Dear BruceMcF,
I am not dictating to anyone. Just suggesting this constant jabber about maybes, what ifs, is like beating a dead horse. If, you and others have nothing better to talk about, continue at your pleasure.

(02-15-2023 09:07 AM)FMRocket Wrote:  A perfect scenario would have Marshall back in the MAC along with WKU joining …
Two very good overall athletic programs/a past history with the Herd/ while maintaining a tight geographical footprint …

No interest in Marshall. No thank you


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(02-20-2023 07:54 AM)indianasniff Wrote:  

(02-15-2023 09:07 AM)FMRocket Wrote:  A perfect scenario would have Marshall back in the MAC along with WKU joining …
Two very good overall athletic programs/a past history with the Herd/ while maintaining a tight geographical footprint …

No interest in Marshall. No thank you


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree... No interest in Marshall again.... Fine for non-conference, but I don't want them in the MAC again.

Right now the CUSA & SunBelt span the same geographical area. I think we want some of those teams to merge into one conference, another ‘best of the rest’ type to try to ‘keep up’ with the AAC. The leftovers look to merge with the MAC or invite MAC members to keep up with them.

So yes, if we want expansion, we do want CUSA & the SunBelt to lose members.

But I see it less of a, say Western Kentucky or Middle Tennessee, joining the MAC, & more of the MAC joining them. What causes the ‘stable’ MAC to become unstable is the idea of 20 to 24 member conferences becoming the norm. If you have 2 divisions, that lowers travel costs, & stability is maintained with a north & south merged MAC + CUSA/SunBelt remnants. The MAC members aren’t leaving, it's more the conference is just getting bigger. 10 MAC teams, 10 CUSA/SunBelt remnant teams. (the 2 MAC leftovers join FCS for a couple years till the MAC/CUSA/SunBelt conference has to expand again to backfill)

A 20 team conference sounds pretty miserable considering we'd still be a 1 bid conference for basketball. Toledo, which has been fairly solid in basketball, is currently on a 43 year tournament drought. In a 20 team league I'd imagine a handful of teams, or more, would have similar or longer droughts.

(02-15-2023 09:07 AM)FMRocket Wrote:  A perfect scenario would have Marshall back in the MAC along with WKU joining …
Two very good overall athletic programs/a past history with the Herd/ while maintaining a tight geographical footprint …

Saying this not to troll, but as someone who read this thread out of curiosity and caught this post: Not even Marshall fans want to return to the MAC. The program did all it could in the MAC and moved on.

Plenty of us are happy with Marshall's current place in the Sun Belt. To add some relevance to the topic at hand, however, I don't think the MAC has to worry about being poached, let alone expanding. Some members have been part of it for like 70+ years. Whether it's a good sign or a bad one, the MAC teams haven't been on anybody's radar for some time.

That being said, I don't think WKU or MTSU would want to join the MAC either. You'd have to ask their fans, though.

(02-21-2023 11:41 PM)BnG_Jacket Wrote:  That being said, I don't think WKU or MTSU would want to join the MAC either.

These schools very nearly joined the MAC a year or two ago. Ultimately, Middle Tennessee decided it wanted to stay, and the deal fell apart. I suspect Western Kentucky would still be interested. Perhaps Middle Tennessee will rethink its position at some point.

(02-22-2023 10:20 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(02-21-2023 11:41 PM)BnG_Jacket Wrote:  That being said, I don't think WKU or MTSU would want to join the MAC either.

These schools very nearly joined the MAC a year or two ago. Ultimately, Middle Tennessee decided it wanted to stay, and the deal fell apart. I suspect Western Kentucky would still be interested. Perhaps Middle Tennessee will rethink its position at some point.

Sneaky way to bring in another expansion thread lol lord and to bring Marshall back to discussion as well even worse. Nuke this thead!

(02-21-2023 11:41 PM)BnG_Jacket Wrote:  

(02-15-2023 09:07 AM)FMRocket Wrote:  A perfect scenario would have Marshall back in the MAC along with WKU joining …
Two very good overall athletic programs/a past history with the Herd/ while maintaining a tight geographical footprint …

Saying this not to troll, but as someone who read this thread out of curiosity and caught this post: Not even Marshall fans want to return to the MAC. ...

For plenty of MAC fans, the feeling's mutual.

There are always going to be those who latch onto the brilliant idea of getting Marshall back into the fold, but even if there was some turmoil so bad that Marshall would be inclined to come back, it would only be for a while, and then when they worked out how to get back into a southeastern focused conference, off they'd go again.

