Might as well start this thread for all the WKU talk to be in one place (Mods probably wouldn't be thrilled with this thread over on the main board).

I'm sure WKU has a MAC invite.

Will they take it?

Why or why not?

I think they will either go to the MAC or stay in CUSA.

Here is a sampling of posts brought over from the main board:

(02-26-2024 04:36 PM)galojah Wrote:  I am not a fan of going to the MAC without MTSU. I was "meh" going with MTSU.

Couple things:
-WKU would be walking away from FAU money from NCAA, Liberty BCS money, and all the exit and entrance fee revenue
-Pay out the GOR to C-USA
-Pay entrance fee to MAC and sign new GOR

And, if the ACC GOR is finally cracked, there will be more dominos. A conference change now may limit our abilities to capitalize on a new round of realignment because of exit/entrance fees just paid and potential GOR the MAC might require us to sign.

WKU should sit tight.

(02-26-2024 05:13 PM)whupemall Wrote:  I understand why WKU's more northern/midwestern fan base might find the MAC attractive. Alumni in places like Indiana and Ohio would LOVE for the Toppers to join the MAC.

But from every other vantage point, that move wouldn't make a bit of sense. Even the so-called "stability" the MAC would offer over CUSA means very little in real terms. It'd be giving up a league-wide competitive advantage in football and hoops and a whole barrel full of money for what? A reasonable assurance that no one's going to come after Ball State or EMU? Joy!

(02-26-2024 06:45 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  CUSA "may" give WKU a few incentives to stay IMHO.

Rumor was (a post on this board a few months back)--that MT was given a little "bonus" to stay when tempted by the MAC the last time. Tax documents appeared to support this "theory"--although it was not obvious. They seemed to get a much larger conference distribution one year.

I will say here---I could very well be wrong about this statement above.

CUSA will try hard to keep WKU IMO.

I’m not sure I see a whole lot of upside there now considering that CUSA may be fairly stable with the GOR and all. Doesn’t the MAC Have a worse financial deal as well? Or not? To me, it’s more of an even trade at this point than it was a year ago.

(02-26-2024 08:43 PM)kip dynamite Wrote:  I’m not sure I see a whole lot of upside there now considering that CUSA may be fairly stable with the GOR and all. Doesn’t the MAC Have a worse financial deal as well? Or not? To me, it’s more of an even trade at this point than it was a year ago.

I don't see why they would abandon the FAU Final Four shares and the Liberty Fiesta Bowl money for essentially the same TV money and equal at the very best basketball. Of course I didn't see a MAC invite for UMass either so who knows.

The MAC TV deal is coming up in a couple of years and adding UMass definitely helps them in that regard. So they may be able to offer a better deal than CUSA is going to have anytime soon. They've probably talked to them about what those figures are likely to be with UMass and that will be part of the discussion.

Maybe outside of travel, I don’t know why WKU would think of moving to the MAC. The money from the final four and fiesta bowl. We are better in football, baseball and basketball (down year). IMO, they would be better off sitting until the next round of realignment.

I’m not a WKU fan but it just doesn’t make sense to me for WKU to pay and leave CUSA for the MAC unless there is something the administration knows we don’t.

If the MAC wants into Kentucky I’m sure EKU would say yes in a heartbeat.

(02-26-2024 09:48 PM)LUbball23 Wrote:  Maybe outside of travel, I don’t know why WKU would think of moving to the MAC. The money from the final four and fiesta bowl. We are better in football, baseball and basketball (down year). IMO, they would be better off sitting until the next round of realignment.

Altho I agree with most of what you're saying, WKU has learned from 3 decades of being left behind by others that realignment means we get left out, which would explain WKU looking for something that would be safe and long term, if we are looking at all.

The next realignment, if it reaches down to CUSA, will involve others in CUSA finding new homes, not WKU.

(02-26-2024 09:52 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  I’m not a WKU fan but it just doesn’t make sense to me for WKU to pay and leave CUSA for the MAC unless there is something the administration knows we don’t.

