Name, Image & MicNess
Name, Image & MicNess dives into the dynamic world of college athletics, exploring the evolving landscape of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). Presented by Krewe Allons, this podcast ensures that Louisiana Athletics remains at the forefront of competitiveness while offering fans exclusive access to players, coaches, and staff. It's also a unique platform for Acadiana businesses to connect directly with student athletes, fostering stronger community ties.
Name, Image & MicNess
NIL, NCAA Changes, and the Future of Louisiana Athletics with Dr. Bryan Maggard
Text us what YOU would like to hear next!
Ever wondered how the dynamic world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) is transforming college sports? Join us for an insightful conversation with Dr. Bryan Maggard, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Louisiana, as he takes us on his journey to South Louisiana and shares the essence of Cajun culture. We'll unravel his thoughts on how NIL is a game-changer in building championship-level programs and delve into the significant impact of recent NCAA lawsuit settlements.
What's driving the shift from scholarship limits to revenue-sharing models, and how will it affect our competitive edge in sports like baseball and softball? We break it down and discuss the strategic planning necessary to navigate these changes. From enhanced NIL monitoring to adapting new regulations, this episode provides an in-depth look at what it takes to stay ahead in the Sun Belt Conference. Learn about the innovative initiatives like the "Art of Business" program, which bridges student-athletes with local businesses, and understand how community support is integral to our success.
As we gear up for the new college football season, the excitement is palpable. Get the latest on how fan engagement through initiatives like the "Win With 10" campaign is vital for sustaining our athletic programs. Discover the electrifying matchups on the horizon and the benefits for early ticket buyers. This episode is a celebration of our vibrant UL athletics community, filled with passion, dedication, and the collective effort that drives us forward. Geaux Cajuns!
To support the collective and join the Krewe, visit Krewe Allons' website today!
To learn more about ULEDF and the Art of Business, visit Upper Lafayette's website.
This podcast is part of the AcadianaCasts Network. Send an email to info@acadianacasts.com to start or enhance your podcast journey!
Welcome to Name, image and Mikeness. I'm your host. Carter Semino, founder of the Acadiana Cast Network man, I'm so excited for the release of this show. It's been a lot of months in the works and we have some really exciting things that we will be bringing you guys in the coming months and weeks. All about the Cajuns. Through this show we'll be giving Cajuns fans unique access to Louisiana athletes via our friends over at Crew Along. Not just athletes, though. We'll be talking with coaches, staff administration, business owners, supporters of the Raging Cajuns around Acadiana. But a lot of this is thanks to our friends at Cruel Law, the NIL collective for Louisiana athletics. We'll have more on how to get involved with them in just a bit. But you know, with the show we want to inform and educate folks about the world of name, image and likeness. Now you get the title it's funny Specifically here in Acadiana, all while trying to entertain you along the way, and I think we'll do just that.
Speaker 1:Now a little bit about me. I am a graduate of UL, graduated in mass comm, the concentration and broadcasting, went and worked for the local news for a few years as a reporter, mmj, multimedia journalist for those not in the business and also as a morning desk anchor over at News 15. But along the way I wanted to do something different. I wanted to create podcasts and give other people around Acadiana the chance to tell their own story, and hence AcadianaCast was born and I'm just really excited to be here. I'm a massive Cajun sports fan, don't have any sort of credibility when it comes to playing sports. I hurt myself playing eighth grade football. My one year my career ended. I'll get a little bit into that when we talk to Coach Dez in another episode but I also play travel soccer. But I'm a massive sports fan, much like so many of you around south Louisiana, and proud to be a Raging Cajun supporter and just really excited to talk about ball, learn about different elements of different sports that maybe don't get as much shine, and specifically talking to these athletes, a lot of these guys who want to stay here in Acadiana once they graduate. They're a part of our community and a lot of what we're going to be talking about is going to be showing you guys how to help those players especially. But enough about me, enough about the show. We're going to talk about what's happening in this episode.
