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Don't throw your shoulder out patting yourself on the back there GP1. LOL.

Somebody else posted this on Facebook. I agree with all.the conclusions. Akron Football: When Exposure Becomes an Auction Block For decades, the Mid-American Conference (MAC) built its football brand on one thing: exposure. Midweek “MACtion” meant that on Tuesday and Wednesday nights in November, when most of college football was idle, the MAC had the national stage. Even if stadiums were half empty, Akron, Kent State, and their peers could say: “We’re on ESPN.” That pitch worked for a while. Players got national airtime, coaches got recruiting leverage, and universities got their names mentioned on broadcasts that reached millions of households. But in the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) era, exposure has flipped from asset to liability. Exposure, Then and Now Before 2021, a Tuesday night breakout could put a MAC athlete on the NFL radar. Coaches could sell recruits on the guarantee of national TV games. For universities like Akron, whose football profile lagged far behind Ohio State, the ESPN window was a rare equalizer. Now? That same highlight package on ESPN is an advertisement for Power 4 programs to swoop in and recruit Akron’s best players away—with six-figure NIL packages. The math is brutal: • MAC collectives average roughly $0.5 million annually. Akron’s is closer to $341,000.¹ • Power 4 schools now routinely spend millions per year per athlete. • A MAC player who shines on national TV is no longer a point of pride—it’s a scouting reel for someone else’s roster. Exposure without the financial power to retain talent just accelerates the talent drain. The Optics Problem Even when players shine, the pictures ESPN broadcasts are damaging. Attendance across the MAC collapses for midweek games: Saturday contests averaged 16,738 fans in 2018, while midweek games averaged just 12,255—a 27% drop.² At Akron, the numbers are even worse. In 2022, fewer than 3,000 fans attended a sunny, 80-degree home game against Miami (OH). For context, in 2005—a Thanksgiving morning blizzard game with –6° wind chill—more than 7,000 showed up. What ESPN cameras show now isn’t “passionate fans” or “hidden gems.” It’s empty stands, lifeless atmospheres, and lopsided scores from overloaded buy games. That hurts Akron’s brand far more than it helps. The Enrollment Squeeze Akron’s enrollment collapse compounds the problem. In 2011, the university had 25,190 students.³ By 2024, it had dropped nearly 40% to 14,813.⁴ That decline affects everything: tuition revenue, student fees that help fund athletics, and the size of the potential fan base. With fewer students and shrinking resources, Akron can’t afford to prop up an FBS football program at the level the system demands. A Conference in Decline The larger MAC picture isn’t rosy either. The league’s national perception has declined sharply since the early 2000s, when it produced NFL names like Ben Roethlisberger, Julian Edelman, Charlie Frye, and Josh Cribbs. In the past 20 years, the quarterback output has been thin: • Keith Wenning (Ball State, 2014) — limited to practice squads • Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan, 2010) — never started in an NFL game • Kurtis Rourke (Ohio → Indiana, 2025) — drafted but unproven The league that once marketed itself as a talent incubator now serves as a farm system for wealthier schools. The Core Problem: Exposure Without Retention For Akron, the ESPN window no longer sells. National visibility doesn’t build fan support, it doesn’t stabilize enrollment, and it doesn’t retain talent. Instead, it broadcasts the program’s weakness: low crowds, heavy losses, and players destined to leave once they succeed. The very tool meant to elevate the MAC now underscores its irrelevance. Exposure without retention is brand erosion. The Path Forward Akron faces a stark choice. Staying in the FBS MAC means continuing to cash the occasional $1 million “buy game” check and enjoying ESPN visibility—while enduring blowout losses, talent drain, and empty seats. Dropping to the FCS would lower costs and restore competitive balance, but at the expense of national profile and big payouts. Neither option is glamorous. But pretending that exposure alone is still a benefit in 2025 is self-deception. The NIL era has changed the rules. Without new resources or a strategic reset, Akron’s midweek ESPN appearances don’t build the brand—they auction it off. ⸻ Sources 1. NIL reporting: MAC collectives average ~$536,000 annually; Akron’s closer to $341,000. 2. The Ringer: 2018 MAC attendance — 16,738 (Saturday) vs. 12,255 (midweek), –26.8%. 3. University of Akron Institutional Research: enrollment peaked at ~25,190 in 2011. 4. Ideastream: Akron’s fall 2024 enrollment at 14,813.

