Scheduling

[Zip Watcher]

I bet the zips could generate comparable revenue to a cash game/sure loss with a home game early in the year against a CUSA, MWC, or Sunbelt team. It will be interesting to see of TW can leverage thenew stadium to bring some mid level terams north. I bet Akron could haul in nearly a million dollars for a sold out home game. When will the athletic department publish their financials for the 2009/10 season?

Interesting thought.Assuming we don't go back to the "give the tickets away for free" mantra again, I figure a home game with 20k paid attendance is worth probably almost $500k gross to UA (before any payout that goes to the visiting team? Would there be one in this case?) before operational costs are taken out.20k tickets sold x $20 average sale price = $400,000Everyone there spends $5 on concessions = $100,000That doesn't include parking .. and I have no concept of the single game overhead the U faces to host a game .. but I'm guessing that the margin on a home game like this is something like 50-75%?? So the net take on a home game could be as high as $375k???

[Captain Kangaroo]

I bet the zips could generate comparable revenue to a cash game/sure loss with a home game early in the year against a CUSA, MWC, or Sunbelt team. It will be interesting to see of TW can leverage thenew stadium to bring some mid level terams north. I bet Akron could haul in nearly a million dollars for a sold out home game. When will the athletic department publish their financials for the 2009/10 season?

Interesting thought.Assuming we don't go back to the "give the tickets away for free" mantra again, I figure a home game with 20k paid attendance is worth probably almost $500k gross to UA (before any payout that goes to the visiting team? Would there be one in this case?) before operational costs are taken out.20k tickets sold x $20 average sale price = $400,000Everyone there spends $5 on concessions = $100,000That doesn't include parking .. and I have no concept of the single game overhead the U faces to host a game .. but I'm guessing that the margin on a home game like this is something like 50-75%?? So the net take on a home game could be as high as $375k???

It is probably safe to estimate the payout for any team to come to InfoCision at $300k+. It cost us $200k to get North Texas at the Rubber Bowl several years ago, and costs have soared since.We get roughly $700k to play at Penn State. We clear at least $600k. That is significant.We get less to play at Syracuse or Indiana, but we get a return game.

[xu9697]

Looking at Non-BCS conferences, here are the teams that make the most sense for a 1-1 for both schools (meaning, they are not SO MUCH BETTER/WORSE than Akron to not benefit from a good, competitive game against a FBS school):CUSA= UAB, Marshall, Tulsa, UTEP, Tulane & Memphis. Of those 6, really key in on UAB, Marshall and Memphis for regionality, travel, etc.SB= WKU, Middle Tennessee and Arkansas State. Troy would be great, but not sure if they would really have great interest.MWC= Wyoming, UNLV, New Mexico and San Diego StateWAC= LA Tech, Idaho, Utah State, New Mexico State & San Jose StateAnd, of course, Army and Navy.. I think it is best to look at a "4 years snapshot". REALISTICALLY, looking at 4 years of scheduling (16 non-conference games):4 home games against FCS (I-AA)- 1 per year3 games against a lower BCS (IU, Minnesota, Syr, UConn, etc.)= 2 there, 1 here. 1-1-1 arrangement.4 games against big-time FBS- 1 per year. PSU, OSU, Wisconsin, WVU.1 home game against a big-time FBS team at Browns Stadium (for example, go to PSU twice, get them once at Browns stadium)4 games with non-BCS teams that are FBS schools; 1for1 series with teams above. 1/1 with Memphis, 1/1 with San Diego State as an exampleSo, looking at 4 years as an example:2012= @ PSU, vs. Indiana State, @ Minnesota, vs. Memphis2013= @ WVU, vs. Maine, vs. Minnesota, @ Memphis2014= @ PSU, vs. Missouri State, @ Minnesota, vs. San Diego State2015= @ Wisconsin, vs. Old Dominion, vs. Penn State (@ Browns Stadium), @ San Diego StateIf we develop and become one of the top 3 programs in the MAC, no reason we cannot win all 4 against FCS, 3 of 4 against non-BCS schools that are FBS and pull maybe 1-2 upsets along the way.

