Really JMU and ODU would be good pick ups both are unhappy right now. ODU is not playing and their conference is . JMU is trying to piece together a schedule . I know the MAC is not playing also but might be a good chance to add some recruiting grounds.

Ohhhhhhhh ***** sake another one of these threads........

What’s worse is the terrible realignment thread was the most recent post.

It would be a nice pick up but there is no advantage of going bigger for the MAC so unless ESPN financially incentivizes them to do it, it won’t happen.

(08-16-2020 06:23 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  It would be a nice pick up but there is no advantage of going bigger for the MAC so unless ESPN financially incentivizes them to do it, it won’t happen.

I liked having Temple and Massachusetts in our conference. These were recognizable brands and it seemed worth stretching our footprint to get them.

Old Dominion is also quite far away, but wouldn't seem to add as much. If the MAC were to ever go that far outside our footprint, why not try to bring in North Dakota State or something?

MAC will never be big in Virginia. I mean, nothing wrong with those schools, both are fits in some ways, but the MAC is a great lakes league. the only stretch that makes sense is Marshall and W Kentucky, but doubt either joins/rejoins the MAC. Everyone else is too far away.

ODU would need another eastern addition to justify it.

My thoughts are they could do best as an independent and get into the A10 where fellow Virginia schools play basketball. Their FB team is a lot like UMass not too successful.

If NIU and BSU leave FBS for money reasons, then I'd consider JMU and ODU. Our footprint would essentially shift East. But with NIU winning titles and somehow passing attendance requirements, no Eastern schools are coming calling.

(08-18-2020 02:22 AM)pono Wrote:  MAC will never be big in Virginia. I mean, nothing wrong with those schools, both are fits in some ways, but the MAC is a great lakes league. the only stretch that makes sense is Marshall and W Kentucky, but doubt either joins/rejoins the MAC. Everyone else is too far away.

I agree with you.

In Virginia we have UVa and they are not big in NoVa (or D.C. or Md.).

Schools like ODU, JMU, etc. have little chance to develop a D.C. area following for the MAC.

(08-16-2020 03:03 PM)utpotts Wrote:  Ohhhhhhhh ***** sake another one of these threads........

What’s worse is the terrible realignment thread was the most recent post.

Let it go man !! Outside of the ongoing political bs going on in regards to COVID, and the power structuring going on with big school state, dialogue over possible MAC add ons or subtractions keeps this board going at times...

(08-18-2020 02:22 AM)pono Wrote:  MAC will never be big in Virginia. I mean, nothing wrong with those schools, both are fits in some ways, but the MAC is a great lakes league. the only stretch that makes sense is Marshall and W Kentucky, but doubt either joins/rejoins the MAC. Everyone else is too far away.

Yeah, I don’t think we will ever see Marshall/WKU in the MAC...
If we had to stay at 12 for football purposes, with at least 2 schools dropping down, then possibly entice NDSU and Army to join (football only)...
Staying at 10 schools - (no divisions) for basketball...

(08-18-2020 04:53 PM)FMRocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2020 02:22 AM)pono Wrote:  MAC will never be big in Virginia. I mean, nothing wrong with those schools, both are fits in some ways, but the MAC is a great lakes league. the only stretch that makes sense is Marshall and W Kentucky, but doubt either joins/rejoins the MAC. Everyone else is too far away.

Yeah, I don’t think we will ever see Marshall/WKU in the MAC...
If we had to stay at 12 for football purposes, with at least 2 schools dropping down, then possibly entice NDSU and Army to join (football only)...
Staying at 10 schools - (no divisions) for basketball...

Re-adding Marshall would be like re-marrying your ex-wife.

JMU the SBC offered but they didn't like the academic fit.
They were supposedly interested in either the MAC or C-USA .
The CAA is a strong academic conference but has gotten weaker athletically. They already have MAC like facilities and would lead the conference in attendance.
ODU also strong facilities and strong support and not happy with C-USA far flung travel.

Say ESPN agreed to add to the contract making it a wash for MAC schools.
ESPN gets one more decent size state for MACtion.
With fourteen you can spread out the weekday games a little more.
Obviously the G5 schools are going to be behind UVA and VA Tech .
These two have good local support and the state has 8.5 million people.

(08-19-2020 09:12 AM)CoastalVANDAL Wrote:  JMU the SBC offered but they didn't like the academic fit.
They were supposedly interested in either the MAC or C-USA .
The CAA is a strong academic conference but has gotten weaker athletically. They already have MAC like facilities and would lead the conference in attendance.
ODU also strong facilities and strong support and not happy with C-USA far flung travel.

Say ESPN agreed to add to the contract making it a wash for MAC schools.
ESPN gets one more decent size state for MACtion.
With fourteen you can spread out the weekday games a little more.
Obviously the G5 schools are going to be behind UVA and VA Tech .
These two have good local support and the state has 8.5 million people.

Just stop........ ODU is almost 8 hours away from Ohio University. They don't fit. An Atlantic coast school just like UMASS or UCONN will never work with a bunch of schools from the rust belt. It doesn't matter if Virginia has 8.5 million people, most of them are along the coast or in the DC area.

If you actually knew about the MAC you would understand this.

