Louisiana Tech officially joins the Sun Belt Conference tomorrow after 13 years in Conference USA. Many of the Bulldogs’ conference football games the past three seasons have been on Tuesday and Thursday nights as part of the Weekday CUSA TV deal. Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says the city is thrilled to welcome fans for six Saturday home football games.
“They’re going to be here for one or two nights. They’re going to stay in a hotel or an Airbnb or an RV spot. They’re going to eat in our restaurants; they’re going to shop in our shops. We’ve got a great downtown, so people love to come and be a part of it,” Walker said.
13 of the 16 schools in C-USA when Tech joined in 2013 have already departed, including three the Bulldogs now join in the Sun Belt. The LA Tech football team traveled nearly 8,000 miles last season, but Walker says that, with the Sun Belt’s regionality, those days are over.
“Fans of Tech can also travel, because the teams we are playing are so much closer than Delaware or wherever,” Walker noted.
Tech joins the Sun Belt West division with historic rivals ULM, UL Lafayette and Southern Miss. LA Tech Athletic Director Ryan Ivey said the school has already seen a $150,000 increase in season ticket sales year-to-date, and Walker expects the city to feel a similar effect.
“We’ve got regional rivalries. It’s a great conference. They do a fantastic job; so, from a city standpoint, we just couldn’t be happier with the move,” Ivey said.
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