First of all think this whole UConn to the Big East is garbage as the AAC did get a decent TV Package.

Just back from vacation and the first thing that caught my eye on franks blog was another MAC game. Was pretty happy about it and wanted to see if there was any mention here. Will catch up, but we've played Ohio and have a number of MAC universities scheduled. Know you guys said there was no need for an alliance that universities could always schedule UMass. So in addition to Ohio a few years back we have Akron, East Michigan, Toledo, Buffalo, Miami, and Northern Illinois. Around 2024, were we have 4 MAC games schedule and zero AAC games after 2022, is about the time we'd be primed to accept an all sports invite to the MAC, if a spot was available.

I would favor bringing in Connecticut and Massachusetts for football only. These are good universities, and I would enjoy being in a conference with them (even though it would mean putting Bowling Green in the west).

(06-23-2019 05:25 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  First of all think this whole UConn to the Big East is garbage as the AAC did get a decent TV Package.

That was 100% my initial opinion on it.

Donors I think are flexing their muscles on this one.

(06-23-2019 05:27 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  I would favor bringing in Connecticut and Massachusetts for football only. These are good universities, and I would enjoy being in a conference with them (even though it would mean putting Bowling Green in the west).

Know and respect the general sentiment, needs to be all sports. Think UConn is all smoke. We'd have to replace someone defecting. Don't think UMass or JMU would enough value and would reduce every ones share. Hence the ultimatum, knowing the past UMass AD and tow would decline.

Twelve teams is the limit and no longer the sweet spot. Look at the Big East , Big 12, or even the SunBelt, which has moved ahead of CUSA. At the time of this MAC contract, the talked was we added a little, with emphasis on little and not worth diluting with 2 additional teams.

Dame, in catching up, there is a lot of this UConn - Big East smoke. Will have to go to the Boneyard and the AAC board.

Dame, dame, dame. Perhaps with one more vacation UMass be in a conference. Seems likely if this all happens, UConn will be independent. Don't understand enough why the MAC would take football only. Perhaps the football only's agree to what ever the small amount the networks would offer, if any. Know it would logically expand the footprint, but would hurt the MAC in the performance pool.

As a UMass fan would like to be in the MAC with UConn.

(06-23-2019 04:07 PM)Bronco14 Wrote:  

(06-23-2019 03:28 AM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  The ultimate move for the MAC would be to try and do a UConn/Villanova FB only arrangement while both guarantee 4 games against the MAC like the old Temple/UMass arrangement.

This time around there wouldn't be any fear of losing them to another non-P5 conference.

The MAC then could reup its TV deal with ESPN for more money with BE and AAC level deals as targets.

I like the idea of the MAC spreading it's footprint, but the MAC's partnership with UMASS and Temple didn't work out so why would this?

And I'm confused why Villanova instead of trying UMASS again? If you want football only for UCONN, I think you need UMASS as well. UMASS has wanted to be in the same conference as UCONN for a long time now. Buffalo's wanted both, too.

Absolutely ZERO reason, that's just Kit-Kat being Kit-Kat. The biggest flaw in the Temple/UMass was the waiting time for UMass to be able to upgrade to FBS meant we never once got the 4 home / 4 away BBall games from the pair that the deal was aiming for. The only FB-only deal that the MAC should consider is one that gives us those games from year one.

Buffalo would obviously support the move. Kent, Akron and (despite anything you may hear Kit-Kat say) Ohio may well support it for the promise of hosting one of those two in home BBall games in any given three year cycle. Plus all four would likely appreciate the greater exposure in New England for supplementing their out of state student recruitment. So Miami could well be the only "no" vote in the East.

Toledo and Bowling Green would obviously support a move that would put Bowling Green in the western division and eliminate the locked cross division game. I expect Northern Illinois, WMU and CMU would value a guaranteed one away trip every year to northwest Ohio recruiting grounds. I don't know that Ball State or EMU would value that as much, but EMU could well support the deal for the OOC BBall deal. So it wouldn't be surprising if a real MAC vote was 10-2 (that is, before staging the unanimous vote for public consumption).

But the previous experience could easily see a number of Presidents insisting on it happening (1) soon and (2) with both schools at the same time, (3) with a hefty exit fee for a school leaving and (4) with only a two year grace period for the remaining school before the "all in or all out" ultimatum kicks in. (1) and (2) rule out Nova.

BruceMcF you make sense but money will be a rub. Know some complained when it was costing each institution 80k to add us. Now the figure is almost three time 80k or 240k. (119k is the difference of 10m by 12 or 14 for both TV and 1M per university up to 10m in CFP revenue.) Perhaps ESPN gives a little more and we agree to take a little less.

Perhaps focusing too much on the dollars for the MAC. Both UConn and UMass would fit in nicely and very good academics that the presidents like. Plus the east coast exposure is good for the MAC, without seriously impacting the travel budgets as just a few sports and with divisions is a good offset. Heck, why not demand 6 bb games each so every team gets one of us every year.

