(08-07-2016 07:09 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Sadly football isn't the motivator for conferences. Market. Academics. All sports. Etc. factor in. If it was just football, Toledo and NIU might be in the Big10. Colorado might be in the MWC. NDSU would be in the MAC. Boise State would be in the PAC12.

No way the AAC likes Toledo's academics, or NIU in basketball enough to take either right now.

The first part is why Akron has just as good of a shot as any MAC school to get an invite.

Market: Akron-Canton alone is about the size of Buffalo. That's not even counting the Cleveland portion. Plus, the AAC is gonna want to remain in Ohio if it loses Cincy. Why not take a school in Ohio's largest market.

All sports: Akron is tops in the MAC, with the most ready men's hoops program to make the leap, among others.

Academics: No real difference between Akron, NIU or Toledo. Really only Buffalo and Miami stand out, and Miami isn't getting the nod, especially if Cincy is B12 bound.

Depending on what what happens with the B12 and what the AAC decides to do, there could be as many as three MAC schools the AAC could decide to take. In no order, I think the top three is Akron/NIU/Buffalo. ... Toledo and Ohio in the next tier.

(08-07-2016 11:37 PM)Wadszip Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 07:09 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Sadly football isn't the motivator for conferences. Market. Academics. All sports. Etc. factor in. If it was just football, Toledo and NIU might be in the Big10. Colorado might be in the MWC. NDSU would be in the MAC. Boise State would be in the PAC12.

No way the AAC likes Toledo's academics, or NIU in basketball enough to take either right now.

The first part is why Akron has just as good of a shot as any MAC school to get an invite.

Market: Akron-Canton alone is about the size of Buffalo. That's not even counting the Cleveland portion. Plus, the AAC is gonna want to remain in Ohio if it loses Cincy. Why not take a school in Ohio's largest market.

All sports: Akron is tops in the MAC, with the most ready men's hoops program to make the leap, among others.

Academics: No real difference between Akron, NIU or Toledo. Really only Buffalo and Miami stand out, and Miami isn't getting the nod, especially if Cincy is B12 bound.

Depending on what what happens with the B12 and what the AAC decides to do, there could be as many as three MAC schools the AAC could decide to take. In no order, I think the top three is Akron/NIU/Buffalo. ... Toledo and Ohio in the next tier.

Nothing to really argue there. Toledo's athletes do lead the pack as far as grades go though. MAC's 1st, 2nd best APR?

Toledo may not have a "market," but we do have a city, unlike anyone but Akron and UB in the MAC. We also have a top25 attended women's basketball program. No that doesn't mean a whole lot but it shows that fans support Toledo's athletics. Men's basketball and football also do a good job at showing off the fans. We don't have games under 12k, and even in years where football was at it's lowest popularity Toledo averaged in the high teens in thousands. NIU has won the West 6 seasons in a row and can't get fans in the stands... That's partly a midweek game problem, and partly a scheduling problem, but still.

Ohio and Toledo are the most attractive fan bases for the move.

(08-07-2016 10:29 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 10:21 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 10:09 PM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 07:09 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Sadly football isn't the motivator for conferences. Market. Academics. All sports. Etc. factor in. If it was just football, Toledo and NIU might be in the Big10. Colorado might be in the MWC. NDSU would be in the MAC. Boise State would be in the PAC12.

No way the AAC likes Toledo's academics, or NIU in basketball enough to take either right now.

NIU Mens Basketball just had a 21-win season and saw post-season play in the Vegas 16....

Cool, we've had 5 consecutive above .500 seasons including 2014 where we won the league reg season title and had 27 wins. That's not the type of success UConn, UC, or Tulsa care's about right now. We haven't been to the dance since 1984. They want NCAA tourney teams. At least teams who have done it kind of recently. If you're not winning the 14th best conference, you're not good enough for basketball in the AAC.
Oh, and our women's team had more on their worst attended game than NIU's men average. Have you ever seen a UConn basketball game???

It's a shame Toledo isn't in any solid metro DMA, like sayyyyy, the number 3 in the nation?

#AyyyyyyyMustBeTheMarket

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

There are plenty of holes that can be picked at NIU and its market.

1. 65 miles west of Chicago (which, population wise, is a north/south-heavy city)

2. Northwestern (B10) is directly in the market. While on the surface, Northwestern isn't that fierce of competition, you then have that Chicago is the epicenter of the Big 10 ... tons of Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan State, Iowa, etc., fans.

3. Even with the Big Ten presence, Notre Dame football is probably Chicago's most popular college team (and it's only 30 miles further from downtown Chicago as NIU.)