(08-19-2020 09:12 AM)CoastalVANDAL Wrote:  JMU the SBC offered but they didn't like the academic fit.
They were supposedly interested in either the MAC or C-USA .
The CAA is a strong academic conference but has gotten weaker athletically. They already have MAC like facilities and would lead the conference in attendance.
ODU also strong facilities and strong support and not happy with C-USA far flung travel.

Say ESPN agreed to add to the contract making it a wash for MAC schools.
ESPN gets one more decent size state for MACtion.
With fourteen you can spread out the weekday games a little more.
Obviously the G5 schools are going to be behind UVA and VA Tech .
These two have good local support and the state has 8.5 million people.

ESPN and the sports networks are not exactly handing out TV money like candy right now with the pandemic going on.

(08-18-2020 03:52 PM)emu steve Wrote:  I agree with you.

In Virginia we have UVa and they are not big in NoVa (or D.C. or Md.).

Schools like ODU, JMU, etc. have little chance to develop a D.C. area following for the MAC.

I always found it interesting that Virginia Tech is bigger in the DC area than UVa. I understand some of the reasons but Blacksburg is essentially the same distance away from DC as UNC or Duke.

(08-18-2020 03:45 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  If NIU and BSU leave FBS for money reasons, then I'd consider JMU and ODU. Our footprint would essentially shift East. But with NIU winning titles and somehow passing attendance requirements, no Eastern schools are coming calling.

The MAC without NIU? Geez, that takes a lot of fun out of the equation. No thanks.

(08-18-2020 05:08 PM)emu steve Wrote:  Re-adding Marshall would be like re-marrying your ex-wife.

Which would make re-re-adding Marshal like re-re-marrying your ex-ex-wife.

Sometimes the third time is NOT charmed: rather, sometimes the definition of insanity is repeating the same actions over and over and expecting a different result THIS time.

(08-22-2020 12:15 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(08-18-2020 05:08 PM)emu steve Wrote:  Re-adding Marshall would be like re-marrying your ex-wife.

Which would make re-re-adding Marshal like re-re-marrying your ex-ex-wife.

Sometimes the third time is NOT charmed: rather, sometimes the definition of insanity is repeating the same actions over and over and expecting a different result THIS time.

C’mon, you all can’t blame us for leaving for a far better (at the time) conference. More bowls, more money (again, at the time), more aligned with us culturally... etc... There is a big part of me that wished we hadnt moved, and a part of me that is glad we did. Ultimately was it the correct move? Eh, probably. But everything eventually regresses to the means and the g5 if it isn’t now, soon will be held all in the same regard.

You’d be surprised regarding the cultural differences from Huntington to Athens. I live in Huntington but work in Gallipolis and Chillicothe, OH. The difference is amazing.

(08-20-2020 06:26 AM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(08-19-2020 09:12 AM)CoastalVANDAL Wrote:  JMU the SBC offered but they didn't like the academic fit.
They were supposedly interested in either the MAC or C-USA .
The CAA is a strong academic conference but has gotten weaker athletically. They already have MAC like facilities and would lead the conference in attendance.
ODU also strong facilities and strong support and not happy with C-USA far flung travel.

Say ESPN agreed to add to the contract making it a wash for MAC schools.
ESPN gets one more decent size state for MACtion.
With fourteen you can spread out the weekday games a little more.
Obviously the G5 schools are going to be behind UVA and VA Tech .
These two have good local support and the state has 8.5 million people.

ESPN and the sports networks are not exactly handing out TV money like candy right now with the pandemic going on.

And coincidentally ESPN and the midweek games are a huge reason these schools want no part of the MAC. While they’re interested in possibly jumping up to the FBS, at most the MAC would be a stepping stone to a different conference.

(08-22-2020 02:04 PM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  And coincidentally ESPN and the midweek games are a huge reason these schools want no part of the MAC. ...

No, JMU was interested in joining the MAC when the MAC needed a 14th lined up in case UMass exercised its "all in" option.

That it wasn't merely a case of "ANY conference to get into FBS and then we can move up" is established by the fact that it had an opening in the SBC that it did not take up.

As far as ODU, as far as the Division it would be in (online map drive time, roadwork and your willingness to risk your life may result in different actual trip times), and assuming that the #14 is JMU:

CUSA East / MAC East
UNCC 5:20 / JMU 3:35
Marshall 7:20 / Ohio 8:00
MTSU 11:00 / Kent State 8:25
Western Kentucky 11:25 / Akron 8:30
FAU 14:00 / Buffalo 10:00
FIU 14:30 / Miami 10:15

And if you object that MTSU/WKU and FAU/FIU work as travel partners, so does Kent/Akron and Ohio/Miami.

Obviously, first ODU ought to work on rattling things around and see if a Go5 Southeastern Atlantic Conference can emerge, because that would be it's first best result.

One substantial upgrade of ODU/JMU over UMass/JMU is that ODU/JMU work as travel partners for current MAC subsidy sport team travel.

However, the fact remains that ESPN is not going to be paying the MAC a top-up to make adding ODU/JMU worthwhile, and unless/until that is the case, this is rather an issue for the hysterical, over-reacting "zOMG, MAC schools are going to lose a lot of money in 2020/2021, can they SURVIVE a one-off budget hit???!!!!" horror story scenarios.