A proposed idea by on eof our editors..
"The MAC Tournament is unique as it brings the majority of MAC fanbases into one place, Cleveland Ohio. The MAC Football championship only brings two fanbases. In addition, the MAC basektball game is scheduled in advance, allowing fans time to plan their travel to Cleveland. Often times, the MAC football championship teams aren't decided until days before the championship occurs, which keeps many fans out of Detroit."
http://www.ubbullrun.com/2014/3/23/55401...ff-classic
2014: New York City (Buffalo), Cincinnati (Ohio & Miami)
2015: Cleveland (Akron & Kent), Chicago (Northern Illinois)
2016: Boston (UMass), Indianapolis (Ball State)
2017 Buffalo (Buffalo), Detroit (WMU, EMU, CMU, BGSU, Toledo)
(03-23-2014 05:31 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote: [ -> ]A proposed idea by on eof our editors..
"The MAC Tournament is unique as it brings the majority of MAC fanbases into one place, Cleveland Ohio. The MAC Football championship only brings two fanbases. In addition, the MAC basektball game is scheduled in advance, allowing fans time to plan their travel to Cleveland. Often times, the MAC football championship teams aren't decided until days before the championship occurs, which keeps many fans out of Detroit."
http://www.ubbullrun.com/2014/3/23/55401...ff-classic
2014: New York City (Buffalo), Cincinnati (Ohio & Miami)
2015: Cleveland (Akron & Kent), Chicago (Northern Illinois)
2016: Boston (UMass), Indianapolis (Ball State)
2017 Buffalo (Buffalo), Detroit (WMU, EMU, CMU, BGSU, Toledo)
Detroit could care less about mac football and with them giving the mac the boot with the bowl game I want detroit to have no more mac football opportunities. Also I hate games in nfl stadiums cmu usually only has 5 I do not want tonwaste onein detroit in a large venue with noone there
(03-23-2014 06:01 PM)cmufanatic Wrote: [ -> ] (03-23-2014 05:31 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote: [ -> ]A proposed idea by on eof our editors..
"The MAC Tournament is unique as it brings the majority of MAC fanbases into one place, Cleveland Ohio. The MAC Football championship only brings two fanbases. In addition, the MAC basektball game is scheduled in advance, allowing fans time to plan their travel to Cleveland. Often times, the MAC football championship teams aren't decided until days before the championship occurs, which keeps many fans out of Detroit."
http://www.ubbullrun.com/2014/3/23/55401...ff-classic
2014: New York City (Buffalo), Cincinnati (Ohio & Miami)
2015: Cleveland (Akron & Kent), Chicago (Northern Illinois)
2016: Boston (UMass), Indianapolis (Ball State)
2017 Buffalo (Buffalo), Detroit (WMU, EMU, CMU, BGSU, Toledo)
Detroit could care less about mac football and with them giving the mac the boot with the bowl game I want detroit to have no more mac football opportunities. Also I hate games in nfl stadiums cmu usually only has 5 I do not want tonwaste onein detroit in a large venue with noone there
"Could care less", huh? There's that CMU education!
(03-23-2014 06:15 PM)TimBuck2 Wrote: [ -> ] (03-23-2014 06:01 PM)cmufanatic Wrote: [ -> ] (03-23-2014 05:31 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote: [ -> ]A proposed idea by on eof our editors..
"The MAC Tournament is unique as it brings the majority of MAC fanbases into one place, Cleveland Ohio. The MAC Football championship only brings two fanbases. In addition, the MAC basektball game is scheduled in advance, allowing fans time to plan their travel to Cleveland. Often times, the MAC football championship teams aren't decided until days before the championship occurs, which keeps many fans out of Detroit."
http://www.ubbullrun.com/2014/3/23/55401...ff-classic
2014: New York City (Buffalo), Cincinnati (Ohio & Miami)
2015: Cleveland (Akron & Kent), Chicago (Northern Illinois)
2016: Boston (UMass), Indianapolis (Ball State)
2017 Buffalo (Buffalo), Detroit (WMU, EMU, CMU, BGSU, Toledo)
Detroit could care less about mac football and with them giving the mac the boot with the bowl game I want detroit to have no more mac football opportunities. Also I hate games in nfl stadiums cmu usually only has 5 I do not want tonwaste onein detroit in a large venue with noone there
"Could care less", huh? There's that CMU education!
Forgot the not my bad.
At first this sounded to me like a really cool idea and a neat celebration of the Conference. I wouldn't mind something like that. The MAC Basketball Tournament in Cleveland was very well done and I too was thinking it would be great to see something like that in football. Something like this could help market the Conference more, something that isn't done as well as it should. It may get fans excited for 'boring' Conference play after playing the MSUs, Virginias, Illinoiss, etc.
