I have been struggling to put together a post to summarize where things stand with the MAC and with MAC Report Online. I have received many inquiries from those wondering what is up with MRO so let me start there.
MAC Report Online will continue on but not under my leadership. When I started MRO six years ago I had no idea it would take off like it did and watching it, and the MAC, grow has been a tremendously satisfying experience however last year when I took a position with a newspaper in Oklahoma it made covering the MAC increasingly difficult (and it also meant giving up some lucrative freelance gigs with a couple of preseason publications). At the conclusion of the basketball season it was obvious that I could no longer dedicate the time and energy needed to do a good job of covering the MAC. Fortunately MRO has a great, dedicated staff and one of our writers, Mike Smith, has stepped forward and will be taking over the site. I have complete faith in Mike's abilities and know he will do a great job. I would just ask your patience while he gets MRO and himself up to speed. It's a big undertaking and he is planning a MAC preview after attending media day in Detroit.
Over these past six years we have worked to build the MAC's profile. Among our achievements were last year's first-ever publication that was dedicated to previewing the MAC football season and we had many, frequent radio appearances.
One of things I am most proud of was also my tenure as president of the MAC News Media Association. During my tenure we increased membership, worked for significant media benefits that enhanced coverage and provided several corporate discounts for our members. Sadly, my move to Oklahoma also meant I had to give that up as well. I have seen comments that the MNMA has dissolved. If true, this saddens me to no end. I think as we saw from MAC media day, things are changing. There was no buzz at all about media day and very, very little coverage.
My enthusiasm for the MAC's schools and teams remains. I will remain a fan and may even post an occasional column but I would be less than honest if I said I was not concerned about the current direction of the MAC. Those who constantly derided Rick Chryst are already seeing what a tremendous asset he was. Nobody ever did more to enhance the MAC's profile than Chryst and sadly, the current commissioner appears to be nothing more than a caretaker lacking insight, foresight or even a plan. He removed several good people from the MAC offices and will simply do the bidding of the presidents of the MAC who appear intent on setting the MAC back to its old days of obscurity. I truly hope I am wrong but the signs indicate otherwise.
We have already seen the MAC make the decision to scale back its mens BB tournament to campus sites once again for the first round and it is quite likely that the MAC football championship game will be moved from Ford Field in the near future back to a campus site. I have always said that if you want to be big-time you can't think small-time. Draw your own conclusions.
Sorry, I know I have rambled but let me wrap up by saying despite my concerns, I will remain a staunch supporter of the MAC schools and will follow the MAC with a passion.
It's been a pleasure getting to know many of you here and I look forward to the work Mike Smith is going to be doing over at MRO. Also, a quick tip of the hat to Nick at VanDelay and the great job he is doing as well.
(08-03-2009 09:53 AM)HuronDave Wrote: [ -> ]We have already seen the MAC make the decision to scale back its mens BB tournament to campus sites once again for the first round and it is quite likely that the MAC football championship game will be moved from Ford Field in the near future back to a campus site.
While I wouldn't say he's perfect (who is?), I did enjoy Chryst's time as commissioner, and I believe Dave when he gives his concerns about the future of the conference.
But I may be in the minority on this one, but I actually don't mind these two decisions? Yes, the big-time feel might take a hit, but I feel there is a definite "pro" to the "con" in these.
Basketball: I don't have much sympathy for the last place 12th-seeded team who doesn't get a trip to Cleveland and has to play at the favored school's packed gym. The first round is no big deal, imo. In fact, I wouldn't care if they did away with the first round altogether. Why every single team needs to be invited to post-season play, regardless of conference, is beyond me.
Football: I'm only okay with moving it back to the campus site IF the host is determined by a better record (or something similar). No rotating it among divisions and definitely no 'bidding it out' a la the Marshall years. Outdoor weather might stink, which is a drawback. But a 30K crowd in a 30K stadium has a better spark to it - and looks better on TV even if the venue is "small time" - than a 20K crowd in a 65K stadium.
(08-03-2009 09:53 AM)HuronDave Wrote: [ -> ]We have already seen the MAC make the decision to scale back its mens BB tournament to campus sites once again for the first round and it is quite likely that the MAC football championship game will be moved from Ford Field in the near future back to a campus site. I have always said that if you want to be big-time you can't think small-time. Draw your own conclusions.
