Looking at the "new" Big East, is it any better then the MAC is right now? Plus the travel that would be involved, I don't see a single game that any NIU fan would be able to drive to for an away game, besides maybe Memphis. The MAC is the best Non-BCS conference in the country, no reason to jump ship to make a lateral move to the Big East...or whatever they call it
Houston
Boise st
Cincinatti
San diego St
Connecticut
UCF
Memphis
SMU
Navy
Leaving the MAC set back NIU's program for year's. Hope it does not happen again, unless there is a Big Ten invite.
this would be a lateral move, not an upgrade. not worth it
Are you kidding me? The teams in this conference may or may not be better, but they have name recognition. They are teams from across the country that would allow us to advance to big bowl games on a regular basis. It would give us wins against competition that people know. Sign me up right away!!!!
(12-12-2012 09:26 AM)bubbajoesam Wrote: [ -> ]Are you kidding me? The teams in this conference may or may not be better, but they have name recognition. They are teams from across the country that would allow us to advance to big bowl games on a regular basis. It would give us wins against competition that people know. Sign me up right away!!!!
Wins against our current competition put us in the Orange Bowl.. and would do so again next year under the new rules.
IF their TV money was worth millions to us
IF we were able to get our other sports in a local league that had the same if not better perception of the MAC
IF we did not have to play football on Tuesday/Wednesday nights (Thursday/Friday nights is ok)
IF 3 other MAC team like Toledo, Ball St and Miami came with us
Then and only then would I be ok with that move.
(12-12-2012 08:46 AM)Springfield Soxfan Wrote: [ -> ]Leaving the MAC set back NIU's program for year's. Hope it does not happen again, unless there is a Big Ten invite.
Leaving the MAC for being an independent was a bad idea. Leaving the MAC for a new conference could be refreshing.
The Big East is going south and we do not need to get on a train that is about to wreck...Right now the MAC is our best place
MAC..stable, getting recognition.
(12-12-2012 09:35 AM)OldTtimeNIU Wrote: [ -> ]The Big East is going south and we do not need to get on a train that is about to wreck...Right now the MAC is our best place
MAC..stable, getting recognition.
But if the BE added Toledo, BSU/WMU and maybe a MAC East team along with NIU that wouldn't be as bad.
(12-12-2012 08:35 AM)HUSKIE44 Wrote: [ -> ]Looking at the "new" Big East, is it any better then the MAC is right now? Plus the travel that would be involved, I don't see a single game that any NIU fan would be able to drive to for an away game, besides maybe Memphis. The MAC is the best Non-BCS conference in the country, no reason to jump ship to make a lateral move to the Big East...or whatever they call it
Houston
Boise st
Cincinatti
San diego St
Connecticut
UCF
Memphis
SMU
Navy
Not that those are bad programs but no reason to jump to that ship. BE will be non AQ in 14, same as the MAC. What happens to that group if the Big 10 & SEC take 2 teams each out of the ACC, which will happen it's only a matter of time. THey each want to get to 16 and that leaves the ACC at 10, they will need to add 2 to get back to 12 and those 2 will be Cincy & UConn. So that would put you in a league with Navy, 2 very good MWC Programs(SDST & Boise) along with CUSA 2.0, no thanks.
Only memphis & Cincy are within 500 miles of DeKalb and Cincy will go to the ACC the first chance they get, if there is an ACC after the Big 10 and SEC pillage it.
(12-12-2012 09:38 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote: [ -> ] (12-12-2012 09:35 AM)OldTtimeNIU Wrote: [ -> ]The Big East is going south and we do not need to get on a train that is about to wreck...Right now the MAC is our best place
MAC..stable, getting recognition.
But if the BE added Toledo, BSU/WMU and maybe a MAC East team along with NIU that wouldn't be as bad.
That's alot of if's. The ACC is going to get pillaged by the Big 10 and SEC and when that happens if the ACC is still alive it will invite UConn & Cincy. I wouldn't want to be a part of a BE with Navy, Boise, SDST and CUSA 2.0. BE would be better off adding Army and AFA(if they can get them to make the move) which would give them all 3 service academies and a significant national draw.
so essentially we want the MAC to join us in the big east. why not save the hassle and just stay in the MAC. this does not really offer much benefit, for the costs of having to travel cross country
The MAC is the strongest of the NON-AQ conferences and could cherry pick who they want.
Keep winning, dominate the MAC, and if the Big 12 wants to get in the Chicago market in 3-4 years, that would be the move if NIU wants to go "big time". Going to the Orange Bowl is going to do alot for NIU gaining more attention in the Chicago market. But no reason to jump to a conference that is going down hill in the Big East right now.
