The MAC has recently moved to 14 schools with the addition of UMass and many are wondering if and when the MAC moves to 16.

At 16 schools, the MAC may be able to renegotiate away from its midweek TV deal with ESPN to something with NBC/NBC Sports for more money and Saturday action. The benchmark for the MAC in TV dollar negotiations is CUSA which has a 1.2 mil per school TV deal. The MAC is making 1.4 mil for the entire conference on ESPN so it is currently undervalued.

A list of the top MAC candidates below.

1) James Madison. The Dukes have really come a long way with their program over the last 10 years. They now have a MAC level 25,000 seat stadium to play in. They would be a nice asset to the MAC since all the schools in the MAC East recruit the VA/MA area. They would bring viewership for the MAC in the large DC-Balt market. Most of their players are from Virginia and they've beaten VT so at a minimum JMU should be able to field a competitive MAC level team.

What is in it for JMU? It would keep their program above new FCS competition like ODU, Georgia State and Charlotte in recruiting. JMU will never get into the ACC or Big East, the MAC is their only shot at the FBS level. They would be able to sign a lot of the 3 star guys that are now going to Marshall and East Carolina.

2) Florida International. FIU is starting to awaken as solid non-AQ program. They've expanded their stadium up to 23,500 now meeting MAC norms in capcity. They won a bowl game in 2010 against Toledo in the Little Ceasar's Bowl. No question in the near and long term FIU could be competitive in the MAC. They would help out MAC schools in Florida recruiting. The MAC could play its baseball and softball tournaments in Miami, Fl to help in those sports.

What is in it for FIU? FIU does have a rising conference in the Sun Belt and rival FAU. FIU would continue to play FAU in football anyway if FIU was in the MAC so it doesn't really matter if both schools are in the same conference. Travel would actually be about the same in the Belt vs. the MAC. The MAC would offer a football championship game, and a little more competition and exposure.

3) Delaware. UD is traditionally one of the best draws at the FCS level and competitive in the CAA. They would be a great rival for Temple and a potential travel partner. UD as a state flagship would pull in the entire state of Del as a market and help sell the MAC in NJ/MD. A negative about Delware is they don't have a lot of in-state talent and have to rely a lot on FBS transfers which they would have less access to as an FBS school. Their stadium is small for MAC play at 20,000 seats but they an expansion to 32,000 planned for the near future.

What is in it for UD? The CAA is falling apart as a NE football conference with UMass/URI leaving and ODU/Georgia State joining. Delaware as a state flagship school much like UMass has aspirations for one day playing in a BCS conference and moving up to the MAC for a while is one way to get there.

4) Stony Brook. Stony Brook has a huge potential TV market located out on Long Island. Stony Brook is an AAU member and would fit well in the MAC academically alongside fellow AAU SUNY school Buffalo. Stony has not had a tremendous amout of success at the FCS level as a .500 school playing in the Big South Conference. Their stadium only seats 8,000 so that is another detrimental issue.

What is in it for SB? A rare chance to move to the FBS level that wouldn't be extended by another conference. A good recruiting tool for students on the east coast if SB is regularly on TV for football in those markets.

5) Charlotte. Charlotte is starting up football in 2013 playing in a new 15,000 seat on campus stadium. Charlotte like fellow MAC football members Temple and UMass is a basketball member of the A10. This affilation could come into play when votes are needed for expansion. Charlotte would have its own recruiting market down in NC and a lot of the guys going to Appy State would be heading to play for a FBS Charlotte. Charlotte would not be able to join FBS football until 2015 so not really a near term candidate as far as the MAC is concerned.

Whats in it for Charlotte? Charlotte started its football program with FBS aspirations so moving up to the MAC is one way to move up. Their eventual goal is to find a spot in CUSA so its not clear if the MAC would like to be once again used like a stepping stone. Charlotte is having a difficult time finding a football conference at the FCS level with rejection letters from the Big South and Southern. Joining the MAC is one potential option for the 49er's.

6) Western Kentucky. WKU almost joined the MAC about 5 years ago when Temple was added. WKU didn't have the votes of a few MAC presidents that sited weak academics at WKU. WKU would bring a presence for the MAC across the state of Kentucky and considerable tradition in men's basketball.

