U Mass, Delaware, Villanova, any others?

I vote UMASS

UMASS would give the MAC the flagship public unversity in a top 20 state in terms of population. Adding UMASS to Buffalo and Temple would strengthen the conference's presence in the eastern US and possibly get MAC football in the Springfield and Boston TV markets which are very desireable ones to have.

(02-07-2010 06:26 PM)onlinepole Wrote:  UMASS would give the MAC the flagship public unversity in a top 20 state in terms of population. Adding UMASS to Buffalo and Temple would strengthen the conference's presence in the eastern US and possibly get MAC football in the Springfield and Boston TV markets which are very desireable ones to have.

I don't want to hijack this thread, but should ESPN agree to renegotiate or up the ante if Temple continues to win and draws very big ratings in Philly?

Temple gives the MAC the possibility of some really nice ratings in Philly if Temple becomes a top 25 caliber team.

If we have to add another team, instead of drop one (my preferred option), it would have to be football only unless the MAC office can convince both teams to join for all sports at the same time, which is unlikely.

UMass is a good choice in a vacuum, but they're overshadowed by Boston College and the most rabid pro sports market in the country.

Delaware is a good option, but only for football. They're pretty much awful across the board in all other sports.

Villanova won't join the MAC for football. It's Big East or nothing. The only way they come to the MAC is if the Big East mandates it to prepare them for the jump into their conference. Plus, they don't bring anything that we don't get already from Temple.

Illinois State will be a good candidate once they finish their stadium upgrades, and helps draw in more of the Chicago market.

UMass is a large U. about 90 miles from Boston.

I'd have to know where their students and alums are located.

If they are largely from Mass, and Boston area, specifically, then UMass would be an interesting candidate.

I assume UMass could compete in the Boston market vs BC just like UofM and MSU share the Detroit TV market.

Nobody in Boston cares about UMASS, its a pro-sports town. They get little to zero coverage in local media or the Boston Globe. They barely care about BC and they even have a Green Line stop down the way from Fenway Park and Havard. UMASS would be a lateral move to a poor move. Their stadium looks more like a high school football field, than BG. Their basketball program hasn't been the same since the cheating coach left for Memphis. The only sport they bring to the table with some sort of relevance is Hockey and i'm sure they will keep that in Hockey East. MAC would gain very little from UMASS and lose a whole lot of money traveling there.

(02-07-2010 07:59 PM)utpotts Wrote:  Nobody in Boston cares about UMASS, its a pro-sports town. They get little to zero coverage in local media or the Boston Globe. They barely care about BC and they even have a Green Line stop down the way from Fenway Park and Havard. UMASS would be a lateral move to a poor move. Their stadium looks more like a high school football field, than BG. Their basketball program hasn't been the same since the cheating coach left for Memphis. The only sport they bring to the table with some sort of relevance is Hockey and i'm sure they will keep that in Hockey East. MAC would gain very little from UMASS and lose a whole lot of money traveling there.

Potts, you just aren't thinking there, Bud. We beat them last year. In basketball. MEN'S basketball. We NEED them in the MAC. NEED them.

(02-07-2010 08:21 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(02-07-2010 07:59 PM)utpotts Wrote:  Nobody in Boston cares about UMASS, its a pro-sports town. They get little to zero coverage in local media or the Boston Globe. They barely care about BC and they even have a Green Line stop down the way from Fenway Park and Havard. UMASS would be a lateral move to a poor move. Their stadium looks more like a high school football field, than BG. Their basketball program hasn't been the same since the cheating coach left for Memphis. The only sport they bring to the table with some sort of relevance is Hockey and i'm sure they will keep that in Hockey East. MAC would gain very little from UMASS and lose a whole lot of money traveling there.

Potts, you just aren't thinking there, Bud. We beat them last year. In basketball. MEN'S basketball. We NEED them in the MAC. NEED them.

So you want them in the MAC for b-ball because they would be the only team in the MAC you can beat on the b-ball court?
Actually, why add a 14th team? Toledo is planning on picking up and jumping ship when C-USA comes calling again. Maybe we just kick them out early?

Just messing with you Toledo guys. UMass definately has potential. Just no so sure they would want to join the MAC for any sport.