Speaker 1:Our first episode features none other than a Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, dr Brian Maggard, we take a dive into the ever-changing world of college athletics from an NIL perspective. We talk about what needs to happen and why it needs to happen in order to put out a championship level product on the field, on the courts, the track, the course and the diamond. I think that's all of the playing services of our sports here at UL, and plus how Cajun Nation will play a direct role in that. But before we get to that conversation, I need to talk to you about our title sponsor of today's episode ULEDF and the Art of Business.
Speaker 1:Are you a local business looking to make a meaningful impact in your community? Well, welcome to the Art of Business, a personal and professional development program brought to you by Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation, where creativity meets commerce and where your business can be more than just a name. It's a cornerstone of community and economic growth. Upper Lafayette isn't just about networking. It's about building a stronger, more vibrant community where businesses like yours thrive. By joining us, you're not just getting a seat at the table. You're becoming a vital part of a movement that supports local art, culture and economic growth of our area.
Speaker 1:Now you're probably asking what's in it for me, what's in it for you? Imagine your business gaining visibility, all while contributing to the cultural fabric of Lafayette. Plus, with our strong network of like-minded businesses and community leaders. You'll have endless opportunities to connect, collaborate and grow alongside creatives, student-athletes and vetted members of our community Ready to take your business to the next level. Join Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation today and be a part of the Art of Business program. Visit our website at upperlafayettecom or follow us on social media to learn more. Together, let's create a community where business is an art. And now, with all that being said, here's Dr Brian Maggard.
Speaker 2:All righty the man of the hour, dr Brian Maggard, you know I want to start with some of your background, being a native of Dexter, kansas, a graduate of Kansas State, working at the University of Missouri for 22 years. What was your proverbial I'm not in Kansas moment anymore whenever you and your family first got down here to South Louisiana?
Speaker 3:You know, I think it might have had to do with the accent right, it was you know, the Cajun accent is certainly distinct, but I think the first time I really encountered two Cajuns speaking to one another is when it really became apparent that I was no longer in Kansas.
Speaker 2:Oh man, and then how quickly did it take you to assimilate to the food and the spice?
Speaker 3:Not long at all. You know I was. Uh, I always tell people I got here on March 1st of 2017 and right in the thick of crawfish season Uh, I was extremely disappointed. When I found out that that was seasonal, I thought it was a year round treat. And, uh, when I found out that that was seasonal, I thought it was a year-round treat and when I found out it was going to run out in May, I was pretty disappointed.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I thought I could get this all year round.
Speaker 3:What's going on?
Speaker 2:here. That's what makes it a delicacy, right.
Speaker 3:Absolutely yes.
Speaker 2:You can't spoil yourself 365 days a year.
Speaker 3:No, that'd be a little bit too much. Too much sodium probably.
Speaker 2:Why college athletics? What called you into a career in this space? Weren't you a journalism major?
Speaker 3:I was. I think it stemmed from my experience as a student equipment manager during my undergraduate years at Kansas State University. I did that my sophomore, junior and senior year, and by the time I got to my senior year I didn't have time to change my major. It was actually journalism and mass communication with an advertising emphasis. I knew I didn't want to do that, really got turned on thinking that I would be maybe working in the front office of a professional sports team, and so, oddly enough, my boss at Kansas State got me connected with an internship with the Washington Redskins in the summer of 1989 when I graduated. But it was with their equipment staff and my goal was not to work in equipment at that level, but I wanted to use that opportunity to talk with their front office personnel. Long story short, every one of those individuals told me to go back and get my master's degree. So I did that and that's where I really just fell into college athletics.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, I started here at UL in nursing for some reason, I don't know why. In fact I went back to it after switching to sports management. But the reason I did that is because, you know, I was obsessed with football and kind of wanted to be like a GM in an NFL front office, massive Saints fan. So I'm studying Mickey Loomis and the path that he chose and I see all of a sudden that he had a master's in accounting and I was like, oh no, this isn't for me. So I ended up switching long story short to broadcasting or mass concentration broadcasting, and now I'm actually using that degree to this day Good for you.
Speaker 2:Congratulations. I appreciate that it all kind of worked out in the end. And now I'm talking about sports with athletic director. Well, technically you know, your title isn't AD, it's vice president of intercollegiate athletics. That's correct. Why that change?