What's in it for WKU? Western Kentucky has always liked the idea of playing in the MAC basketball conference. The problem always was in football where WKU was an FCS program. WKU has moved up to FBS with a solid 25,000 seat stadium in tow. The SBC though has improved to the point that it matches the MAC's strength in athletics. WKU has its rival MTSU in the SBC and would have some long bus rides to contend with in the MAC.

I could see James Madison and Delaware making the jump. It looks to me like Stony Brook isn't ready, Charlotte and FIU are too far out of the conference footprint, and WKU is content in the Sun Belt.

I don't see any Sunbelt teams going to the MAC.

If I were the MAC, I would pursue Delaware and Old Dominion, two of the top ticket sellers in FCS.

Is UMass joining for all sports or just football?

If the MAC wanted to go to 16. I would add Deleware and WKU.

(08-08-2011 06:34 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  Is UMass joining for all sports or just football?

Just football, but I think they have a deal like Temple where they have to play some MAC teams OOC in basketball.

Del would be a great grab for the MAC, much better than UMass

(08-08-2011 07:34 AM)Chappy Wrote:  

(08-08-2011 06:34 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  Is UMass joining for all sports or just football?

Just football, but I think they have a deal like Temple where they have to play some MAC teams OOC in basketball.

True. And there is also the caveat that the first of Umass or Temple to leave has to pay $2 million in exit fees whereas the second one to leave only has to pay $500K in exit fees.

A couple other issues facing a 16-member MAC other than the names on the front of the jerseys:

1. Does the MAC want all-sports additions or football-only additions? Both teams will have to be one or the other, because splitting them and having 13 members for all-sports would lead to the same scheduling annoyances the MAC didn't like in football with 12+Temple. And if the MAC takes 2 more football-only members, that pretty much locks the core 12-member conference up for good, unless they start looking for new members who do not play football.

2. How would the MAC organize a 16 member conference? If they have 2 divisions of 8, and play an 8 game conference schedule, that means each member will play 7 games against its own division and only 1 against the other. And that means they'll face each member of the other division once every 8 years, and travel to their stadium once every 16 years. By increasing to 9 conference games, those numbers decrease to 4 and 8, which is still not great, but for a low revenue conference like the MAC that 9th game represents a significant loss of income versus an out-of-conference game, such as playing a guarantee game against a Big Ten opponent.

By decreasing to 7 conference games, the MAC might see a benefit to the bottom line, but then it'd basically be running 2 separate 8-member conferences under one roof. They could game the system a bit by placing half the conference under the figurative administration of another conference (such as the Atlantic 10) so that they can claim two shares of the BCS payouts, but everyone is going to see through that.

Alternatively, they could divide into 4 divisions of 4, which would provide a much more frequent mix of teams on the schedule even with only 8 games. The problem then is picking 2 teams to go to the championship game based on record when the various division champions may not have played more than a couple of the same opponents. It's like if the NFL only had 2 teams in each conference advance to the playoffs. If the Patriots, Steelers, Colts and Chargers all win their divisions, the two who played the toughest schedules probably stay home. The MAC could maybe petition the NCAA to allow them to play a semifinal game with all 4 division winners, but that would open the floodgates for the other conferences to rush to 16 members and get the extra 2 games to sell. This would trickle down and probably leave the MAC with fewer than 16 members when the raiding is done, and all the top conferences would expand to 9 or 10 game conference schedule to accommodate the extra members, leaving the MAC teams with fewer out-of-conference scheduling opportunities.

So with the above in mind, I don't think the MAC should make another move unless a couple very attractive all-sports candidates become available. If the MAC didn't have that 13 member problem to solve, I don't think UMass would have been invited, so I don't think anyone who brings less than UMass makes sense.

Delaware adds some name recognition and another flagship to go with UMass. That would help national perception.

Villanova?

(08-08-2011 04:53 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I could see James Madison and Delaware making the jump. It looks to me like Stony Brook isn't ready, Charlotte and FIU are too far out of the conference footprint, and WKU is content in the Sun Belt.