Yeah, it's a huge market, but once you look deeper, it's more complicated than just saying "Chicago" for NIU.

Akron is in crisis mode in terms of finances and enrollment. They aren't really a candidate a bigger conference would be interested in until they solve their significant problems. Their last president hire was a disaster (cue Toledo fans: "I told you so!"). They also need to have some success in basketball and football on the national stage.

(08-08-2016 08:10 AM)axeme Wrote:  Akron is in crisis mode in terms of finances and enrollment. They aren't really a candidate a bigger conference would be interested in until they solve their significant problems. Their last president hire was a disaster (cue Toledo fans: "I told you so!"). They also need to have some success in basketball and football on the national stage.

You said it, not me...

But i agree 100%

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

My feelings are that the MAC and CUSA have some deserving programs............if they want to chance it going to the AAC. Personally I don't think I would at this point. Have to know who is leaving and what that means to their TV renegotiations. The AAC is going to want to bring in programs that can minimize loss of revenue. Who those programs would be is anyone's guess.

Here is what I think, I think CUSA needs to drop ALOT of dead weight, MAC needs to do the same. Akron needs to get with the times and find some support and fill that nice stadium, it would be a shame to have to go to FCS with a quality new FBS stadium. EMU is too far gone. With some speculation that some schools may have to drop due to cost of attendance issues, it may be best to go after Marshall, MTSU, WKY. I would say USM as well but I am not sure they would want to move north like UCF was willing to do many moons ago. Imagining a conference with Toledo, Marshall, WKY, MTSU, Ohio, NIU, BGSU, WMU etc, looks like a very solid G5 and potentially one of the best. Not saying those teams would say yes at this point but what would it hurt, I personally don't think the tv will be any better after the 2 year deal is up for CUSA and some schools like mentioned above will have to re-evaluate its membership? If the AAC loses 4 teams and we can guess pretty accurately who they would be, the AAC loses a lot of its luster and in return would do a lot of damage to its conference revenue.

The MAC should do what CUSA should have done when the Big East was imploding. Hold tight, make them come to you instead of teams leaving for them. CUSA would not be in its current situation had those teams stood their ground instead of chasing a one year BCS auto bid and would have had the upper hand. I don't see NAVY sticking around in that scenario, so might as well say they would lose 5 is B12 takes 4. Maybe if they con ARMY into coming they would stick around but I am pretty sure ARMY likes being independent.

Just a question on my part, but what schools in the MAC are in danger of having to move down? Just curious.

(08-08-2016 08:10 AM)axeme Wrote:  Akron is in crisis mode in terms of finances and enrollment. They aren't really a candidate a bigger conference would be interested in until they solve their significant problems. Their last president hire was a disaster (cue Toledo fans: "I told you so!"). They also need to have some success in basketball and football on the national stage.

Financially, yes, Akron has things to figure out. But it still has an endowment that towers over Kent State, so it's not exactly a school that is in a position where its issues are unfixable. Plus, a lot of the financial debt was due to building athletic facilities. If other schools (I'll look to Kent) want to build similar facilities, it would also have to incur some of the same debt that Akron did.

Enrollment wise, it's not black and white. Yes, it's down. But some of that is by design. Under Proenza, Akron was always among the fastest growing schools in the state, getting up to over 30,000 (on main campus) as part of the Vision 2020 plan to increase enrollment to 40,000 by accepting anybody with a pulse.

Not that the new standards are now much rigorous, but it is someone closed enrollment (70 percent acceptance compared to nearly 100 percent 10 years ago). There are thousands of students that would've been accepted straight into main who now either have to go the branch route, or one of the college prep placement programs before they can get in.

That has been part of the enrollment decrease (though the two years of bad Scarborough publicity hasn't helped anything). If the school can get a sound president, maintain 25,000 enrollment and be able to retain a greater percent of those students, the school will be just fine. But there are some major ifs there.

(08-08-2016 12:08 PM)herdinva Wrote:  My feelings are that the MAC and CUSA have some deserving programs............if they want to chance it going to the AAC. Personally I don't think I would at this point. Have to know who is leaving and what that means to their TV renegotiations. The AAC is going to want to bring in programs that can minimize loss of revenue. Who those programs would be is anyone's guess.

