The West division of the MAC would appeal to our fans more than the Sun Belt. To be in a division that has teams get in the top 25 is something that would improve attendance. Playing on ESPN 5-6 times a year would help get our name out nationally. If the MAC offers then we will seriously consider joining.

I will say that a package deal with ULL has been discussed in the past. I don't know if stAte has decided to go it alone this time or not.

The main thing is survivability. Ending up as a refugee, or the last of the old Sun Belt left is the big concern...and not just for us.

I personally like the current SBC lineup and actually prefer it. I think there are a lot of negatives about going to the MAC. But the idea that ULL, TXST, USA could all of a sudden be gone is the issue. Just like the idea that ASU, TXST, USA could all be gone is a concern for ULL. Or that ASU, ULL, and TXST could be gone is a fear for USA. Nobody wants to be left in a stub conference or conference that is unsustainable.

If A-State is talking to the MAC it probably means we think that others are working on jumping and we could be left in a bad position. The MAC looks pretty good as an alternative to that.

This is going to continue to be a problem until every member of this conference get together and make hard and fast GUARANTEEES to each other that they are tied to this conference for the long haul. When that happens it will stop.

That is exactly what the Big 12 did to halt it. That is exactly what the ACC did to halt it. So far the Sun Belt members have refused to commit to each other and halt it.

(01-29-2014 12:17 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  The West division of the MAC would appeal to our fans more than the Sun Belt. To be in a division that has teams get in the top 25 is something that would improve attendance. Playing on ESPN 5-6 times a year would help get our name out nationally. If the MAC offers then we will seriously consider joining.

I will say that a package deal with ULL has been discussed in the past. I don't know if stAte has decided to go it alone this time or not.

I think you'll find we are trying to package ourselves with Missouri State now. Our administration is itching to play regular games a couple hours from that other school in the state...free marketing in NWA.

(01-29-2014 12:17 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  I will say that a package deal with ULL has been discussed in the past. I don't know if stAte has decided to go it alone this time or not.

Do these two schools trust each other to refuse a bid if the other doesn't receive one? On handshake alone? Time may have frayed that knot. ULL fans eagerness to get out and pressuring of their administration makes it even tougher.

As much as I like the Sun Belt, I would welcome a move to the MAC. The chance to have conference home games against a top 25 team will do wonders for attendance. The chance to play on ESPN 5-6 times a year would be great. We would have a better chance to get in a bowls game also.

(01-29-2014 12:25 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  As much as I like the Sun Belt, I would welcome a move to the MAC. The chance to have conference home games against a top 25 team will do wonders for attendance. The chance to play on ESPN 5-6 times a year would be great. We would have a better chance to get in a bowls game also.

Tuesday Night Games against NIU wont do any sort of wonders to our attendance. A Saturday game against the Huskies would sell a ton of tickets. The one drawback of the MAC is all the Tuesday games. It would become a question of whether or not we think the TV exposure is worth sacrificing multiple home games a year for Tuesday Night ESPN Broadcasts.

(01-29-2014 12:22 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:17 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  I will say that a package deal with ULL has been discussed in the past. I don't know if stAte has decided to go it alone this time or not.

Do these two schools trust each other to refuse a bid if the other doesn't receive one? On handshake alone? Time may have frayed that knot. ULL fans eagerness to get out and pressuring of their administration makes it even tougher.

ULL fans desire to get out, and to move into CUSA where they have a lot of local rivals really hurts our ability to package ourselves with them. I actually think we could sell the MAC to our fans a little easier than CUSA right now from a game perspective.

The Travel is the real issue. That's a lot of long trips for the Olympic Sports.

I want to stay in a southern league.

(01-29-2014 12:22 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:17 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  I will say that a package deal with ULL has been discussed in the past. I don't know if stAte has decided to go it alone this time or not.

Do these two schools trust each other to refuse a bid if the other doesn't receive one? On handshake alone? Time may have frayed that knot. ULL fans eagerness to get out and pressuring of their administration makes it even tougher.

I don't think stAte and ULL are as close as they once were. I believe ULL and stAte have dissagreed on certain issues within the Sun Belt and ULL has decided to break away and do its own thing. stAte has decided that they will move on also and go it alone.

It is a shame that two schools who use to share a vision have been torn apart by realignment. ULL thinks they are better than us now and don't need us.

(01-29-2014 12:32 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  I want to stay in a southern league.

I want to do what's best for our program.

I don't sense any strong interest in the MAC from AState leadership nor any disdain.

I have a difficult time believing AState would go to the MAC as the #14 unless there were a #15 and #16 from within the region going as well.

Two things that might change the dynamic would be the MAC endorsing the Little Rock bowl if AState joined and the rumors that apparently KittonHead has heard as well of the MAC pulling a big TV money increase panning out.

(01-29-2014 12:29 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:25 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  As much as I like the Sun Belt, I would welcome a move to the MAC. The chance to have conference home games against a top 25 team will do wonders for attendance. The chance to play on ESPN 5-6 times a year would be great. We would have a better chance to get in a bowls game also.

Tuesday Night Games against NIU wont do any sort of wonders to our attendance. A Saturday game against the Huskies would sell a ton of tickets. The one drawback of the MAC is all the Tuesday games. It would become a question of whether or not we think the TV exposure is worth sacrificing multiple home games a year for Tuesday Night ESPN Broadcasts.

Weeknight games especially if the money were at the level of CUSA (which seems probable in the new MAC deal) is a strong incentive for the MAC to go to 16 to spread out the impact of those games.

(01-29-2014 12:31 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:22 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:17 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  I will say that a package deal with ULL has been discussed in the past. I don't know if stAte has decided to go it alone this time or not.

Do these two schools trust each other to refuse a bid if the other doesn't receive one? On handshake alone? Time may have frayed that knot. ULL fans eagerness to get out and pressuring of their administration makes it even tougher.

ULL fans desire to get out, and to move into CUSA where they have a lot of local rivals really hurts our ability to package ourselves with them. I actually think we could sell the MAC to our fans a little easier than CUSA right now from a game perspective.

The Travel is the real issue. That's a lot of long trips for the Olympic Sports.

Travel isn't that great in the SBC anyway for Ark St.

The real issue I see for Arkansas State is that all full members in the MAC are REQUIRED to participate in 6 major sports; Football, Volleyball, M/W Basketball, Baseball, Softball

AState not having a Softball team is worse than UMass not having a Volleyball team because a Softball field is a very specific facility that you'll need to have built.

(01-29-2014 12:33 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:22 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:17 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  I will say that a package deal with ULL has been discussed in the past. I don't know if stAte has decided to go it alone this time or not.

Do these two schools trust each other to refuse a bid if the other doesn't receive one? On handshake alone? Time may have frayed that knot. ULL fans eagerness to get out and pressuring of their administration makes it even tougher.

I don't think stAte and ULL are as close as they once were. I believe ULL and stAte have dissagreed on certain issues within the Sun Belt and ULL has decided to break away and do its own thing. stAte has decided that they will move on also and go it alone.

It is a shame that two schools who use to share a vision have been torn apart by realignment. ULL thinks they are better than us now and don't need us.

I'm not aware of any particular issues of contention that have torn the two apart. I don't believe they've ever been packaged but have worked cooperatively. Both thought they had a great shot at MWC until Boise and SDSU went back and when the CUSA commish indicated a desire to go to 16 they had some reason to believe they were going together. I don't think either instance was a "package" but rather a case of intersecting interest by the other leagues.

Anyone saying they don't see the draw of going MAC is not paying attention.

There are some drawbacks: More weekday games (makes a bit more difficult for non students to make the game, but offset by being on major networks more), not a southern league.

But they are more than offset by the benefit.

(01-29-2014 12:36 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:32 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  I want to stay in a southern league.

I want to do what's best for our program.

You aren't in a southern league now.....Moscow, Las Cruces, San Marcos

(01-29-2014 12:52 AM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:36 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:32 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  I want to stay in a southern league.

I want to do what's best for our program.

You aren't in a southern league now.....Moscow, Las Cruces, San Marcos

How do you figure San Marcos isn't a Southern town?

(01-29-2014 12:49 AM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:31 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:22 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:17 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  I will say that a package deal with ULL has been discussed in the past. I don't know if stAte has decided to go it alone this time or not.

Do these two schools trust each other to refuse a bid if the other doesn't receive one? On handshake alone? Time may have frayed that knot. ULL fans eagerness to get out and pressuring of their administration makes it even tougher.

ULL fans desire to get out, and to move into CUSA where they have a lot of local rivals really hurts our ability to package ourselves with them. I actually think we could sell the MAC to our fans a little easier than CUSA right now from a game perspective.

The Travel is the real issue. That's a lot of long trips for the Olympic Sports.

Travel isn't that great in the SBC anyway for Ark St.

The real issue I see for Arkansas State is that all full members in the MAC are REQUIRED to participate in 6 major sports; Football, Volleyball, M/W Basketball, Baseball, Softball

AState not having a Softball team is worse than UMass not having a Volleyball team because a Softball field is a very specific facility that you'll need to have built.

AState has club softball and there has been persistent talk that once the long rumored facility is built the team will be elevated to varsity level. The club team is already receiving some financial assistance from the school just as rugby does and rugby now has a school built facility.

With the right motivation schools add sports. See North Texas and their sudden interest in baseball.

(01-29-2014 12:49 AM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:31 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:22 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:17 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  I will say that a package deal with ULL has been discussed in the past. I don't know if stAte has decided to go it alone this time or not.

Do these two schools trust each other to refuse a bid if the other doesn't receive one? On handshake alone? Time may have frayed that knot. ULL fans eagerness to get out and pressuring of their administration makes it even tougher.

ULL fans desire to get out, and to move into CUSA where they have a lot of local rivals really hurts our ability to package ourselves with them. I actually think we could sell the MAC to our fans a little easier than CUSA right now from a game perspective.

The Travel is the real issue. That's a lot of long trips for the Olympic Sports.

Travel isn't that great in the SBC anyway for Ark St.

The real issue I see for Arkansas State is that all full members in the MAC are REQUIRED to participate in 6 major sports; Football, Volleyball, M/W Basketball, Baseball, Softball

AState not having a Softball team is worse than UMass not having a Volleyball team because a Softball field is a very specific facility that you'll need to have built.

We like to joke about it, but softball is not that far off here. Its a few years out still, but there has been a lot of talk at the University level of adding it.

(01-29-2014 12:52 AM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:36 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  

(01-29-2014 12:32 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  I want to stay in a southern league.

I want to do what's best for our program.

You aren't in a southern league now.....Moscow, Las Cruces, San Marcos

I think your Geography needs a little work. San Marcos is in Texas, and Las Cruces makes Jonesboro look like Canada.