Education First gives $1 mil to LU athletics (New scoreboard pic)

[HoopInsider_Cooper]

[img]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4360459572_6c5b0cf441_b.jpg[/img]


Education First Federal Credit Union has signed on as a sponsor of Lamar University athletics with a $1 million contribution, university officials announced Monday.

“This sponsorship will be a tremendous help in bringing back football to Lamar University,” said Lamar president James Simmons. “We are very grateful for Education First Federal Credit Union’s support of our athletics programs.”

“Education First Federal Credit Union has had a long relationship with Lamar University,” said Jimmy Lackey, president of Education First FCU.

Established in 1952, the credit union signed on its first Lamr members the following year. In the decades since, both the credit union and university have seen significant growth. Today, Education First FCU has nine branch locations, more than 32,000 members and over $265 million in assets.

The credit union has had an office on the Lamar campus since 1979, has been a corporate sponsor of LU athletics for a number of years and has endowed scholarships for university students since 1990.

“We are committed to athletics,” Lackey said.  â€œWe’re also committed to higher education; hence our name – Education First. This gift is just another way to support what is going on at the university.”

Cardinal fans at Provost Umphrey Stadium will be reminded of the credit union’s commitment to LU athletics every time they check the scoreboard. The credit union’s name will be the sole, static sponsor name on the scoreboard.  Education First’s sponsorship of LU athletics will also be acknowledged on marquees, video boards and in game-day publications.

The Cardinals’ 2010 season opens Sept. 4, against McNeese State in Lake Charles, La.  The first home game in Provost Umphrey Stadium is Sept. 11, against Webber International.  The Cardinals' other home games during the 2010 season will be against Sam Houston State on Oct. 2, against Langston University on Oct. 9, against South Alabama on Oct. 16, against South Dakota on Nov. 13 and vs. Panhandle State on Nov. 20.

The Cardinals will be on the road Sept. 18, against Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond, La., against Stephen F. Austin Sept. 25 in Nacogdoches, against North Dakota Oct. 30 in Grand Forks, N.D., and against Georgia State Nov. 6 in Atlanta, Ga.

[Guest coachacola]

Wow...looks like Lamar will have a $1+ million scoreboard at the stadium.

[Mr.Green Jeans]

When is some of this money going to be spent on a softball field?

[HoopInsider_Cooper]

[font=Courier]Pray for good weather....Long way to go on this stadium.[/font]

[UNLV]

Where is the Montagne new scoreboard?

[ForeverADog]

Hopefully we have running back like Toby Gerhart to watch replays of him running over defenders on the new scoreboard!!! Our rushing stats could be a little better as well lol. However, glad to see the new scoreboard. You can do some nice things with a million dollars.

[Guest coachacola]

[quote name="UNLV" post="760074" timestamp="1266266530"]
Where is the Montagne new scoreboard?
[/quote]

I agree...seems like it wouldn't take that much money to make a big improvement over what they have now.

[GeauxLamar]

that is a very sweet scoreboard..it looks and I am assuming its attached to the athletic building

[AJ25]

There is no excitement around LU b-ball right now.. It's all focused on football and bringing it back, so most of the money is going to that. It's hard to say that the Montagne NEEDS anything more than a face lift on the outside. It's the biggest arena in the southland with top notch facilities. They jumbo tron is one of the few things that needs to go, but it still does it's job and doesn't need replacing right now. Looking over at a $1 million + scoreboard just completes another aspect of a terrific SLC stadium.

[Guest coachacola]

I read the scoreboard is going to be 50 foot by 24 foot.  How does that compare to other scoreboards around the state? 

I did find this list on wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_scoreboards_in_NCAA_college_football

[AJ25]

Looks like they'll have one of the bigger ones in the nation.  :o

[Guest mffl]

That is also the new Lamar logo and Bird if y'all couldn't tell.

The bird's tail is connected and the green eye is a little lighter. New Lamar font also. They should have an official announcement sometime in April of the new logo.

[ForeverADog]

April 10th. The day of the football spring game!