What would be the reaction of NIU fans if one day this spring your president and AD held a press conference announcing that NIU and five other MAC schools were leaving the MAC to form a new conference with six schools in the south (either top Sun Belt or a mix of top Sun Belt and a move-up school)?
There's absolutely nothing brewing that I know of but it seems rather logical to take the best of the two and spread across a bigger footprint to have a bigger profile.
personally it would depend on what schools would be in this new conference. what schools exactly were you thinking?
(01-12-2014 08:13 PM)nbcards Wrote: [ -> ]personally it would depend on what schools would be in this new conference. what schools exactly were you thinking?
My rough list based primarily on TV ratings would be:
North
NIU, Bowling Green, Ball State, Toledo, Central Michigan, Western Michigan
South
Arkansas State, Louisiana Lafayette, Texas State, South Alabama, and two of New Mexico State, Troy, Missouri State.
I'm not sure that group of programs would generate enough TV money to justify either group moving out of their current, more travel friendly conferences.
If I was forming a new, all sports league with MAC schools as the core my base would be NIU, Toledo, Ohio, Buffalo, and UMass. Then I would try to take Marshall and Rice from CUSA.
I personally would have zero interest in being in a league with New Mexico State, Troy or South Alabama though. I don't think there is enough appeal outside of a program or two in the Sun Belt to make a move beyond that. Also the MAC schools you picked lack basketball appeal which I think you would need in any new league.
So maybe something like this:
NIU
Toledo
Ohio
UMass
Buffalo
Marshall
Rice
Louisiana
Arkansas State
Missouri State
There is football and basketball diversity in addition to broader geography. Would probably need another southern school or two to balance though, maybe Southern Miss. Rice brings the academic strength the MAC schools would want and Missouri State adds hoops power. Could be a well rounded league but would never happen.
Raiding C-USA is a pipe dream unless their TV deal craters.
Too much travel for the non-revenue sports for it to make sense.
(01-12-2014 09:33 PM)DogTracks Wrote: [ -> ]I'm not sure that group of programs would generate enough TV money to justify either group moving out of their current, more travel friendly conferences.
Doesn't do much to travel for the southern schools.
I just figured if anyone in the MAC had fatigue from being associated with "what more do you want? We have a team" type schools it'd be NIU.
(01-12-2014 08:39 PM)arkstfan Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2014 08:13 PM)nbcards Wrote: [ -> ]personally it would depend on what schools would be in this new conference. what schools exactly were you thinking?
My rough list based primarily on TV ratings would be:
North
NIU, Bowling Green, Ball State, Toledo, Central Michigan, Western Michigan
South
Arkansas State, Louisiana Lafayette, Texas State, South Alabama, and two of New Mexico State, Troy, Missouri State.
Bowling Green and Toledo are in the same TV market and the two schools that market supports is Ohio State and Michigan.
Using tv markets to pick G5 schools is as relevant as picking teams based on shoe size or favorite ice cream flavor.
(01-12-2014 08:39 PM)arkstfan Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2014 08:13 PM)nbcards Wrote: [ -> ]personally it would depend on what schools would be in this new conference. what schools exactly were you thinking?
My rough list based primarily on TV ratings would be:
North
NIU, Bowling Green, Ball State, Toledo, Central Michigan, Western Michigan
South
Arkansas State, Louisiana Lafayette, Texas State, South Alabama, and two of New Mexico State, Troy, Missouri State.
I don't like the idea at all but if it were to happen, I would pick Miami and maybe Ohio instead of the 2 directional Michigans.
(01-14-2014 06:44 PM)perimeterpost Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2014 08:39 PM)arkstfan Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2014 08:13 PM)nbcards Wrote: [ -> ]personally it would depend on what schools would be in this new conference. what schools exactly were you thinking?
My rough list based primarily on TV ratings would be:
North
NIU, Bowling Green, Ball State, Toledo, Central Michigan, Western Michigan
South
Arkansas State, Louisiana Lafayette, Texas State, South Alabama, and two of New Mexico State, Troy, Missouri State.
Bowling Green and Toledo are in the same TV market and the two schools that market supports is Ohio State and Michigan.
Using tv markets to pick G5 schools is as relevant as picking teams based on shoe size or favorite ice cream flavor.
He said TV ratings not market.
Also, the SEC and BigTen have just added teams based on TV markets trying to gain exposure in other large markets they didn't have before.
BigTen had Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Indy, and the two Penn cities. They've now added NYC and DC.
SEC had the southeastern states, they added KC/St. Louis and most of the state of Texas.
TV markets obviously play some role.
(01-14-2014 06:44 PM)perimeterpost Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2014 08:39 PM)arkstfan Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2014 08:13 PM)nbcards Wrote: [ -> ]personally it would depend on what schools would be in this new conference. what schools exactly were you thinking?
My rough list based primarily on TV ratings would be:
North
NIU, Bowling Green, Ball State, Toledo, Central Michigan, Western Michigan
South
Arkansas State, Louisiana Lafayette, Texas State, South Alabama, and two of New Mexico State, Troy, Missouri State.
Bowling Green and Toledo are in the same TV market and the two schools that market supports is Ohio State and Michigan.
Using tv markets to pick G5 schools is as relevant as picking teams based on shoe size or favorite ice cream flavor.
I didn't use market size. I used actual TV ratings.
And actual TV ratings is why I posted on this board because NIU draws the best TV audience of the MAC/Sun Belt followed by AState then BGSU.
The southern teams I know better so I used wider criteria.
-Texas State nestled closely between two markets with easy air access out Austin and San Antonio, great recruiting area.
-South Alabama located in another good recruiting area, where they go the GoDaddy likely follows even though they love AState. Nearest P5 school is LSU.
-Louisiana Lafayette, very successful past three years, New Orleans Bowl, OK TV draw. Makes a great travel partner for South Alabama. Easily fly into New Orleans, bus over to Lafayette, back to NO then over to Mobile.
-NMSU have to fly to El Paso. Football is dismal but they are really good in men's and women's basketball, baseball, and volleyball, so they do have a history of running their program well. Has own TV production company and will provide high def broadcast of most sports to opposing team's broadcast partners free of charge.
- Missouri State, outstanding men's basketball, even better women's basketball, very good baseball. Easy air access via Springfield and Branson airports (SW service in Branson). Renovating football stadium. Community will support strongly any sport MoSt plays well. They oddly have a strong St. Louis presence drawing more students from there than Mizzou and routinely out-recruits Mizzou there in Olympic sports other than men's basketball. Great travel partner for AState (easy bus trip).
-Troy makes a decent travel partner for USA. History of success. Downside is schools playing Troy tend to have their worst TV ratings when they face Troy.