Here is what I think, I think CUSA needs to drop ALOT of dead weight, MAC needs to do the same. Akron needs to get with the times and find some support and fill that nice stadium, it would be a shame to have to go to FCS with a quality new FBS stadium. EMU is too far gone. With some speculation that some schools may have to drop due to cost of attendance issues, it may be best to go after Marshall, MTSU, WKY. I would say USM as well but I am not sure they would want to move north like UCF was willing to do many moons ago. Imagining a conference with Toledo, Marshall, WKY, MTSU, Ohio, NIU, BGSU, WMU etc, looks like a very solid G5 and potentially one of the best. Not saying those teams would say yes at this point but what would it hurt, I personally don't think the tv will be any better after the 2 year deal is up for CUSA and some schools like mentioned above will have to re-evaluate its membership? If the AAC loses 4 teams and we can guess pretty accurately who they would be, the AAC loses a lot of its luster and in return would do a lot of damage to its conference revenue.

The MAC should do what CUSA should have done when the Big East was imploding. Hold tight, make them come to you instead of teams leaving for them. CUSA would not be in its current situation had those teams stood their ground instead of chasing a one year BCS auto bid and would have had the upper hand. I don't see NAVY sticking around in that scenario, so might as well say they would lose 5 is B12 takes 4. Maybe if they con ARMY into coming they would stick around but I am pretty sure ARMY likes being independent.

Just a question on my part, but what schools in the MAC are in danger of having to move down? Just curious.

Yeah, only Akron needs to get with the times, because it's the only MAC school with football attendance issues. OK.

Let's not forget that you're talking about a program that didn't join FBS until 1990 and when it did, it played in a 60-year old dump in Ellet ... eight miles from campus.

The school botched the new coaching hire when InfoCision was built and it led to the school christening the place with a 3-33 record the first three years. Terry Bowden is cleaning up that mess, but it's going to take more than one year before people start buying in.

Where was OU in attendance pre-Solich? That's pretty much what Akron was when Bowden took over. If he sticks around for 10-plus years like Solich has in Athens, the teams wins consistently and yet, still nobody shows up, then you would have a point.

Keep in mind that the AAC that anybody would be looking at would be an AAC without two or even four of its best programs. Does the AAC without Cincinnati and Houston really seem like a clear jump from the MAC? What if Memphis and UCF also go?

(08-08-2016 12:08 PM)herdinva Wrote:  Here is what I think, I think CUSA needs to drop ALOT of dead weight, MAC needs to do the same.

My understanding is that the MAC has not pushed anyone out since the late 1960s (when the school being pushed out was Marshall).

Quote:Imagining a conference with Toledo, Marshall, WKY, MTSU, Ohio, NIU, BGSU, WMU etc, looks like a very solid G5 and potentially one of the best. Not saying those teams would say yes at this point but what would it hurt,

I personally would love to have Marshall back. I'm not so caught up in the numbers game. Even if we would have to split conference revenue one or two more ways, I think it's worth it to get the right additional member. Marshall qualifies, in my mind.

But I wouldn't expect the league to push anyone out.

Quote:Just a question on my part, but what schools in the MAC are in danger of having to move down? Just curious.

None, to my knowledge. Attendance is pretty horrific at Eastern Michigan, but they say they are committed to FBS. As long as they want to stay at this level, they will do what it takes to meet the FBS attendance standard by selling tickets no one will ever use. I wouldn't expect the MAC to push them out.

(08-08-2016 04:13 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  Keep in mind that the AAC that anybody would be looking at would be an AAC without two or even four of its best programs. Does the AAC without Cincinnati and Houston really seem like a clear jump from the MAC? What if Memphis and UCF also go?

Great point.

(08-08-2016 12:14 AM)Wadszip Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 10:29 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 10:21 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 10:09 PM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 07:09 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Sadly football isn't the motivator for conferences. Market. Academics. All sports. Etc. factor in. If it was just football, Toledo and NIU might be in the Big10. Colorado might be in the MWC. NDSU would be in the MAC. Boise State would be in the PAC12.

No way the AAC likes Toledo's academics, or NIU in basketball enough to take either right now.

NIU Mens Basketball just had a 21-win season and saw post-season play in the Vegas 16....

Cool, we've had 5 consecutive above .500 seasons including 2014 where we won the league reg season title and had 27 wins. That's not the type of success UConn, UC, or Tulsa care's about right now. We haven't been to the dance since 1984. They want NCAA tourney teams. At least teams who have done it kind of recently. If you're not winning the 14th best conference, you're not good enough for basketball in the AAC.
Oh, and our women's team had more on their worst attended game than NIU's men average. Have you ever seen a UConn basketball game???

