Link: <a href='http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/knights/orl-sptucf11081103aug11,0,775041.story?coll=tf-main-sports' target='_blank'>UCF, MAC discuss future</a>
At least we now know what Wednesday's meeting was about.
Essency,
Thanks for the link. Personally I don't know why the MAC just didn't bring in UCF initially as an all-sports member anyhow. I hope everything works out for the Knights, whether it be in the MAC, the BigEast or elsewhere. It is nice to see a fellow MAC program with a mindset of continually moving their programs up to the next level.
Thanks for the informative article, Essency.......I was wondering what transpired in that "emergency" meeting as it was called in some quarters.
Makes sense for both the MAC and UCF to develop a "fall back" position of sorts......obviously UCF would be more interested in the BE and maybe even a C-USA offer. (although C-USA may still implode if TCU opts for the MWC).
Also, I suspect this is partially about keeping Marshall happy if the BE goes for a limited invite (as I am guessing) of just UL and UC for football, and hence C-USA will quickly "come-a-calling" on Marshall and UCF. I know many Marshall fans (notably their ESPN Regional guy) are still enamored with C-USA, with or without UL and UC. I think their mantra is "Anything but the MAC". But, I suspect it's far more complicated when the folks that matter (i.e. Herd administration) look at a league where the nearest rival is probably over 500 miles away, and the best 2 potential rivals (save ECU if they stay) are gone. In such an instance, the MAC will want UCF lined up to stay as Marshall likes their "down south" exposure.
You also have to wonder if Chryst is considering the possibilities of losing one or two MAC football programs to the new legislation on attendance. At the end of the day, although many pundits (here and elsewhere) have said that the MAC may lose up to 3 or 4 programs, I guess I don't see it. There certainly are a couple in jeopardy, and if they leave the MAC may look soutward (i.e. WKU and MTSU or something).
Again, personally I'd like to see the MAC have a max number of members at 12, but as you've all noted the last time I checked I wasn't in charge.
I say, let's kick Buffalo out and pick up Boston College...
What I'd like to see is for both UCF and South Florida to be in the MAC for at least football and basketball. That would cement the presence of the MAC in Florida and perhaps reduce travel expenses for UCF and South Florida. I was surprised to see in the article that joining the MAC for all sports would only increase travel expenses by $300,000.
It's good to see that Chryst and the MAC are hard at work on maintaining and improving their status. I have a feeling that the MAC may come out of all this realigning stronger than it is now.
I wonder if Chryst has a long-term strategy of possibly picking up ECU, USF and maybe USM to give the MAC a true southern division.
Saying Kent and EMU leave and ECU/USF join:
MACWest:
Miami
Central
Western
Toledo
BowlingGreen
BallSt
Northern ILL
MACEast:
Marshall
Ohio
East Carolina
South Florida
Buffalo
Akron
Central Florida
Now, there is an interesting perspective Kit... one conf. 3 divisions... East, West, South... hmmmmm.... is that even feasible?
Actually, it would have to be four divsions if it will work... Mich and oh make up the north div. you then have the lower part of ohio, wv and florida with the south... then inidana and the like make up the west with the rest in the east... then, have two play off games raking in the bucks for the MAC... :rofl: :rofl:
Santa Fe Falcon Wrote:What I'd like to see is for both UCF and South Florida to be in the MAC for at least football and basketball. That would cement the presence of the MAC in Florida and perhaps reduce travel expenses for UCF and South Florida. I was surprised to see in the article that joining the MAC for all sports would only increase travel expenses by $300,000.
It's good to see that Chryst and the MAC are hard at work on maintaining and improving their status. I have a feeling that the MAC may come out of all this realigning stronger than it is now.
And the reality is that if they join either CUSA or the Big East that those costs are going to go up just as much, although just a little less with CUSA considering a bus trip to USF.
Again, it may very well depend on the new amendment that the MAC has offered (e.g. qualify once every 3 years on 15K home attendance and get one year probation before getting kicked down a notch), but I have this feeling that Kent will somehow find a way to survive at the IA level..........it's EMU and Buffalo that are in the most trouble, and I say that because that they just aren't very competitive right now........if they don't start winning a few games, it'll be very tough to get their fan base and alumni "fired up" about getting 15K into the stadium every week.
As for ECU, KC......they are in a difficult geographic "spot", 'cause if UL and UC leave C-USA (while the hoops schools like UC-Charlotte peel off), they are kind of marooned over there on the Atlantic Coast. Not sure hooking up with the MAC would do much for them, though. If C-USA broke up, USF would be a nice option, but if the "southern" wing of C-USA (i.e. Tulane, Houston, So. Miss, etc.) hangs together, I sense that USF will feel that it would still be a better geographic fit. It would be pretty cool to have both UCF and USF in the same conference, though, but that could end up being C-USA as easily as the MAC.