Speaker 3:You know, I think the industry trend is going that way. I think, as more and more university presidents and chancellors are seeing the value of college athletics, they have elevated the title of athletics directors to vice president. Now it might be vice president, director of athletics at some institutions, vice president for intercollegiate athletics, like it is here. But I think, again, it's a testament to the industry that these positions are now being seen as vice presidents.
Speaker 2:Okay Now, dr Maggard, I think a fair word to describe the current state of college athletics, and football specifically, is fluid, right. So can you help us make sense of the current landscape? Of college athletics as best as you can.
Speaker 3:I think the best way to make sense is it's continuously evolving, right. Even though we think we understand what the pathway is going to be moving forward for at least the next decade, there's still some evolution that will occur over the next several months to get us to really that starting point. But at the end of the day, you know, as we tell people, it's a situation where you either need to adapt or die right. There's no, you know, doing it halfway. There's no thinking hey, we're going to stay the way we have been doing things. It's a matter of we need to adapt with the times, and the great thing about the University of Louisiana and its fan base and its community is that we have a great opportunity to adapt.
Speaker 2:Yeah, another way to say that is, and I've heard you say this if we community, is that we have a great opportunity to adapt. Yeah, another way to say that is and I've heard you say this if we don't, we won't.
Speaker 3:Right. If we don't, we won't right. If we don't embrace and support the new landscape, we won't be able to recruit and retain high-quality athletes. And I could say that the same about winning championships, moving forward. And certainly, if we don't embrace and support NIL and the new landscape, we're going to have a hard time retaining quality coaches.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I heard you touching and you and I have talked about this in a meeting before, but I heard you on Footnotes with Kevin Foote on a radio hit recently and you're talking about these new laws that are coming through and this big surplus of money that is going to a lot of schools, but we won't be taking part in that. Can you explain that whole thing and why we aren't?
Speaker 3:Yeah, that all centers around four elements associated with a NCAA lawsuit settlement. That is certainly in the works. It's not finalized yet, but it's, it's all but, and we think that by the end of this academic excuse me, by the end of this calendar year that these elements will be finalized. But in essence, it's this Element. One is there's going to be a $2.7 billion back pay to student athletes who started college as far back as 2016. And the end class date we don't know for sure, but probably somewhere around 2019, 2020. That still has yet to be determined. Kind of right before NIL was in, right, and so that $2.7 billion payback is going to be spread out over 10 years. So it's going to be $270 million per year for the next 10 years. Now there's a formula that's going to be established on how that gets distributed to student-athletes, but that's the number one element associated with it.
Speaker 3:Former student-athletes, those who did not have the opportunity to take advantage of name, image and likeness.
Speaker 2:While all this stuff was in the media, people were talking about it. It's coming down the pipe. This NIL thing Is that kind of like the thought process, because why not before 2016?
Speaker 3:Right exactly, and I think, at the end of the day, this came about because a student athlete filed suit against the NCAA. Well, they turned it into a class action lawsuit so they could help capitalize and capture a lot more student athletes than this one young man. The second element is associated with NIL, the strengthening of NIL rules and regulations, and so there'll be a third party identified that will work with the NC2A and its member institutions on trying to strengthen the monitoring of NIL and really trying to reel it in, so to speak, to make it a little bit more probably realistic and manageable. I think that's going to be challenging, but that's definitely an element of the lawsuit. The third element has to do with moving away from scholarship limits and going to roster limits. So, for example, today baseball can distribute 11.7 scholarships to as many student-athletes they want. On that roster, the average squad is somewhere between 30 and 40, I'd say. But moving forward, starting August 1 of 2025, each sport will have a roster maximum. So baseball will have a roster limit of 34, so you can't have any more than 34 student athletes. The difference is we're going away from scholarship limits so all 34 student athletes could be on a full ride for those schools who can afford that.
