College AD Article
Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss announce plans to leave Conference USA, sources expect the three to play in the Sun Belt next year
(02-13-2022 04:53 PM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote: [ -> ]College AD Article
Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss announce plans to leave Conference USA, sources expect the three to play in the Sun Belt next year
I wonder if this is only the beginning of Conference USA's troubles?
Wow. I would never had thought it possible to move up as a conference. The Sunbelt is becoming a quality conference, after forever being a bottom dweller.
This was decided a while back. They are leaving a year earlier which doesn’t really do anything to the conference. The other teams haven’t left for the American yet so it should be fine this season. The new teams join next season which will keep the conference alive for now.
(02-13-2022 10:49 PM)Dtownboys Wrote: [ -> ]This was decided a while back. They are leaving a year earlier which doesn’t really do anything to the conference. The other teams haven’t left for the American yet so it should be fine this season. The new teams join next season which will keep the conference alive for now.
Correct. The only thing here is they pushed up their exit by a year.
When all is said and done, the conference will lose:
UAB (AAC), FAU (AAC), Marshall (SBC), Charlotte (AAC), North Texas (AAC), Old Dominion (SBC), Rice (AAC), Southern Miss (SBC), and UTSA (AAC)
They'll add:
Jacksonville State (FCS), Liberty (Independent), New Mexico State (Independent), Sam Houston State (FCS)
They'll keep (for now):
FIU, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, UTEP, Western Kentucky
Honestly, I think all they did was put a tourniquet on it. Liberty and (probably) Sam Houston State have their sights focused a little higher than this collection of teams. Liberty has been trying to get into a conference for years and now that they get in (on the bottom rung), they'll be trying to climb.
And Sam Houston State showed they're all about football and advancing that program as they just (this year) joined the WAC and jumped ship when an FBS conference needed a slot. If SHSU can 1) continue to be good and 2) increase funds to improve their stadium they'll probably target either the Sun Belt or the Mountain West in the near future.
Geographically, the Sun Belt makes more sense and with the added schools, brings it closer in talent to the Mountain West than it has ever been. But, in 5 years, you never know how any conference is going to look.
Except the MAC.
We know exactly what the MAC is going to look like in 5 years...10 years...1,000 years.
It'll look EXACTLY the way it looks today.
Gotta love that stability....
(02-14-2022 09:05 AM)Big Red Wrote: [ -> ] (02-13-2022 10:49 PM)Dtownboys Wrote: [ -> ]This was decided a while back. They are leaving a year earlier which doesn’t really do anything to the conference. The other teams haven’t left for the American yet so it should be fine this season. The new teams join next season which will keep the conference alive for now.
Correct. The only thing here is they pushed up their exit by a year.
When all is said and done, the conference will lose:
UAB (AAC), FAU (AAC), Marshall (SBC), Charlotte (AAC), North Texas (AAC), Old Dominion (SBC), Rice (AAC), Southern Miss (SBC), and UTSA (AAC)
They'll add:
Jacksonville State (FCS), Liberty (Independent), New Mexico State (Independent), Sam Houston State (FCS)
They'll keep (for now):
FIU, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, UTEP, Western Kentucky
Honestly, I think all they did was put a tourniquet on it. Liberty and (probably) Sam Houston State have their sights focused a little higher than this collection of teams. Liberty has been trying to get into a conference for years and now that they get in (on the bottom rung), they'll be trying to climb.
And Sam Houston State showed they're all about football and advancing that program as they just (this year) joined the WAC and jumped ship when an FBS conference needed a slot. If SHSU can 1) continue to be good and 2) increase funds to improve their stadium they'll probably target either the Sun Belt or the Mountain West in the near future.
Geographically, the Sun Belt makes more sense and with the added schools, brings it closer in talent to the Mountain West than it has ever been. But, in 5 years, you never know how any conference is going to look.
Except the MAC.
We know exactly what the MAC is going to look like in 5 years...10 years...1,000 years.
It'll look EXACTLY the way it looks today.
Gotta love that stability....
There are plenty on here that dont agree with you. Many hiding that view now after the crack pipe dreams and fantasyland of the Lynch era. It's a shame that many can't enjoy what we are, what we do rather than make everything comparative and competitive to things outside their control and even the AD. Things NIU doesn't have, may fail upon. And yes I was one who thought the failure to expand the base , fill the seats was not acceptable. But then again, many left and I am not sure how long they could have held Chicagoland. In any case could have done better, but in no way ruins my experience.
