blueandgold Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 Per 92.3 The Fan and other sources. "Now, according to multiple reports today, they're heading back to the MAC. The Mid-American Conference board voted today to add UMass as a full member, starting with the 2025-26 school year." 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catdaddyp Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 6 minutes ago, blueandgold said: Per 92.3 The Fan and other sources. "Now, according to multiple reports today, they're heading back to the MAC. The Mid-American Conference board voted today to add UMass as a full member, starting with the 2025-26 school year." I know UCONN is holding out hope for a P5 bid, but I wonder if they eventually end up in the MAC as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueandgold Posted February 26, 2024 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 7 minutes ago, catdaddyp said: I know UCONN is holding out hope for a P5 bid, but I wonder if they eventually end up in the MAC as well. I would be all for that IF they came in as a Full Member as well, simply for the Men's and Women's basketball programs. So with that said, it probably won't happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy5 Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 there's a negative chance of that happening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catdaddyp Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 30 minutes ago, zippy5 said: there's a negative chance of that happening A decade ago I would have agreed with the same confidence. Now with the landscape changing at a rapid pace, it’s impossible to know how the pieces will fall. Just recently the PAC12 stuck their nose up at what ESPN offered. Now they are almost defunct and likely will be soon. Maybe the last two members work some magic? If FSU manages to leave the ACC, that will cause more dominoes to fall and who knows what happens to the bottom tier of that league. Some may eventually make their way to G5s. I honestly don’t know, just pointing out nothing is certain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 Wow. A few early thoughts... - Are they a Marshall and will be looking to leave quickly? If so, what's the buyout? - This is the first A10 school to move their basketball to the MAC in favor of football. This is also a move to the east for the MAC location wise. Looking at the A10, Richmond has a really good FCS football program. Would they be interested in making the move, too? I didn't think the MAC would be able to pull any A10 basketball programs, but football is king. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MangoZip Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 Definitely didn’t see that coming but then looked up their 2024 schedule and saw they are already playing 5 MAC games this year! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catdaddyp Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 48 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said: Wow. A few early thoughts... - Are they a Marshall and will be looking to leave quickly? If so, what's the buyout? - This is the first A10 school to move their basketball to the MAC in favor of football. This is also a move to the east for the MAC location wise. Looking at the A10, Richmond has a really good FCS football program. Would they be interested in making the move, too? I didn't think the MAC would be able to pull any A10 basketball programs, but football is king. I’d guess UMASS’ intention, at least at this stage, is to be here for a while. Being independent in football did them no favors. Seeing speculation on social media Western Kentucky may be next to join, but I don’t know if there’s any validity to it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 5 minutes ago, catdaddyp said: I’d guess UMASS’ intention, at least at this stage, is to be here for a while. Being independent in football did them no favors. Seeing speculation on social media Western Kentucky may be next to join, but I don’t know if there’s any validity to it. I've been pounding the drum for WKU since the MAC stupidly declined to bring them aboard during the last realignment situation. I would love to see them get added along with some FCS football programs (and their basketball) like Richmond. If the MAC wants to catch up to the Sun Belt, they have to be proactive with their expansion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed5120 Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 7 minutes ago, catdaddyp said: I’d guess UMASS’ intention, at least at this stage, is to be here for a while. Being independent in football did them no favors. Seeing speculation on social media Western Kentucky may be next to join, but I don’t know if there’s any validity to it. Yes, the A10 also isn't what it was 10 years ago. Now it's pretty much a 1 bid conference, like the MAC, but much harder to win. It probably made the pill of leaving men's hoops easier to swallow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MangoZip Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 22 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said: I've been pounding the drum for WKU since the MAC stupidly declined to bring them aboard during the last realignment situation. I would love to see them get added along with some FCS football programs (and their basketball) like Richmond. If the MAC wants to catch up to the Sun Belt, they have to be proactive with their expansion. Wouldn’t it make sense to add another school to get an even number of teams again? Although I guess