It depends on the MAC standards.

Our contraqct with ESPN runs until 2015 (I think). It will be 2013 or 2014 before the MAC gets any of these teams as members. So they can, and should be careful.

1) I doubt you'll see any more FB only members. I don't think the presidents have too much of a stomach for it. UMass got in to even out the divisions (the 7-6 thing was manhandling our schedules).

2) The next additions, if any, to the MAC might be Basketball centered. There are quite a few on your list that would be fine additions but would they want to come all in?

(08-08-2011 08:21 AM)KnightTower Wrote:  Villanova?

Can Villanova even be in two leagues like that? They should stay at the FCS level where they are a powerhouse though.

(08-08-2011 07:36 AM)ChrisLords Wrote:  

(08-08-2011 07:34 AM)Chappy Wrote:  

(08-08-2011 06:34 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  Is UMass joining for all sports or just football?

Just football, but I think they have a deal like Temple where they have to play some MAC teams OOC in basketball.

True. And there is also the caveat that the first of Umass or Temple to leave has to pay $2 million in exit fees whereas the second one to leave only has to pay $500K in exit fees.

The Specifics (Begin Blog Whoring)

* UMass paid 500,000 to join the conference.
* UMass will pay 100,000 membership dues per year (same as all MAC schools).
* UMass gets to vote on all MAC football issues.
* Two home and two road MAC hoops games per year
* The first football only member to leave (UMass or Temple) must pay 2.5 Million
* After that the other can leave for $500,000

(End Blog Whoring)

Pursue Delaware and Western Kentucky.

East-
Akron
Bowling Green
Buffalo
Delaware*
Kent State
Massachusetts
Ohio
Temple

West-
Ball State
Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Miami (OH)
Northern Illinois
Toledo
Western Kentucky*
Western Michigan

(08-08-2011 07:44 AM)LastMinuteman Wrote:  2. How would the MAC organize a 16 member conference? If they have 2 divisions of 8, and play an 8 game conference schedule, that means each member will play 7 games against its own division and only 1 against the other. And that means they'll face each member of the other division once every 8 years, and travel to their stadium once every 16 years. By increasing to 9 conference games, those numbers decrease to 4 and 8, which is still not great, but for a low revenue conference like the MAC that 9th game represents a significant loss of income versus an out-of-conference game, such as playing a guarantee game against a Big Ten opponent.

Honestly if you banned FCS games a 9 game conference schedule would not be all that bad for the MAC. Yes they make a bit of money but usually MAC teams play at most one strong OOC team, two teams on par (CUSA/SunBelt/WAC) and one FCS team. (the exception being Toledo and Miami who always go all in).

(08-08-2011 09:39 AM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  (the exception being Toledo and Miami who always go all in).

Holy crap Toledo plays Boise State, Ohio State, along with my Orange.

(08-08-2011 09:44 AM)OrangeCrush22 Wrote:  

(08-08-2011 09:39 AM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  (the exception being Toledo and Miami who always go all in).

Holy crap Toledo plays Boise State, Ohio State, along with my Orange.

Yea I respect what the Rockets and RedHawks do year in and year out. I honestly don't remember the last time they played an FCS school.
Buffalo got away from it for a year or two but are right back to one game a year.

(08-08-2011 09:46 AM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  

(08-08-2011 09:44 AM)OrangeCrush22 Wrote:  

(08-08-2011 09:39 AM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  (the exception being Toledo and Miami who always go all in).

Holy crap Toledo plays Boise State, Ohio State, along with my Orange.

Yea I respect what the Rockets and RedHawks do year in and year out. I honestly don't remember the last time they played an FCS school.
Buffalo got away from it for a year or two but are right back to one game a year.

That is stupid for Toledo and Miami to schedule like that. It will hurt them when bowl selection time comes around and their 7-5 football team is passed over for a 9-3 Ohio.

Ohio has beaten Miami 5 straight seasons and effectively killed their bowl chances one year in the final game of the regular season. Miami won the division at 6-6 and went on to lose the MAC championship game and finish without a bowl at 6-7. Had Miami scheduled down more they would have been a bowl.