But there's a massive problem with it. From what I understand the article's saying, this would take place of a home game. My team WMU only had 5 home games as it was this season. To drop the number of home games to 4 is ridiculous.
(03-23-2014 06:49 PM)Bronco14 Wrote: [ -> ]At first this sounded to me like a really cool idea and a neat celebration of the Conference. I wouldn't mind something like that. The MAC Basketball Tournament in Cleveland was very well done and I too was thinking it would be great to see something like that in football. Something like this could help market the Conference more, something that isn't done as well as it should. It may get fans excited for 'boring' Conference play after playing the MSUs, Virginias, Illinoiss, etc.
But there's a massive problem with it. From what I understand the article's saying, this would take place of a home game. My team WMU only had 5 home games as it was this season. To drop the number of home games to 4 is ridiculous.
It would be an every other year "home" game so you could plan for it... But on the other side is this -
The home teams would have a cut of the ticket sales to this event. If WMU had jsut 5 home games this year you had a problem with your OOC setup..
NIU only had 5 home games and will only have 5 this coming season.
I don't think Toledo would give up a home game, unless we had the same set-up we did with Ohio State in Cleveland. So that doesn't leave many options for Toledo.
(03-23-2014 10:35 PM)utpotts Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think Toledo would give up a home game, unless we had the same set-up we did with Ohio State in Cleveland. So that doesn't leave many options for Toledo.
It's too bad that a lot of schools might not want to give up 1 home game every other year (and an October one at that) if it meant making a MAC event to really kick off conference play.
It's an interesting idea (except for including UMass).
MAC needs to try new things, and can't just be a 3rd rate copy of what the B1G and SEC do.
I'm not sure this works, but it may be worth trying for 2-3 years, and see if it gets traction.
(03-24-2014 07:39 AM)DrTorch Wrote: [ -> ]It's an interesting idea (except for including UMass).
MAC needs to try new things, and can't just be a 3rd rate copy of what the B1G and SEC do.
I'm not sure this works, but it may be worth trying for 2-3 years, and see if it gets traction.
look at the attendance when WMU played the Illness at ford field a couple yrs ago, it was abysmal. The MACC, is poorly attended. The town does not support the MAC unless it is a bowl game vs a PIG10 opponent and local MAC teams are involved OHIO/MICH.
The labor day weekend home game CMU usually hosts is some of the best weather of the season under the lights. No way would I trade that for a game at ford field.
(03-24-2014 08:26 AM)cmufanatic Wrote: [ -> ]The labor day weekend home game CMU usually hosts is some of the best weather of the season under the lights. No way would I trade that for a game at ford field.
That's not what was proposed.
You might not like it, but it's always good form to read the article and discuss the actual idea.
(03-24-2014 09:37 AM)DrTorch Wrote: [ -> ] (03-24-2014 08:26 AM)cmufanatic Wrote: [ -> ]The labor day weekend home game CMU usually hosts is some of the best weather of the season under the lights. No way would I trade that for a game at ford field.
That's not what was proposed.
You might not like it, but it's always good form to read the article and discuss the actual idea.
ok a game in october, still do not like it, and it does not appear many do either. With limited home games and if one is driving to detroit sitting in an empty stadium with no college atmosphere, i'll pass. CMU has played EMU at ford field as well, it is not fun. Attending a home game is more than just the game, it is walking around campus, going to favorite hangouts, etc.
(03-24-2014 09:59 AM)cmufanatic Wrote: [ -> ] (03-24-2014 09:37 AM)DrTorch Wrote: [ -> ] (03-24-2014 08:26 AM)cmufanatic Wrote: [ -> ]The labor day weekend home game CMU usually hosts is some of the best weather of the season under the lights. No way would I trade that for a game at ford field.
That's not what was proposed.
You might not like it, but it's always good form to read the article and discuss the actual idea.
ok a game in october, still do not like it, and it does not appear many do either. With limited home games and if one is driving to detroit sitting in an empty stadium with no college atmosphere, i'll pass. CMU has played EMU at ford field as well, it is not fun. Attending a home game is more than just the game, it is walking around campus, going to favorite hangouts, etc.
I understand that sentiment. I don't know
a priori if this would be popular or not. But don't forget, big games at neutral sites (Worlds Largest Cocktail Party, Red River Shootout) did well even w/o the campus trappings you mention.
Anyway, MAC has to do something different or unique. That's a given.