it doesn’t really matter in the new football format, but for basketball and other sports, that might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 The only program less exciting than Temple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 3 minutes ago, MangoZip said: Wouldn’t it make sense to add another school to get an even number of teams again? Although I guess it doesn’t really matter in the new football format, but for basketball and other sports, that might help. Yes, which I'm advocating for. The MAC needs to add 3 more programs in addition to UMass IMO to catch up with or pass the SBC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 29 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said: I've been pounding the drum for WKU since the MAC stupidly declined to bring them aboard during the last realignment situation. I would love to see them get added along with some FCS football programs (and their basketball) like Richmond. If the MAC wants to catch up to the Sun Belt, they have to be proactive with their expansion. UMass helps us catch up to the SB? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 2 minutes ago, GP1 said: UMass helps us catch up to the SB? Certainly in basketball, yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akzipper Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 15 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said: Yes, which I'm advocating for. The MAC needs to add 3 more programs in addition to UMass IMO to catch up with or pass the SBC. How embarrassing is that the MAC needs to add teams to CATCH UP with the Sun Belt. Middle Tennessee, UConn, Western Kentucky, Temple? Idk... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 I like it for basketball reasons. Feel like there has to be another shoe to drop. Hopefully somebody to be excited about for both sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 30 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said: The MAC needs to add 3 more programs in addition to UMass IMO to catch up with or pass the SBC. This isn't a solution to any problem the MAC currently has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MangoZip Posted February 26, 2024 Report Share Posted February 26, 2024 12 minutes ago, GP1 said: This isn't a solution to any problem the MAC currently has. I don’t think it’s a solution but I don’t see any downside either? I wonder what makes this attractive to the MAC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve1981 Posted February 27, 2024 Report Share Posted February 27, 2024 Our exit fee from the A10 to join the MAC is 4 Million with more than 1 years notice. Think we'll be here for a while. Hard to be certain with all the changes, but we value the fit of the MAC and choice you over CUSA. This was a vote on fit, geography and stability as we have been members of the A10 since founding 1976. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted February 27, 2024 Report Share Posted February 27, 2024 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted February 27, 2024 Report Share Posted February 27, 2024 48 minutes ago, GP1 said: This isn't a solution to any problem the MAC currently has. This is a step in the right direction. The MAC has a competitiveness problem. Half the MAC hasn't tried in basketball for almost 2 decades. Football has become stale. The Sun Belt has surpassed the MAC in football & basketball, and at this point in time will be the winner of the largest G5 media deal behind the AAC when the next round of media deals come around. The MAC nixed expansion last realignment period, which was a negative IMO. This is a step forward, in the right direction, and needs to be succeeded by another 1-3 adds to solidify the positive movement. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted February 27, 2024 Report Share Posted February 27, 2024 9 minutes ago, Steve1981 said: Our exit fee from the A10 to join the MAC is 4 Million with more than 1 years notice. Think we'll be here for a while. Hard to be certain with all the changes, but we value the fit of the MAC and choice you over CUSA. This was a vote on fit, geography and stability as we have been members of the A10 since founding 1976. Steve - I'm assuming you're a UMass fan. Welcome back to the MAC. Thank you for bringing your basketball program this time. UMass is a good fit for the MAC across the board. 7 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said: Whoa! I didn't think NDSU would be a possibility. That would open the door for SDSU eventually. Illinois State would be fantastic! Maybe Northern Iowa down the road, too? I love the idea of adding strong basketball programs with budding football programs. WKU is a must. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted February 27, 2024 Report Share Posted February 27, 2024 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWAkron Posted February 27, 2024 Report Share Posted February 27, 2024 Some can say the "MAC Blows," but the MAC has been a stable Mid Major Conference for a long time. A few schools have come and gone, but the vast majority stayed put. Having the basketball tournament in Cleveland is a huge bonus for Akron and Kent State. You want Akron to leave the MAC, then don't plan on attending the early tournament games. With the addition of another team, this will set up a strong mid major situation of schools on equal-footing, especially important now that the likes of OSU. MI, TN, etc can directly pay athletes to come on board. Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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