I'm disappointed in this. Maybe bball can get away w/ it, but fball will start to look like Div III.
I agree w/ Dave, you can't think small-time. Additionnally, you can't just believe, "If we build it they will come." That may be Chryst's mistake, although I think he saw that there were many parties involved and they weren't pulling their weight.
20+ years following BG and the MAC, w/ 15 on-line. I don't see the committment from MAC universities to make it real. No one has addressed root causes, or efforts to build support from the ground up. No one has put plans in place for continuous improvement, to augment and leverage the occasional breakout season.
Sure, you're fighting against the Big 10, they actively work against the MAC...but MAC fans are realistic. We aren't expecting 80K attendances; we'd be pleased to see growth from 18-23K up to 28-40K. We'd be happy for an occasional Boise St type season, but also some years w/ 2-3 teams winning bowls and cracking the Top 25. We'd expect to see recruiting compete w/ the Davidsons, Gonzagas, Butlers and Utah States. We'd be happy to know that 2-bids to the Big Dance will be granted when earned, and that we'll see some occasional Sweet 16 appearances (or better).
We've seen fits and starts in this direction, but little strategy and planning to perpetuate it. I see little, if any, coordination among the leaders and the loyal fans that have stuck around for years/decades. I have seen blown opportunities, tunnel vision, and a learned sense of helplessness.
I just wanted to clarify one point since I received an update. The MAC News Media Association has not disbanded but it is in a sort of holding pattern at this time.
Frankly, with as poorly as MAC media day went, and I lay this right at the feet of the MAC,I would not be surprised to see the MAC not have future media days. What is the point when the commissioner doesn't address the media and the coaches and players just give the same, tired cliche responses? Without the commissioner addressing the media, there really is no news value to the event. It just becomes an infomercial but even then if nobody is watching or listening, what's the point?
Thanks for giving an update, Dave. I love what the MRO was trying to do and I look forward to the day when it gets back up to speed.
Steinbrecher is supposed to be big on creating an online network for the conference, like what the Horizon League has. If the "All MACcess preview" that was the media day broadcast was any indication, he has a lot of work to do. The thing was unwatchable. They cut off at 12:00, so WMU's coach and players didn't even get shown. There were more periods of the thing blanking out than actually broadcasting.
They've had an online network for the past two years, with the same company that the OVC has used. Don't know what Steinbrecher is thinking that he can improve.
(08-03-2009 09:53 AM)HuronDave Wrote: [ -> ]We have already seen the MAC make the decision to scale back its mens BB tournament to campus sites once again for the first round and it is quite likely that the MAC football championship game will be moved from Ford Field in the near future back to a campus site. I have always said that if you want to be big-time you can't think small-time. Draw your own conclusions.
I don't see Steinbrecher wanting to back down from the MAC Championship game at Ford Field. Its a huge prestige point for the conference. Marathon Oil is still in buisness and they are the title sponsor.
What is hurting the MAC right now and not really discussed is this whole SEC on ESPN power grab where the SEC has pushed the ACC, Big East, PAC-10, Big XII to the marginal TV slots. Big XII and ACC are now Thursday night ESPN leagues, that was once the slot earmarked for CUSA/MWC 10 years ago.
The MAC is lucky to be at ESPN at all and has to take what it can because of the current climate. How do the ACC and PAC-10 plan to battle this, they are talking about combining to form their own network that can offer coast-to-coast programing for a greater dollar.
What if the MAC decided to join the PAC-10 and ACC as a junior partner in this network? For example something modest like 15 football and 15 men's basketball games on this network. The MAC in return earns 5% of the TV money.
TV money comes out to 3 billion dollars, 5% of that is 150 million over say 10 years that would equal 15 million a year, better than what CUSA or MWC are currently earning with their contracts.
We have got to get creative here. Conference networks over the long haul are the way to go. I know the MAC does not have the pull regionally or otherwise to carry a network but we could junior partner in one.
Numbers posted by MattSarz are stark...if you aren't the SEC or Big Ten you won't be playing network on Saturdays:
The SEC will claim at least 15/39 (38%) of available telecast windows on ESPNU (they aren't doing any 10:30pm kickoffs) and 19/60 (32%) national windows on ESPN/ESPN2 on Saturdays (ie. not the ABC reverse mirror windows NOR Championship Saturday since the Big East will get games on that day).
