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Topic: Conference Realignment-will MAC teams get involved
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colobobcat66
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Posted: 9/17/2024 4:17 PM
With the constant change in conference realignment continuing, I’m wondering again if MAC teams will ever be involved. Pretty much the only remaining geographical based conference remaining , the MAC has other than a brief dance with WKU and MTSU and more recently UMASS, nothing much seems to be happening.
I would think that there are perhaps 2 members who have the most potential to move on (neither is Ohio in my mind). There may be others that I’m missing though based on market size, etc.

I know that this has been discussed many times, but recent changes in NIL, athlete payment, recent team switches may bring up more discussion points to consider.
Any thoughts from folks on here about the likelihood of gaining or losing a few members schools?
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Posted: 9/17/2024 9:12 PM
colobobcat66 wrote:expand_more
With the constant change in conference realignment continuing, I’m wondering again if MAC teams will ever be involved. Pretty much the only remaining geographical based conference remaining , the MAC has other than a brief dance with WKU and MTSU and more recently UMASS, nothing much seems to be happening.
I would think that there are perhaps 2 members who have the most potential to move on (neither is Ohio in my mind). There may be others that I’m missing though based on market size, etc.

I know that this has been discussed many times, but recent changes in NIL, athlete payment, recent team switches may bring up more discussion points to consider.
Any thoughts from folks on here about the likelihood of gaining or losing a few members schools?
So, if we invest heavily right now, you think we can make? Back2 Back 10 win seasons, two bowl wins. We have to be in the discussion. Add in that we are the State school and have an entire region we can build from the grass roots.
colobobcat66
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Posted: 9/17/2024 10:06 PM
BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
With the constant change in conference realignment continuing, I’m wondering again if MAC teams will ever be involved. Pretty much the only remaining geographical based conference remaining , the MAC has other than a brief dance with WKU and MTSU and more recently UMASS, nothing much seems to be happening.
I would think that there are perhaps 2 members who have the most potential to move on (neither is Ohio in my mind). There may be others that I’m missing though based on market size, etc.

I know that this has been discussed many times, but recent changes in NIL, athlete payment, recent team switches may bring up more discussion points to consider.
Any thoughts from folks on here about the likelihood of gaining or losing a few members schools?
So, if we invest heavily right now, you think we can make? Back2 Back 10 win seasons, two bowl wins. We have to be in the discussion. Add in that we are the State school and have an entire region we can build from the grass roots.
Can you ever be serious ?
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Posted: 9/17/2024 10:17 PM
colobobcat66 wrote:expand_more
I would think that there are perhaps 2 members who have the most potential to move on (neither is Ohio in my mind). There may be others that I’m missing though based on market size, etc.
I presume you're meaning NIU and Buffalo. I wouldn't sell Toledo short in this regard. They have a solid football program year in and year out and their b-ball program is always one to be reckoned with. Now that the NIT doesn't automatically take conference champs that don't win their conference tourney, the MAC is largely going to be a one-bid post-season b-ball conference. This might schools like Toledo not only attractive to a conference like the American, but make the schools more willing to move on.

But a drawback for the MAC schools is that the current thinking among larger conferences is to have more of a presence in "football havens," mainly Texas and Florida. That's one reason why SMU -- instead of Oregon St and/or Wash St -- is now in the ACC. And it's why teams like North Texas, UTSA, Rice, and FAU were involved in the last reshuffling of conferences. Most conference heads don't consider Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and New York to be football havens.
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Maddog13
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Posted: 9/18/2024 2:38 AM
Hard to imagine that there would be any upside to anyone adding a MAC team to their conference due to having limited fan bases, nothing much in the way of money outside of MACtion revenue, or having a history of effectively winning out against the big guys, though we have certainly had our moments, such as Northern Illinois just getting done upsetting Notre Dame. I think that it is more likely that we attract programs like Youngstown State, Northern Iowa, and, perhaps, even Western Kentucky would see the error of their ways when it came to backing off of the MAC and thus reconsider having done so. Marshall, UCF, Temple, and UMass have all basically thumbed their noses at us, and I still don’t completely understand why WKU and MTSU backed off of joining the Conference. Unless Southeastern Ohio becomes the next Silicon Valley (which is not likely), I would say that we will remain MAC members for a long, long time to come.
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Posted: 9/18/2024 8:27 AM
UMass thumbed their noses at us? How so?