It's a shame Toledo isn't in any solid metro DMA, like sayyyyy, the number 3 in the nation?

#AyyyyyyyMustBeTheMarket

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

There are plenty of holes that can be picked at NIU and its market.

1. 65 miles west of Chicago (which, population wise, is a north/south-heavy city)

2. Northwestern (B10) is directly in the market. While on the surface, Northwestern isn't that fierce of competition, you then have that Chicago is the epicenter of the Big 10 ... tons of Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan State, Iowa, etc., fans.

3. Even with the Big Ten presence, Notre Dame football is probably Chicago's most popular college team (and it's only 30 miles further from downtown Chicago as NIU.)

Yeah, it's a huge market, but once you look deeper, it's more complicated than just saying "Chicago" for NIU.

But then you have the arguments that show NIU does bring in solid TV ratings and that isn't because of DeKalb. NIU-FSU Orange Bowl had the 2nd highest bowl ratings ever in Chicago and then NIU is consistently one of the highest rated G5 teams when on ESPN. We've played three successful football games in Chicago, and a fourth coming this season (Illinois and NU have not been successful with the Chicago games). Also, NIU typically has found itself in the best bowls among MAC teams because of our TV ratings and success.

(08-08-2016 05:20 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 12:14 AM)Wadszip Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 10:29 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 10:21 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 10:09 PM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  NIU Mens Basketball just had a 21-win season and saw post-season play in the Vegas 16....

Cool, we've had 5 consecutive above .500 seasons including 2014 where we won the league reg season title and had 27 wins. That's not the type of success UConn, UC, or Tulsa care's about right now. We haven't been to the dance since 1984. They want NCAA tourney teams. At least teams who have done it kind of recently. If you're not winning the 14th best conference, you're not good enough for basketball in the AAC.
Oh, and our women's team had more on their worst attended game than NIU's men average. Have you ever seen a UConn basketball game???

It's a shame Toledo isn't in any solid metro DMA, like sayyyyy, the number 3 in the nation?

#AyyyyyyyMustBeTheMarket

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

There are plenty of holes that can be picked at NIU and its market.

1. 65 miles west of Chicago (which, population wise, is a north/south-heavy city)

2. Northwestern (B10) is directly in the market. While on the surface, Northwestern isn't that fierce of competition, you then have that Chicago is the epicenter of the Big 10 ... tons of Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan State, Iowa, etc., fans.

3. Even with the Big Ten presence, Notre Dame football is probably Chicago's most popular college team (and it's only 30 miles further from downtown Chicago as NIU.)

Yeah, it's a huge market, but once you look deeper, it's more complicated than just saying "Chicago" for NIU.

But then you have the arguments that show NIU does bring in solid TV ratings and that isn't because of DeKalb. NIU-FSU Orange Bowl had the 2nd highest bowl ratings ever in Chicago and then NIU is consistently one of the highest rated G5 teams when on ESPN. We've played three successful football games in Chicago, and a fourth coming this season (Illinois and NU have not been successful with the Chicago games). Also, NIU typically has found itself in the best bowls among MAC teams because of our TV ratings and success.

Um NIU is in Illinois. Of course that game had good ratings in Chicago. Everyone was interested that the G5 rep was in their own backyard. It doesn't mean those people are NIU fans, or that the Chicago market is saturated dominantly with NIU fans??? NIU has been lucky to have on field success when the Illini have been trash. You can't tell me if they were in that game Chicago's ratings wouldn't have been double NIU's Orange Bowl.

NIU finds itself in the best bowls because they have recently been no worse than the 3rd best team in the conference and they reach the title game every season! It has nothing to do with NIU beating out better MAC programs for high profile games because of their large TV audience

The highest profile bowl last season was not in San Diego at 4:30...
Boca had first choice last season and they wanted Toledo to play #24Temple.
1.92 mil watch the Boca bowl. 2.34 mil watched the BG vs. Goso game. 1.38 mil tuned in for the Poinsettia Bowl. 1.85 mil watched OU. 2.14 mil watched WMU in their game. The only MAC team NIU outdrew was Akron and the Potato is always one of the least viewed games.

In 2014 NIU was the team of choice for Boca but they won the MAC. No one is choosing NIU to play Marshall over Toledo or OU if they want fans and high viewership.

(08-08-2016 04:13 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  Keep in mind that the AAC that anybody would be looking at would be an AAC without two or even four of its best programs. Does the AAC without Cincinnati and Houston really seem like a clear jump from the MAC? What if Memphis and UCF also go?

