BATON ROUGE -- A member of the LSU board of supervisors said he will fight proposed increases in football ticket prices. Louis Lambert also wants a public hearing on the matter, to hear from fans, and time to review the school's athletics budget.

"I think what's happening here is we've reached the saturation point," Lambert, of Prairieville, said. "I think the time has come that enough is enough."

On Thursday, three days after LSU defeated Ohio State for the national BCS title, LSU proposed increasing single-game tickets by $5 each and raising the required donation to the so-called Tradition Fund by $150 a year per season ticket through 2010 for prime sideline, lower box and west upper deck terrace seats.

LSU Athletics Director Skip Bertman said the plan would generate about $11.5 million over three years. He called the increase necessary to account for such things as inflation, facilities improvements, higher salaries, boosting game guarantees for visiting teams and $1.5 million toward a new band hall.

"We elected to do some things that require higher prices," Bertman said. "We elected to compete for the national championship, and the value of a national championship coach is over $3 million, evidently." Coach Les Miles, he added, is "well worth the market value."

The board of supervisors must approve the plan.

While Lambert, who voted against ticket price increases last year, has expressed opposition, several other board members have expressed support or said they are undecided.

Stanley Jacobs, of New Orleans, said he plans to vote for the increases.

"Unfortunately, it's just the cost of staying competitive," he said, noting fans at the universities of Alabama, Florida and Tennessee pay more. "It's a delicate balance. We're not a wealthy state, and it pains me to see the price of tickets going up."

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)