Board activity seems to be exponentially higher the week after a loss than a blowout win?😃

This doesn't need to be made into a political conversation. I don't disagree that things get overaggerated. That said, as someone who personally got jumped my freshman year on campus and who had a group of friends get robbed at gunpoint in their south campus house, I can very much say the problems exist. Student enrollment at Ohio colleges/universities peaked in 2010 with a total enrollment of 772,393. This past year total enrollment was 618,225. That's a 154,168 or 20% student decline across the state. A lower percentage of people are attending colleges compared to 10 years. Add in the fact that we have an aging population and the problems will only compound due to having a decreasing college aged population. It's true schools like Toledo and Akron were hit disproportionately harder, but as total enrollment for the state continues to shrink this is going to be a much larger problem for all schools. The only ones safe are probably OSU and Cincy. This is a much larger problem than pretending that Akron's enrollment is declining solely because it's perceived as unsafe. Fewer people are attending college compared to before.

The father of a former player was murdered in cold blood just blocks from the campus. Some segments of society seem to be willing to accept this violence as just a part of city living. It's more than just perception, it's a fact that the violence in urban areas is there.

We go as Finley goes. His 9th year…or whatever it is…has been disappointing thus far. If the OL is passable, and he trusts them, I think we have a shot at the upset this week. Is he’s seeing ghosts and scrambling to his left for no apparent reason, we will likely lose by 32.

Stankovic makes playing 5 out possible without losing too much size. I am hoping an even more improved Amani can also rotate out to the perimeter.

Everyone knows who wrote it. I wish he would have put it citations for all of my ideas I have been posting for years. I've been saying most of this for years.

Someone asked about Rotation here is my take. Obviously it will change throughout the season but with huge games early here is my 1st couple game predictions. we will Play a 3 guard line up with Tavari Johnson, Shammah Scott, and Bowen Hardman starting. Sharron Young and Cody Head will come off the bench at the guard. the 2 freshman guards might redshirt. At the 4 I think we will start the year with Evan Mahaffey with his brother backing him up but Ogen Stankovic will play more and more as the season goes on and might shift the Mahaffey brothers to the 3 (it is probably a given that we will play a 4 out offense so all these dudes will play on the perimeter) At the 5 Amani will start and play big minutes. with Chabi Barre and Rich Brisco coming in with foul trouble or to give Amani a break. Marvin will struggle to see the court unless injury. That gives us 11 total players playing regular minutes. I think we have the pieces to 3peat and my biggest mystery player is Cody Head, as I don't know how good he is, he could start over Bowen.

Last night I went to the VB match against Miami with a friend. We had a good time. The ladies have a team we can be proud of. Despite Miami being 10-1 we took it to them. Our only weakness was serving. We gave up too many points when hitting it into the net or hitting it too long. That was the difference in the game. Our ladies play with power and are athletic. They blocked or return some spikes by Miami that were incredible. The vibe on this team is contagious. It appears they love playing the game and each other. One thing that impressed me was that there were big team contingents from swimming & diving, baseball, track & field and lacrosse. Nice to see our programs supporting each other. If you are thinking of attending a VB match, do it. You won't be disappointed.

Women got another draw against NIU. Seems like we are definitely competitive in conference. Hoping for some wins as this team develops

Could apply at Akron as well. As good a Toledo has been historically and as bad as Akron has been, Toledo is only 13-10 against Akron all-time. They are, unfortunately, 7-2 all-time at home. Rockets 28-14.

Jackie is very deserving of this honor. Her behind the scenes work has been instrumental in the success of many Zips teams.

Time to build the statue at Jackson Twp City Hall!

Just win, baby..

This topic is called 2025 Rankings and RPI thread..... I know that it is only September 22...but most of the teams have played 8 of their allowed 17 regular season games.... I think it is OK now to look at current RPI.... I looked at this around 11 pm last night (so the RPI rankings shown include Sunday night VCU 0-0 tie with Dayton) Sunday night September 21 RPI....for zips, all teams on their schedule...and also includes the 3 big east teams not on schedule If my memory is not shot, this should show 21 teams Vermont 5 St. Louis 6 mighty, mighty Zips 15 UConn 27 W. VA 35 VCU 36 Georgetown 48 Creighton 55 Seton Hall 63 Cornell 74 Marquette 79 St. John's 80 DePaul 83 Ohio State 97 Providence 104 Villanova 107 Xavier 126 Northern Kentucky 130 Cleveland State 155 Western Michigan 187 Butler 197

In 1987 we got our first D1 win against EMU three games in also. It was nice. Too bad it was our last for the year that ended up 4-7.

Thank you for making my case. BTW, my daughter is a UT grad and my son is a UA grad. Both experienced violent crime right next to their apartments while attending.

With both of our wins coming in 1929 and 1937. Of our 10 wins, we won the first 6 meetings starting in 1923. We have only won 4 to their 11 since 1987.