MTSU's president is notorious for ALMOST entering into deals and then demanding an additional benefit. He did that to the MAC and they told him to pound salt. Unfortunately, WKU was uncomfortable joining us without MTSU. (WKU warned MAC presidents that MTSU president and AD were snakes.)
Last Edited: 9/18/2024 8:30:27 AM by SBH
Maddog13
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Posted: 9/18/2024 10:35 AM
SBH wrote:expand_more
MTSU's president is notorious for ALMOST entering into deals and then demanding an additional benefit. He did that to the MAC and they told him to pound salt. Unfortunately, WKU was uncomfortable joining us without MTSU. (WKU warned MAC presidents that MTSU president and AD were snakes.)
Good information. Thanks.
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Posted: 9/18/2024 12:29 PM
Maddog13 wrote:expand_more
MTSU's president is notorious for ALMOST entering into deals and then demanding an additional benefit. He did that to the MAC and they told him to pound salt. Unfortunately, WKU was uncomfortable joining us without MTSU. (WKU warned MAC presidents that MTSU president and AD were snakes.)
Good information. Thanks.
From what I heard at the time, WKU would have still joined without MTSU, but the MACDaddies wanted them as a package deal or not at all.
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Posted: 9/19/2024 1:18 PM
Keep an eye on what happens in the AAC. Losing Memphis and Tulane (and possibly others) might be detrimental to that league's future. Makes me think the UMass add was a strategic one and Temple could be back in play. For as dumb as the MAC has been in some aspects, they along with the Sun Belt have stuck to their identities: regional conferences with minimal travel.
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Posted: 9/19/2024 4:38 PM
colobobcat66 wrote:expand_more
With the constant change in conference realignment continuing, I’m wondering again if MAC teams will ever be involved. Pretty much the only remaining geographical based conference remaining , the MAC has other than a brief dance with WKU and MTSU and more recently UMASS, nothing much seems to be happening.
I would think that there are perhaps 2 members who have the most potential to move on (neither is Ohio in my mind). There may be others that I’m missing though based on market size, etc.

I know that this has been discussed many times, but recent changes in NIL, athlete payment, recent team switches may bring up more discussion points to consider.
Any thoughts from folks on here about the likelihood of gaining or losing a few members schools?
So, if we invest heavily right now, you think we can make? Back2 Back 10 win seasons, two bowl wins. We have to be in the discussion. Add in that we are the State school and have an entire region we can build from the grass roots.
Can you ever be serious ?
I am. You really think that OHIO would be a target without a serious upgrade to facilities?
colobobcat66
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Posted: 9/19/2024 4:45 PM
BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
With the constant change in conference realignment continuing, I’m wondering again if MAC teams will ever be involved. Pretty much the only remaining geographical based conference remaining , the MAC has other than a brief dance with WKU and MTSU and more recently UMASS, nothing much seems to be happening.
I would think that there are perhaps 2 members who have the most potential to move on (neither is Ohio in my mind). There may be others that I’m missing though based on market size, etc.

I know that this has been discussed many times, but recent changes in NIL, athlete payment, recent team switches may bring up more discussion points to consider.
Any thoughts from folks on here about the likelihood of gaining or losing a few members schools?
So, if we invest heavily right now, you think we can make? Back2 Back 10 win seasons, two bowl wins. We have to be in the discussion. Add in that we are the State school and have an entire region we can build from the grass roots.
Can you ever be serious ?
I am. You really think that OHIO would be a target without a serious upgrade to facilities?

We’re not in any discussion that I’ve seen and it’s not because of facilities.
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Posted: 9/20/2024 12:56 AM
AAC demands that its membership have athletic budgets over 40 million. That right there makes it unattractive to MAC schools because any additional revenue is destined to be spent out. The better approch is to try and bring in a key member or two into the MAC that can raise the bar. Memphis basketball in the AAC is an example and the MAC is trying to replicate with UMass basketball in the MAC to force everyone else to become more competitive.
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Posted: 9/20/2024 11:13 AM
Campus Flow wrote:expand_more
AAC demands that its membership have athletic budgets over 40 million. That right there makes it unattractive to MAC schools because any additional revenue is destined to be spent out. The better approch is to try and bring in a key member or two into the MAC that can raise the bar. Memphis basketball in the AAC is an example and the MAC is trying to replicate with UMass basketball in the MAC to force everyone else to become more competitive.
I have to imagine they'd shift their goal posts a little bit because if Tulane and Memphis leave, how many athletic departments are left with that kind of coin that they could potentially go after? It can't be many. Let's just say Memphis and Tulane end up in the PAC or some other conference. They're not left with much outside of maybe a potential addition of Air Force, so they'd have all three service academies under one roof. Outside of that? Woof that conference is just a hodge podge mess. The MAC might get lucky and see Temple come back, but this time for all sports.
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Posted: 9/20/2024 11:16 AM
Some rumors floating around that SBC is going to invite MTSU, but not WKU. In this eventuality, I believe it'll be WKU to the MAC in a heartbeat to even the league to 14.
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Posted: 9/20/2024 1:50 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
Some rumors floating around that SBC is going to invite MTSU, but not WKU. In this eventuality, I believe it'll be WKU to the MAC in a heartbeat to even the league to 14.
Where did you see that rumor?
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Posted: 9/20/2024 2:51 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
Some rumors floating around that SBC is going to invite MTSU, but not WKU. In this eventuality, I believe it'll be WKU to the MAC in a heartbeat to even the league to 14.