Only thing I wish for is more fans at home games. And I don't let that bother me nowadays. Oh, and more Saturday home games. But that won't change, need to accept it.
I liked the 1000 years thing when they guy did it in a podcast
MAC is like cockroaches.
(02-14-2022 09:05 AM)Big Red Wrote: [ -> ] (02-13-2022 10:49 PM)Dtownboys Wrote: [ -> ]This was decided a while back. They are leaving a year earlier which doesn’t really do anything to the conference. The other teams haven’t left for the American yet so it should be fine this season. The new teams join next season which will keep the conference alive for now.
Correct. The only thing here is they pushed up their exit by a year.
When all is said and done, the conference will lose:
UAB (AAC), FAU (AAC), Marshall (SBC), Charlotte (AAC), North Texas (AAC), Old Dominion (SBC), Rice (AAC), Southern Miss (SBC), and UTSA (AAC)
They'll add:
Jacksonville State (FCS), Liberty (Independent), New Mexico State (Independent), Sam Houston State (FCS)
They'll keep (for now):
FIU, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, UTEP, Western Kentucky
Honestly, I think all they did was put a tourniquet on it. Liberty and (probably) Sam Houston State have their sights focused a little higher than this collection of teams. Liberty has been trying to get into a conference for years and now that they get in (on the bottom rung), they'll be trying to climb.
And Sam Houston State showed they're all about football and advancing that program as they just (this year) joined the WAC and jumped ship when an FBS conference needed a slot. If SHSU can 1) continue to be good and 2) increase funds to improve their stadium they'll probably target either the Sun Belt or the Mountain West in the near future.
Geographically, the Sun Belt makes more sense and with the added schools, brings it closer in talent to the Mountain West than it has ever been. But, in 5 years, you never know how any conference is going to look.
Except the MAC.
We know exactly what the MAC is going to look like in 5 years...10 years...1,000 years.
It'll look EXACTLY the way it looks today.
Gotta love that stability....
Whether it's 10 years or 1000 years in the future, Toledo will still proclaim that they have the #1 recruiting class.
(02-14-2022 09:52 AM)Schaefer Beer Wrote: [ -> ] (02-14-2022 09:05 AM)Big Red Wrote: [ -> ] (02-13-2022 10:49 PM)Dtownboys Wrote: [ -> ]This was decided a while back. They are leaving a year earlier which doesn’t really do anything to the conference. The other teams haven’t left for the American yet so it should be fine this season. The new teams join next season which will keep the conference alive for now.
Correct. The only thing here is they pushed up their exit by a year.
When all is said and done, the conference will lose:
UAB (AAC), FAU (AAC), Marshall (SBC), Charlotte (AAC), North Texas (AAC), Old Dominion (SBC), Rice (AAC), Southern Miss (SBC), and UTSA (AAC)
They'll add:
Jacksonville State (FCS), Liberty (Independent), New Mexico State (Independent), Sam Houston State (FCS)
They'll keep (for now):
FIU, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, UTEP, Western Kentucky
Honestly, I think all they did was put a tourniquet on it. Liberty and (probably) Sam Houston State have their sights focused a little higher than this collection of teams. Liberty has been trying to get into a conference for years and now that they get in (on the bottom rung), they'll be trying to climb.
And Sam Houston State showed they're all about football and advancing that program as they just (this year) joined the WAC and jumped ship when an FBS conference needed a slot. If SHSU can 1) continue to be good and 2) increase funds to improve their stadium they'll probably target either the Sun Belt or the Mountain West in the near future.
Geographically, the Sun Belt makes more sense and with the added schools, brings it closer in talent to the Mountain West than it has ever been. But, in 5 years, you never know how any conference is going to look.
Except the MAC.
We know exactly what the MAC is going to look like in 5 years...10 years...1,000 years.
It'll look EXACTLY the way it looks today.
Gotta love that stability....
Whether it's 10 years or 1000 years in the future, Toledo will still proclaim that they have the #1 recruiting class.
Yes, and the MAC will also proclaim that Toledo has the #1 recruiting class and will annually pick Toledo as its pre-season favorite to win the MAC. The MAC has already predicted the annual winner for the next 30 years......and it's Toledo!