Athletic Budgets, Stadium/Arena capacities, TV markets-it's a clear jump.
It would still be the best G-5 Conference.

(08-08-2016 05:44 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 05:20 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 12:14 AM)Wadszip Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 10:29 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 10:21 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Cool, we've had 5 consecutive above .500 seasons including 2014 where we won the league reg season title and had 27 wins. That's not the type of success UConn, UC, or Tulsa care's about right now. We haven't been to the dance since 1984. They want NCAA tourney teams. At least teams who have done it kind of recently. If you're not winning the 14th best conference, you're not good enough for basketball in the AAC.
Oh, and our women's team had more on their worst attended game than NIU's men average. Have you ever seen a UConn basketball game???

It's a shame Toledo isn't in any solid metro DMA, like sayyyyy, the number 3 in the nation?

#AyyyyyyyMustBeTheMarket

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

There are plenty of holes that can be picked at NIU and its market.

1. 65 miles west of Chicago (which, population wise, is a north/south-heavy city)

2. Northwestern (B10) is directly in the market. While on the surface, Northwestern isn't that fierce of competition, you then have that Chicago is the epicenter of the Big 10 ... tons of Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan State, Iowa, etc., fans.

3. Even with the Big Ten presence, Notre Dame football is probably Chicago's most popular college team (and it's only 30 miles further from downtown Chicago as NIU.)

Yeah, it's a huge market, but once you look deeper, it's more complicated than just saying "Chicago" for NIU.

But then you have the arguments that show NIU does bring in solid TV ratings and that isn't because of DeKalb. NIU-FSU Orange Bowl had the 2nd highest bowl ratings ever in Chicago and then NIU is consistently one of the highest rated G5 teams when on ESPN. We've played three successful football games in Chicago, and a fourth coming this season (Illinois and NU have not been successful with the Chicago games). Also, NIU typically has found itself in the best bowls among MAC teams because of our TV ratings and success.

Um NIU is in Illinois. Of course that game had good ratings in Chicago. Everyone was interested that the G5 rep was in their own backyard. It doesn't mean those people are NIU fans, or that the Chicago market is saturated dominantly with NIU fans??? NIU has been lucky to have on field success when the Illini have been trash. You can't tell me if they were in that game Chicago's ratings wouldn't have been double NIU's Orange Bowl.

Illinois played in the 2008 Rose Bowl and they did not pull twice the ratings in Chicago that NIU in Orange Bowl did. So right of the bat your wrong.

Quote:NIU finds itself in the best bowls because they have recently been no worse than the 3rd best team in the conference and they reach the title game every season! It has nothing to do with NIU beating out better MAC programs for high profile games because of their large TV audience:lmfao

The highest profile bowl last season was not in San Diego at 4:30...
Boca had first choice last season and they wanted Toledo to play #24Temple.
1.92 mil watch the Boca bowl. 2.34 mil watched the BG vs. Goso game. 1.38 mil tuned in for the Poinsettia Bowl. 1.85 mil watched OU. 2.14 mil watched WMU in their game. The only MAC team NIU outdrew was Akron and the Potato is always one of the least viewed games.

Boise State is and will always be a better opponent than Temple. But if you feel happy playing Temple, then by all means. The Poinsettia Bowl was played on a weekday in the afternoon so of course the ratings were going to be bad.

Look back at the TV ratings for NIU during the regular season and you will consistently see the games NIU was in rank highest among MAC teams.

Quote:In 2014 NIU was the team of choice for Boca but they won the MAC. No one is choosing NIU to play Marshall over Toledo or OU if they want fans and high viewership.

NIU finished above Toledo. Toledo ended up in Boca because we played there the season before and because we wanted Boise State.

(08-08-2016 12:49 PM)Wadszip Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 12:08 PM)herdinva Wrote:  My feelings are that the MAC and CUSA have some deserving programs............if they want to chance it going to the AAC. Personally I don't think I would at this point. Have to know who is leaving and what that means to their TV renegotiations. The AAC is going to want to bring in programs that can minimize loss of revenue. Who those programs would be is anyone's guess.

Here is what I think, I think CUSA needs to drop ALOT of dead weight, MAC needs to do the same. Akron needs to get with the times and find some support and fill that nice stadium, it would be a shame to have to go to FCS with a quality new FBS stadium. EMU is too far gone. With some speculation that some schools may have to drop due to cost of attendance issues, it may be best to go after Marshall, MTSU, WKY. I would say USM as well but I am not sure they would want to move north like UCF was willing to do many moons ago. Imagining a conference with Toledo, Marshall, WKY, MTSU, Ohio, NIU, BGSU, WMU etc, looks like a very solid G5 and potentially one of the best. Not saying those teams would say yes at this point but what would it hurt, I personally don't think the tv will be any better after the 2 year deal is up for CUSA and some schools like mentioned above will have to re-evaluate its membership? If the AAC loses 4 teams and we can guess pretty accurately who they would be, the AAC loses a lot of its luster and in return would do a lot of damage to its conference revenue.