(12-12-2012 09:54 AM)HUSKIE44 Wrote: [ -> ]Keep winning, dominate the MAC, and if the Big 12 wants to get in the Chicago market in 3-4 years, that would be the move if NIU wants to go "big time". Going to the Orange Bowl is going to do alot for NIU gaining more attention in the Chicago market. But no reason to jump to a conference that is going down hill in the Big East right now.
Agreed. Also, if we bring LOTS of fans to the OB and somehow WIN, it will help a LOT.
I really don't get this big deal about being able to travel to games. Outside of WMU and Toledo(possibly BSU) do we bring more than a 100-200(200 being very generous) fans to a road game? THe point is, we don't travel well now, what difference will it possibly make if we play teams farther away? THat said, I don't think the BE is a good move for us in football(all sports may be another story but there is still the chance a number of the b-ball teams leave down the road and make it a not-so-good move).
Overall, I think we should stay in the MAC.
I'd rather leave the MAC and join the new conference, if all the remaining teams in the current Big East stay and the conference is no longer called the Big East. Haha You can move all the non-football programs to the Horizon League maybe.
Games against Boise State, SD State, Cincinnati etc, year in and year would be much better. ECU, UCF, SMU, Houston all have great programs. They might not all be at their best right now, but playing those teams will still always be better than playing Akron, EMU, CMU etc.
One has to believe that the Big East will get a better TV deal than the MAC too. More money for NIU, most likely more TV games, Thur. night slots instead of Tue/Wed (which is a huge difference)..
And I believe a committee picks the Group 5 BCS team, so they don't necessarily have to take the highest ranked team. That committee might take SOS into effect more than anything.
A lot of things have to fall in place for it to be a good move, but I would definitely be all for it.
(12-12-2012 09:30 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote: [ -> ]IF their TV money was worth millions to us
IF we were able to get our other sports in a local league that had the same if not better perception of the MAC
IF we did not have to play football on Tuesday/Wednesday nights (Thursday/Friday nights is ok)
IF 3 other MAC team like Toledo, Ball St and Miami came with us
Then and only then would I be ok with that move.
This. It's not clear how much the TV contract will be worth, but even after these defections it could still be several million per year for the athletic department (as opposed to $100k/year for the MAC TV contract). If that's the case, you have to entertain an offer, even if it's football-only. Move the other sports to the Horizon, if they'll take us. (If not, Ohio Valley or Summit would be willing.)
The instability obviously throws a wrench in this, but you can't pretend to know how this will play out. The ACC has rejected Cincy and UConn. We know that. There are rumors that GA Tech and VA are going to the Big Ten, but they are being denied. If that happens, then Cincy and UConn to the ACC is very likely. But it's very possible that the Big Ten decides it has enough teams and is becoming too unwieldy or as Nate Silver put it, is becoming too diluted. If the game of musical chairs ends here, NIU has to consider the BE.
Unfortunately, the gulf between the haves and have-nots in college athletics is widening, mostly thanks to TV. The Big Ten Network is driving this expansion, and it's growing by leaps and bounds, pouring tens of millions into each of its schools' coffers. The time might not be too far off when MAC coaches leave to become Big Ten assistants. If NIU had aspirations of being a major player, it has to find the revenue to keep up. The failed 1980s independent venture just isn't applicable.
(12-12-2012 09:54 AM)HUSKIE44 Wrote: [ -> ]Keep winning, dominate the MAC, and if the Big 12 wants to get in the Chicago market in 3-4 years, that would be the move if NIU wants to go "big time". Going to the Orange Bowl is going to do alot for NIU gaining more attention in the Chicago market. But no reason to jump to a conference that is going down hill in the Big East right now.
+1
The MAC is terrible, but so is the Big East.. They no longer have automatic qualification when the playoffs start in 2014, they are group with the rest of the non-aq conferences..
In 3-4 years there will be 4-5 super conferences..PAC, SEC, ACC,
BIG 10, BIG 12...hopefully we can get in on the BIG 10 or Big 12 when that happens.
(12-12-2012 10:44 AM)cartershaw Wrote: [ -> ] (12-12-2012 09:54 AM)HUSKIE44 Wrote: [ -> ]Keep winning, dominate the MAC, and if the Big 12 wants to get in the Chicago market in 3-4 years, that would be the move if NIU wants to go "big time". Going to the Orange Bowl is going to do alot for NIU gaining more attention in the Chicago market. But no reason to jump to a conference that is going down hill in the Big East right now.
+1
The MAC is terrible, but so is the Big East.. They no longer have automatic qualification when the playoffs start in 2014, they are group with the rest of the non-aq conferences..
In 3-4 years there will be 4-5 super conferences..PAC, SEC, ACC,
BIG 10, BIG 12...hopefully we can get in on the BIG 10 or Big 12 when that happens.
Not a way in the world the BIG10 would want us.
We compete for the same/similar fans for attendance, television etc and same primary geo area (midwest) for recruits.