(02-22-2023 10:20 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(02-21-2023 11:41 PM)BnG_Jacket Wrote:  That being said, I don't think WKU or MTSU would want to join the MAC either.

These schools very nearly joined the MAC a year or two ago. Ultimately, Middle Tennessee decided it wanted to stay, and the deal fell apart. I suspect Western Kentucky would still be interested. Perhaps Middle Tennessee will rethink its position at some point.

I wasn't aware. That being said, whether they'd stay for the long haul would be a different matter. Maybe MTSU just thinks they'll do better in Conference USA.

(02-22-2023 10:44 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  Sneaky way to bring in another expansion thread lol lord and to bring Marshall back to discussion as well even worse. Nuke this thead!

Nothing "sneaky" intended. I read almost every board here when I'm freed up from all obligations. Also, the very topic at hand would involve conference membership shifts of some kind, whether either team decided to hop to the MAC or if Conference USA somehow became disheveled and unattractive to WKU or MTSU.

I'm also very much aware of the reputation that the fanbase has on several boards here. I'm not that type of person.

(02-23-2023 09:38 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  For plenty of MAC fans, the feeling's mutual.

There are always going to be those who latch onto the brilliant idea of getting Marshall back into the fold, but even if there was some turmoil so bad that Marshall would be inclined to come back, it would only be for a while, and then when they worked out how to get back into a southeastern focused conference, off they'd go again.

I wasn't saying it to be spiteful. Also, the Marshall of today is not the Marshall of yesteryear. Bob Pruett has long been retired and Marshall isn't hot off of some FCS titles. The 90's and early 2000's were a different time.

If the MAC wants to gather anybody, it might want to pull from the FCS ranks like Conference USA is currently trying to do. But as it stands, the MAC seems fine with its current board of members. Not many programs stick with a conference for 70+ years, and several members of the MAC have done just that and don't seem to be in a rush to leave, from what I've seen.

I really don't see the MAC being in any danger, thus I don't know if anybody in the MAC is necessarily "rooting" for any conference destablization.

(02-24-2023 01:12 AM)BnG_Jacket Wrote:  

(02-22-2023 10:20 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(02-21-2023 11:41 PM)BnG_Jacket Wrote:  That being said, I don't think WKU or MTSU would want to join the MAC either.

These schools very nearly joined the MAC a year or two ago. Ultimately, Middle Tennessee decided it wanted to stay, and the deal fell apart. I suspect Western Kentucky would still be interested. Perhaps Middle Tennessee will rethink its position at some point.

I wasn't aware. That being said, whether they'd stay for the long haul would be a different matter. Maybe MTSU just thinks they'll do better in Conference USA.

There are a couple of theories on this. One is that Middle Tennessee would be better off staying in Conference USA the next couple of years collecting its share of exit fees from departing schools. According to this theory, Middle Tennessee might again be interested in switching conferences in a couple of years.

The other theory is that Middle Tennessee thinks it might get an invitation to the American Athletic at some point -- presumably when Memphis leaves -- because Middle Tennessee would provide access to the Nashville market. I'm personally skeptical of this theory, but this is the message board chatter at least.

(02-24-2023 01:12 AM)BnG_Jacket Wrote:  If the MAC wants to gather anybody, it might want to pull from the FCS ranks like Conference USA is currently trying to do.

BeatWestern, who seems to hear things occasionally, has asserted on the conference realignment board that the MAC is talking to Massachusetts and Connecticut right now. It may go nowhere, he acknowleges.

I presume these would be football-only affiliations. I'd be okay with it. These are good schools that would help our brand. On the other hand, I'd be sad to see Bowling Green moved to the West if this came to pass.

(02-24-2023 09:43 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  BeatWestern, who seems to hear things occasionally, has asserted on the conference realignment board that the MAC is talking to Massachusetts and Connecticut right now. It may go nowhere, he acknowleges.

I presume these would be football-only affiliations. I'd be okay with it. These are good schools that would help our brand. On the other hand, I'd be sad to see Bowling Green moved to the West if this came to pass.

MAC leadership need to go back into their hole. Neither of those two do anything to help the MAC in football. Give up on the pipe dream of adding east coast teams. We did it with Temple and UMass and they were failed experiments.

(02-25-2023 02:02 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(02-24-2023 09:43 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  BeatWestern, who seems to hear things occasionally, has asserted on the conference realignment board that the MAC is talking to Massachusetts and Connecticut right now. It may go nowhere, he acknowleges.