[Zip Watcher]

It is probably safe to estimate the payout for any team to come to InfoCision at $300k+. It cost us $200k to get North Texas at the Rubber Bowl several years ago, and costs have soared since.We get roughly $700k to play at Penn State. We clear at least $600k. That is significant.We get less to play at Syracuse or Indiana, but we get a return game.

Do we pay Syracuse or IU more than a North Texas?

[zippy5]

Looking at Non-BCS conferences, here are the teams that make the most sense for a 1-1 for both schools (meaning, they are not SO MUCH BETTER/WORSE than Akron to not benefit from a good, competitive game against a FBS school):CUSA= UAB, Marshall, Tulsa, UTEP, Tulane & Memphis. Of those 6, really key in on UAB, Marshall and Memphis for regionality, travel, etc.SB= WKU, Middle Tennessee and Arkansas State. Troy would be great, but not sure if they would really have great interest.MWC= Wyoming, UNLV, New Mexico and San Diego StateWAC= LA Tech, Idaho, Utah State, New Mexico State & San Jose StateAnd, of course, Army and Navy.. I think it is best to look at a "4 years snapshot". REALISTICALLY, looking at 4 years of scheduling (16 non-conference games):4 home games against FCS (I-AA)- 1 per year3 games against a lower BCS (IU, Minnesota, Syr, UConn, etc.)= 2 there, 1 here. 1-1-1 arrangement.4 games against big-time FBS- 1 per year. PSU, OSU, Wisconsin, WVU.1 home game against a big-time FBS team at Browns Stadium (for example, go to PSU twice, get them once at Browns stadium)4 games with non-BCS teams that are FBS schools; 1for1 series with teams above. 1/1 with Memphis, 1/1 with San Diego State as an exampleSo, looking at 4 years as an example:2012= @ PSU, vs. Indiana State, @ Minnesota, vs. Memphis2013= @ WVU, vs. Maine, vs. Minnesota, @ Memphis2014= @ PSU, vs. Missouri State, @ Minnesota, vs. San Diego State2015= @ Wisconsin, vs. Old Dominion, vs. Penn State (@ Browns Stadium), @ San Diego StateIf we develop and become one of the top 3 programs in the MAC, no reason we cannot win all 4 against FCS, 3 of 4 against non-BCS schools that are FBS and pull maybe 1-2 upsets along the way.

Pass on PSU and Wisky in the same year.Give me Western Kentucky in our brand new stadium instead of an ass whooping in front of 70k.

[Captain Kangaroo]

It is probably safe to estimate the payout for any team to come to InfoCision at $300k+. It cost us $200k to get North Texas at the Rubber Bowl several years ago, and costs have soared since.We get roughly $700k to play at Penn State. We clear at least $600k. That is significant.We get less to play at Syracuse or Indiana, but we get a return game.

Do we pay Syracuse or IU more than a North Texas?

Yes. The Zips need to compete with all the other D1 programs for those home games. Syracuse doesn't cut the Zips a break because we don't have as much cash as, say, Michigan State. Our only trump card is - Michigan State won't give them a 1-for-2 deal like the Zips.Since they allow 1-AA wins to count towards bowl eligibility, 1-AA schools are a hot commodity now. Why would a 1-AA program come to play Akron at $300k, if Penn State will give you $700k?It isn't easy to schedule attractively, and make a profit.I think if the Zips want to fund a new soccer stadium, it is a lot easier to net $600k for the athletic coffers with a "body bag" game than it is to find 6, $100k donors.

[MaxZIP]

