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MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - Burn the Horse - 02-11-2012 10:45 PM
Just wondering what the MAC fans think. This is of course hypothetical and the question arises due to all the merger discusssions going on nationwide. Karl Benson has been rumored to be interviewing for the SBC's open Commissioner position which has spun all sorts of rumors of a Sun Belt/ WAC merger. That is very unpopular among our fanbases, but some (including myself) seem interested in a deal with you guys.
Do you see any benefits to combining our two Conferences? I'd imagine it would be a football-only type of relationship.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - uakronkid - 02-11-2012 10:46 PM
No.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - Photodan - 02-11-2012 10:50 PM
Honestly, I'd see more value in breaking up the MAC, Sun Belt and CUSA and creating a new conference out of the best of all three.
The question is does ESPN see the value in a merger.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - Burn the Horse - 02-11-2012 11:07 PM
(02-11-2012 10:46 PM)uakronkid Wrote: No.
Oh you weren't invited, so don't worry.
but in all seriousness, you don't see ANY benefit to a cooperation of our two leagues?
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - Louis Kitton - 02-11-2012 11:10 PM
(02-11-2012 10:45 PM)Burn the Horse Wrote: Just wondering what the MAC fans think. This is of course hypothetical and the question arises due to all the merger discusssions going on nationwide. Karl Benson has been rumored to be interviewing for the SBC's open Commissioner position which has spun all sorts of rumors of a Sun Belt/ WAC merger. That is very unpopular among our fanbases, but some (including myself) seem interested in a deal with you guys.
Do you see any benefits to combining our two Conferences? I'd imagine it would be a football-only type of relationship.
I'm starting to wonder whether you could make a new conference out of the more attractive remaining schools from the WAC-SBC-MAC.
If rumors prove true and FIU and Temple at a minimum are gone from the conference maybe its time for the "best of the rest" to get together.
All American Conference
South: UNT, La Tech, Ark State, WKU, MTSU, Troy, FAU
North: Northern Ill, Ball State, Toledo, Miami, Ohio, Buffalo
The remaining SBC football schools join the MAC (La Monroe, South Alabama). This turns the MAC and WAC into life support conferences while the all-american would be on the level of the alliance.
Another option would be for the MAC to go to 20 schools adding 8 from the south in UNT, Louisiana, La Tech, Ark St, WKU, MTSU, Troy, FAU with Ohio/Miami moving to the south division.
Going to 20 might be a good move for recruiting and bowl games. After the Big East and Alliance it would definitely be the next best conference in the country.
I like the idea of a merger but some of the deadwood like La-Monroe, USA and Arkansas Little Rock need to go. We already have that issue with Eastern Michigan and Akron in the MAC and don't want to further the problem.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - Louis Kitton - 02-11-2012 11:13 PM
(02-11-2012 10:50 PM)Photodan Wrote: Honestly, I'd see more value in breaking up the MAC, Sun Belt and CUSA and creating a new conference out of the best of all three.
The question is does ESPN see the value in a merger.
As to CUSA, F*** them. Let them combine with the MWC.
I'm just as fine with having Arkansas State and Louisiana than Marshall and Southern Miss. The attendance numbers at ASU and ULL last year were better than both of the CUSA schools...
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - Bull_In_Exile - 02-11-2012 11:38 PM
(02-11-2012 10:45 PM)Burn the Horse Wrote: Just wondering what the MAC fans think. This is of course hypothetical and the question arises due to all the merger discusssions going on nationwide. Karl Benson has been rumored to be interviewing for the SBC's open Commissioner position which has spun all sorts of rumors of a Sun Belt/ WAC merger. That is very unpopular among our fanbases, but some (including myself) seem interested in a deal with you guys.
Do you see any benefits to combining our two Conferences? I'd imagine it would be a football-only type of relationship.
Personally I think the two should enter into a regular season scheduling agreement..
I put a fan post on Hustle Belt talking about it
http://www.hustlebelt.com/2011/11/2/2532799/a-modest-proposal-for-teh-mac-sunbelt
Basically I think that the last week of the season you have reserved for Sun Belt / MAC crossovers based on preseason media polls by the two organizations.
SBC #2 at MAC #1
MAC #2 at SBC #1
MAC #3 at SBC #3
SBC #4 at MAC #4
Instead of some huge alliance with far flung aspirations that a few cute girls will get all the uggo's into the AQ party why not focus on helping the few teams who might actually benefit in a given year.
If the preseason polls are anywhere close to right the top four teams in each conference will all have a chance to go into the post season with a win over a good team, perhaps ranked or perhaps just receiving votes.
The main issue is the # of teams in the Belt and MAC are different.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - MUsince96 - 02-11-2012 11:50 PM
(02-11-2012 11:13 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:(02-11-2012 10:50 PM)Photodan Wrote: Honestly, I'd see more value in breaking up the MAC, Sun Belt and CUSA and creating a new conference out of the best of all three.
The question is does ESPN see the value in a merger.