So the MAC has now swapped places with the Sunbelt as the worst D1 conference. Everyone likes to point to the stability of the league but it’s time for some dynamic leadership to move the MAC forward. Steinbrecher has not shown the ability to be that guy. The rest of G5 are evolving and leaving the MAC behind.
(02-15-2022 11:58 AM)HuskieBowWow Wrote: [ -> ]So the MAC has now swapped places with the Sunbelt as the worst D1 conference. Everyone likes to point to the stability of the league but it’s time for some dynamic leadership to move the MAC forward. Steinbrecher has not shown the ability to be that guy. The rest of G5 are evolving and leaving the MAC behind.
IMO, the MAC has been at the bottom for a few years now. Steinbrecher's claim to "fame" (or is it "infamy"?) is his promotion of the arrangement with ESPN that has perhaps gained some national exposure but has alienated the fanbases.
(02-15-2022 12:10 PM)Dog Fan Wrote: [ -> ] (02-15-2022 11:58 AM)HuskieBowWow Wrote: [ -> ]So the MAC has now swapped places with the Sunbelt as the worst D1 conference. Everyone likes to point to the stability of the league but it’s time for some dynamic leadership to move the MAC forward. Steinbrecher has not shown the ability to be that guy. The rest of G5 are evolving and leaving the MAC behind.
IMO, the MAC has been at the bottom for a few years now. Steinbrecher's claim to "fame" (or is it "infamy"?) is his promotion of the arrangement with ESPN that has perhaps gained some national exposure but has alienated the fanbases.
Yes, the MAC has been below the Sun Belt for a few years now but with the current re-alignment, the MAC isn't the bottom conference. It has to be C-USA until proven otherwise.
(02-15-2022 12:10 PM)Dog Fan Wrote: [ -> ] (02-15-2022 11:58 AM)HuskieBowWow Wrote: [ -> ]So the MAC has now swapped places with the Sunbelt as the worst D1 conference. Everyone likes to point to the stability of the league but it’s time for some dynamic leadership to move the MAC forward. Steinbrecher has not shown the ability to be that guy. The rest of G5 are evolving and leaving the MAC behind.
IMO, the MAC has been at the bottom for a few years now. Steinbrecher's claim to "fame" (or is it "infamy"?) is his promotion of the arrangement with ESPN that has perhaps gained some national exposure but has alienated the fanbases.
Why is he still in charge? Are there not enough AD's/President's upset and have no confidence in him? What's he done to grow the MAC? We're still a 1-bid Basketball league, he's decimated attendance at football games, he's not helping schools drive revenue to improve facilities. He's basically staying the course and watching the world pass the MAC by. I was shocked that he put out a statement when NIU was denied a final play in the bowl game, he never wants to rock the boat. He's got a hard job no doubt, but that comes with the territory of being part of the G5. Grow and thrive or wither and die, and it looks like he's content to wither and die.
(02-16-2022 08:56 AM)UnknownScout Wrote: [ -> ] (02-15-2022 12:10 PM)Dog Fan Wrote: [ -> ] (02-15-2022 11:58 AM)HuskieBowWow Wrote: [ -> ]So the MAC has now swapped places with the Sunbelt as the worst D1 conference. Everyone likes to point to the stability of the league but it’s time for some dynamic leadership to move the MAC forward. Steinbrecher has not shown the ability to be that guy. The rest of G5 are evolving and leaving the MAC behind.
IMO, the MAC has been at the bottom for a few years now. Steinbrecher's claim to "fame" (or is it "infamy"?) is his promotion of the arrangement with ESPN that has perhaps gained some national exposure but has alienated the fanbases.
Why is he still in charge? Are there not enough AD's/President's upset and have no confidence in him? What's he done to grow the MAC? We're still a 1-bid Basketball league, he's decimated attendance at football games, he's not helping schools drive revenue to improve facilities. He's basically staying the course and watching the world pass the MAC by. I was shocked that he put out a statement when NIU was denied a final play in the bowl game, he never wants to rock the boat. He's got a hard job no doubt, but that comes with the territory of being part of the G5. Grow and thrive or wither and die, and it looks like he's content to wither and die.
Has NIU put themselves in a better position? It's not entirely on the MAC to gain exposure to the schools.
I can think of 20 instances where NIU has shot themselves in the foot when the brass ring was right there....and not just in athletics.
Only 20 ??? Short memory. Anyway, we should stick with more current events.