Looking at Non-BCS conferences, here are the teams that make the most sense for a 1-1 for both schools (meaning, they are not SO MUCH BETTER/WORSE than Akron to not benefit from a good, competitive game against a FBS school):CUSA= UAB, Marshall, Tulsa, UTEP, Tulane & Memphis. Of those 6, really key in on UAB, Marshall and Memphis for regionality, travel, etc.SB= WKU, Middle Tennessee and Arkansas State. Troy would be great, but not sure if they would really have great interest.MWC= Wyoming, UNLV, New Mexico and San Diego StateWAC= LA Tech, Idaho, Utah State, New Mexico State & San Jose StateAnd, of course, Army and Navy.. I think it is best to look at a "4 years snapshot". REALISTICALLY, looking at 4 years of scheduling (16 non-conference games):4 home games against FCS (I-AA)- 1 per year3 games against a lower BCS (IU, Minnesota, Syr, UConn, etc.)= 2 there, 1 here. 1-1-1 arrangement.4 games against big-time FBS- 1 per year. PSU, OSU, Wisconsin, WVU.1 home game against a big-time FBS team at Browns Stadium (for example, go to PSU twice, get them once at Browns stadium)4 games with non-BCS teams that are FBS schools; 1for1 series with teams above. 1/1 with Memphis, 1/1 with San Diego State as an exampleSo, looking at 4 years as an example:2012= @ PSU, vs. Indiana State, @ Minnesota, vs. Memphis2013= @ WVU, vs. Maine, vs. Minnesota, @ Memphis2014= @ PSU, vs. Missouri State, @ Minnesota, vs. San Diego State2015= @ Wisconsin, vs. Old Dominion, vs. Penn State (@ Browns Stadium), @ San Diego StateIf we develop and become one of the top 3 programs in the MAC, no reason we cannot win all 4 against FCS, 3 of 4 against non-BCS schools that are FBS and pull maybe 1-2 upsets along the way.

Pass on PSU and Wisky in the same year.Give me Western Kentucky in our brand new stadium instead of an ass whooping in front of 70k.

We should play at least 6 at home each year. Seven would be nice but we didn't build a stadium to sit idle.

[xu9697]

Looking at Non-BCS conferences, here are the teams that make the most sense for a 1-1 for both schools (meaning, they are not SO MUCH BETTER/WORSE than Akron to not benefit from a good, competitive game against a FBS school):CUSA= UAB, Marshall, Tulsa, UTEP, Tulane & Memphis. Of those 6, really key in on UAB, Marshall and Memphis for regionality, travel, etc.SB= WKU, Middle Tennessee and Arkansas State. Troy would be great, but not sure if they would really have great interest.MWC= Wyoming, UNLV, New Mexico and San Diego StateWAC= LA Tech, Idaho, Utah State, New Mexico State & San Jose StateAnd, of course, Army and Navy.. I think it is best to look at a "4 years snapshot". REALISTICALLY, looking at 4 years of scheduling (16 non-conference games):4 home games against FCS (I-AA)- 1 per year3 games against a lower BCS (IU, Minnesota, Syr, UConn, etc.)= 2 there, 1 here. 1-1-1 arrangement.4 games against big-time FBS- 1 per year. PSU, OSU, Wisconsin, WVU.1 home game against a big-time FBS team at Browns Stadium (for example, go to PSU twice, get them once at Browns stadium)4 games with non-BCS teams that are FBS schools; 1for1 series with teams above. 1/1 with Memphis, 1/1 with San Diego State as an exampleSo, looking at 4 years as an example:2012= @ PSU, vs. Indiana State, @ Minnesota, vs. Memphis2013= @ WVU, vs. Maine, vs. Minnesota, @ Memphis2014= @ PSU, vs. Missouri State, @ Minnesota, vs. San Diego State2015= @ Wisconsin, vs. Old Dominion, vs. Penn State (@ Browns Stadium), @ San Diego StateIf we develop and become one of the top 3 programs in the MAC, no reason we cannot win all 4 against FCS, 3 of 4 against non-BCS schools that are FBS and pull maybe 1-2 upsets along the way.

Pass on PSU and Wisky in the same year.Give me Western Kentucky in our brand new stadium instead of an ass whooping in front of 70k.

We should play at least 6 at home each year. Seven would be nice but we didn't build a stadium to sit idle.

Ideally, yes. But, realistically, find a program comparable to Akron's that plays 7 home games a year. Even 6 might be tough to find in some cases.Ideally, I agree..I really would rather play another non-BCS FBS team than play at Browns Stadium. But I'm trying to mix what seems to be somewhat realistic when looking at the needs of fans, AD, coaches and team.