With the pod format, there is no advantage to having 14 teams over 13. At 15 teams, you can have three 5 team pods. At 16 you can have four 4 team pods. At 14 you could back to conferences, or you could have one 4 team pod and two 5 team pods.
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Posted: 9/20/2024 3:28 PM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
Some rumors floating around that SBC is going to invite MTSU, but not WKU. In this eventuality, I believe it'll be WKU to the MAC in a heartbeat to even the league to 14.

With the pod format, there is no advantage to having 14 teams over 13. At 15 teams, you can have three 5 team pods. At 16 you can have four 4 team pods. At 14 you could back to conferences, or you could have one 4 team pod and two 5 team pods.
Pods aside, I would not turn down the additions of WKU or Temple or both.
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Posted: 9/20/2024 4:52 PM
cbarber357 wrote:expand_more
Some rumors floating around that SBC is going to invite MTSU, but not WKU. In this eventuality, I believe it'll be WKU to the MAC in a heartbeat to even the league to 14.

With the pod format, there is no advantage to having 14 teams over 13. At 15 teams, you can have three 5 team pods. At 16 you can have four 4 team pods. At 14 you could back to conferences, or you could have one 4 team pod and two 5 team pods.
Pods aside, I would not turn down the additions of WKU or Temple or both.
A basketball league with the additions of UMass, Temple and WKU would be fun as hell.
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Posted: 9/20/2024 5:04 PM
And 15 would be a lot better number than 14, so yeah, add WKU and Temple.
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Posted: 9/20/2024 7:27 PM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
And 15 would be a lot better number than 14, so yeah, add WKU and Temple.
2-Bid league!
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Posted: 9/21/2024 10:35 AM
GoCats105 wrote:expand_more
Some rumors floating around that SBC is going to invite MTSU, but not WKU. In this eventuality, I believe it'll be WKU to the MAC in a heartbeat to even the league to 14.
Where did you see that rumor?
It was on MACbbs.
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OhioCatFan
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Posted: 9/21/2024 10:39 AM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
Some rumors floating around that SBC is going to invite MTSU, but not WKU. In this eventuality, I believe it'll be WKU to the MAC in a heartbeat to even the league to 14.
Where did you see that rumor?
It was on MACbbs.
There appears to be some "bad blood" between WKU and the SBC due to some past history. I don't know all the details, but it's been mentioned several times in various places on, as my favorite dogface oldkatz would say, the interwebs.
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Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org
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Posted: 12/20/2024 5:00 PM
Posting this here because I didn't see any other threads about it. One school people have mentioned now that UMass is on board is bringing in another Northeast school: Rhode Island. Along with a state budgeting plan improving the university as a whole, URI has raised $40M to improve their athletics facilities, with specifics going to the football stadium.

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/sports/college/20... /
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Posted: 12/20/2024 5:12 PM
GoCats105 wrote:expand_more
Posting this here because I didn't see any other threads about it. One school people have mentioned now that UMass is on board is bringing in another Northeast school: Rhode Island. Along with a state budgeting plan improving the university as a whole, URI has raised $40M to improve their athletics facilities, with specifics going to the football stadium.

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/sports/college/20... /
I don't know why the MAC couldn't offer Rhode Island & Fordham without FBS football but offer them a full MAC media share to entice them over for the Atlantic 10. That is what the PAC-12 is giving Gonzaga.

MAC I'm sure won't do anything creative. AAC has Wichita State and Army/Navy for only football. MWC now has Grand Canyon for basketball.
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