If the MAC wants into Kentucky I’m sure EKU would say yes in a heartbeat.

The MAC seems to want to avoid FCS callups.

I am on the fence about the MAC.

They do offer stability. Marshall was the last to leave in 2004.

CUSA will always be a stepping stone league, and that is okay, but the last go round taught us that WKU doesn't have the market, academics, or budget to be on the move up list. We were last picked last time. If the AAC comes calling it will be because they are at the end of their list too. Stay in CUSA and help Kennesaw State, Sam Houston State, Delaware, etc. build up their profile just to leap frog us and then we get more FCS callups? No thanks.

If we could set in stone the conference membership in CUSA for the next 10 years and not keep expanding then I would say its a no-brainer to stay. That won't happen so I think we go to the MAC if they can show a competent media deal in hand. Get out of the rat race.

I don't really see why WKU would want to be in the conference anymore.

UMass offers a lot to the league with basketball and they have Ohio, Buffalo has been really good in the past.

You can play Bowling Green, Ohio, Toledo, Northern Illinois and you can still schedule MTSU although both will probably drop that game like a hot potato.

CUSA has a pulse and will probably stay around but it is really not very interesting compared to the MAC it would seem to me and the money is probably going to be better long term. It is a blow to the ego to be a MAC team but CUSA is limited.

The MAC told WKU “no thanks, we don’t want to add a 13th member” and then promptly added UMASS as their 13th member. Hard to understand a fan base that would want to leave a conference where they are actually wanted, where their sports legacy is appreciated and where their conference gives them the opportunity to either make a run at a CFP playoff/Final Four or allows them to reap the benefits of conference mates also heading in that direction. If Tuesday nights on the third week of November is what floats your boat, please leave. CUSA needs fan bases who aspire to be better than that.

LOL. Liberty will run everybody out of the conference and then take off.

(02-26-2024 10:35 PM)R40 Wrote:  LOL. Liberty will run everybody out of the conference and then take off.

Liberty has achieved whatever level of success they’ve had this year because our conference mates prepared us. The current CUSA members have done some amazing things this year. NMSU and JAX football, WKU volleyball, MT WBB, Sam and La Tech MBB are all great stories. Getting ready to watch DBU and others in baseball this spring. Each of those teams did not attain their level of success by throwing in the towel and joining those in the MAC who will never attain the feats enjoyed by the new CUSA. WKU is much appreciated for all they’ve accomplished and their president is at the forefront of our conference and rightfully so. If their fan base wishes to join the MAC and watch what CUSA accomplishes without them, I wish them well. Go have fun in the MAC. You deserve each other.

(02-26-2024 11:00 PM)Baldspot Wrote:  

(02-26-2024 10:35 PM)R40 Wrote:  LOL. Liberty will run everybody out of the conference and then take off.

Liberty has achieved whatever level of success they’ve had this year because our conference mates prepared us. The current CUSA members have done some amazing things this year. NMSU and JAX football, WKU volleyball, MT WBB, Sam and La Tech MBB are all great stories. Getting ready to watch DBU and others in baseball this spring. Each of those teams did not attain their level of success by throwing in the towel and joining those in the MAC who will never attain the feats enjoyed by the new CUSA. WKU is much appreciated for all they’ve accomplished and their president is at the forefront of our conference and rightfully so. If their fan base wishes to join the MAC and watch what CUSA accomplishes without them, I wish them well. Go have fun in the MAC. You deserve each other.

Yeah, I think they really would prefer something other than Liberty and play teams in their region. I think all of the new schools are excited about moving up but WKU is beyond that point. You just don't have a lot to offer them.

(02-26-2024 11:02 PM)R40 Wrote:  

(02-26-2024 11:00 PM)Baldspot Wrote:  

(02-26-2024 10:35 PM)R40 Wrote:  LOL. Liberty will run everybody out of the conference and then take off.