Speaker 3:And then, lastly, there will be a rev share number identified, and that number is going to be somewhere between $20 and $22 million per year. There will be an annual escalator involved in that, somewhere to the tune of 2 to 4 percent every year. But that will be money that institutions can carve out and share with their student-athletes every year, and that is strictly that's pay-for-play money. That's what that is, and so you'll have. There'll be a distribution model for that as well. We've heard something along the lines it could be 75% of that $20 million will go to football, 15% to men's basketball, 5% to women women's basketball and the remaining five percent shared amongst all other sport programs.
Speaker 3:Again, that has not been solidified yet, but that's certainly a formula we're hearing something about. So those are the four elements associated with that. So what that means is that the nc2a is going to make it permissible for member institutions to opt in. All the Power 4 schools we know are going to opt in to the $20 million rev share. They're going to have challenges finding it, but they are going to opt in. And then the next question becomes who will be able to maximize all those scholarships you know for us in the Sun Belt, and certainly the University of Louisiana, what has our attention are the diamond sports baseball and softball. We want to remain competitive at the national level so we are strategizing ways to be able to be competitive in that scholarship space because we know that, given baseball 11.7 scholarships and softball 12 scholarships moving forward, we'll not maintain our status within those two sports and similar to probably what we're doing.
Speaker 2:You think the other group of five schools are going to be kind of taking the same approach.
Speaker 3:You know it's a good question. I know a lot of my counterparts was in the Sun Belt and a few I've talked to outside of the Sun Belt they're definitely paying attention to this. What strategies they're developing I can't mention. But our goal is this we want to separate ourselves from our competition. I'm not worried about trying to catch Iowa State and Texas Tech and Baylor and Alabama, on and on, because we're not going to be able to share $20 million every year. But if we can make some headway in the scholarship space and grow our NIL collective, we'll have a great chance to separate ourselves.
Speaker 2:That's kind of where I was going. How does a program like ours not only survive, but remain and stay?
Speaker 3:competitive. Well, to your point, carter, we don't want to just survive, we want to thrive, and so we're going to do it in two ways. One is we have to grow our collective crew along. We have to have a steady cash flow for select sports to make sure that they can both recruit and retain quality athletes. If we don't have that, we're pretty much dead in the water, and we know that. So that's really objective number one is to grow that collective to position our sport programs to be able to manage dollars on a year-in and year-out basis. And then, secondly, we need to find ways to work within that new scholarship limit, right, or the roster limit. Like I said, we won't maintain the elite status we have in baseball and softball, as an example, if we're given the bare minimum scholarships moving forward. So again, those two areas is where we really believe that we can separate ourselves, and we're going to work really hard to do that.
Speaker 2:How do you and your staff, how do you guys find answers to their questions when so much stuff is moving and fluid and changing all the time?
Speaker 3:Part of it's just strategizing right. You know, I mean, personally I don't see these as challenges. I see them as opportunities and you know we're going to find ways to spend our current budget dollars differently to make sure that we can support the student athlete experience at a much higher level than we have in the past. If we do that, we definitely will separate ourselves.
Speaker 2:See, there's where that accounting degree would have come in great handy. Right.
Speaker 1:We'll be right back to the conversation with Dr Maggard in just a bit, but first, do you want to know how you can impact the lives of UL student athletes? Well, support Cruel Long, the NIL collective for Louisiana athletics. Of course we're talking all about this with Dr Maggard, but it deserves repeating. We're trying to bring this thing to the moon. Folks Crew Along provides Raging Cajun student-athletes opportunities to build their personal brands while engaging with our community. For as little as $10 a month, you can help Louisiana athletics separate itself from the competition. Invite your friends and family to join the crew and support Raging Cajun student-athletes. Visit crewaloncom to get started. That's K-R-E-W-E-A-L-L-O-N-S dot com to get started. Together, we will make a difference. All right, let's get right back to it.
Speaker 2:You served in many mentorship roles. You were a professor at one point. You had different roles in athletic offices, even in professional organizations like the 705 around Lafayette. We take a deep dive into the Art of Business program in another episode. But why do you think a program like this, like this Art of Business program that we're creating, which focuses on the personal and professional development of student-athletes, do you think a program like this, like this Art of Business program that we're creating, which focuses on the personal and professional development of student-athletes, how do you think that can further elevate this whole athletic program?