As to CUSA, F*** them. Let them combine with the MWC.
I'm just as fine with having Arkansas State and Louisiana than Marshall and Southern Miss. The attendance numbers at ASU and ULL last year were better than both of the CUSA schools...
No, only ULL (29K+) averaged more than Marshall (25K+) and USM (28K+)
ASU averaged (22K+)
..kudos to ULL thought, I didn't realize they had such a following.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - ksu sucks - 02-11-2012 11:55 PM
Akron is so bad at football right now, that I'm mostly ignoring the realignment talk.
I'd like to see Akron join a conference with more competitive basketball programs. Outside of the MAC East, it's really bad. It wasn't much fun watching Akron beat the living daylights out of NIU tonight. I'm surprised over 4,000 people showed up at the JAR to watch it.
BTW, I'm loving the Ron Paul avatar. Are there are more RP supporters in the Sun Belt? perhaps this merger doesn't so bad after all...
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - MUsince96 - 02-12-2012 12:01 AM
(02-11-2012 11:55 PM)ksu sucks Wrote: Akron is so bad at football right now, that I'm mostly ignoring the realignment talk.
I'd like to see Akron join a conference with more competitive basketball programs. Outside of the MAC East, it's really bad. It wasn't much fun watching Akron beat the living daylights out of NIU tonight. I'm surprised over 4,000 people showed up at the JAR to watch it.
BTW, I'm loving the Ron Paul avatar. Are there are more RP supporters in the Sun Belt? perhaps this merger doesn't so bad after all...
You all may be on to something with Bowden as head coach. Plus Chuck Amato is a good assistant. Their recruiting plus you all have a very nice new stadium. I don't think it will take long before you lead the MAC in recruiting and really see a turn around on the football field.
When I saw your stadium and Bowden got hired I thought, "It's only a matter of time."
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - Burn the Horse - 02-12-2012 12:01 AM
(02-11-2012 11:55 PM)ksu sucks Wrote: BTW, I'm loving the Ron Paul avatar. Are there are more RP supporters in the Sun Belt? perhaps this merger doesn't so bad after all...
I don't want this thread to get off topic, especially on politics, but I'll bite on this one question for just a sec. I am a campaign contributor for Dr. Paul and 100% behind him and his message. I'm a card-carrying member of the Libertarian Party and a staunch Constituionalist American.
As for the rest of the Belt, I don't know. But we Southerners are very pro-small government in general and against the more intrusive measures that the government has been pushing on us over the past few decades.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - ksu sucks - 02-12-2012 02:05 AM
(02-12-2012 12:01 AM)MUsince96 Wrote: When I saw your stadium and Bowden got hired I thought, "It's only a matter of time."
That's what most Akron fans are saying(hoping?). I sure hope it turns out to be the case.
burn the horse Wrote:I don't want this thread to get off topic, especially on politics, but I'll bite on this one question for just a sec. I am a campaign contributor for Dr. Paul and 100% behind him and his message. I'm a card-carrying member of the Libertarian Party and a staunch Constituionalist American.
Glad to hear it! I didn't mean to derail the thread. I'm just glad to see another Ron Paul supporter.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - emu steve - 02-12-2012 06:04 AM
What are the advantages of these mega conferences?
Some say that the biggies standing (e.g., B1G, ACC, Pac-12, etc.) will have a playoff for mega bucks.
So what are the advantages of a MAC/SBC merger (other than produce more threads on these boards)?
Esp. as the MAC is a midwest/east conference. SBC is a southern conference.
The MAC is a very stable conference.
The most successful conference, B1G, is a contiguous conference based on the Midwest with PSU and Nebraska.
What are the advantages of a C-USA/MWC merger (unless there is a top 10 team)?
IF there is a playoff it wouldn't affect the non-AQ conferences so why arrange all of these 'shot gun' marriages without reason? (I assume 'shot gun' marriages were done for a reason, but I can't find it here).
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - zibby - 02-12-2012 06:40 AM
I know all of you scrub conference fans are jealous of the MAC's quality and stability, but you can't have any of this. Go fix your problems on your own.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - HuskieJohn - 02-12-2012 10:17 AM
(02-11-2012 11:50 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:So let me get this straight. Marshall HOSTED #11 Virginia Tech, Southern Miss & ECU yet only averaged 3k more than Arkansas St who's top 3 opponents hosted were LLaff, Troy & Memphis...(02-11-2012 11:13 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:(02-11-2012 10:50 PM)Photodan Wrote: Honestly, I'd see more value in breaking up the MAC, Sun Belt and CUSA and creating a new conference out of the best of all three.
The question is does ESPN see the value in a merger.
As to CUSA, F*** them. Let them combine with the MWC.
I'm just as fine with having Arkansas State and Louisiana than Marshall and Southern Miss. The attendance numbers at ASU and ULL last year were better than both of the CUSA schools...
