Quote:Jeremy Fowler ‏@JFowlerCBS 13m
ACC isn't only conference recently on grant of rights trip. #MAC currently looking into it.

Interesting. MACtion forever!!

Interesting. I'm sure all would sign it. Outside of UMASS, no one is looking at their schools for call-up. Maybe they think it'll help their TV deal in the future?

(04-24-2013 03:41 PM)apex_pirate Wrote:  Interesting. I'm sure all would sign it. Outside of UMASS, no one is looking at their schools for call-up. Maybe they think it'll help their TV deal in the future?

I doubt it would do anything for thier TV deal. The MAC has always been considered stable. The only G5 conference that would get anything out of a GOR might be the AAC (and I stress the word "might").

This might be positioning for the "split". If the P5 do leave the NCAA or go to their own division the MAC could be one of the new power conferences in D1.

Actually in a weird way, that does make sense. None of the MAC schools will be moving to one of the power 5 conferences, but there is risk of Conference USA or the AAC competing for a member at somepoint or even the Sunbelt. Since it isn't clear who though and since the MAC as is is in pretty good condition, it might make sense to everyone to just lock down now.

(04-24-2013 04:01 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2013 03:41 PM)apex_pirate Wrote:  Interesting. I'm sure all would sign it. Outside of UMASS, no one is looking at their schools for call-up. Maybe they think it'll help their TV deal in the future?

I doubt it would do anything for thier TV deal. The MAC has always been considered stable. The only G5 conference that would get anything out of a GOR might be the AAC (and I stress the word "might").

Yes, but their TV deal isn't very good, and all the MAC schools know it. Maybe they can get a better deal that way. I don't know why else they'd bother. Has to be a $$$ issue. Or they're trying to press UMass for a quick decision on what they're doing.

WHY?

(04-24-2013 05:14 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(04-24-2013 04:01 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2013 03:41 PM)apex_pirate Wrote:  Interesting. I'm sure all would sign it. Outside of UMASS, no one is looking at their schools for call-up. Maybe they think it'll help their TV deal in the future?

I doubt it would do anything for thier TV deal. The MAC has always been considered stable. The only G5 conference that would get anything out of a GOR might be the AAC (and I stress the word "might").

Yes, but their TV deal isn't very good, and all the MAC schools know it. Maybe they can get a better deal that way. I don't know why else they'd bother. Has to be a $$$ issue. Or they're trying to press UMass for a quick decision on what they're doing.

Could be. It also couold be that they are protecting the nice compact geographic conference that they currently have. If they can prevent it from being raided by either the AAC or CUSA, it could potentially develop into the a conference that is on a level with the MW or AAC. If the AAC or MW each get thier better programs poached--they can only reload from a very weakened CUSA and Sunbelt--the MAC would be off limits. That might allow a stable unpoachable MAC to close the distance between them and the AAC and MW. At the very least, it allows the MAC to easily lock in thier ccurrent position above the Sunbelt and CUSA.

(04-24-2013 05:24 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  WHY?

The UMass situation and maybe the MAC has an early TV deal extension in mind with ESPN.

The MAC only has 4 more years under its current deal and maybe ESPN wants to align the MAC with its AAC and MWC deals.

(04-24-2013 05:24 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  WHY?

UMass and #14. They don't want anymore football-only or temporary members like UCF or Temple. If you want in, you are sticking around. It has to be for that because the core 12 are stable so it must be for UMass and #14. But you cant just ask UMass and #14 to sign away GoR and not the rest, so everybody is.

.

I guess they're afraid of what happened to the WAC. Seems unnecessary though.

Any opinion on who the front runners are #14?

(04-24-2013 06:15 PM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  

(04-24-2013 05:24 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  WHY?

UMass and #14. They don't want anymore football-only or temporary members like UCF or Temple. If you want in, you are sticking around. It has to be for that because the core 12 are stable so it must be for UMass and #14. But you cant just ask UMass and #14 to sign away GoR and not the rest, so everybody is.

You don't need a GoR to get UMass to join for all sports. It's already built into the contract if they want to force the issue.

If you want in to the MAC for all sports, you're sticking around anyway. A GoR doesn't change that. It doesn't protect any media rights, either, since the MAC TV contract is beyond pitiful and if anybody leaves they're not really losing anything on that front.

This is a waste. I hope that any current MAC school that wants to better themselves finds a way out immediately, even if it's to a conference that doesn't provide a near-term advantage. All a GoR does for the MAC is satisfy those schools that are content with mediocrity, since they know they'll never have to improve because the better programs will be locked in to provide media value.

(04-24-2013 06:18 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  Any opinion on who the front runners are #14?

JMU is always in the conversation.

(04-24-2013 06:18 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  Any opinion on who the front runners are #14?

James Madison or Delaware. UMass will influence the decision.

.

Interesting.

Personally I'd jump at the chance to get another state Flagship school like UD who has a long history of success in FCS

(04-24-2013 06:28 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  Interesting.

Personally I'd jump at the chance to get another state Flagship school like UD who has a long history of success in FCS

UD is not interested in anything but the CAA. They don't want to give up the control they have over that conference.

(04-24-2013 06:32 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  

(04-24-2013 06:28 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  Interesting.

Personally I'd jump at the chance to get another state Flagship school like UD who has a long history of success in FCS

UD is not interested in anything but the CAA. They don't want to give up the control they have over that conference.

Im not buying that line by UD. They are talking to several conferences. UMass made a statement 6 months before they joined the MAC that they weren't interested in FBS. James Madison will leave the CAA and the CAA will continue to weaken and UD knows that.

(04-24-2013 06:23 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  You don't need a GoR to get UMass to join for all sports. It's already built into the contract if they want to force the issue.

If you want in to the MAC for all sports, you're sticking around anyway.

Yes, but UMass's first preference is MAC FB-only, so "if you want in to the MAC for all sports" doesn't apply.

Indeed, given the experience of three FB-only schools since 2002, with an average stay to date of under four years, a Grant of Rights also makes sense for stability if UMass is being offered the opportunity to continue as a FB-only school, since adding a #14 all-sports to balance football would be upset again if UMass then elected to leave for different pastures.

(04-24-2013 06:18 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  Any opinion on who the front runners are #14?

Assuming UMass stays, JMU is definitely the leader. UD is in the running, although I still think they're complacent with staying in FCS.

If UMass leaves, I can see us trying to go after Missouri State and stAte for 13 and 14, seeing how we would: a) get away from the Big Ten, who's eastward expansion would mitigate our gains from the UMass-JMU expansion, b) add a good b-ball program and rising football program, c) stay reasonably within our geographical footprint, and d) lock up our current bowl opportunities in the south and possibly attract another one if we're lucky.