Of those 60 windows (really 58 since two of those windows will be at 10pm for PAC-10 games):
19 will be SEC
22-25 will be Big Ten
4 will be Big 12
3-5 will be PAC-10 (again, knock 2 off this total)
1 ACC so far
1 Big East so far
Inside of 58 primetime windows, the SEC/BigTen will be featued on 76% of the slots. Its really pushing everyone else to the margins.
The ACC/PAC10/BigXII are talking about joining forces for a coast-coast network. You are going to start to see multiple conferences in the same deal just to stay on TV. Big East is very worried as they negotiate after the ACC in the next round of deals.
That MAC/WAC network is looking like a better and better idea all the time.
(08-03-2009 08:06 PM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]That MAC/WAC network is looking like a better and better idea all the time.
The MAC could get more money partnering in with BCS conferences than what it could do with the WAC plus the agony of getting a network like that distributed nationally.
I like the idea of going junior on a BigXII/PAC10/ACC continential sports network much more. The MAC doesn't need baseball and volleyball games on TV. It just needs to have its football/basketball product out there in a nice time slot and paid reasonably.
I've said this before, but I think the MAC has a strategic advantage as the only non-BCS conference in the Midwest-East.
Let's say you have the continential sports network...PAC10/BigXII/ACC.
Would they want MWC/WAC....PAC-10 likes to think it owns 19% of the nations TV market....they feel like they have the west covered.
Would they want CUSA/SBC.....Big XII is strong in Texas so no need for CUSA there, ACC is strong in the carolinas and florida.
Where the ACC and Big XII have little presence and face competition from the Big East is in the Midwest-East.....that is where they can bring the MAC in to cover those midwestern markets in a junior capacity and not a threat to ACC basketball like the Big East would be. The MAC could take a 20 million dollar cut out of a 400 million dollar a year network and round out the telecasts.
Then with ACC/BigXII/Pac10 also on ESPN like the MAC the existing agreements can be left in place.
The deal would elevate the MAC way over conferences like the MVC or Atlantic 10 in basketball being on the same network with the ACC and Big XII. The MAC leveraging its FBS football and location to greatly benefit hoops.
(08-03-2009 03:29 PM)HuronDave Wrote: [ -> ]I just wanted to clarify one point since I received an update. The MAC News Media Association has not disbanded but it is in a sort of holding pattern at this time.
The word "dissolved" came to me directly from Paul Vecchio, the secretary-treasurer. Maybe you heard different from someone else, but my understanding is that it's not functioning right now and won't until the end of the year.
MAC Report Online, I reckon, is going to have its best year yet. It sucks to lose Dave, but I more than suspect he'll be around, and we have great people in place. We'll be ready.
I think the MAC should partner with the Big Ten Network since its centered in the midwest. MAC could play weeknite games while Big Ten does the Saturday games. I think you move the MAC title game and MotorCity Bowl to the Big Ten Network. Instead of replays of Big Ten games they show the MAC.
(08-03-2009 10:15 PM)OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote: [ -> ]I think the MAC should partner with the Big Ten Network since its centered in the midwest. MAC could play weeknite games while Big Ten does the Saturday games. I think you move the MAC title game and MotorCity Bowl to the Big Ten Network. Instead of replays of Big Ten games they show the MAC.
I might actually watch the BT Network if that happened.
-Dan
(08-03-2009 10:15 PM)OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote: [ -> ]I think the MAC should partner with the Big Ten Network since its centered in the midwest. MAC could play weeknite games while Big Ten does the Saturday games. I think you move the MAC title game and MotorCity Bowl to the Big Ten Network. Instead of replays of Big Ten games they show the MAC.
i think id rather continue to play our weeknight games on ESPN than the BTN
(08-03-2009 10:15 PM)OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote: [ -> ]I think the MAC should partner with the Big Ten Network since its centered in the midwest. MAC could play weeknite games while Big Ten does the Saturday games. I think you move the MAC title game and MotorCity Bowl to the Big Ten Network. Instead of replays of Big Ten games they show the MAC.
It's far too late to do that now. We're stuck in our ESPN contract for the next eight years. This is why it was not good for us to make an eight-year deal. It leaves us no room to renegotiate a better deal or make a deal with another national tv network (i.e. CBS College Sports, Versus, BTN, etc.). We're stuck playing weeknight ESPNU/ESPN360 games for a LONG time for dirt cheap.
