Since last week’s sudden resignation of athletics director John Hartwell, there’s been speculation ULM is cutting funding to athletics. But KNOE-TV sports director Aaron Dietrich says he’s seen the budget for this athletic year, and ULM has increased funding by $1.5 million.
“Some of these budgets, it’s a very fluid situation. But just in terms of going into it, it does appear that ULM plans to spend more this year than they did last year,” Dietrich said.
Shortly after Hartwell’s resignation, it was reported new ULM president Carrie Castille was imposing a 6-to-9% cut to the school’s athletic department budget.
ULM is set to spend just over $22 million on athletics this year. That’s one of the smallest budgets among FBS schools and some say the school should drop down to the FCS level.
But Dietrich says the school is getting $3.7 million to play Alabama and Northwestern, because they are an FBS school.
“You’re not bringing in guaranteed money from the likes of Alabama and Northwestern for 3.7 if you do drop down,” Dietrich noted.
Football coach Bryant Vincent is the interim athletics director. Dietrich says the long-term future for ULM athletics is a little cloudy, but the fanbase is glad Vincent is leading athletics for the time being.
“I don’t think, long term, it’s what ULM is going to do with their gameplan with Bryant Vincent. For now it’s probably a pretty good call, because he has added some excitement to that football program. He’s well respected around his community in a relatively short period of time,” Dietrich said.