I presume these would be football-only affiliations. I'd be okay with it. These are good schools that would help our brand. On the other hand, I'd be sad to see Bowling Green moved to the West if this came to pass.

MAC leadership need to go back into their hole. Neither of those two do anything to help the MAC in football. Give up on the pipe dream of adding east coast teams. We did it with Temple and UMass and they were failed experiments.

This 100% mac leadership is old and stagnant. We need new life, new direction, tired of remaining complacent while other conferences get better.

(02-25-2023 09:10 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  

(02-25-2023 02:02 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(02-24-2023 09:43 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  BeatWestern, who seems to hear things occasionally, has asserted on the conference realignment board that the MAC is talking to Massachusetts and Connecticut right now. It may go nowhere, he acknowleges.

I presume these would be football-only affiliations. I'd be okay with it. These are good schools that would help our brand. On the other hand, I'd be sad to see Bowling Green moved to the West if this came to pass.

MAC leadership need to go back into their hole. Neither of those two do anything to help the MAC in football. Give up on the pipe dream of adding east coast teams. We did it with Temple and UMass and they were failed experiments.

This 100% mac leadership is old and stagnant. We need new life, new direction, tired of remaining complacent while other conferences get better.

So, the MAC needs to stop being complacent while other conferences get better. Also, it is very important that the MAC not add these flagship schools.

I see.



I would be bummed to see Bowling Green pushed over to the West again. But I think Massachusetts and Connecticut would be good affiliates, assuming the math works out. (In other words, assuming adding them would not cost full members of the MAC any money. The MAC is not a charity, after all.) These are solid flagship schools that would help our brand.

As you all know love the MAC and want so badly for my team to be part of it in any capacity. Will say do respect Epasnoopy's opinion, but do not agree.

Granted UMass has been bad for a dozen years, we don't give up but battle. We still have over 10k in attendance and raise over 5M in football revenue and donations. The student fees do pay 2.5-3M as well. The university support is miniscule out of a campus 1.5 Billion dollar budget. We have a new Chancellor coming in, who is open minded and did work at West Virginia and recently was interim Chancellor at University of Illinois Chicago.

Our women's basketball is NCAA caliber and is #55 in the Net ratings 23-3 and UConn is #2. Our men's basketball team has been decimated with injuries and the chemistry is only with a few guys on the court as they have been placed into different roles. As one of the announces said during the Toledo @Buffalo game, team roles should be defined and know by February and it isn't. Our new BB coach package is over 1.5M and Frank Martin being new to the team is a factor.

Hopefully the football analyst will be allowed to be on the sidelines next season as we have grown from 6-10 with one being a former coach

Do not expect the UConn/UMass combo to hurt in the MAC performance pool. UConn went bowling against the Thundering Turds this year and was their 6th appearance with a 3-3 record.

Their is a lot of pride and people wanting UMass to be successful again. Five members of the UMass Boardwalk Bowl winning team from 1972 were on the recent Gridiron meeting with the AD Ryan Bamford. Note that 1972 team beat the snot out of Boston College. We were nearly or dead last in defense prior to the 2022 season and finished #55 this year. Toledo was their worst game. The offense was terrible. UMass had recruited hard a transfering 4 star Clemson QB that decided to go to Georgia Tech when it was believed the starter QB was transfering. He did not and Taisun Phommachanh redshirted and signed with us on his visit. We need two quality OL and can not be really excited without that protection. We have a few in the mix.

This leads me to asking the question during the zoom meeting about UConn being a natural rival and would they work with us given their recent success. This is when the AD Ryan Bamford said that he talks a lot with UConn's AD and this past week multiple times. UConn's success gives us hope and wish it was us. Reading between the lines that success of UConn and our potential is the reason talks maybe happening.

UMass and UConn have played 76 times and a natural rival.
UConn-UMass Football Rival History Wiki

Know some will view me pimping my team, will apologies, but not sorry as love the MAC and so badly want to be part of it.

If UConn and UMass were good right now with sustained success that would be another story but until they are all we would be doing is adding more travel to our programs, splitting up the miniscule TV and bowl money we receive more ways, and all for what?

None of the football-only schools we have added in the past have helped the MAC in any way. They didn't attend a BCS bowl (to add more money to MAC bowl revenue), they didn't help the MAC earn more in TV revenue, and they never were ranked in top 25 to help the MAC prestige.