(08-04-2009 11:30 AM)Time4Church8 Wrote: [ -> ] (08-03-2009 10:15 PM)OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote: [ -> ]I think the MAC should partner with the Big Ten Network since its centered in the midwest. MAC could play weeknite games while Big Ten does the Saturday games. I think you move the MAC title game and MotorCity Bowl to the Big Ten Network. Instead of replays of Big Ten games they show the MAC.
i think id rather continue to play our weeknight games on ESPN than the BTN
We don't even play on ESPN that much. Out of 20+ MAC midweek games only five of them will be on ESPN2 this season. None will be on ESPN.
Dave and I have spoken on this topic a few times over the past couple of months and let me state here publicly that I will really miss Dave covering the MAC for The MAC Report Online. I trust he has passed this forum on to someone who is very capable of maintaining his high quality standards but no one had more passion than Dave regarding the MAC - myself included. His unbiased and very soothing writing style was something not seen by those of us who have followed this league through the years. I wish Dave well.
Under Dave's leadership as the prez of the MNMA membership actually grew, members had meeting agendas and information of what was going on and there was a tremendous amount of information sharing which was a terrific change from when I first joined in 1999. Now back under Elton Alexander's control, we've gone waaaaaaaaaay back to the days of old - no information, exclusion and secrecy. Should I have a change in career over the next few weeks that frees up my time, I just may throw my hat into the ring and try to takeover as the prez and restore many of the benefits of being a MNMA member that are now gone.
As for the new Commish, I will give him a fair chance to get acclimated and provide his view points of taking this league forward. Thus far, he seems satisfied with 'status-quo' but we'll see how things shape up over the next few months. Anyone who doesn’t believe that Rick Chryst was by far the best Commish this league has ever had is sadly misinformed.
Again, thanks Dave for an incredible job over the years covering the MAC. I hope Mike Smith continues your excellence in coverage and wish him well going forward.
Regards all;
Nick of VanDelaySports.com
(08-03-2009 10:15 PM)OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote: [ -> ]I think the MAC should partner with the Big Ten Network since its centered in the midwest. MAC could play weeknite games while Big Ten does the Saturday games. I think you move the MAC title game and MotorCity Bowl to the Big Ten Network. Instead of replays of Big Ten games they show the MAC.
Here are a couple of things we have to keep in mind John:
1) The ink on the BTN is done and dried and set in stone until perhaps 2025.
2) The MAC has exisiting scheduling agreements with the Big Ten to get on its network. This yeilds usually 4-5 games for the MAC in both basketall and football.
3) The Big Ten has no need for our markets because we are in exactly the same markets. There is no way we can help the Big Ten's market presence nationally.
What I'm proposing with the continential network is the MAC would deliver a unique set of Midwestern markets for the channel that you are otherwise not going to cover with PAC10/ACC/Big XII. With this there could be some scheduling agreements between the MAC and the PAC10/ACC/Big XII that the MAC does not currently have.
I'm sure when its said and done we are going to be left behind as usual, afterall this is the MAC and we are left waiting on the sidelines while change passes us by. That is why the MAC has been a conference since 1946 and has no autobid to the BCS.
(08-04-2009 05:50 PM)Nick in Cleveland Wrote: [ -> ]As for the new Commish, I will give him a fair chance to get acclimated and provide his view points of taking this league forward. Thus far, he seems satisfied with 'status-quo' but we'll see how things shape up over the next few months. Anyone who doesn’t believe that Rick Chryst was by far the best Commish this league has ever had is sadly misinformed.
Chryst has left the MAC in about of as good of a position as what it can possibly get.
1) New 5 year contracts with GMAC, MCB, and International.
2) Secure place in the FBS structure (no attendance rules to worry about).
3) Future of increased revenue and opportunites with the NCAA and BCS. Men's basketball has been down recently but its so low it can only go up. The minimum payout to conferences from CBS is now over 1 million.
4) League in a position to place 4-5 schools in a bowl game every year. This is big considering how shut out the MAC was in the past.
5) Football facility upgrades at most conference schools. Will payout down the line.
6) Good academics and graduation rates.
The biggest thing the MAC needs now is to be progressive and get on the conference network train before it passes us by. This TV climate especially now that the SEC/Big Ten are hoarding ESPN.