I love games in October. I love the fall backdrop of a game. I love the fall weather, it's not too hot, it's not too cold. I believe WMU only has five home games again this year. Only having five home games is bad enough, now to only have four home games... no thank you. I understand the idea behind this, but I don't see it working out either.
(03-24-2014 10:19 AM)DrTorch Wrote: [ -> ] (03-24-2014 09:59 AM)cmufanatic Wrote: [ -> ] (03-24-2014 09:37 AM)DrTorch Wrote: [ -> ] (03-24-2014 08:26 AM)cmufanatic Wrote: [ -> ]The labor day weekend home game CMU usually hosts is some of the best weather of the season under the lights. No way would I trade that for a game at ford field.
That's not what was proposed.
You might not like it, but it's always good form to read the article and discuss the actual idea.
ok a game in october, still do not like it, and it does not appear many do either. With limited home games and if one is driving to detroit sitting in an empty stadium with no college atmosphere, i'll pass. CMU has played EMU at ford field as well, it is not fun. Attending a home game is more than just the game, it is walking around campus, going to favorite hangouts, etc.
I understand that sentiment. I don't know a priori if this would be popular or not. But don't forget, big games at neutral sites (Worlds Largest Cocktail Party, Red River Shootout) did well even w/o the campus trappings you mention.
Anyway, MAC has to do something different or unique. That's a given.
agree and i appreciate the effort the writer had coming up with something unique for the conference!
The idea is not without some merit. It would need to get tweaked some: I don't see Cincinnati being a place that would draw many MAC fans even if all the games were in one location. And football in Great American Ballpark? I'm not sure that is even a possibility.
You certainly would not get many NIU and KSU fans to Cincy for their matchup when they don't draw all that well when the other visits their campuses. UMass-Miami and then 5 hours later NIU-KSU in Paul Brown Stadium? I shudder to think how few people would be in that stadium in total, let alone for either game individually.
But those are details. If sites could be found that work for the teams involved, it has some promise.
For the Chicago the closest 4 teams would be NIU/WMU/CMU/Ball St
I think the only way that CMU or Ball St fans would be interested in this in Chicago is maybe if is at Wrigley Field.
Having 2 games (11am and 5pm) with some sort of wrist band that lets you go to the bars in between games would have some additional attraction in keeping people around for both games.
I don't see more than 15k total actually showing up for 3 the out of town teams. For NIU I don't think more than 20k would show.
The only other stadium that would make sense is Toyota Park and that only holds 20k but is nowhere as a draw that Wrigley is.
I don't believe that this would be successful for several reasons, timing, weather, matchups, etc.
For something like this to work it would almost have to be the opening weekend when football fans are starving for a game. Also, weather can be unpredictable in Oct., so it would be better to do it that first weekend to "ensure" good weather. Plus, MAC matchups have a hard time selling out MAC stadiums, it isn't realistic to expect high or sellout sales for an NFL stadium.
Having a rotating "MAC Kickoff Classic" as a pseudo home game against a Cartel Conference opponent may work but it would be limited to teams with large alumni groups in that particular NFL city. It has to be worth while for the other conference, because they will have to have a strong showing for it to work. Make it so that they can sell it as a football opening weekend alumni event.
NIU has been successful with its Soldier Field games. But that's because there are so many Big Ten options with large alumni numbers in Chicago. Perhaps the New York Bulls can pull something off in Giants stadium. There has to be many Big Ten/ACC schools with large alumni groups in the NYC metro. How many UB alumni are in the NY Metro area? UMass can do this at Gillette since they are already playing many of their OOC games there and are getting "name" opponents, just label the opening game as the "MAC Kickoff Classic" every third year.
I'm not sure if there are any other teams that could pull it off. Maybe Ball State in Indianapolis, but what "cartel conference" teams have large alumni numbers in Indy? I don't think that Notre Dame has many alumni in the area and I doubt they would agree to play Ball State anyway. Do Indiana and Purdue have any fans? The problem with Ohio State is that Columbus has a larger stadium that any Ohio NFL team and OSu fans have no problem with driving to Columbus from Cleveland, Cincinnati, etc. Same thing with Detroit/Ann Arbor. Maybe Miami could play Kentucky in Cincinnati. Does Kentucky have alumni in the area?
So basically you'd be looking at alternating the "MAC Kickoff Classic" between Chicago (NIU), New York (UB), and Boston (UMass), and *maybe* Cincinnati (Miami). But even if Miami vs Kentucky worked in Cincinnati one year, you really couldn't repeat it. I can't imagine that there would be many viable options to alternate between in Cincinnati for Miami.
Let me throw something different out there...