Surprised by the Villanova talk. They're at the FCS level and they're not going to make the kind of financial commitment (including moving games off campus) FBS entails just to make things a little easier on UConn football.

(06-23-2019 04:06 AM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(06-22-2019 10:32 PM)DICK Wrote:  IF UConn were to enter for football only, UMass would be the probable partner. We could probably get some home and home basketball games, which would be nice. BG would probably go to the West for football only, doing away with protected crossover games.

The deal the MAC had with Temple was for both women's and men's basketball. UConn women's team would be a boon.

Getting BG and Toledo into the same division has long been a priority by the MAC and yes it would lead to the removal of the protected crossover games.

I'd try Villanova over UMass though as the 14th. A much larger name in athletics and bigger TV market. They were considering a move up to FBS right before the split.

If UConn was part of a billion dollar TV package with games on ABC/CBS the MAC might have a chance at picking up a piece of the exposure with UConn in the fold.

As crappy as what UConn FB has been the last few years out of the AAC it still has a larger stadium and FB revenue than anyone in the MAC. They've been to the Fiesta Bowl before which is something no MAC school has ever done.

NIU and WMU have been to bowls just as prestigious as the Fiesta and didn't back in at 8-4 either...

(06-23-2019 09:35 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  Toledo and Bowling Green would obviously support a move that would put Bowling Green in the western division and eliminate the locked cross division game.

I don't know that this is obvious. I see this a bug, not a feature. I prefer an East Division football schedule.

I suspect BGSU sees it this way, too. After the late 1990s MAC expansion, when the MAC was at 13 schools, Bowling Green initially played in a seven-team East Division. It was only the addition of Central Florida that forced Bowling Green to the West. A few years later, when the MAC was again at 13 football schools, Bowling Green played in a seven-team East with Temple and later Massachusetts. It seems to me that at any point during this era, Bowling Green could have moved to the West if it wished. That never happened.

(06-23-2019 04:07 PM)Bronco14 Wrote:  Buffalo's wanted both, too.

We don't give a about UMass. Frankly, we're at a complete loss as to why anyone thinks the AAC, or any other conference, would want them. Their football program is a complete joke and their basketball program is nowhere near as good as people think. Aside from the Cheatipari years, they've been irrelevant since the 1970's.

Bringing in UMass and UConn football would add absolutely nothing to the MAC.

Playing games against UMass and Temple basketball didn't help the MAC earn an at-large tournament bid and neither will playing UConn.

According to a HustleBelt tweet, the MAC and CUSA have rejected UCONN’s request for football only membership.

(06-24-2019 02:41 PM)zibby Wrote:  Bringing in UMass and UConn football would add absolutely nothing to the MAC.

They bring academic prestige, which matters to me and, I suspect, to university presidents. They also offer access to new markets, including Hartford and Springfield (Mass.), and, at least in theory, Boston and New York City.

Word is the MAC and Conference USA have both already said no to UConn. I'm a bit surprised, to be honest. I'd like to see more sourcing on this.

UConn would be heading straight to the MAC if this were 1999. But I believe the conference is weary of nomadic football-only members with one foot constantly dangling out the door.

If UConn came, you most certainly need a 14th to complement the add. So it'd be bringing up an FCS school as a full member or reintroducing UMass into the fold.

North Dakota State possibly?

Noway UCONN gets added. They bring zero $$ and only take a slice of the already small pie.

(06-24-2019 08:18 PM)23Bison Wrote:  North Dakota State possibly?

Too far west for the MAC I guess but as a fan I would be very intrigued by NDSU in the MAC.

(06-24-2019 08:42 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 08:18 PM)23Bison Wrote:  North Dakota State possibly?

Too far west for the MAC I guess but as a fan I would be very intrigued by NDSU in the MAC.

I get what your saying but it would up the competitiveness of the MAC quite a bit especially the west. Moving west isn’t a bad thing if another school like South Dakota State were to go as well. The west would be a machine.

(06-24-2019 08:52 PM)23Bison Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 08:42 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 08:18 PM)23Bison Wrote:  North Dakota State possibly?

Too far west for the MAC I guess but as a fan I would be very intrigued by NDSU in the MAC.

I get what your saying but it would up the competitiveness of the MAC quite a bit especially the west. Moving west isn’t a bad thing if another school like South Dakota State were to go as well. The west would be a machine.

Think MWC. Better fit than the MAC.

(06-24-2019 08:58 PM)axeme Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 08:52 PM)23Bison Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 08:42 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 08:18 PM)23Bison Wrote:  North Dakota State possibly?

Too far west for the MAC I guess but as a fan I would be very intrigued by NDSU in the MAC.

I get what your saying but it would up the competitiveness of the MAC quite a bit especially the west. Moving west isn’t a bad thing if another school like South Dakota State were to go as well. The west would be a machine.

Think MWC. Better fit than the MAC.

Not really when you are located on the Minnesota border and already play schools from Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Indiana.

Mt. Rushmore and Crazyhorse are in the West not Great Lakes.