americanpress
Scooter Hobbs column: Whats the governor got up his sleeve for LSU athleltics? Published 10:21 pm Tuesday, July 14, 2026 Louisiana Gov.
Jeff Landry has called a summit meeting at the Governors Mansion to discuss the future of LSU athletics.
Chances are that you, personally, were not invited.
Invitations to the meeting, to be hosted by Gov.
Landry and LSU President Wade Rouse, were sent out only to the top 40 donors to the schools athletic program.
Details were sketchy, but it doesnt sound like the governor will just be passing the hat for another temporary rent-a-mascot.
And theres probably a lot more to it than just the rumor that advertising patches might soon adorn LSU football jerseys.
Anyway, the confab will take place the first week in August.
The invitation says it is not an ask for money.
Its not a fundraiser.
Still, if you are on the guest list just a hunch here it would probably be wise to bring your checkbook along anyway, perhaps any spare bitcoin, too.
Those who were invited (summoned?) are promised a first look at an alternative revenue generating opportunity for LSU athletics.
The particulars of alternative opportunities were not revealed, but the school has apparently invented a new way to make money or at least generate more of it.
The invitation goes as far as to say the idea is the first of its kind nationally and could quite possibly change the future of college sports in America.
A tall order there.
Like I said, bring your checkbook just in case.
And if you have a big, fat checkbook, my guess is that you could probably bluff your way past the front door without a proper invite.
Wish them luck and Godspeed.
The confab is just more proof that the price of winning is going up and not coming down anytime soon.
If LSU can find the solution to the millions upon millions of cash now needed to field a football team (or any other varsity), a Nobel Prize for economics could be forthcoming.
Its a dilemma that seems to be confounding even the flushest of big-time college athletic departments.
Its not so much a funding arms race as it is a battle just to keep ones heads above water.
The LSU invitations were sent out Thursday by Tiger Athletic Foundation President Matt Borman, who said in his message to invitees: College athletics is at financial crossroads, and were feeling it every day at LSU.
As someone who has contributed generously to our athletic programs to keep them operational, you know how unsustainable the budget of the athletic department looks and how hard TAF has worked with our donors to assist.
As Ive always said, athletic departments are sort of like defense departments in that no matter how much money they get, they can always point out where more is desperately needed today! be it for national security or Flagship U.
football pride.
And that was before revenue sharing for players, which comes directly from the school, went into effect.
It will be $21.3 million for this school year and it will keep rising.
Thats about half what LSU is reportedly on the hook for with this years upcoming roster, so the difference has to come from NIL (name, image likeness), which officially is raised from outside sources but realistically comes from a lot of the same donor pockets that contribute to keep the revenue sharing account flush.
Plus, LSU in particular long story short has got a lot of fired ex-coaches still to pay off.
So whatever new opportunities are out there, LSU surely use all of them.
Youll know its serious when the naming rights for Tiger Stadium are let out for the highest bidder.
* Scooter Hobbs covers LSU athletics for the American Press.
Contact him at [email protected].