No, only ULL (29K+) averaged more than Marshall (25K+) and USM (28K+)
ASU averaged (22K+)
..kudos to ULL thought, I didn't realize they had such a following.
USM's attendance average is much more impressive when you see that they really didn't play anyone big at home with the best team being LT.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - HuskieJohn - 02-12-2012 10:21 AM
The MAC should only expand within our region...ECU, Marshall, WKY, Midd Tenn & Ark St are the only FBS teams that would make sense. If any of those would actually be invited or accept an invitation is not up to us.
I would like to see a scheduling agreement with SB & MAC. However specifically for NIU I would like to play them instead of a FCS opponent. At least every other year would work for that.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - emu steve - 02-12-2012 10:50 AM
(02-12-2012 10:21 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote: The MAC should only expand within our region...ECU, Marshall, WKY, Midd Tenn & Ark St are the only FBS teams that would make sense. If any of those would actually be invited or accept an invitation is not up to us.
I would like to see a scheduling agreement with SB & MAC. However specifically for NIU I would like to play them instead of a FCS opponent. At least every other year would work for that.
Again, I don't see any reason to go from 14 --> 16 UNLESS the two schools are schools which met our STRATEGIC VISION which to me would be IL State to bolster IL and Army to bolster the the eastern schools (e.g., UB, Temple and UMass).
Adding a school like ECU adds nothing. (no offense)
I'd prefer to add schools within the existing footprint (but not MI or OHIO).
IL, IN, and NY are states which I'm thinking.
I could see Delaware if we are adding another school (e.g, Army).
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - Louis Kitton - 02-12-2012 11:37 AM
(02-12-2012 10:50 AM)emu steve Wrote:(02-12-2012 10:21 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote: The MAC should only expand within our region...ECU, Marshall, WKY, Midd Tenn & Ark St are the only FBS teams that would make sense. If any of those would actually be invited or accept an invitation is not up to us.
I would like to see a scheduling agreement with SB & MAC. However specifically for NIU I would like to play them instead of a FCS opponent. At least every other year would work for that.
Again, I don't see any reason to go from 14 --> 16 UNLESS the two schools are schools which met our STRATEGIC VISION which to me would be IL State to bolster IL and Army to bolster the the eastern schools (e.g., UB, Temple and UMass).
Adding a school like ECU adds nothing. (no offense)
I would throw Illinois State in there along with Ark State, WKU, MTSU as good adds to strengthen the Central timezone presence for the MAC.
West: NIU, Illinois State, Ark State, WKU, MTSU, Ball St, WMU, CMU
East: EMU, Toledo, Bowling Green, Miami, Ohio, Kent, Akron, Buffalo
Travel would be less in the East so to compensate having the additional southern members in the West it would make sense to add a school like Illinois State to reduce travel times.
Going all sports with this would make a 2 bid NCAA basketball conference with WKU/MTSU adding a lot of competition. That is the right competitive level for most of our basketball programs in the MAC.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - HuskieJohn - 02-12-2012 11:41 AM
(02-12-2012 10:50 AM)emu steve Wrote:Yes I forgot Army also. I would of course be all for them joining.(02-12-2012 10:21 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote: The MAC should only expand within our region...ECU, Marshall, WKY, Midd Tenn & Ark St are the only FBS teams that would make sense. If any of those would actually be invited or accept an invitation is not up to us.
I would like to see a scheduling agreement with SB & MAC. However specifically for NIU I would like to play them instead of a FCS opponent. At least every other year would work for that.
Again, I don't see any reason to go from 14 --> 16 UNLESS the two schools are schools which met our STRATEGIC VISION which to me would be IL State to bolster IL and Army to bolster the the eastern schools (e.g., UB, Temple and UMass).
Adding a school like ECU adds nothing. (no offense)
I'd prefer to add schools within the existing footprint (but not MI or OHIO).
IL, IN, and NY are states which I'm thinking.
I could see Delaware if we are adding another school (e.g, Army).
ECU is a national non-AQ team that has more season ticket holders than most MAC schools average in overall attendance. They also are able to host bigger name teams. Why is ECU a bad option for the MAC in your mind?
Illinois St may be ready to move up to the MAC in 2013 but I would rather have WKY, Midd Tenn or Ark St to expand our footprint. Also at this point I would rather not add another FCS team unless they are the cream of the crop.
RE: MAC/ Sun Belt Merger? - Burn the Horse - 02-12-2012 02:05 PM
well I certainly don't see MTSU, stAte, or WKU leaving the Sun Belt for the MAC, that won't happen. the MAC offers nothing that the Sun Belt cannot also offer. Both are stable leagues on equal footing, however the Belt is not overcrowded and the three of them fit our footprint better than yours.
I'd love to see a scheduling agreement. Playing two MAC schools each season for Troy's OOC schedule would be ideal. Generally, SBC teams play several SEC programs to fill our out of conference requirements, which as you'd expect has made it very difficult to compile a successful OOC run prior to league-play. I think playing MAC programs would allow our teams to secure some more wins each season.