Balsy Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Apparently UMass is deciding to take the high-road straight out of the MAC. Any Thoughts?Damn...there goes an easy win for us every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZachTheZip Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Good riddance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 UMass would have brought MAC football into balance at 14 teams if Temple had remained a football-only member of the MAC. With Temple gone, that left an unbalanced 13 teams. Going back to 12 teams is not a bad thing for the MAC and finding a more geographically friendly football conference is not a bad thing for UMass. Everyone wins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyzip84 Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 I am THRILLED that the MAC had the kahunas to force their hand. I've been calling for this ever since they were accepted.Let's not forget, UMass did get something out of this: a quicker route to FBS. I'm sure they have visions of AAC membership. I'd be curious to get Zip_Watcher's thoughts on their chances.Now let's whip these guys in their last years in the league, just like we did to Marshall and UCF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Like the MAC forcing the hand, but it's something that should have been done from the beginning.As for UMASS, good luck finding another FBS conference. I guess maybe the AAC would take them with the Boston market, but who knows. They are horrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akzipper Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Personally I think any team looking to move up to FBS should earn it. Maybe even give them a few trial seasons playing as an Independent. If they show they can be competitive then conferences will come calling.The Subdivision is already overcrowded. Adding schools like UMass, North Texas, UTSA, Charlotte, JMU, etc doesn't help anyone. Sure they all want to become the next Boise State or UCF but they don't have the facilites, coaching, or fanbase to make it happen. Hopefully the MAC isn't so desperate to add members they make this same mistake again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy5 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 I wish North Dakota St. was closer to the MAC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZippyRulz Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 Interesting bit about UMass growth/spending/debthttp://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/03/21/after-building-boom-umass-sizes-debt/rnbYFtGVZsp11mZn9buJAM/story.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJGood Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 The only thing I don't like about UMass leaving is the 'preferred scheduling' arrangement I believe the MAC was supposed to have with them pertaining to the other sports. I would've liked to have seen an Akron-UMass home and home series in basketball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balsy Posted March 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 The only thing I don't like about UMass leaving is the 'preferred scheduling' arrangement I believe the MAC was supposed to have with them pertaining to the other sports. I would've liked to have seen an Akron-UMass home and home series in basketball.But isn't that a good reason as to why they are leaving? We haven't played UMass once since they've been a part of the MAC. They wanted to use the MAC as a springboard for their football team...MAC should only accept serious membership in the future. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZachTheZip Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 But isn't that a good reason as to why they are leaving? We haven't played UMass once since they've been a part of the MAC. They wanted to use the MAC as a springboard for their football team...MAC should only accept serious membership in the future.The MAC had a deal in place to add UMass for all sports, as well as James Madison U (who would be an excellent addition). UMass backed out, and JMU was left standing at the altar. I still think JMU has plans to get into the MAC, and they have even turned down an offer for FBS football from the Sun Belt because of how strongly they would rather be a part of the MAC (or C-USA, but that looks significantly less likely). Right now, they're searching for a partner to make the move with, to avoid the 13-team problem. One candidate I've heard as a potential addition is Missouri State, who is already a MAC affiliate in multiple sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balsy Posted March 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 The MAC had a deal in place to add UMass for all sports, as well as James Madison U (who would be an excellent addition). UMass backed out, and JMU was left standing at the altar. I still think JMU has plans to get into the MAC, and they have even turned down an offer for FBS football from the Sun Belt because of how strongly they would rather be a part of the MAC (or C-USA, but that looks significantly less likely). Right now, they're searching for a partner to make the move with, to avoid the 13-team problem. One candidate I've heard as a potential addition is Missouri State, who is already a MAC affiliate in multiple sports.I've sorta been resistant to the idea of adding teams to the MAC...but that actually doesn't sound like too bad of an idea. JMU and Missouri State. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 I'll miss the winnable game on the schedule.I won't miss the fact that they are just not a good fit for the MAC, and I am sure we hated traveling there in Oct./Nov. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballzip Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 How about bringing YSU into the MAC. With big names of Tressel and Pelini, it can only help the MAC's image. We all talk about the rival between Akron and Cant, but back in the day when I played for the Zips (80's), YSU and Akron was also a big northeast Ohio rivalry. We played for the rubber tire, steel trophy back in the Dennison, Faust vs. Tressel years. I would love to see YSU in the MAC and renew this rivalry once again. When Akron left 1-AA in 1987 and became a 1-A school, that was the end of the rivalry. YSU stayed 1-AA and that was it for the play of the two schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy5 Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 How about bringing YSU into the MAC. With big names of Tressel and Pelini, it can only help the MAC's image. We all talk about the rival between Akron and Cant, but back in the day when I played for the Zips (80's), YSU and Akron was also a big northeast Ohio rivalry. We played for the rubber tire, steel trophy back in the Dennison, Faust vs. Tressel years. I would love to see YSU in the MAC and renew this rivalry once again.We have enough second rate Ohio schools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 How about bringing YSU into the MAC. With big names of Tressel and Pelini, it can only help the MAC's image.Increased Attention? Yes, maybe. But, how would you think that you could "improve a conference's image" by associating with JT ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZachTheZip Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 How about bringing YSU into the MAC. With big names of Tressel and Pelini, it can only help the MAC's image. We all talk about the rival between Akron and Cant, but back in the day when I played for the Zips (80's), YSU and Akron was also a big northeast Ohio rivalry. We played for the rubber tire, steel trophy back in the Dennison, Faust vs. Tressel years. I would love to see YSU in the MAC and renew this rivalry once again. When Akron left 1-AA in 1987 and became a 1-A school, that was the end of the rivalry. YSU stayed 1-AA and that was it for the play of the two schools.It would only make sense if the MAC lost another Ohio school. This state is too oversaturated with MAC schools as it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 From an unbiased perspective, I'm in favor of adding YSU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZachTheZip Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 YSU's athletics budget is around $13.6 million. That's 65% of the very lowest MAC school's budget (BGSU at $20.7m). YSU is nowhere near ready to move to the MAC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJGood Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 If they'd be willing to make the commitment to moving up to FBS would schools like Illinois State, Murray State, or Eastern Kentucky be worth considering? I admit I know very little about their athletic budgets and their ability to make such a move going forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 YSU's athletics budget is around $13.6 million. That's 65% of the very lowest MAC school's budget (BGSU at $20.7m). YSU is nowhere near ready to move to the MAC.Nice job pointing that out. I only wonder what the historical increase in revenue would be after a program elevates to D-1A in football? What happened to us could be an indication, but our example is 30 years ago. You may also have to account for Youngstown's decades of economic decline when you think of the potential for increasing support just to reach a minimum MAC level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy5 Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 I think they're not in a terribly bad position to move up. If their University was located in Virginia I'd be all for it. I'm not on board with the MAC adding any Ohio teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 If they'd be willing to make the commitment to moving up to FBS would schools like Illinois State, Murray State, or Eastern Kentucky be worth considering? I admit I know very little about their athletic budgets and their ability to make such a move going forward.I wonder how all of us older Zips fans would feel if we raised up these programs to join us again in D-1A.......after all of the effort and resources it took to move above them and separate ourselves from them 3 decades ago. I don't know. It's a little bit too much Deva Vu for me to think that the new MAC would somehow start to resemble the old OVC. But much like the YSU situation, it's unlikely those schools would ever be able to garner the resources to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZachTheZip Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 If they'd be willing to make the commitment to moving up to FBS would schools like Illinois State, Murray State, or Eastern Kentucky be worth considering? I admit I know very little about their athletic budgets and their ability to make such a move going forward.Interestingly, EKU is making a major push for FBS status right now, but their focus is directed at the Sun Belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 YSU's athletics budget is around $13.6 million. That's 65% of the very lowest MAC school's budget (BGSU at $20.7m). YSU is nowhere near ready to move to the MAC.What would their athletic budget be if they were getting MAC tv money from ESPN/Time Warner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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