[Zipmeister]

Looking at Non-BCS conferences, here are the teams that make the most sense for a 1-1 for both schools (meaning, they are not SO MUCH BETTER/WORSE than Akron to not benefit from a good, competitive game against a FBS school):CUSA= UAB, Marshall, Tulsa, UTEP, Tulane & Memphis. Of those 6, really key in on UAB, Marshall and Memphis for regionality, travel, etc.SB= WKU, Middle Tennessee and Arkansas State. Troy would be great, but not sure if they would really have great interest.MWC= Wyoming, UNLV, New Mexico and San Diego StateWAC= LA Tech, Idaho, Utah State, New Mexico State & San Jose StateAnd, of course, Army and Navy.. I think it is best to look at a "4 years snapshot". REALISTICALLY, looking at 4 years of scheduling (16 non-conference games):4 home games against FCS (I-AA)- 1 per year3 games against a lower BCS (IU, Minnesota, Syr, UConn, etc.)= 2 there, 1 here. 1-1-1 arrangement.4 games against big-time FBS- 1 per year. PSU, OSU, Wisconsin, WVU.1 home game against a big-time FBS team at Browns Stadium (for example, go to PSU twice, get them once at Browns stadium)4 games with non-BCS teams that are FBS schools; 1for1 series with teams above. 1/1 with Memphis, 1/1 with San Diego State as an exampleSo, looking at 4 years as an example:2012= @ PSU, vs. Indiana State, @ Minnesota, vs. Memphis2013= @ WVU, vs. Maine, vs. Minnesota, @ Memphis2014= @ PSU, vs. Missouri State, @ Minnesota, vs. San Diego State2015= @ Wisconsin, vs. Old Dominion, vs. Penn State (@ Browns Stadium), @ San Diego StateIf we develop and become one of the top 3 programs in the MAC, no reason we cannot win all 4 against FCS, 3 of 4 against non-BCS schools that are FBS and pull maybe 1-2 upsets along the way.

Pass on PSU and Wisky in the same year.Give me Western Kentucky in our brand new stadium instead of an ass whooping in front of 70k.

We should play at least 6 at home each year. Seven would be nice but we didn't build a stadium to sit idle.

Ideally, yes. But, realistically, find a program comparable to Akron's that plays 7 home games a year. Even 6 might be tough to find in some cases.Ideally, I agree..I really would rather play another non-BCS FBS team than play at Browns Stadium. But I'm trying to mix what seems to be somewhat realistic when looking at the needs of fans, AD, coaches and team.

Other than the Penn State game in Cleveland I think we should put you in charge of scheduling.

[Lee Adams]

I hope we move toward more home games, more of them on Saturdays in the couple of months before the weather turns to poo (although this year we were particularly lucky with weather), a mix of cupcakes and low-end brand-name teams. I will happily pay to watch Indiana, Army, Navy, any of the MWC or WAC teams play some mix of home and away. I'm also intrigued by the higher-end FCS schools, although I'm very aware that the better ones would have beaten us handily this year, so there is always the "Michigan-App State" risk inherent to playing such teams. I'm NOT particularly in favor of continuing to be crushed a couple times every year by PSU, OSU, VaTech, etc. Those games just suck. We should never, ever play the top-echelon teams until we can compete. The day we become Utah or Boise State we can jump in the mix with the biggies. Until then schools like Indiana should be the upper end of the teams we play. BUT, they should still be schools Joe Average recognizes.

the sunbelt is the conference mac schools match up with best...schedule home/home with that conference..at least it is competetive and its not a I-AA joke...

[Z.I.P.]

the sunbelt is the conference mac schools match up with best...schedule home/home with that conference..at least it is competetive and its not a I-AA joke...

...even though half its teams would be lucky to make the I-AA playoffs.I like the C-USA teams, especially Marshall (a not long-ago rival), UCF (same I guess), Memphis (we played them once and need revenge), and Tulsa (we beat them in futbol, why not football?).

[GJGood]

I'd like to get a home and home series with UAB. They are the team we would have played in the 2004 Hawaii Bowl had Michigan State not given up a late lead to Hawaii in the last game of the regular season. That was the year the Zips were the only bowl eligible team not to make the postseason and the upset over MSU allowed UH to be bowl eligible and stay home to play their bowl game. Everybody had the Zips projected for that spot.