Temple is far enough east. I would prefer a Gateway school that wants to be FBS. I think we could see Temple moving out at least before any of that certification would go through.

Notre Dame.

(02-08-2010 02:36 AM)KStud Wrote:  I think we could see Temple moving out at least before any of that certification would go through.

With expansion by the Big Ten on the horizon, discussion of a 14th is IMO a dead discussion.

Quit with the East Coast bias. Seriously, you think UMass or Delaware is going to accept an offer to join the MAC? :muttering:

Invite in order:
Illinois State
Southern Illinois
Indiana State (don't laugh!)

Yes I am aware of the pros and cons. You're looking for #14, well here are three viable options. These are honest schools with potential. Hell, for as good as NIU has been in MAC football for a decade, we sweat most games against SIU. We've had ISU's number for a while, but that school is (seemingly) committed to bringing their Athletics to a higher level. And Indiana State, well geographically they are perfect MAC material. The MAC has extended invitations to athletically struggling schools before (NIU and Buffalo) so there is no reason to stop what has worked in the past.

Stop kicking around east coast schools, we are a midwestern conference regardless of our (probably temporary) inclusion of Buffalo and Temple.

We should invite and mentor a midwest D-1AA school that will commit longterm to the MAC.

SIU or Northern Iowa

(02-07-2010 07:59 PM)utpotts Wrote:  Their stadium looks more like a high school football field, than BG.

Has Toledo gotten rid of the chicken-coop wire fencing on the visitors side yet? Don't talk smack about stadiums when your own is nothing to brag about (yes, the home side and the end zones are fine, but the visiting side reminds me of Brookhaven High School)

(02-08-2010 10:53 AM)Pulltown Falcon Wrote:  

(02-07-2010 07:59 PM)utpotts Wrote:  Their stadium looks more like a high school football field, than BG.

Has Toledo gotten rid of the chicken-coop wire fencing on the visitors side yet? Don't talk smack about stadiums when your own is nothing to brag about (yes, the home side and the end zones are fine, but the visiting side reminds me of Brookhaven High School)

And the Dolt reminds me of Rogers High School. As old as the glass bowl is, it still has more personality and character than BG's glorified High School football field. BG can build as many buildings around the Dolt as they want, it will still be a glorified High School Football field with ZERO personality.
I would keep praying BG's president doesn't decide to kill hockey and drop football to D2 to save some money.

(02-07-2010 06:26 PM)onlinepole Wrote:  UMASS would give the MAC the flagship public unversity in a top 20 state in terms of population. Adding UMASS to Buffalo and Temple would strengthen the conference's presence in the eastern US and possibly get MAC football in the Springfield and Boston TV markets which are very desireable ones to have.

=>And we change what MAC stands for to the Mid-Atlantic Conference!

Why call a league with a regional title anymore?

-Is SEMO in the Ohio Valley?
-Is Indiana State in the Missouri Valley?
-Is St. Louis, Xavier, and Dayton on the Atlantic seaboard?
-Is Marquette, Notre Dame, Depaul, and Cincinnati in the East?
-Is NJIT (New Jersey school) or Chicago State in the West (in league called Great West)?
-Is Louisiana State in the Southeast and if so, is Louisiana Tech in the West?
-Is Marshall in the USA?

If not for a 'no' vote from an interim president, Western Kentucky would have been the MAC's 14th member and we would not be entertaining endless discussions like this. Too bad, WKU would have been a solid addition.

=>WKU would have made the MAC a mutha of a bball conference. Imagine if Temple and SIU had joined as well as has been rumored/discussed.

(02-08-2010 11:13 AM)utpotts Wrote:  And the Dolt reminds me of Rogers High School. As old as the glass bowl is, it still has more personality and character than BG's glorified High School football field. BG can build as many buildings around the Dolt as they want, it will still be a glorified High School Football field with ZERO personality.
I would keep praying BG's president doesn't decide to kill hockey and drop football to D2 to save some money.

Don't worry about the BG "glorifed High School football field" or us dropping down to D2. Worry more about the teams you put on the field against us.

(02-08-2010 10:33 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  SIU or Northern Iowa

Northern Iowa is beginning to discuss dropping their Football program altogether or going the non-scholarship route.