In no particular order:
-- South Florida considers the MAC and Central Florida football second rate and would never join the MAC without options it perceives as better.
-- An advantage the MAC has is cheap travel expenses. We need to keep that in mind as we talk about expanding all over the map. If a lone C-USA school is in search of a hmoe, maybe that would make sense. But we shouldn't radically remake a conference that has done just fine for 50 years.
-- Buffalo will be fine through 2006. It hosts Syracuse next year.
Thanks, Schadenfreude.......didn't realize that Buffalo had a home game 'gainst 'Cuse next year......what a coup! That game will have over 40K easy, and will allow them to hang in there a few years as you suggest. Oh well......maybe we're back to worrying just about EMU, Kent and Akron, at least in the near term.
FYI
Buffalo has future home games with Temple, Rutgers, Syracuse, UConn & Boston College. Those are good games with Eastern recognition for UB.
Wow...those are some good home games to use as a tool in recruiting. I think Buffalo's football program will begin to emerge and compete in the MAC.
that would mean Buffalo would need a stadium that seats 40,000 which they dont have... 31,000 is the capacity...
<a href='http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/venues/stadium.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/venues/...s/stadium.shtml</a>
**FYI
Buffalo has future home games with Temple, Rutgers, Syracuse, UConn & Boston College. Those are good games with Eastern recognition for UB. **
Wow, so bascially the entire big east will get a chance to embarrass Buffalo... excellent... DOH!!! :rolleyes:
redskins4ever Wrote:that would mean Buffalo would need a stadium that seats 40,000 which they dont have... 31,000 is the capacity...
<a href='http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/venues/stadium.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/venues/...s/stadium.shtml</a>
What about the possibility of temporary seating and standing room only?
The Glass Bowl seats 26,248 but we can fit over 36,000 when we add temporary bleacher seating in the one end zone and when you figure in standing room only.
I have no idea why we are talking about this, but UB's largest home crowd EVER was 22K. If and when they start to exceed the 31K capacity, then I'm sure they will look at some additional seats being added. Considering the track around the field, there is a ton or room for "standing room only" if ever needed. First thing first though, they need to start winning, then they can get some fan support.
Schadenfreude Wrote:In no particular order:
-- South Florida considers the MAC and Central Florida football second rate and would never join the MAC without options it perceives as better.
-- An advantage the MAC has is cheap travel expenses. We need to keep that in mind as we talk about expanding all over the map. If a lone C-USA school is in search of a hmoe, maybe that would make sense. But we shouldn't radically remake a conference that has done just fine for 50 years.
Yes the odds are extremely remote for USF or ECU to join the MAC, simply because CUSA has more TV money, better located geographically for bowls, and more NCAA tourney money. CUSA would have to litterally break apart for those schools to join.
I'll try an estimate the odds for UCF in the MAC all-sports:
Assumption 1: UofL and UofC are the first canidates for the Big East. That would mean in the most conservative expansion model (The Big East just adding the Cards and Bearcats), there would be no room for a school like UCF. Even if they go to 16, with split basketball and football divisions, they won't need UCF.
Assumption 2: The serious canidates for the 3rd Big East Football slot are in no particular order, Temple, Memphis, East Carolina, UCF, and USF. Navy will only be added if the Big East goes to 10 for a playoff game.
Assumption 3: If USF goes to the Big East, UCF moves to CUSA. CUSA will need a presence in Florida without USF, and will look at UCF before FAMU because of the better all-sports/budget of UCF.
I'm going to estimate the odds of the Big East only adding two football schools at 25%. Then considering an equal probability of the Big East taking any of the canidates, it gives UCF a 2 out of 5 shot of moving on to either the Big East or CUSA.
So UCF has a 3/4 x 2/5=6/20=3/10=30% chance of moving up to either the Big East or CUSA.
Thus a 70% chance of accepting a MAC all-sports membership.
2003 is going to be a poor attendance year for KSU. YSU will draw better than 15K, dare I say near 20K. However, the rest of the home schedule does not bode well. UCF and Bufallo will not draw well. Blowouts at Pitt and PSU will not help things either...
2004 looks like a good potential year for attendance based on prospective opponents: Akron, Marshall, OU, and probably BG. It will depend on how competitive they are in 2003 and if they can get off their arses and market a little.
We'll see... :rolleyes: