There was a article in the Louisville Courier Journal talking about Western Kentucky looking to get into the MAC.
WKU discussing move to MAC
School studying I-A football jump
By Michael Grant
mgrant@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
Western Kentucky athletic director Wood Selig said yesterday that the university has been approached by Mid-American Conference officials, who are interested in replacing schools that are leaving after this season.
A possible move from the Sun Belt Conference to the MAC has Western officials considering a jump to Division I-A, the highest level of NCAA football.
Selig said MAC commissioner Rick Chryst called him last week to request a profile on Western's athletics and academics.
The MAC is looking at schools to replace Central Florida (a football-only member) and Marshall, who are leaving for Conference USA next season. Selig intends to present MAC officials with information on Western within the next couple of weeks.
"There are a wide variety of aspects that make the MAC a very desirable league for any institution," he said. "Personally, I think the MAC is a league with considerable momentum. The football league had six bowl-eligible teams (last season) and is a top-10 basketball conference.
"It has a very attractive geographic location in respect to Bowling Green. The MAC is also blessed with deep media contracts with ESPN and Fox. It's certainly one of the more televised leagues in America."
Chryst declined to comment on what schools the MAC was considering and wouldn't confirm or deny any discussions with Western.
The Philadelphia Inquirer has reported that Temple is considering a move to the MAC for football only.
Of Western's 20 Division I programs, 18 play in the Sun Belt. The I-AA football program is in the Gateway Conference, and the men's soccer team plays in the Missouri Valley.
Western President Gary Ransdell said the Sun Belt, which sponsors I-A football, has been "exerting pressure" on Western to join the league in football but that the school has been reluctant because of financial reasons.
Ransdell said moving to I-A football might be worth it financially if it meant getting into a league such as the MAC.
"A different conference may present different revenue variables," he said.
Selig said that while a move to the MAC would provide Western with the opportunity to go to I-A football, he has not had in-depth discussions with MAC officials in regards to membership requirements. He said there might be a scenario in which Western football would stay in the Gateway.
A primary difference between Division I-A and I-AA is in football scholarships -- a limit of 85 in I-A vs. 63 in I-AA.
I-A football would require a larger budget, and I-A programs must have at least five home games against I-A opponents.
Western already exceeds the I-A requirement of sponsoring at least 16 sports, but it is 30 athletic scholarships short of the required 200 for all sports.
Selig and Ransdell declined to speculate on the cost of a move to I-A, saying only that the university is studying the issue. Western's annual athletic budget is $10.5 million with $2 million devoted to football. Selig said institutions comparable with Western spend $3 million to $5 million on their I-A football programs.
The Hilltoppers, who play football in 17,500-seat L.T. Smith Stadium, drew an average of 8,760 fans for five home dates last year. The NCAA requires teams to draw 15,000 per game to maintain I-A status, but that requirement is being reviewed.
If the requirement stays, Ransdell said the university will look into addressing the issue. But Selig is confident that there will be some sort of change.
There already are plans to renovate Smith Stadium, but any additional seating would be "modest," Ransdell said.
Chryst said I-A football has been the MAC's "history" but stopped short of saying that new members had to play I-A football.
"All members of the conference have been football members," he said. "But I don't want to speak for the group (of MAC school presidents)."
Western football coach David Elson did not return phone messages. Selig described the Western coaches in all sports as being supportive of any change that benefits the school.
But men's basketball coach Darrin Horn doesn't see the possible move to the MAC as an improvement for his program.
"I know we have to be aggressive in looking for better options," he said. "But I'm not convinced that it's the best thing for basketball" because the MAC typically gets just one bid for the NCAA Tournament.
"It would be one thing if we went to a league like the Missouri Valley," Horn said, "but the MAC is perceived to be a one-bid league. We're in a one-bid league now."
The Sun Belt hasn't received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament since Western got one in 1994, when Horn was a junior guard for the Hilltoppers.
But Ransdell and Selig see a lot of benefits. Selig pointed out the elimination of costly trips to Sun Belt members Denver, North Texas, New Mexico State and Florida International. Next season's MAC alignment will include schools in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Buffalo, N.Y.
And while football is a moneymaker for I-A institutions, Ransdell described I-AA football as "a financial disaster." When the Hilltoppers won the 2002 I-AA championship, the postseason expenses cost the program $100,000.
"You have no chance to increase your revenue capacity," he said. "Your costs simply go up. If you make it to the playoffs, it costs you money. There's no revenue sharing. You might get some TV (coverage), but there is no revenue in it. You're often paying to get on TV.
<a href='http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050217/SPORTS/502170433/1002/SPORTS' target='_blank'>http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.d...433/1002/SPORTS</a>
|