Liberty has achieved whatever level of success they’ve had this year because our conference mates prepared us. The current CUSA members have done some amazing things this year. NMSU and JAX football, WKU volleyball, MT WBB, Sam and La Tech MBB are all great stories. Getting ready to watch DBU and others in baseball this spring. Each of those teams did not attain their level of success by throwing in the towel and joining those in the MAC who will never attain the feats enjoyed by the new CUSA. WKU is much appreciated for all they’ve accomplished and their president is at the forefront of our conference and rightfully so. If their fan base wishes to join the MAC and watch what CUSA accomplishes without them, I wish them well. Go have fun in the MAC. You deserve each other.

Yeah, I think they really would prefer something other than Liberty and play teams in their region. I think all of the new schools are excited about moving up but WKU is beyond that point. You just don't have a lot to offer them.

WKU’s current investment in their football facilities would indicate otherwise. They deserve better than the MAC, IMHO.

(02-26-2024 11:07 PM)Baldspot Wrote:  

(02-26-2024 11:02 PM)R40 Wrote:  

(02-26-2024 11:00 PM)Baldspot Wrote:  

(02-26-2024 10:35 PM)R40 Wrote:  LOL. Liberty will run everybody out of the conference and then take off.

Liberty has achieved whatever level of success they’ve had this year because our conference mates prepared us. The current CUSA members have done some amazing things this year. NMSU and JAX football, WKU volleyball, MT WBB, Sam and La Tech MBB are all great stories. Getting ready to watch DBU and others in baseball this spring. Each of those teams did not attain their level of success by throwing in the towel and joining those in the MAC who will never attain the feats enjoyed by the new CUSA. WKU is much appreciated for all they’ve accomplished and their president is at the forefront of our conference and rightfully so. If their fan base wishes to join the MAC and watch what CUSA accomplishes without them, I wish them well. Go have fun in the MAC. You deserve each other.

Yeah, I think they really would prefer something other than Liberty and play teams in their region. I think all of the new schools are excited about moving up but WKU is beyond that point. You just don't have a lot to offer them.

WKU’s current investment in their football facilities would indicate otherwise. They deserve better than the MAC, IMHO.

You don't get what you deserve. So they can get a better deal with the MAC regardless of what their facilities are and they add to the TV deal for ESPN so it makes sense.

(02-27-2024 01:25 AM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Cost for WKU to leave CUSA and join the MAC is about 4-5 million (estimate).

Two years worth of conference distributions (the departure fee), GOR, entrance fee.

The only revenue area where the MAC may bring in More revenue would be the Media Deal.

Even if it were $500,000 more a year ---that's 8-10 years to break even.

Yes--this is a Simplified analysis. But where is the Big revenue incentive to switch leagues?

Exposure on ESPN? You are switching October weeknights for November weeknights.

Funny how a couple days ago the MAC posters were full of reasons why they didn’t want UMass and the joke was on C-USA for potentially taking them. Now all of the sudden it is being touted as a power move by the MAC and “welcome UMass”.

I do honestly think it’s a good move for the MAC. It adds some newness to an old league. Hope WKU stays with C-USA. I think the C-USA programs are generally “hungrier” and wanting to improve/rise.

(02-27-2024 02:27 AM)NittanyFlame Wrote:  Funny how a couple days ago the MAC posters were full of reasons why they didn’t want UMass and the joke was on C-USA for potentially taking them. Now all of the sudden it is being touted as a power move by the MAC and “welcome UMass”.

I do honestly think it’s a good move for the MAC. It adds some newness to an old league. Hope WKU stays with C-USA. I think the C-USA programs are generally “hungrier” and wanting to improve/rise.

Hungrier is part of the problem. Everyone wants out of CUSA and history has shown that WKU isn't getting that call. Market, money, academics, whatever. Others who have barely had football (see Charlotte) will leap frog us again. Rather go somewhere stable than be left to clean up the mess again.


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