Well let's see. Athletic revenues dropped from about $27.6 million in 2015 to about $22 million or so now. NIU just flipped a home Maryland game to the road for the $$. Recently raised over $1 million but no further info on where it went. A big baseball stadium announcement never materialized. Played a bunch of big-name P5 bball games on the road (for the $$?) and got mostly flattened. Have made no facility improvements worth mentioning in the past ?? years (oh, yeah, the new Convo videoboard). And the men's restroom at Huskie Stadium is so bad even Mission II won't take a pee in there. BUT ... STF has a golf cart! And we can celebrate the 20th anniversary of not yet finishing the Convo!
(02-16-2022 08:56 AM)UnknownScout Wrote: [ -> ] (02-15-2022 12:10 PM)Dog Fan Wrote: [ -> ] (02-15-2022 11:58 AM)HuskieBowWow Wrote: [ -> ]So the MAC has now swapped places with the Sunbelt as the worst D1 conference. Everyone likes to point to the stability of the league but it’s time for some dynamic leadership to move the MAC forward. Steinbrecher has not shown the ability to be that guy. The rest of G5 are evolving and leaving the MAC behind.
IMO, the MAC has been at the bottom for a few years now. Steinbrecher's claim to "fame" (or is it "infamy"?) is his promotion of the arrangement with ESPN that has perhaps gained some national exposure but has alienated the fanbases.
Why is he still in charge? Are there not enough AD's/President's upset and have no confidence in him? What's he done to grow the MAC? We're still a 1-bid Basketball league, he's decimated attendance at football games, he's not helping schools drive revenue to improve facilities. He's basically staying the course and watching the world pass the MAC by. I was shocked that he put out a statement when NIU was denied a final play in the bowl game, he never wants to rock the boat. He's got a hard job no doubt, but that comes with the territory of being part of the G5. Grow and thrive or wither and die, and it looks like he's content to wither and die.
The ESPN contract is the best possible source of exposure for the conference. Playing games on Saturdays with (maybe) larger crowds does nothing if the games aren't on tv. Sure, maybe you could figure out a deal with CBS or NBCSports or something. But none of those networks have the all encompassing reach and exposure of the ESPN deal which televises (in some form or another...I suppose "broadcasts" is a better term) every football and basketball (men's and women's) games in the entire conference no matter the team. They also broadcast a lot of conference baseball and softball games as well as tennis, wrestling, and swimming. CBS and NBC can't offer that.
I came up with a plan 2-3 years ago to build up the four Saturday games into big deals and then take what we can get on the two weekday nights. NIU's effort? Screw up the concessions etc. for the Wyoming opener, fail to hook up with a regional car show in DeKalb on the same day (which even had a full-page ad on Northern Star Online) and send the visiting fans home in disgust (even though they won). Schaefer Beer's point is valid ... bullets, meet feet.
Anyway, back to (sort of) the OP and the MAC ... I suspicion that some MAC execs were not unhappy with MTSU getting cold feet, and that they're happy just to be what the MAC is. Other conferences are taking chances, but they're chances with good odds of success (except CUSA, which is locked in survival mode.)
On another thread, right after the WKU-MTSU flirtation, somebody gave Steinbrecher the benefit of the doubt and said no doubt he has a plan. But MAC HQ is a private entity, and just like details of the ESPN contract, they don't have to tell us a damn thing.
So all we have is us speculating, and the occasional out-of-conference troll coming on to spread false info based on "sources."
(02-16-2022 11:55 AM)pvk75 Wrote: [ -> ]Only 20 ??? Short memory. Anyway, we should stick with more current events.
Well let's see. Athletic revenues dropped from about $27.6 million in 2015 to about $22 million or so now. NIU just flipped a home Maryland game to the road for the $$. Recently raised over $1 million but no further info on where it went. A big baseball stadium announcement never materialized. Played a bunch of big-name P5 bball games on the road (for the $$?) and got mostly flattened. Have made no facility improvements worth mentioning in the past ?? years (oh, yeah, the new Convo videoboard). And the men's restroom at Huskie Stadium is so bad even Mission II won't take a pee in there. BUT ... STF has a golf cart! And we can celebrate the 20th anniversary of not yet finishing the Convo!
NIU may be the only MAC school that has not made any major facilities upgrades over the last decade. Every MAC school has either caught up to or passed NIU in athletics facilities when you consider Huskie Stadium continues to be one of the worst stadiums in FBS.
