With a possible 35 percent budget cut increase, Nicholls State is facing cuts all around the University, including athletics. The Nicholls athletic program is a very important part of this University because it brings in a lot of revenue, Larry Howell, special assistant to the president, said.
Howell said that cutting athletics altogether would hurt the university more than benefit it.
“It costs you money to have athletics, but you would lose more if you cut it,” Howell said. “Basically, what we put into athletics is the revenue that we get from the athletes. The rest of athletics pays for itself, and it obviously becomes more expensive when tuition goes up or housing goes up because athletics pays for the athletes that are on scholarship. But that’s money that comes back into the University.”
Howell, along with other administration, is urging the Nicholls students to stand up and let their voices be heard.
“I don’t see the 35 percent budget cut happening,” Howell said. “We’re getting everybody out to say this can’t happen. Enough is enough. We’re putting it out there and saying this is what could happen. I’m calling it fight instead of flight.”
Athletes not only bring in money through the athletics program but also as students.
“Most of our athletes live in the residence halls,” Howell said. “What students are paying to live on campus is used to pay off bonds that were sold to help build those residence halls. So it’s not just what comes back in tuition, but also what comes back in terms of paying off bonds and debts. Athletics is critical to this institution.”
The total revenue of what athletics bring in is close to $3 million.
If the 35 percent budget cut occurs, Howell, along with other staff members, have come up with a few ideas.
One idea is that Nicholls leave the Southland Conference and create an all-Louisiana conference. This would reduce traveling expenses.
“If you had a conference with all Louisiana schools, I would include Southern and Grambling,” Howell said. “You would have so many natural rivalries, but I don’t know if that’s going to happen.”
While the idea makes sense, the possibilities for all Louisiana schools to leave their conferences and join an all-Louisiana conference are unlikely.
“It would have to be a state-wide push from the higher-ups that said ‘this is what we’re going to do’ and ‘we’re going to do it together’,” Howell said. “Whether that happens or not, it remains to be seen, but my personal opinion on it, it’s not very likely.”
Nicholls also generates money when they play Division I schools.
“We generate about $900,000 total in terms of football and basketball playing at larger schools,” Howell said. “They might say, ‘man that guy was big or that guy was fast’, but I think playing in an atmosphere like that is good. When they went to Air Force and Nebraska, it was almost like they were in awe, but it was a good experience for them. Plus, nit brings in revenue.
