That UL was not invited to join Conference USA — as fellow Sun Belt Conference members North Texas and Florida International, and others, including Louisiana Tech, all recently were — is one thing.

But to not even get a visit to campus from Conference USA officials considering candidates for membership — well, in the minds of some most-loyal to the Ragin’ Cajuns calling it a snub would be an understatement.

The apparent implied message, though, sent to those in Lafayette goes something like this: UL simply isn’t ready to jump up.

And that, especially in these times of universities jockeying for an invitation to the most-lucrative conference possible, is an assertion Cajun athletic director Scott Farmer steadfastly refutes.

"I do not, and I would not, agree that we’re not ready to make the move," said Farmer, who early this week is attending the Sun Belt’s annual spring meetings in Destin, Fla. "We are every bit as ready as teams that are already in that league (Conference USA), and have been in that league.

"I feel very confident about that."

Farmer did concede that he could "see where someone can look at some data and not think we’re ready."

"Until," he hastened to add, "they would come here."

With that in mind, Farmer — during a recent wide-ranging, 40-minute interview in his office regarding an array of budget and conference-related matters — broke down one-by-one his response to potential reasons UL could be perceived as unfit to join a higher-profile conference than the Sun Belt:

Assertion

With one of the lowest budgets among the nation’s Football Bowl Subdivision programs, UL is not financially prepared to compete in a better conference.

(According to a recent USA Today study, seven major programs — Texas, Ohio State, Michigan, Florida, Alabama, Penn State and Auburn — all had more than $100,000 million in expenses in 2011; UL checked in at $13,946,204).

Farmer’s response

Farmer readily concedes than when it comes to total athletic budget relative to so-called "peer group institutions" like Central Florida, Memphis, Houston, Texas-El Paso, New Mexico State, Alabama-Birmingham, Southern Mississippi and Louisiana Tech, the Cajuns are "not close."

According to available 2009-2010 numbers, in fact, they were, at $12.28 million total, more than $4.3 million behind next-closest Louisiana Tech among that group.

"We’ve got some work to do," Farmer said.

"There has been a lot of ground made up," he added, noting that not long ago the UL athletic budget stood at less than $10 million. "We just have a lot more ground to go."

Yet Farmer, who thinks the UL budget for 2010-11 will come in at just under $14 million when up-to-date figures are soon made available, doesn’t see that as a deterrent when it comes to consideration from other conferences.

"I would say, ‘Look at what we’ve done in the last three years,’ he said.

Farmer also he said he would challenge officials from other conferences to ask, "What are (the) plans for the next three years?"

"I would show them those," he said.

But it goes beyond dollars and cents, Farmer suggested, and more to a matter of good sense.

"I would say, ‘It’s not what your budget is; it’s what you do with your budget,’ " he said.

"I would challenge whoever asks to come and let’s start comparing. I’ll compare football programs with whatever conference you throw out. I’ll compare indoor facilities. I’ll compare softball programs. Normally I would say baseball and basketball; we may not have been exactly where we wanted to be (this year), but I’ll compare all of those. I’ll compare golf, men’s and women’s tennis.

"It’s not how much you spend that makes you good," he added. "What’s the bottom line? The bottom line is what are you putting on their fields? I’d do that in a heartbeat."

Assertion

As it currently stands, original early 1970s motif still largely intact, UL’s 40-plus-year-old football stadium, Cajun Field, is not yet ready for prime time.

Farmer’s response

"I would show this facility master plan we’re about to have," he said.

UL intends to spend the next few months with consultants to build and implement a priority list and timeline for major athletic facility improvements, and when it’s done Cajun Field is expected to be first in line for a major overhaul, including more skybox suites, club-level seating and even adjacent retail space.

"I’d also show them pictures of (Cajun Field) with people in it," said Farmer, whose Cajuns pushed average attendance in the 31,000-seat stadium to a record 29,171 in 2011.

"As long as we’re putting people in the stadium it looks great. "» To me, that is more important than what the stadium looks like.

"We may not have the prettiest football stadium in America," he added. "But when it’s full, it gorgeous."

Assertion

Size of the Lafayette media market is not exactly impressive, and that’s never going to change.

Farmer’s response

Farmer doesn’t buy the notion that schools in or near major metropolitan media markets necessarily bring substantive media value to a conference.

"I think you have to dig a little bit deeper," he said.  I don’t think it’s realistic to say, ‘So and so brings the Dallas media market to the table,’ just because they’re located (near) Dallas. And I don’t want to pick on anyone."

Like, say, North Texas, which is bringing its claim to a Dallas media market that largely ignores it to Conference USA — much like FIU and a Miami media market in which FIU is a relative blip on the college and pro sports-scene radar.

"I can say the same for San Antonio, Miami, Atlanta," Farmer said, referencing one metro market — Atlanta — which is home to incoming Sun Belt member Georgia State. "I don’t think they bring (those media markets) to the table.

"If you’re on Page 8 of the newspaper, no one sees it. "» Instead, I think you take our media market, where (the local newspaper has) us on the front page every single day of the football season.

"Who’s getting more media? Is North Texas, in Denton, struggling, never in the Dallas newspaper, if they are it’s on Page 8, or us, on the front page every day?"

And when it comes to the notion the only thing that matters regarding media issues is how market size translates into higher potential advertising revenue, which in turns means more lucrative TV contracts for the conference, Farmer suggests that Cajuns’ media reach is underestimated.

"When you (say) ‘media market,’ " he said, "I think you have to include Lafayette, Lake Charles and Baton Rouge."

The three have interrelated TV ties, which according to Farmer translates to notable exposure in all three areas for UL.

Moreover, Farmer feels the Cajuns receive significantly more airtime locally than, say, a North Texas does in the Dallas TV market or an FIU does in the Miami media market.

Assertion

UL athletic facilities are lacking, including a poorly lit basketball arena and baseball, track and soccer facilities in need of improvement.

Farmer’s response

The UL athletic director points to recent facility improvements already made, including an impressive football-centric indoor practice facility and the Cajun softball team’s Lamson Park, which attracted record-size crowds to this past weekend’s NCAA Regional Tournament.

Improvements for baseball, track and soccer will be considered in the still-being-developed masterplan, as will the need for a new all-athlete weightroom.

As for the Cajundome, which is home to the Cajun basketball team but which UL does not own, Farmer said "there are plans for them to do some work "» on the lower half of the arena "» that would change the complexion."

Assertion

Living under the large shadow of one of the nation’s perennial football powers, an LSU program one hour away that has resources UL never will, drains the pool of potential boosters and deep-pocketed monetary supporters for the Cajuns.

Farmer’s response

Farmer seems to respectfully feel UL and LSU can comfortably coexist.

Take the 2011 football, he suggests.

"They were undefeated, the No. 1 team in the country (until losing to Alabama in the BCS national-championship game) — and we had the largest increase in football attendance in the nation," he said. "We both had tremendous years, at the same time.

"There are enough football fans in this part of the United States that both teams can excel at the same time," Farmer added. "This past year was a great example."

Besides, he added, "Especially in the South, there’s a great team right around everyone’s corner."