Speaker 3:I think what the Art of Business program will do will capture the true essence of what name, image and likeness is really set out to be all about. When you think about it the concept, I don't think anyone has a problem with a student athlete benefiting from his or her name, their image or their likeness from a compensation standpoint. The art of business is going to take that, though, to a different level, because people will be able to invest in that program, which in turn invests in the student athletes to the point you just made. It's going to take a young man or a young woman and develop them personally and professionally. We know that less than 2% of all student athletes play professional sports, so 98 plus percent absolutely need to have a college degree. But on top of that, if we can enhance their professional development skills and their personal development skills, we're setting them up for success long term.
Speaker 2:Yeah, outside of even just athletics here, I've had this belief in theory for a while that there's nothing that a university loves more than for their graduates to stay in the town of which that university is. Would you agree with that, oh?
Speaker 3:absolutely, and I think Lafayette, louisiana, embraces that concept as good as any place I've ever seen. You know, I always tell people if you stay and finish your career at UL, there will be a lot of people willing to open a lot of doors for you if you stay in Lafayette.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's what we're trying to enhance even more through this Art of Business program, bringing in business owners like a Todd Citrin at Hub City Ford and the work that he's been doing with KC Absolutely, and so the work that KC's been doing off the field.
Speaker 2:Him and a bunch of his culture team have come and volunteered at a day space for dementia called Bell's Tower and seeing those young men, you know, sweat like they're sweating out on the practice field but for this kind of higher purpose and connecting with business owners at the same time getting some financial literacy as well and helping them kind of with that aspect, it's been really really cool to see.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think this program is a great example of a two-way street right. So our student-athletes will have the opportunity to enhance their personal and professional development skills but at the same time, they're going to be able to give back. They're going to take their skill sets, they're going to take their personalities right and who they are today as young student athletes and benefit members of our community through the organization you just mentioned or any other right. But by giving back, I think it also enhances a relationship. We know that if our student athletes and our coaches and our staff, if we give back to this community, that gives to us, it only elevates the relationship.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and another episode we're talking to coach Des right before your interview and you know he's mentioning that or saying these things about how these guys, by the time they're through, they're vetted. We're bringing in these guys for a reason beyond just the their athletic prowess Uh, they're they're hardworking, uh, individuals with accountability that any business owner would be happy to hire after sports are done. And speaking on that quality, when you're hiring a coach which you just made a hire this offseason, are you looking for a coach who has that kind of mindset when it comes to recruitment?
Speaker 3:Absolutely. You know, we want, first and foremost, coaches who will recruit quality young men and young women. We know that that's the essence of success. Sure, if we can do that, if character's good, the work ethic is there. You know, we just want a bunch of gladiators here, right? Young people who are willing to come in and work hard, compete but at the same time be amazing ambassadors for our university. We have a mantra within our department whether you're a staff member or student athlete, right, the logo never comes off, and so we've always got to be representing. And so I look for head coaches who have that same mindset, because if they have that, they're going to surround themselves with like-minded assistant coaches and then they will all go out and recruit like-minded student-athletes.
Speaker 2:Well, dr Maggard, you've been beating the drum the past few weeks and this will air the week of the Grambling Game, but we got to talk about. While the Art of Business program connects the business community to these student-athletes, there's also a very, very easy way for the average Rag Raging Cajun fan to get involved and make a direct impact, and that is through the Win With 10 campaign. Tell us how it works, what it's designed to do for career-along athletics and what kind of spurred the genesis of this?
Speaker 3:So Win With 10 is simply a campaign for the masses. It's set up for individuals to subscribe to a $10 monthly donation, no different than what you and I might do for ESPN Plus, Netflix, Disney Plus, etc. Etc.
Speaker 2:I constantly rotate my subscriptions. There you go, that's right. I'm watching what shows up, but that's important is you.
Speaker 3:Typically you sign up and you forget about it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and that's what we do. That's what we're wanting people to do Now. Ultimately, the real reason behind it is because we do need that steady cash flow that our coaches can depend on, again for the recruiting and retention aspect of name, image and likeness, but, again, the concept is that value will really allow anyone and everyone to participate, if they just simply choose to do it. Part of what we have to do, though, is continue to help explain the why behind the what. Right? It's one thing for me to go out and ask somebody hey, will you give $10 a month to our collective? If they don't really understand what NIL is and the purpose of that collective, it's a little bit harder to get them to commit, even though the dollar value is very nominal.