There is only one current independent I see adding value as football-only and that is Army. ND plays in ACC for football and BYU is headed to Big 12.

It would not surprise me to see UMASS and WKU being part of the MAC in the future…
I would be more than OK with that !!

(02-26-2023 08:51 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  If UConn and UMass were good right now with sustained success that would be another story but until they are all we would be doing is adding more travel to our programs, splitting up the miniscule TV and bowl money we receive more ways, and all for what?

None of the football-only schools we have added in the past have helped the MAC in any way. They didn't attend a BCS bowl (to add more money to MAC bowl revenue), they didn't help the MAC earn more in TV revenue, and they never were ranked in top 25 to help the MAC prestige.

There is only one current independent I see adding value as football-only and that is Army. ND plays in ACC for football and BYU is headed to Big 12.

Understand you being against this possibility, but feel that your argument against the pair is in the same magnitude as the add, small initially. The MAC will not add the combo if it is not a financial benefit. The benefit may be just an additional game during rivalry week and more on ESPN+. Besides the initiation fees and dues charged by the conference, think ESPN must renegotiate the contract as last time. Basically add some money for the add and then more for the extended period.

I'm a MAC fan so do understand. Did update my last post to show UMass and UConn add a natural rival pair playing 76 times and being extended through 2027. This years neutral site game will be announced in a few months but looking at Fenway Park or Gillette.

Agree initially we look the same pathetic performance record as last time. Will say I've been very optimistic about 2024, the year this could happen with UConn rolling off their current media agreement and us playing 5 MAC games. Have to say the portal rules does change things and we have made an additional 10M of investments to the football facilities since being Indy. Indoor practice facility, minor ADA stadium improvements, new restrooms, score board, sound system and clocks, along with additional 100k in the training room. Since 2015 the football budget, which is not enough has increased from 7M to 10.5M. Salaries have increased, but not by enough and analyst positions have increased from 6 to 10. Have recruited former 4 start QB and WR for next season. Don Brown and many others are dedicated to bring UMass football back to their prior success including the the 1972 bowl winning team when they destroyed Boston College during the season.

There is NOTHING urgent now and need to see how things play out. Will see you in 2024. We do have a P5 home (on campus) and away with Missouri.

(02-26-2023 10:23 AM)Steve1981 Wrote:  

(02-26-2023 08:51 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  If UConn and UMass were good right now with sustained success that would be another story but until they are all we would be doing is adding more travel to our programs, splitting up the miniscule TV and bowl money we receive more ways, and all for what?

None of the football-only schools we have added in the past have helped the MAC in any way. They didn't attend a BCS bowl (to add more money to MAC bowl revenue), they didn't help the MAC earn more in TV revenue, and they never were ranked in top 25 to help the MAC prestige.

There is only one current independent I see adding value as football-only and that is Army. ND plays in ACC for football and BYU is headed to Big 12.

Understand you being against this possibility, but feel that your argument against the pair is in the same magnitude as the add, small initially. The MAC will not add the combo if it is not a financial benefit. The benefit may be just an additional game during rivalry week and more on ESPN+. Besides the initiation fees and dues charged by the conference, think ESPN must renegotiate the contract as last time. Basically add some money for the add and then more for the extended period.

I have nothing against UMass and UConn. As an NIU fan, we hardly, if ever, play either school in football or basketball.

I just don't see the need for us to grow as a conference unless there is some sort of value add. Adding for the sake of not staying complacent is not a valid reason. Anyone we add needs to add value upon entering. It makes little sense to add a bad football-only just to wait 5-10 years and hope they become a top 40 program. Then they leave the MAC because they have no skin in the conference as a football-only and hope to join AAC.

CUSA was desperate and had no choice but to add whoever they could get. Even then, they didn't add any football-only schools.

(02-21-2023 04:46 PM)kreed5120 Wrote:  A 20 team conference sounds pretty miserable considering we'd still be a 1 bid conference for basketball. Toledo, which has been fairly solid in basketball, is currently on a 43 year tournament drought. In a 20 team league I'd imagine a handful of teams, or more, would have similar or longer droughts.

I would see us becoming a 2 bid league. The number of teams qualifying for the Tournament wouldn't be changing, league membership would be what's changing. But yes, droughts would become more common for some teams, which is why I'm against these super-conferences all-together, but a lot of people think they are becoming the norm. (Big 10 merging w/ PAC, PAC remnants merge w/ MW, etc. I think we'd merge w/ CUSA/SB teams.