[Spin]

I think if the Zips want to fund a new soccer stadium, it is a lot easier to net $600k for the athletic coffers with a "body bag" game than it is to find 6, $100k donors.

What about the investment value of a new soccer stadium?They invest in a stadium, and in a decent contract for Caleb, we've shown we'll be there, in the worst weather, sitting on the GROUND, packed in like sardines to support this team.An inexpensive stadium would pay for itself. You go out now and get a sponsor while interest is super high, and it could become a revenue sport. Especially when you charge students to attend tournament games.How much money did they leave on the table this season by selling out?Oh well, going off topic. But you gotta look at potential revenue streams that would benefit ALL programs. You can't just sit back (not that I'm saying you are) and say "I hate soccer. They don't need anything". A bigger stadium, and not figuring in the first game at the Info, and the soccer team might outdrew the football team this year...

[Zipmeister]

I hope we move toward more home games, more of them on Saturdays in the couple of months before the weather turns to poo (although this year we were particularly lucky with weather), a mix of cupcakes and low-end brand-name teams. I will happily pay to watch Indiana, Army, Navy, any of the MWC or WAC teams play some mix of home and away. I'm also intrigued by the higher-end FCS schools, although I'm very aware that the better ones would have beaten us handily this year, so there is always the "Michigan-App State" risk inherent to playing such teams. I'm NOT particularly in favor of continuing to be crushed a couple times every year by PSU, OSU, VaTech, etc. Those games just suck. We should never, ever play the top-echelon teams until we can compete. The day we become Utah or Boise State we can jump in the mix with the biggies. Until then schools like Indiana should be the upper end of the teams we play. BUT, they should still be schools Joe Average recognizes.

the sunbelt is the conference mac schools match up with best...schedule home/home with that conference..at least it is competetive and its not a I-AA joke...

Actually the conference that matches up best with the MAC is the (FCS) Colonial, which is rated higher than the Sun Belt. Ask folks from Temple whether Villanova was any good.

[mes102]

Scenario:Ianello goes into the home of a recruit and has a conversation with them. I will give you 2 different examples and you can tell me the one you would be attracted to the most as a recruit:Conversation A"If you come to Akron, you will compete for a starting job right away. Every starting position is up for grabs the week before the season begins.You will also have th chance to play against the schools like Syracuse, Indiana, Kentucky, Penn State, Ohio State, and more chances to show you and Akron on the map with a big upset, and possibly win a MAC championship, if you come to Akron. Hope you have a great senior year and good luck in college wherever you go."Conversation B"If you come to Akron, you will compete for a starting job right away. Every starting position is up for grabs the week before the season begins.You will also have th chance to play against the schools like Gardner-Webb,Morgan State,Memphis,and if we play well in the MAC, we may make a bowl game, and may even win a MAC championship, if you come to Akron. Hope you have a great senior year and good luck in college wherever you go."

[ZachTheZip]

Would you rather be a winner or a loser? One of those scenarios tells the recruit that he will play for a loser, and the other for a winner. One of those schedules says that your program can't afford to pay for things, and the other says that you're above whoring your team out for money.What do BCS teams tell recruits? They tell them that they'll have three or four guaranteed wins where they can prove themselves on the field and not just in practice.

[indiandad4]

Would you rather be a winner or a loser? One of those scenarios tells the recruit that he will play for a loser, and the other for a winner. One of those schedules says that your program can't afford to pay for things, and the other says that you're above whoring your team out for money.What do BCS teams tell recruits? They tell them that they'll have three or four guaranteed wins where they can prove themselves on the field and not just in practice.

You have never been so wrong. If you don't play the big boys how do you ever find out if you can beat the big boys

[ZachTheZip]

Would you rather be a winner or a loser? One of those scenarios tells the recruit that he will play for a loser, and the other for a winner. One of those schedules says that your program can't afford to pay for things, and the other says that you're above whoring your team out for money.What do BCS teams tell recruits? They tell them that they'll have three or four guaranteed wins where they can prove themselves on the field and not just in practice.