Speaker 3:So we're spending a lot of time now after this massive launch. Right, and we had some good response. We knew we would. That's kind of the people who you just kind of knew would support anyway, but now we're in the phase where we're starting to contact individuals of what we call the affinity groups Season ticket holders, rcf members, former student athletes, single game ticket buyers, people who we know within our database that already have an affinity for UL. That's who we're targeting first and if we can, we can hit the numbers that we need to hit. We'll position our sport programs to have that necessary steady cash flow year in and year out to be able to recruit and retain. Yeah.
Speaker 2:I find it just so cool as a fan that you know I don't have the opportunity to give a big brand deal or a car to a student athlete or something like that, but what I can do is sign up for this.
Speaker 3:I pay 10 bucks a month and I'm actively helping the program succeed and you're helping in a way much bigger than that $10 reflex, I promise you that, again, this will be successful if, and only if, the masses embrace it.
Speaker 3:So all we need people to do is go to crewaloncom, click, join the crew, choose a sport you want your money to go to, or you can pick general, which allows the collective to kind of fill in wherever the greatest needs are. Hit the $10 monthly button and then process your credit card payment. And then the last thing we ask is you forget about it, right? Just kind of forget about that. And certainly if there are people out there who, in addition to, in addition to signing up for win with 10, because that's the most important thing we need right now If you can sign up for a maybe a one-time gift, please do right. That could be $50. It could be $5,000., it doesn't matter. But on that same website, after you sign up for the $10 monthly subscription, you just scroll down and the next section would allow you to choose a one-time donation and then you fill out the credit card payment.
Speaker 2:Yeah, easy, easy, peasy it's so simple.
Speaker 3:a maggot can do it, and that's why we designed the website.
Speaker 2:Love that. Well, I mean're you're talking a little bit about like educating the public, and that's what this show is going to help to do is educate the public on the nil and the constant changing of this landscape and how it operates. And, you know, I think, with full transparency, I think it's it's it's right to say that it's been kind of a bumpy ride getting this collective to where it is now, which now it's humming, it's got a great board, it's making these partnerships with Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation and its Art of Business Initiative. We've got this show Name, image and Mightiness putting this stuff out. We're taking the steps to really have a solid collective. What is something that you could tell fans and supporters of Louisiana athletics about, kind of the process to get this done the right way?
Speaker 3:Well, I think first and foremost to your point. Things do need to be done the right way for them to really be successful and we recognize that when we kind of first rolled our collective out, it was fast, it was furious, it was clunky, we know that right, but certainly applaud those involved at that time to help us get something going. Today it's much more sophisticated, it's simple, it's really simple, but it's much more sophisticated and it's cleaner. It represents our athletic department in a first-class manner, even though it's its own separate entity. Crew along collective.
Speaker 3:But we've had a lot of people who work really hard and everything from website design to the social media platform design, to the board, to your point of establishing policies and procedures and things of that nature opening up bank accounts, getting the back-of-the-house accounting aspect of it all lined up. It's truly its own separate business entity, right, but it's there for the masses to support and participate in. I go back to if you go, check crewaloncom out, you're going to see that it's a very basic but informative website and at the end of the day, it's going to allow people to go in and support this really important endeavor that we have to have moving forward.
Speaker 2:And you know there's Cajun fans, young and old, different generations. I think my generation is definitely more willing to accept this whole NIL space and players getting a check or whatever. But that's what I really like about this kind of art of business, curriculum and whatnot and holding players accountable and not just here's money here's pay-for-play which it's coming, anyway, it's coming, it's coming. It's coming, but what would be your message to folks who just still can't wrap their head around the idea of paying a college?