The MAC should do what CUSA should have done when the Big East was imploding. Hold tight, make them come to you instead of teams leaving for them. CUSA would not be in its current situation had those teams stood their ground instead of chasing a one year BCS auto bid and would have had the upper hand. I don't see NAVY sticking around in that scenario, so might as well say they would lose 5 is B12 takes 4. Maybe if they con ARMY into coming they would stick around but I am pretty sure ARMY likes being independent.

Just a question on my part, but what schools in the MAC are in danger of having to move down? Just curious.

Yeah, only Akron needs to get with the times, because it's the only MAC school with football attendance issues. OK.

Let's not forget that you're talking about a program that didn't join FBS until 1990 and when it did, it played in a 60-year old dump in Ellet ... eight miles from campus.

The school botched the new coaching hire when InfoCision was built and it led to the school christening the place with a 3-33 record the first three years. Terry Bowden is cleaning up that mess, but it's going to take more than one year before people start buying in.

Where was OU in attendance pre-Solich? That's pretty much what Akron was when Bowden took over. If he sticks around for 10-plus years like Solich has in Athens, the teams wins consistently and yet, still nobody shows up, then you would have a point.

No I never said Akron was the only one, they are just a good example. Build a very nice stadium and still no fan turn out. The fan turn out when Marshall played there in 14 was horrendous. Miami made a bad hire that set them back too, similar bad attendance last time Marshall was there, and that place used to rock when we showed up. There is a ton of potential in the MAC and CUSA alike, it needs to be realized. That is the point. Wasn't akron considering dropping football recently?? or was that just hear say? I am not going to act like I know everything, I most surely don't. I would love to see schools like Akron get it together, support their programs, it would be good for all the G5 if schools could find support. CUSA has similar attendance issues with North Texas, FIU, FAU (who is very similar to akron), WKY didn't average well last year, MTSU doesn't average very well. All kinds of programs have support issues. Most issues have to be resolved within the university, get more student turnout.

(08-08-2016 06:41 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 05:44 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 05:20 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 12:14 AM)Wadszip Wrote:  

(08-07-2016 10:29 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  It's a shame Toledo isn't in any solid metro DMA, like sayyyyy, the number 3 in the nation?

#AyyyyyyyMustBeTheMarket

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

There are plenty of holes that can be picked at NIU and its market.

1. 65 miles west of Chicago (which, population wise, is a north/south-heavy city)

2. Northwestern (B10) is directly in the market. While on the surface, Northwestern isn't that fierce of competition, you then have that Chicago is the epicenter of the Big 10 ... tons of Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan State, Iowa, etc., fans.

3. Even with the Big Ten presence, Notre Dame football is probably Chicago's most popular college team (and it's only 30 miles further from downtown Chicago as NIU.)

Yeah, it's a huge market, but once you look deeper, it's more complicated than just saying "Chicago" for NIU.

But then you have the arguments that show NIU does bring in solid TV ratings and that isn't because of DeKalb. NIU-FSU Orange Bowl had the 2nd highest bowl ratings ever in Chicago and then NIU is consistently one of the highest rated G5 teams when on ESPN. We've played three successful football games in Chicago, and a fourth coming this season (Illinois and NU have not been successful with the Chicago games). Also, NIU typically has found itself in the best bowls among MAC teams because of our TV ratings and success.

Um NIU is in Illinois. Of course that game had good ratings in Chicago. Everyone was interested that the G5 rep was in their own backyard. It doesn't mean those people are NIU fans, or that the Chicago market is saturated dominantly with NIU fans??? NIU has been lucky to have on field success when the Illini have been trash. You can't tell me if they were in that game Chicago's ratings wouldn't have been double NIU's Orange Bowl.

Illinois played in the 2008 Rose Bowl and they did not pull twice the ratings in Chicago that NIU in Orange Bowl did. So right of the bat your wrong.