You have never been so wrong. If you don't play the big boys how do you ever find out if you can beat the big boys

What does it matter? The best thing we can ever hope for is a trip to Detroit in winter no matter who we beat. How does playing a game that you're almost 100% going to lose help at all?

[mes102]

I would go for the easy wins myself too;however, these senior high school teens that are getting highly recruited, mostly have high expectations, some with high egos, and want to and believe they can play with the best. If u tell them they can't, when some other program can promise that, you aren't getting them...

[g-mann17]

Bottom line, you have to appeal to every possible recruit and fan. That means quality home games (Big East, Big 10 opponents) winning (which seems to be the real problem), and television exposure. We set up a 1-1 with Memphis we are lucky to get on TV for either of those, which means no exposure what so ever. We Play OSU it's aired to millions, we play Syracuse, aired to millions, SEC, again it's on TV. You ahve to look at the whole picture, we get 600-700 thousand for play a Big 10 team at their house, but we get on the Big 10 network which is exposure.Which brings up another point. Why do so many of you think the MAC is so special that it get's to be the one conference that says "We will only play on Saturday". ESPN forces every conference to play week day games (Big 12, PAC 10, Big 10, SEC all play week night games.) It's how the thing works out, you want to be on TV (and yes you want to be on TV) you bend to what TV asks you to do.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Would you rather be a winner or a loser? One of those scenarios tells the recruit that he will play for a loser, and the other for a winner. One of those schedules says that your program can't afford to pay for things, and the other says that you're above whoring your team out for money.What do BCS teams tell recruits? They tell them that they'll have three or four guaranteed wins where they can prove themselves on the field and not just in practice.

You have never been so wrong.

I dunno 'bout that...!

[xu9697]

Bottom line, you have to appeal to every possible recruit and fan. That means quality home games (Big East, Big 10 opponents) winning (which seems to be the real problem), and television exposure. We set up a 1-1 with Memphis we are lucky to get on TV for either of those, which means no exposure what so ever. We Play OSU it's aired to millions, we play Syracuse, aired to millions, SEC, again it's on TV. You ahve to look at the whole picture, we get 600-700 thousand for play a Big 10 team at their house, but we get on the Big 10 network which is exposure.Which brings up another point. Why do so many of you think the MAC is so special that it get's to be the one conference that says "We will only play on Saturday". ESPN forces every conference to play week day games (Big 12, PAC 10, Big 10, SEC all play week night games.) It's how the thing works out, you want to be on TV (and yes you want to be on TV) you bend to what TV asks you to do.

You have to be kidding? First of all, how many Big 10 regular season weeknight games have you seen? I think Indiana has played a non-conference game on a weeknight. SEC..a couple per year, probably mostly involving the lowest team= Vanderbilt.If you are a GOOD team in the MAC or Sun Belt, you get the "luxury" of playing a couple of Tuesday and Wednesday night games in the cold of November. ESPN screws the smaller conferences into these horrible time slots.I have said it for years, and I will keep saying it= keep it SOMEWHAT FAIR...MAC needs to step in and say, "no school will play more than 2 weeknight games...1 home and 1 away". If we can count on at least 5 Saturday home games, I can live with it.I am just one fan that, if we start getting to too many weeknight games= bye bye season tix! Not much sense in having a family of 4 driving 1 hour on a Tuesday night to sit in the cold.

[g-mann17]

Bottom line, you have to appeal to every possible recruit and fan. That means quality home games (Big East, Big 10 opponents) winning (which seems to be the real problem), and television exposure. We set up a 1-1 with Memphis we are lucky to get on TV for either of those, which means no exposure what so ever. We Play OSU it's aired to millions, we play Syracuse, aired to millions, SEC, again it's on TV. You ahve to look at the whole picture, we get 600-700 thousand for play a Big 10 team at their house, but we get on the Big 10 network which is exposure.Which brings up another point. Why do so many of you think the MAC is so special that it get's to be the one conference that says "We will only play on Saturday". ESPN forces every conference to play week day games (Big 12, PAC 10, Big 10, SEC all play week night games.) It's how the thing works out, you want to be on TV (and yes you want to be on TV) you bend to what TV asks you to do.