Speaker 3:athlete money. Well, keep in mind that when you support the collective, those funds will be used for student athletes to provide deliverables to some entity right, it could be to a nonprofit organization where they go out and spend time with young kids who might be underprivileged, to the association that you mentioned, you know, through the Art of Business and Upper Lafayette program. But it also could be an opportunity where the student athlete you know goes and helps promote a particular local business or they make an appearance and get paid to do that. That's the way of the future, and now that student athletes can do that, we've got to find ways to let them do that, and so it's not just putting money in their hand, you know, for nothing. They're actually doing things to earn that money and but without the money we're going to have a really hard time, as I've said, to recruit and retain championship caliber student athletes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've been kind of asking everyone this question today, but it's been kind of cool. Playing the new college football video game and seeing the finished Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium this year is going to be a little weird and different for fans, but what would be your message to them this upcoming?
Speaker 3:season. Well, first and foremost, come out and support right.
Speaker 3:We need to fill that east side and south end zone. There's no reason why we can't. We're going to make sure that the start times for those early games is going to be later in the evening, 7 o'clock, to let that sun go down as far as it can, to break the heat, so to speak. I think you're going to see a tremendous product on the field. You know, this team that we have coming in this year is more experienced. We have more depth, more talent, and so I think it's going to be a great opportunity for people to see the progress under Coach Mike Desimo. But we need your support. We need people to buy season tickets. Still right, we need people to buy single game tickets and come to the games because, look, we know that if you buy season tickets this year, you've automatically qualified yourself to be in the priority seating discussion for the 25 season when we open up the new Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium.
Speaker 2:So there's great incentive.
Speaker 3:That's right. You want to position yourself to do that. Secondly, if you're not going to be a season ticket holder, we absolutely need you to come and attend games on a single game basis. Prefer you buy the season ticket, but certainly we want people there game in and game out. It's a tremendous schedule. The home schedule is really good and you've got a football team that's busting their tail right now and they have been for the last two years to make this community proud, and so I'm really hoping that people, regardless of the progress that our stadium is under right now right notice, I didn't say construction, it's under progress we need people to come out and support these young men yeah, absolutely, and and it's kind of just cool to see that whole progression of where things have gone, and then you get to see the final product next season by the time even we get into October home games you're going to see a massive difference on the construction side over on the west side, and I think people are going to really enjoy watching that progress that you mentioned.
Speaker 3:But at the same time I think you're going to kind of feel a part of it that, hey, I was there when that type of mentality. But that's why we just need people to show up, have a good time. You know we're going to still sell cold beer and we're going to have, you know, good concession food and all that good stuff, but $2 natties or $2 natties, you know that's that's. That's the way we roll and we have to. But but no, I think it's an opportunity for the fan base to come out. Enjoy Cajun field as they've kind of known it you know, for the very last time.
Speaker 3:But when we open up in 2025, I promise you that will be a facility that not only will Cajun Nation be proud of, but the entire community.
Speaker 2:It's so weird to hear that number 2025.
Speaker 3:Time flies, it'll be here before we know it.
Speaker 2:Well, I appreciate you sitting down with us. You know part of this podcast is also to show kind of remove the veil behind and give fans access that they normally wouldn't have and get to talk to not just you and Coach Dez and some star players, but, you know, talk to the volleyball coach, talk to some players, maybe some of the undercover sports, and get to really learn this whole NIL program and the players who make it happen. You know it's players who build stadiums, right.
Speaker 3:That's right. And look, we know communication is key and the more we can educate and share with people, the more they're going to. I think feel a part of, and you know relationships are two-way streets, right, you know it's not just enough that we ask people to come spend your disposable income with us. It's not enough that we ask them to come to our events. We have to find a way to give back, to communicate, to share, to help them really understand what this program is all about. So many good things happen at this university. So many good things happen within our athletics department, cajun. Nation Acadiana as a whole.
Speaker 2:We'll be very proud nation Acadiana, as a whole will be very proud and I'm, as an alum of this university, it's a massive sports fan and Cajuns fan. It's a pleasure that I'm able to have this role and be able to highlight and play my little small role in this whole thing, and I was excited that you guys gave us the opportunity to work with you guys and can't wait to see where things go from here. What game are you most looking forward to this season? The first one. I never looked past the first one, to be honest with you.