Quote:NIU finds itself in the best bowls because they have recently been no worse than the 3rd best team in the conference and they reach the title game every season! It has nothing to do with NIU beating out better MAC programs for high profile games because of their large TV audience:lmfao

The highest profile bowl last season was not in San Diego at 4:30...
Boca had first choice last season and they wanted Toledo to play #24Temple.
1.92 mil watch the Boca bowl. 2.34 mil watched the BG vs. Goso game. 1.38 mil tuned in for the Poinsettia Bowl. 1.85 mil watched OU. 2.14 mil watched WMU in their game. The only MAC team NIU outdrew was Akron and the Potato is always one of the least viewed games.

Boise State is and will always be a better opponent than Temple. But if you feel happy playing Temple, then by all means. The Poinsettia Bowl was played on a weekday in the afternoon so of course the ratings were going to be bad.

Look back at the TV ratings for NIU during the regular season and you will consistently see the games NIU was in rank highest among MAC teams.

Quote:In 2014 NIU was the team of choice for Boca but they won the MAC. No one is choosing NIU to play Marshall over Toledo or OU if they want fans and high viewership.

NIU finished above Toledo. Toledo ended up in Boca because we played there the season before and because we wanted Boise State.

(08-08-2016 05:46 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 04:13 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  Keep in mind that the AAC that anybody would be looking at would be an AAC without two or even four of its best programs. Does the AAC without Cincinnati and Houston really seem like a clear jump from the MAC? What if Memphis and UCF also go?

Athletic Budgets, Stadium/Arena capacities, TV markets-it's a clear jump.
It would still be the best G-5 Conference.

Well lets say Memphis, Houston, Cincy and UConn are gone (or UCF). What is left that really would cause a stir with networks and the football scene, or even basketball for that matter? I honestly don't think NAVY would stick around if this comes to be, why would they? So they will potentially lose 5 programs. Is ECU, USF and Temple enough to draw in programs? I think they would lose a huge amount of TV money, to the point that it may not be worth paying entrance and exit fees to go there.

(08-08-2016 07:05 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 06:41 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 05:44 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 05:20 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 12:14 AM)Wadszip Wrote:  There are plenty of holes that can be picked at NIU and its market.

1. 65 miles west of Chicago (which, population wise, is a north/south-heavy city)

2. Northwestern (B10) is directly in the market. While on the surface, Northwestern isn't that fierce of competition, you then have that Chicago is the epicenter of the Big 10 ... tons of Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan State, Iowa, etc., fans.

3. Even with the Big Ten presence, Notre Dame football is probably Chicago's most popular college team (and it's only 30 miles further from downtown Chicago as NIU.)

Yeah, it's a huge market, but once you look deeper, it's more complicated than just saying "Chicago" for NIU.

But then you have the arguments that show NIU does bring in solid TV ratings and that isn't because of DeKalb. NIU-FSU Orange Bowl had the 2nd highest bowl ratings ever in Chicago and then NIU is consistently one of the highest rated G5 teams when on ESPN. We've played three successful football games in Chicago, and a fourth coming this season (Illinois and NU have not been successful with the Chicago games). Also, NIU typically has found itself in the best bowls among MAC teams because of our TV ratings and success.

Um NIU is in Illinois. Of course that game had good ratings in Chicago. Everyone was interested that the G5 rep was in their own backyard. It doesn't mean those people are NIU fans, or that the Chicago market is saturated dominantly with NIU fans??? NIU has been lucky to have on field success when the Illini have been trash. You can't tell me if they were in that game Chicago's ratings wouldn't have been double NIU's Orange Bowl.

Illinois played in the 2008 Rose Bowl and they did not pull twice the ratings in Chicago that NIU in Orange Bowl did. So right of the bat your wrong.

Quote:NIU finds itself in the best bowls because they have recently been no worse than the 3rd best team in the conference and they reach the title game every season! It has nothing to do with NIU beating out better MAC programs for high profile games because of their large TV audience:lmfao

The highest profile bowl last season was not in San Diego at 4:30...
Boca had first choice last season and they wanted Toledo to play #24Temple.
1.92 mil watch the Boca bowl. 2.34 mil watched the BG vs. Goso game. 1.38 mil tuned in for the Poinsettia Bowl. 1.85 mil watched OU. 2.14 mil watched WMU in their game. The only MAC team NIU outdrew was Akron and the Potato is always one of the least viewed games.

Boise State is and will always be a better opponent than Temple. But if you feel happy playing Temple, then by all means. The Poinsettia Bowl was played on a weekday in the afternoon so of course the ratings were going to be bad.

Look back at the TV ratings for NIU during the regular season and you will consistently see the games NIU was in rank highest among MAC teams.