You have to be kidding? First of all, how many Big 10 regular season weeknight games have you seen? I think Indiana has played a non-conference game on a weeknight. SEC..a couple per year, probably mostly involving the lowest team= Vanderbilt.If you are a GOOD team in the MAC or Sun Belt, you get the "luxury" of playing a couple of Tuesday and Wednesday night games in the cold of November. ESPN screws the smaller conferences into these horrible time slots.I have said it for years, and I will keep saying it= keep it SOMEWHAT FAIR...MAC needs to step in and say, "no school will play more than 2 weeknight games...1 home and 1 away". If we can count on at least 5 Saturday home games, I can live with it.I am just one fan that, if we start getting to too many weeknight games= bye bye season tix! Not much sense in having a family of 4 driving 1 hour on a Tuesday night to sit in the cold.

I understand the "convenience" of Saturday games. But you act like it's so out of the question to do 1-2 weekday games. Hell we had a Friday game (yes afternoon stinks but that is on the University because the game wasn't even televised). Half of the money we get is because of the ESPN contract. Basically it comes down to this. If we were 12-0 last year, there would be barely any complaints about November weekday games and no complaints about "cold" or travel time.

[xu9697]

Bottom line, you have to appeal to every possible recruit and fan. That means quality home games (Big East, Big 10 opponents) winning (which seems to be the real problem), and television exposure. We set up a 1-1 with Memphis we are lucky to get on TV for either of those, which means no exposure what so ever. We Play OSU it's aired to millions, we play Syracuse, aired to millions, SEC, again it's on TV. You ahve to look at the whole picture, we get 600-700 thousand for play a Big 10 team at their house, but we get on the Big 10 network which is exposure.Which brings up another point. Why do so many of you think the MAC is so special that it get's to be the one conference that says "We will only play on Saturday". ESPN forces every conference to play week day games (Big 12, PAC 10, Big 10, SEC all play week night games.) It's how the thing works out, you want to be on TV (and yes you want to be on TV) you bend to what TV asks you to do.

You have to be kidding? First of all, how many Big 10 regular season weeknight games have you seen? I think Indiana has played a non-conference game on a weeknight. SEC..a couple per year, probably mostly involving the lowest team= Vanderbilt.If you are a GOOD team in the MAC or Sun Belt, you get the "luxury" of playing a couple of Tuesday and Wednesday night games in the cold of November. ESPN screws the smaller conferences into these horrible time slots.I have said it for years, and I will keep saying it= keep it SOMEWHAT FAIR...MAC needs to step in and say, "no school will play more than 2 weeknight games...1 home and 1 away". If we can count on at least 5 Saturday home games, I can live with it.I am just one fan that, if we start getting to too many weeknight games= bye bye season tix! Not much sense in having a family of 4 driving 1 hour on a Tuesday night to sit in the cold.

I understand the "convenience" of Saturday games. But you act like it's so out of the question to do 1-2 weekday games. Hell we had a Friday game (yes afternoon stinks but that is on the University because the game wasn't even televised). Half of the money we get is because of the ESPN contract. Basically it comes down to this. If we were 12-0 last year, there would be barely any complaints about November weekday games and no complaints about "cold" or travel time.

Huh? I said 1 to 2 is fine. Makes sense for so many reasons, balances out exposure, ESPN's desires, fan's desires, etc.And, I don't care who the team is= part of what makes college football college football is Saturday football. Living on the west side of Cleveland, I am not taking my 4 year old and 2 year old (ages next year) to weeknight games. One, maybe. But I think there have been MAC teams in the last few years (Miami comes to mind) that play about 3 Saturday home games in some years.You are probably right= consistent 10 toi 12 win seasons will keep attendance up. But there is a group of fans that it excludes. And, it just isn't the way it should be. College football is about the whole day experience...not a Tuesday night.We can agree to disagree on that, but my biggest point that you cannot refute is that the lower level conferences are stuck with these games.

[ZachTheZip]

The MAC's TV contract gives ESPN "choices" when it comes to which weeknight game they air. That means that you get MAC games on weeknights that are not on TV. No other conference I have seen does that. If they're playing weeknights, they're on TV.