Belt? Yep. Would travel costs be comparable to current travel costs? Reasonably close, but only La Tech is the big winner. But the cost to other institutions would make such a merger untenable. No one is in the driver's seat.

I take that back. The Mountain West Conference could be (in the driver's seat) at any time. They could take three from among Boise, Hawaii, Fresno State, Nevada, North Texas or UTEP and create total chaos. They would have a stronger conference but would have to split the pot further, something they seem unwilling to do. However, if that assured them a guaranteed spot in the BCS, they'd do it.

[Eagle1855]

At one time a 12-team, two division WAC would have worked. That would have been before Troy, the two F_Us, and Western Kentucky joined the football-playing SBC. But, Idaho and ULM would have been squeezed out (assuming that Middle had been #12) as well as the above four newcomers

I cant imagine a scenario where any conference has teams that are as far east as Florida, and as far west as Hawaii... that sounds like a travel nightmare.

[the real grad88]

I cant imagine a scenario where any conference has teams that are as far east as Florida, and as far west as Hawaii... that sounds like a travel nightmare.

"CUSA should be the first goal, but a WAC division with NMSU, La Tech, ASU, ULL, UNT would be next best over the hodge-podge we're in, IMHO."

Again as NT80 said (see qoutes above), the WAC would work with this Eastern Division. No one is proposing a WAC that spans from Hawaii to Florida.

[Eagle1855]

"CUSA should be the first goal, but a WAC division with NMSU, La Tech, ASU, ULL, UNT would be next best over the hodge-podge we're in, IMHO."

Again as NT80 said (see qoutes above), the WAC would work with this Eastern Division. No one is proposing a WAC that spans from Hawaii to Florida.

Im sorry, I missed the key word "before"... And yes, I agree, C-USA should be a reasonable first goal.

go on with the Chlorophyll...

[GrandGreen]

"CUSA should be the first goal, but a WAC division with NMSU, La Tech, ASU, ULL, UNT would be next best over the hodge-podge we're in, IMHO."

Again as NT80 said (see qoutes above), the WAC would work with this Eastern Division. No one is proposing a WAC that spans from Hawaii to Florida.

I believe the WAC has tried this before, did not work well. I think the WAC said loud and clear in the last conference turnover fest that they had no interest in eastern expansion. They chose to offer Idaho membership rather that taking more than one more eastern team. Why in the world would NT want to be in a Western conference? Although unlikely, the best outcome would be that the Belt and CUSA split into two regional conferences. SMU, Tulsa, Rice, Houston, ULM, ULL, Ark State, Tulane, UTEP and NT in one conference. USM, Memphis, Fla Int'l, Fla At'l, WKU, MTSU, Troy, UCF, and Ala Birmingham in the other. This would create geograhical interest and dramactically cut travel costs. Neither new league would be outstanding, but IMO equal to the current CUSA and Belt.

[ltudchi72]

In 2004-2005 Tech spent $1.1 million in total travel costs. This was the last year of SMU, Rice, Tulsa and UTEP in the WAC. Hawaii was a Tech home game.

In 2005-2006 Tech spent $1.6 million in total travel costs. This was the first year of NMSU, etc in the WAC. We also played Hawaii in Hawaii.

In 2004-2005 ULL spent $1.1 million in total travel costs.

The 2005-2006 figures are not available yet.

Just an FYI.

[Arkstfan]

The WAC was pitched the idea of 12 teams (sans Idaho) taking four Sun Belt schools plus Tech and NMSU to form an eastern division and they rejected that idea.

The bottom line for a Central time zone school is this.

1. Tech has made some fair money but those numbers have been temporary.

- The final year that UTEP, Rice, SMU, Tulsa were in the league they forfeited their share of league revenue so it was only split 6 ways rather than 10.

- USU, Idaho, and NMSU paid $750,000 each in entry fees. That boosted per team revenue sharing in the WAC by $375,000. If UNT had been in the WAC last season the conference check would have been less than that. The WAC shared around $10 million split nine ways. If UNT had accepted it would have been split 10 ways reducing it by about $200,000 and then another $250,000 for entry fee.

- The BCS revenue is a one-time thing that can't be counted on. Boise doesn't return a pick 61 yards for a TD against Wyoming or fails to get in field goal range on its final possession against San Jose State and you might have had Notre Dame in the BCS and Boise is playing its bowl game at home.

2. Check Tech's budget. It is roughly a Sun Belt budget but they aren't putting money in facilities at the pace of Sun Belt schools. Check this site put together by Tech fans that shows the deficiencies in facilities there. What upgrades are underway are upgrades we were all (or most of us) were bragging about 1 to 5 years ago but ours were paid for out of our regular budgets and fund-raising, their's are being funded in large part by the one-time money from WAC entry fees and BCS revenue. They had to play some road games in women's basketball in home jerseys because they had been delayed being able to get new road uniforms. Tennis nearly had to forfeit out of the WAC tournament one season because of a budget short-fall. To make budget they've played three money games a year five out of seven seasons.

3. The time zone issue cannot be pushed aside. A 7:00 pm Hawaii kickoff or tipoff is 11:00 pm here. A game that finishes the next day isn't in the next day's paper. The value of radio ads on the network are diminished by the late time. A 7:00 pm Pacific time zone game is a 9:00 pm here. That means limited if any write-up the next day and again a lowered value to the radio network for games that are heard so late at night.