Speaker 3:And then after that, it'll be the second one.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:You know, I do think that we have a great home schedule. I think the Tulane game is going to be a lot of fun, but Grambling is too. They bring a great crowd. Their band is tremendous, our band is tremendous. It's just going to be, I think, an electrifying way to open up the 2024 season. But no kind of like a coach, you just focus on the next one and we've got to get past that one first.
Speaker 2:Well, thanks for sitting with us in the sweat box today. Hopefully the weather gets a little cooler come the fall.
Speaker 3:One last time remind folks where to go support Win With 10. Go to crewalongcom k-r-e-w-e-a-l-l-o-n-scom. You're going to get to that website. You just simply click join the crew, choose your sport, click the $10 monthly button and then process your payment. It's very simple, perfect. Thanks again.
Speaker 2:Thank you well, that will mostly do it for our first episode of name image and likeness, but Perfect.
Speaker 1:Thanks again, thank you. Well, that will mostly do it for our first episode of Name, image and Mindness, but we've got some housekeeping and information to give you guys before we wrap up here Now. Our first episode of course just featured Dr Maggard, more the cruel law side of things, but we also kind of want to show you some more behind the scenes of Upper Lafayette and the art of business. So our next episode, episode 2, features John Williams, executive Director of Upper Lafayette and the Art of Business. So our next episode, episode 2, features John Williams, executive Director of Upper Lafayette, and Todd Citrin, who's been on the board and has helped create Upper Lafayette. We really get into the nitty-gritty of where Upper Lafayette came from, kind of how they operate and where the art of business originated from and how it's going to impact student-athletes. It's a really great conversation. Todd and John are two dedicated and successful business owners here in Acadiana and they're really trying to change this entire NIL game and just boost economic growth here in Lafayette and Acadiana as a whole. It's a really great episode. Make sure you listen to it, learn some new things. I sure did and I've been working with these. It's a really great episode. Make sure you listen to it, learn some new things. I sure did, and I've been working with these guys for a few years now.
Speaker 1:Now, of course, we want to thank our sponsor once again, upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation and their Art of Business program for supporting this episode. If you're a business owner in Acadiana, make sure you head to upperlafayettecom to learn about how to get involved. We also want to remind fans once again to support Cruel Law and their Win With 10 campaign. As Dr Maggard says, if we don't, we won't folks. So visit cruellawcom to get started. And, like I said at the top of the show, we have so much great content coming your way in the coming weeks and months, but we need your support.
Speaker 1:The easiest way to do that is to simply subscribe to the show like it, share it on social media. It's going to be every episode you'll be able to watch on the Upper Lafayette YouTube page and you can also listen to it on Spotify and Apple podcast. Make sure you press that subscribe button and it's supposed to notify you, assuming that you have your notification settings for those apps. If you're a part of the older generation and you're catching this on YouTube, get your grandkid or your kid to show you how to do it. If you're from the younger generation and you still don't know, google it, folks Go to ChatGPT. Whatever you need to do to subscribe and support the show so that we know how many people are watching and listening. We can grow this thing together.
Speaker 1:I'm really excited about how we're going to grow and, for those who are watching on the ground level, these first four episodes, seeing how much we grow and the great content that we're going to be bringing you guys. You can also find the show on the Upper Lafayette and Kuralong websites, and we'll be posting clips from the Acadiana Cast social media and Upper Lafayette social media, kuralong as well, so make sure you're tuned in on whatever app you like, whether it's Facebook, instagram, tiktok X formerly Twitter. We'll also be developing some LinkedIn content down the road as well, so stay tuned for that. We'll be taking a bit of a hiatus from the show for a few weeks while we get into the swing of things and promote this first round of four episodes, but very shortly you'll be able to catch a new episode of Name Image and Mike-ness every single Wednesday. So stay tuned for that.
Speaker 1:I'm excited. I hope you're excited. It's going to be a great time blowing this thing up, not just the show, of course, but of course the collective, the art of business and, most importantly, just supporting these men and women who are working their tails off every single day over at UL. That's a wrap for our first episode. Enjoy the ride and go, cajuns, we'll see you next time.