Meanwhile enrollment at the school continues to plunge and is down to 14K for spring semester. The same people have been in key roles at the university for years now, yet the school continues to drift farther down the hole. At some point you have to seriously question leadership. The MAC takes direction from the schools and when member schools are poorly run like NIU, I am not really sure what the MAC office can do to move the agenda. It’s seems like complacency and mediocrity reigns supreme across the MAC.
(02-16-2022 02:09 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote: [ -> ] (02-16-2022 11:55 AM)pvk75 Wrote: [ -> ]Only 20 ??? Short memory. Anyway, we should stick with more current events.
Well let's see. Athletic revenues dropped from about $27.6 million in 2015 to about $22 million or so now. NIU just flipped a home Maryland game to the road for the $$. Recently raised over $1 million but no further info on where it went. A big baseball stadium announcement never materialized. Played a bunch of big-name P5 bball games on the road (for the $$?) and got mostly flattened. Have made no facility improvements worth mentioning in the past ?? years (oh, yeah, the new Convo videoboard). And the men's restroom at Huskie Stadium is so bad even Mission II won't take a pee in there. BUT ... STF has a golf cart! And we can celebrate the 20th anniversary of not yet finishing the Convo!
NIU may be the only MAC school that has not made any major facilities upgrades over the last decade. Every MAC school has either caught up to or passed NIU in athletics facilities when you consider Huskie Stadium continues to be one of the worst stadiums in FBS.
Meanwhile enrollment at the school continues to plunge and is down to 14K for spring semester. The same people have been in key roles at the university for years now, yet the school continues to drift farther down the hole. At some point you have to seriously question leadership. The MAC takes direction from the schools and when member schools are poorly run like NIU, I am not really sure what the MAC office can do to move the agenda. It’s seems like complacency and mediocrity reigns supreme across the MAC.
Yes, and Athletics is bringing in a lot of money from the games at the big boy schools as well as a LOT of donations from the various donation campaigns (and auctions) they have throughout the year, plus HAF membership donations. Yet, not one penny has gone toward improving Huskie Stadium (or even buying an ample hot dog inventory). The bathrooms in Huskie Stadium are deplorable and totally embarrassing. Why not spend a few bucks and start there? But, no, let's spend the money washing STF's golf cart and spiffying it up. If the fans see STF riding around in his deluxe golf cart, they'll think we're doing well - as they run over to take a leak in the urinal trough.
This is an old topic of mine, but it's here and it's real. Beginning in the 1990s, the A.Dept. gradually took over everything ... took it away from everyone else ... the Huskie Club, student fan clubs, the athletic board, the fan advisory board, etc. Power and control are vested in the A.Dept. This is the "internalism" I always complain about ... they know what's best because they're them and only them can know what's best.
IMO, a good analogy for internalism is a "noose." By choking out people who get excited, eager and creative, pesky fresh ideas need not be dealt with. No boat rockers. When people are actively discouraged, they just attend. When they get tired of attending, they watch on ESPN. But that's ok. The empty seats don't need people. They'll always be there. Only the big donors are necessary. This is what Hollywood calls "set dressing." And ESPN gets eyeballs.
I agree with Big Red that the ESPN deal is valuable in getting as many teams on a broadcast platform as many times as possible. Realize, though, that the money the schools get is to produce that content. Nothing more, unlike other conference contracts, which bring in something extra and help them grow. The MAC swallowed the "national branding" bait hook, line and sinker. ESPN doesn't need MAC schools to grow; it just needs them to exist.
Point: wrap "the noose" around the ESPN deal and NO PLAN to maintain or boost live attendance ... and here we are. Huskie Stadium does not need fresh paint and upgrades. The Convo does not need a completed concourse. NIU can get by with the athletic facilities it has.
Back to the OP ... I support ODU, Southern Miss and Marshall (not a fan, tho; read the book "Tainted Glory ...") in their effort to tell C-USA to go pound sand. Individual schools have to do what they can to look out for themselves, and sometimes that means working over, under, around and through the conference.
My disgust with NIU is that NIU made no plan to do that when the MAC took the ESPN deal. And it still hasn't. Another discouragement: some fans, even long-timers, accept it and preach "don't worry; be happy." But if we don't keep on it, who will?
End of sermon.