CSNbbs

I hate to hear it, but it looks like the MAC won't be playing in the GMAC Bowl in the near future

http://www.al.com/sports/press-register/...xml&coll=3

Sounds like they didn't want MAC last year either. They were hoping for South Carolina????

I hope Chryst is starting on something, otherwise in 2010 if the Congressional Bowl fills up with Navy/Army and an ACC team, the MAC is going to be stuck with only 2 bowls and going backwards

Fine with me. I would rather play in a pre christmas bowl game than a post new year's game. With the amount of games out there and the amount of bowl eligible teams we aren't exactly going to be short on options in the future.

Talking to the Sunbelt?

Everyone of these bowls want a BCS conference because they think they will get more fans to attend the games. Doesn't sound good and I bet Airport KC is on a suicide watch.

The only reason they are talking to the Sun Belt is b/c a lot of fans can make pretty easy trips to Mobile.

Regional games are better for attendance, and less expensive to the program. The Motor City Bowl has been better for the conference than the California Bowl or Las Vegas Bowl. Eventualy the International Bowl will be proven as a better option than the GMAC Bowl. A tie in with the Congressional Bowl will be a benefit as well especially for the Eastern Schools.

How many people did NIU take to the Poinsettea Bowl and the Silicon Valley Classic? MAC fans will only travel so far in decent numbers to watch a bowl game. The GMAC Bowl was always less than an ideal option for this conference. The last two years have been awful for our relationship with the bowl. The date gives us 2 post new years games out of our 3 total games. The TV ratings are a joke and we have had our teams blown out by 2 CUSA also rans. A change is needed.

There's been talk around Boca about doing a Bowl game once FAU's Stadium is finished.Teams and fans looking for a nice area,good weather and alot of things to do in December and early January couldn't have it much nicer than here.

Once again the nearly complete lack of interest in MAC football - both nationally and within our own "fan" bases - is clearly apparent.

Nonsense. This is more a lack of interest in traveling to a very mediocre bowl venue at a poor time of year. We need a better fit for a conference tie in than Mobile Alabama. Personally I will travel to whatever bowl WMU plays in, but going to Mobile takes more effort than Detroit or Toronto and you don't get much extra for that extra effort. If I am going to take more time off of work or have to fly somewhere I would rather it be Florida or someplace nice and I would rather have it occur before or just after Christmas than I would a week after New Year's. The GMAC Bowl is just a crap bowl and we have been carrying it since its inception.

Liam9903 Wrote:How many people did NIU take to the Poinsettea Bowl and the Silicon Valley Classic? MAC fans will only travel so far in decent numbers to watch a bowl game.

We brought between 6-7,000 to the Poinsettia Bowl. I was at that game, but i can't speak for the SVCB because i did not attend that one.

It's time that the MAC get serious and start having discussions with Indianapolis. We need to have a backup because two bowls for this conference is too few. We aren't bringing as many fans because these bowl games are not in our region and they conflict with work schedules.

I don't know how the GMAC thinks they will get the Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, or Big East. The only way it happens is if one of those conferences pulls out of a game they are in right now because neither of them has the ability to fill more spots. If one of those conferences does pull out then the MAC needs to be ready to have discussions with those bowls for the spots that open up. If we want to keep this game then whoever from the MAC is invited this year needs to step up and play a good game and win and actually bring some fans. I hope its us because i know we travel well but our team has to have a big turnaround this season to get to a bowl game.

BobcatFan Wrote:Once again the nearly complete lack of interest in MAC football - both nationally and within our own "fan" bases - is clearly apparent.

The problem is lack of attendance by our guys and dismal showings the last 2 years by our Mac teams. I can see why they would look elsewhere. they are in a business. I don't know where they will get options unles the NCAA really opens things up for BCS eligibility. Its almost impossible for a BCS team not to get in.


That being said our commish has done little w/tv, bowls and most importantly refs for us. Its time to get a powerful commish, pay up and reap the investment.

Actually, I think the MAC team brought a representative number of fans to the GMAC bowl when it took place in the old time slot of prior to New Years. Obviously, Marshall travelled well to it, but I also believe that BG, Toledo, and maybe Miami all traveled well when the game was in December.

I think the killer for MAC teams has been the new change to the day or so prior to the National Championship game. I don't know for sure, but I would assume that ESPN dictated this date change to the GMAC Bowl so that MAC teams could continue to be just a time filler for ESPN.
Face it - ESPN doesn't really give a crap about the MAC, they just want a programming time slot filled. They would probably just as soon show Poker.

epasnoopy Wrote:It's time that the MAC get serious and start having discussions with Indianapolis. We need to have a backup because two bowls for this conference is too few. We aren't bringing as many fans because these bowl games are not in our region and they conflict with work schedules.

A bowl game...in Indianapolis...AWESOMO!!! YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gooch Wrote:

epasnoopy Wrote:It's time that the MAC get serious and start having discussions with Indianapolis. We need to have a backup because two bowls for this conference is too few. We aren't bringing as many fans because these bowl games are not in our region and they conflict with work schedules.

A bowl game...in Indianapolis...AWESOMO!!! YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where else in the region can we host one? Chicago is obviously a great location but we have no dome. Although, no dome may not matter since i think a lot of people would love to take a vacation to Chicago.

I suspect anyone who has been to this bowl game will realize what a tragic loss this is for the MAC. I am every so thankful to have had the opportunity to attend this outstanding event twice and both times were incredibly memorable. I've been to the MCB - and it's great, it really is - but there is no comparison between the two as far as "bowl atmosphere."

And MobileBama - it's also sad that our paths will likely not cross again. You are the best possible ambassador your city could have and I mark it as a privilege to have met you. Best of luck.

I also had a wonderful time in Mobile, much better than our following year trip to Shreveport. I am glad I went. Miami did bring a good contingent to Mobile (which helped)- who knows how many really, but the number of tickets sold through Miami was ~ 4,500. Maybe fewer came- maybe some came that weren't through the ticket office. We definetly outnumbered Louisville fans in the pregame tent wars and it seemed like in the stadium. The next year in Shreveport we probably had about 500- it was awful.

The GMAC Bowl was an excellent bowl-- but I totally agree that it was better in mid December than early January.

Thats too bad you have sent some good teams to that bowl early on. I still think you will get an at large spot every year. No way does everyone fill their spots. NIU did send a nice crowd to the poinsettia bowl. I was at that game and Im glad we played TCU early because they were on a eight cylinders at that point.

The GMAC Bowl is still a genaric title sponsor game without a signature date and a matchup with teams from CUSA. Its not exactly irreplacable. The game was nothing before the MAC and it isn't exactly destined for greatness if it can add a SunBelt team. Lets at least try and keep some perspective here.