now that TAF's push for tickets had has unfortunately been killed, LSU will search for new ways to find the money it needs to remain competitive in the SEC. Based on what I have been told, LSU will slap a surcharge on the tickets. So instead of TAF getting the revenue from PSL's - it will be LSU. Which complicates the process with as to how those funds will be spent. So now we will see if those folks who were aginst TAF getting the money were really against TAF getting the money - or were they really looking out for thier own pocketbook. I suspect they werelooking out for thier own pocketbooks. What folks need to remember - most of the people who have good seats in TS are those who have inherited tickets from ages ago. And many of these people do not have just 4 seats - they have, like 50. And they broker those tickets. Big companies (ie fat cats) have large blocks of tickets, yet contribute little to LSU besides the cost of admission. And the best part about the new surcharge? TAF members who purchase their tickets thru TAF will not have to pay the additional surcharge! Our contribution to TAF will pay the surcharge. A couple of things will happen, I hope. The long-standing tradition of having a few people control large blocks of tickets will be broken and folks who have been rowing the financial boat for LSU will get to sit in the prime seats (folks like me). OR - that tradition will not be broken and those folks will step up to the plate and pay the ticket surcharge. Either way, LSU wins - which makes me happy.
TAF is accountable to LSU All the powers that be at LSU - including the LSU board of supervisors - have access to the financial reports of the TAF. This year they will be audited by a Big 4 Accounting firm. if there was any financial improprieties, LSU could totally revoke TAF's ability to operate and could take back all tickets TAF has and only leave them with enough tiks so that TAF could service its debt. I've learned a lot lately about TAF. My post was only put here to tell folks that it does not matter that TAF is not getting a boost from the 12% of the tickets that it controls in TS. LSU will simply find another way to skin the cat. And instead of giving funds via a contribution to a 501(c)(3) organization and getting a charitable contribution tax deduction - everyone will be paying fee to LSU - which is not tax deductible - unless the tickets are used in connection with business entertainment.
Re: TAF is accountable to LSU And this is suppose to give comfort? the powers that be at LSU aren't the ones that are being asked to fork over these ridiculous somes of money. Just b/c you get audited by a Big 4/5/6 whoever doesn't make it public information. and with the track record of the big firms lately no one puts much credence in it anyway...another story for another day. On top of that I don't beleive the BOS meetings are public events anyway. so what have you accomplished? Nothing. The comment of most of the good tickets being controlled by a few is horse shit. I have 5 tickets on the 40. Everyone around me has their own. plus i know plenty of people who sit in the good seats and the tickets belong to them. for those instances where you have a person controlling 50 tickets you really think they are going to give them up? You're nuts. they will just pass on the surcharge to the people who use the tickets. I've been anti-TAF forever and it's both about the money and the organization. I am not a believer that if you spend more you win more....i think that is total bullshit. There is absolutely no correlation. You show me one institution that has absolutely dominated athletics by spending more...that's the expectation and their isn't a program that has done it. The use of past financial resources coupled with what they want to do now shows an absolute lack of "forward looking" views and goals of the admin. A new track stadium? you just spent several million on a new track surface at Bernie Moore. A new softball stadium? the existing one is less than 6/7 years old. A new weightroom? the existing one is less than 5 yrs old. the capital losses created by the new projects would be incredible. but who cares they are not paying for it we are. These are nothing more than "kid's in a candy store". As for the organization. let's see you want me to pay obnoxious amts of money to an organization i have aboslutely zero control over what they do and how they spend my money. and what I get in return is tickets (which I already have) and a tax deduction......i can think of other uses of my funds to create a better tax break than that. Plus, they've already showed they can't be trusted........trying to slide in part of Emmert's raise under the radar.....not that I'm against his raise but don't appreciate the under the table handling of it. As for a surcharge or raising ticket prices. I'm for some reasonable increase. As i've said before whoever sits on the sidelines should not pay the same as the person in the nosebleed....that is a no-brainer.
it seems like no amount of accountability would suit you and you would naysay no matter what about TAF. And that's fine - you and yours got your way. HOWEVER - my original post and my second post both made the point that THERE WILL BE A SURCHARGE ANYWAY!!!!!!! It's just that TAF won't get it. So LSU will have to go through a red-tape ladden maze to spend money. (Notice how quickly the East Upper was built - kiss that kind of efficiency goodbye.) You immediately siezed on TAF and your animosity towards TAF is obvious. But Hub - you will be paying a surcharge for those seats, dude. And if I hade to guess, that surcharge will be substantial for seats like those. And you know what - for those prime seats - you should pay more - if i had to put a price on it - it would be about $400 to $500 per seat. I don't know if you contribute to LSU at all beyond the cost of adminssion. I hope you do. Maybe folks who contribute to the LSU alumni association should have their surcharge waived as well. The whole point is to use the prime seats in TS to raise money to fund a lot of what goes on at LSU. Good job overlooking all the good things that TAF has done for LSU. in your list of all the need less things that TAF will build at LSU - you are leaving out a lot of stuff. Namely - bringing the accomodations in the stadium up to 21st century standards, replacing the west upper, building a new baseball stadium, improvements to the PMAC, replacing the natatorium, replacing the tennis courts and tennis facility. Where does the money come from to do those things? The engine that drives everything is TS. And LSU is leaving too much money on the table right now. So, Hub - you won't have to give your money over to TAF - but you will have to pay more to see the Tigers play - especially from where you sit. How much more is the only question at this point.
Miami Football is running on a budget far less than LSU's and look at them. They don't have the alumni support, or the storied "TAF". I'm all for the TAF but don't believe for one second that TAF getting money is a direct indicator of how good our team is gonna be. In fact, I've noticed that of all seats in the stadium, the TAF are the absolute dead last to fill, just through my own observation over the years. What does that tell you?
Re: Re: TAF is accountable to LSU What about the New York Yankees? The payroll just for the Yankees starting 5 man rotation is more than the combined salaries of both the American Leagues and National Leagues pitchers who made last years all star game.
What TAF seats are you talking about???? If you are referring to the seats on about the 20 yard line next to the band behind the LSU bench - those are not TAF seats. Those seats are where the recruits and their families "sit." Except they never sit - they are usually all over the stadium during the games. I've noticed that before as well. After every single game, someone calls the post game show and complains about no one sitting in those seats. For those of you who think LSU athletics does not need any more money - why not reduce ticket prices? LSU is a public university, supported largely by the state budget. I pay a lot of taxes, why can't I attend games at LSU for free? The games are held at a publicly owned facility aren't they? Certainly - LSU football runs in the black every year and would run in the black even if LSU charged $10 per head to get in. That's exactly the kind of logic that will leave LSU in the dust. Why do you think Saban is here? Why do you think Emmert stays? It may not be your money, but it is someone else's. The well will run dry of big donors at TAF eventually and LSU will need to spread the "pain." That's what the surcharge is about. AND AS I NOTED ABOVE - TAF WILL NOT GET THE MONEY. LSU will. So all the TAF haters are safe. You will not pay TAF, you will pay LSU - if that makes you feel better. I am still amazed at how many on this board completely overlook all the accomplishments TAF has made for LSU sports. Look at the Cox Academic Center for Athletes. TAF kicked in big time for that. Saban has said numerous times that was a big attraction for LSU recruits and their families.
Re: it seems like no amount of Accountability? What accountability. they are a private organization that does not have to open it's books up to anyone except BOS......one of the most political organizations in the state. politics and accountability are contradictory. the more appropriate term is responsibility. they think they can spend at will. the best example is the track stadium and weigh room. You just sunk who knows how many millions into these facilities and you are now going to essentially scrap them after a couple of years and build all new ones? If that is not mismanagement of funds then I don't know what is. And this type of crap is suppose to stop b/c of a private arm now available to do it? As I said, I support an increase but not the ridiculous sum they are proposing thru TAF Try $600 - $800. And as i said I should pay more. but not these ridiculous amts. The good things? Under the counter pay raise to Emmert...that's real good. East Upper Deck.......that was part of the new proposed charge....refi with the other projects....so they haven't paid for shit. Bring the stadium into the 21st century......why? it's part of the mystique of Tiger Stadium. If their are safety concerns then fix them. New W Upper Deck.......why? What's wrong with the one their now. It doesn't match the other side? or in case we close in the south endzone in the future......they would be the dumbest expenditure they could make....I luv LSU but they will not fill another 20,000 seats...the area market can't support it. New baseball stadium.......why? they can't fill the one they have now.....and why can't you just upgrade it instead of a new one. Tennis courts and natatorium....again why? As i said the PMAC does need to be cleaned up and I support that. My general point is they want to charge these ridiculous somes of money to fund projects most of which are not necessary. most are "wants" that will accomplish nothing. they want a bottomless money bag to do as they please. You want me to support TAF....make em open up their books, give the members a say in what/how funds are spent. Put together a reasonable project list that results in a reasonable surcharge. But rebuilding Disneyworld is out of the question.
Re: TAF is accountable to LSU You say this as though there are 2 different operations. You actually think the General is going to be dictating how money is spent? Hell no that would be Emmert, Skip and BOS. So why would you revoke something you control and is essentially your untouchable slush fund. It has been said repeatedly by LSU that this is not a TAF plan but an LSU plan we are the ones driving the bus.
