re: Unconfirmed reports that LSU athletics made a private equity deal.

Private Equity might be the only way to sustain spending on a scale like we are spending right now on players, coaches, former coaches etc.

What is a head scratcher to me is, PE funds typically demand a massive return on investment (ROI) in the shortest amount of time. If they do not get that they will claw the eyes out of the business, break it into parts, sell it and feast on the carcass.

PE funds always demand more and more and more money..... till you cannot satisfy the need.

College football does not make money per say. Fans and boosters pay for the program and its success. For the fans and boosters, it is about pride, great place for networking for business. The benefits are significant but intangible. That will not satisfy a PE fund.

However, this means that tickets and season ticket prices will shoot out of control.

Prices of memorabilia, t-shirts, caps, jerseys, mugs with LSU insignia and in LSU colors will skyrocket out of control.

If the regular LSU fan gets priced out, the long-term health of the program will be catastrophic.

In half a decade we have gone from developing young men into the future leaders of tomorrow ...... to vulture capitalism.

What will this do to other sports? Football has always supported loss in all the other sports at LSU.

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this sounds like something Moscona would push

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To be fair, he has actually said the exact opposite.

He said he didn't believe it would he private equity because that wouldn't be a first of its kind deal, which the original letter stated it would be.

Muh “sources”….

I think someone already said it correctly that LSU athletics does not make money per se. The benefits the big donors derive are largely intangible ie prestige, influence, the satisfaction of your alma mater winning, etc.

And right now, the big donors have as much or more influence as “owners.” “We either get rid of this head coach or I’m not giving one more goddamn dime!” And ADs and presidents scramble to do their bidding. But hell, at least their demands—while sometimes misguided—are geared toward the product on the field being as good as possible. I do find it ominous that these PE investors will no doubt be making demands to maximize the money in their pockets to buy their next super yacht the size of a battleship—and no doubt that goal will at many times be at loggerheads with the quality of the product on the field and the fan experience.

But I’m not a money mogul. I don’t really understand—if LSU athletics makes “pure profit” after expenses, salaries, etc. where exactly does that pure profit go? And the “pure profit” that these investors will demand for their profits—where exactly will it come from and specifically what areas and departments will lose this money under PE? There’s a finite amount. It’s got to come from somewhere.

And if I’m a big donor, I don’t think I’d like the new arrangement. I’d be like “frick this shite. I’m not donating millions for a bunch of it to go to private equity instead of the product on the field.”

Again, I’m not a money mogul but I know money does not appear out of thin air. For this initial rumored deal, those investors are going to want their 100M back and a helluva lot more. They don’t give a shite about LSU winning if it doesn’t affect the bottom line. Where will this money come from?

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So now we have stories from 2 outfits that have zero credibility.

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JR Ball might be wrong about this deal, but he has plenty of credibility.

He was the Associate Publisher and Executive Editor at Baton Rouge Business Report.


He was the Managing Editor of NOLA.com.


He was the Executive Editor of Tiger Rag Magazine.


He was the General Manager of the Baton Rouge Bombers.


He is the Head Lacrosse Coach at LSU.


He was the OC of the 2022 LA state champ Catholic High lacrosse team.

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LSU athletics has to source the capital to be able to sustain the program at a high level. There's only so many times they can go to the donor trough. Looks like LSU is trying to be on the forefront of these opportunities to be able to generate enough revenue to be competitive across the athletic landscape. PE might be a suitable avenue. Those concerts in tiger stadium were a great way to inject capital into the program.

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so the PE group never plans to recoup their money? they never plan to take?

stop and think for a second....think critically...do you think that the PE group is doing this out of the goodness of their heart?

I hope that this is the case. Best case scenarios. Give the keys to people with vested interest, and who genuinely want LSU to be great. Probably offer them up another seat at the high stakes tables. Again, hoping that within reason, they still have a love for the university and will do what's right. Top donors probably all have other ways to make their money make money, so why not pool together those resources, and let that money make money also. I hope it's that surface level black and white.

I think a big question. Is how are they going life this money.

If it’s for everyday expenses like NIL and salaries, then we are sacrificing the future for today. These costs will only be higher in future.