[GreenEddieNT]

The WAC was pitched the idea of 12 teams (sans Idaho) taking four Sun Belt schools plus Tech and NMSU to form an eastern division and they rejected that idea.

The bottom line for a Central time zone school is this.

1. Tech has made some fair money but those numbers have been temporary.

- The final year that UTEP, Rice, SMU, Tulsa were in the league they forfeited their share of league revenue so it was only split 6 ways rather than 10.

- USU, Idaho, and NMSU paid $750,000 each in entry fees. That boosted per team revenue sharing in the WAC by $375,000. If UNT had been in the WAC last season the conference check would have been less than that. The WAC shared around $10 million split nine ways. If UNT had accepted it would have been split 10 ways reducing it by about $200,000 and then another $250,000 for entry fee.

- The BCS revenue is a one-time thing that can't be counted on. Boise doesn't return a pick 61 yards for a TD against Wyoming or fails to get in field goal range on its final possession against San Jose State and you might have had Notre Dame in the BCS and Boise is playing its bowl game at home.

2. Check Tech's budget. It is roughly a Sun Belt budget but they aren't putting money in facilities at the pace of Sun Belt schools. Check this site put together by Tech fans that shows the deficiencies in facilities there. What upgrades are underway are upgrades we were all (or most of us) were bragging about 1 to 5 years ago but ours were paid for out of our regular budgets and fund-raising, their's are being funded in large part by the one-time money from WAC entry fees and BCS revenue. They had to play some road games in women's basketball in home jerseys because they had been delayed being able to get new road uniforms. Tennis nearly had to forfeit out of the WAC tournament one season because of a budget short-fall. To make budget they've played three money games a year five out of seven seasons.

3. The time zone issue cannot be pushed aside. A 7:00 pm Hawaii kickoff or tipoff is 11:00 pm here. A game that finishes the next day isn't in the next day's paper. The value of radio ads on the network are diminished by the late time. A 7:00 pm Pacific time zone game is a 9:00 pm here. That means limited if any write-up the next day and again a lowered value to the radio network for games that are heard so late at night.

Excellent points. The only thing worse than being in a non-bcs conference is being in a western non-bcs conference. That is made even worse when that non-bcs conference is the WAC.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

And we would rather be in the SBC over the WAC because............?????

---They got the big payoff one year... the others they didn't. Do you really think this will happen most of the time??? Considering their travel thepasst 3-4 years, did this really pay all the excessive bills.???

---Sounds like the green is always greener idea... just because there is one great small patch of grass of the other sided doesn't mean the cow should "jump" the fence to get it. By the way would we have made the NCAA basketball tournament from the WAC..?? That paid us fairly well also.

[the real grad88]

This is all a straw man argument. I don' think ANYONE wants to go into the existing WAC with no changes. It would only be if the 12 team WAC could happen...with a viable six-team Eastern division that would do away with all of the negatives you mention. If that can never happen, then we just stay in the Belt. I betcha one thing though. The minute the WAC gets a clue about that and puts forth that idea (which I think is a real possibility in the future), is the minute RV jumps on it!

[Arkstfan]

This is all a straw man argument. I don' think ANYONE wants to go into the existing WAC with no changes. It would only be if the 12 team WAC could happen...with a viable six-team Eastern division that would do away with all of the negatives you mention. If that can never happen, then we just stay in the Belt. I betcha one thing though. The minute the WAC gets a clue about that and puts forth that idea (which I think is a real possibility in the future), is the minute RV jumps on it!

What SHOULD have been done was to go to 16 because that could have been done correctly.

An 8 team Western Division and an 8 team Eastern Division with a three tier television package. A national coverage package, a regional package independently negotiated for each division, with any leftover inventory for the teams to deal with. A more "eat-what-you-kill" approach to revenue sharing for TV, any bowl net revenue, and basketball, that addresses Fresno's opposition to the big expansion and unlike the old WAC 16 where rivalries had to be split up, that alignment would not have split rivalries and would have led to very limited inter-divisional play.

[ltudchi72]

This is a break down of the areas and amounts of funds from the WAC received by Louisiana Tech:

$40,000 -- Proceeds from WAC men's basketball tournament

$92,500 -- WAC entrance fees paid by Idaho, Utah State and New Mexico State

$133,333 -- Proceeds from ESPN contract

$300,743 -- NCAA men's basketball revenue

$559,222 -- BCS football revenue

$1,125,799 -- Total

Some of the improvements on tap.

"Athletic facilities can enhance our campus and greatly improve the experience students, fans and alumni have when visiting.

The expansion of the Intramural Center to include a world class swimming facility is huge.

Greatly improved Tennis and bowling facilities are going to assist in competitively building programs for each case.

I also hear plans are definitely in the works for the two new dorms attached to The Joe on the North End Zone.

In addition, a ground floor weight room and athletic fitness complex is being designed.

A second floor with the concept of a super suites area overlooking the field is also being included that would add meeting rooms and conference type capabilities.

Then consider a practice field is being developed with high fences and privacy as its purpose, Tech is beginning to take big steps toward overall athletic facility improvements.

Last week Tech unvieled a new $12 million Biomedical Engineering Facility that is second to none."