Quote:In 2014 NIU was the team of choice for Boca but they won the MAC. No one is choosing NIU to play Marshall over Toledo or OU if they want fans and high viewership.

NIU finished above Toledo. Toledo ended up in Boca because we played there the season before and because we wanted Boise State.

NIU vs. Marshall was ESPN's doing, not a choice that either team made other than accepting the bid. If you recruit FL, and have an opportunity to play in a FL bowl, its not smart to go elsewhere unless its a BCS bowl..

(08-08-2016 07:17 PM)herdinva Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 07:05 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 06:41 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 05:44 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 05:20 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  But then you have the arguments that show NIU does bring in solid TV ratings and that isn't because of DeKalb. NIU-FSU Orange Bowl had the 2nd highest bowl ratings ever in Chicago and then NIU is consistently one of the highest rated G5 teams when on ESPN. We've played three successful football games in Chicago, and a fourth coming this season (Illinois and NU have not been successful with the Chicago games). Also, NIU typically has found itself in the best bowls among MAC teams because of our TV ratings and success.

Um NIU is in Illinois. Of course that game had good ratings in Chicago. Everyone was interested that the G5 rep was in their own backyard. It doesn't mean those people are NIU fans, or that the Chicago market is saturated dominantly with NIU fans??? NIU has been lucky to have on field success when the Illini have been trash. You can't tell me if they were in that game Chicago's ratings wouldn't have been double NIU's Orange Bowl.

Illinois played in the 2008 Rose Bowl and they did not pull twice the ratings in Chicago that NIU in Orange Bowl did. So right of the bat your wrong.

Quote:NIU finds itself in the best bowls because they have recently been no worse than the 3rd best team in the conference and they reach the title game every season! It has nothing to do with NIU beating out better MAC programs for high profile games because of their large TV audience:lmfao

The highest profile bowl last season was not in San Diego at 4:30...
Boca had first choice last season and they wanted Toledo to play #24Temple.
1.92 mil watch the Boca bowl. 2.34 mil watched the BG vs. Goso game. 1.38 mil tuned in for the Poinsettia Bowl. 1.85 mil watched OU. 2.14 mil watched WMU in their game. The only MAC team NIU outdrew was Akron and the Potato is always one of the least viewed games.

Boise State is and will always be a better opponent than Temple. But if you feel happy playing Temple, then by all means. The Poinsettia Bowl was played on a weekday in the afternoon so of course the ratings were going to be bad.

Look back at the TV ratings for NIU during the regular season and you will consistently see the games NIU was in rank highest among MAC teams.

Quote:In 2014 NIU was the team of choice for Boca but they won the MAC. No one is choosing NIU to play Marshall over Toledo or OU if they want fans and high viewership.

NIU finished above Toledo. Toledo ended up in Boca because we played there the season before and because we wanted Boise State.

NIU vs. Marshall was ESPN's doing, not a choice that either team made other than accepting the bid. If you recruit FL, and have an opportunity to play in a FL bowl, its not smart to go elsewhere unless its a BCS bowl..

Boise State 56 NIU 7

(08-08-2016 12:08 PM)herdinva Wrote:  The MAC should do what CUSA should have done when the Big East was imploding. Hold tight, make them come to you instead of teams leaving for them. CUSA would not be in its current situation had those teams stood their ground instead of chasing a one year BCS auto bid and would have had the upper hand. I don't see NAVY sticking around in that scenario, so might as well say they would lose 5 is B12 takes 4. Maybe if they con ARMY into coming they would stick around but I am pretty sure ARMY likes being independent.

That is my opinion on it.

The old justifications for hoping G5 leagues for more bowls and TV has gone by the wayside as conferences have mostly the same TV package.

MAC has midweek of course, MWC always has an advantage getting on western markets, the AAC has up to point some decent Saturday slots. CUSA and SBC are mostly regulated to ASN. Money is small with slightly more for MWC/AAC/MAC as top of the non-P5 food chain.

The MWC has its own geography starting in 2017 w/ no overlap from any other G5 conferences. The MAC may be there if Cincinnati gains admittance to the B12 with its own region to itself. Could the two conferences combine forces on a coast 2 coast TV deal?

I don't think there is going to be enough difference competitively between the G5 conferences to justify a move. Keep in mind the MAC just cut UMass loose and its weakest football schools are loading up on facilities. The SBC just cut Idaho and NMSU so they will be getting stronger. CUSA out of a raid could end up at 10 or 12 schools. Cooperation in scheduling and TV makes more sense than anything IMO.