(11-13-2018 02:31 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(11-13-2018 01:52 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(11-13-2018 01:46 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  IIRC, the MAC has 5 bowl tie-ins. Has that been enough? Have any bowl-eligible MAC teams missed out on bowling in recent years?

With exception to one season, the MAC has always sent 6-7 teams bowling this past decade. This will likely not leave them in a lurch should other conferences make all their bowl tie-ins.

Late 2000s, the MAC only had 4 spots when they had 6 to 7 teams to choose from. Toledo got the short end of the stick. 9-3 and 8-4 teams stayed home while the 6-6 or 6-7 schools of the P5 get spots.

Well, blame the MAC administrators for not signing enough bowl contracts. But this is a pro-active move to help remedy that problem.

Conway, SC is ----- well, sort of, being 15 miles from the Atlantic ---- Myrtle Beach. I guess.

IMO, we're probably going to have a handful of extra Bowl teams this year. So this 40th game gets us "ahead of the curve" in terms of ensuring that all eligible teams go Bowling.

(11-13-2018 02:53 PM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(11-13-2018 02:48 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(11-13-2018 01:56 PM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  The Myrtle Beach bowl is in a great location in the years it will feature a Sun Belt team. 3 Sun Belt schools App State, Coastal Carolina, and Georgia Southern all within easy driving distance that have a great chance at being Bowl Eligible year in, year out. You can't really go wrong no matter who you pick.

Is Atlanta that much further away, or are you just smack-talking Georgia State that they're not going to be bowl-eligible anyway?

I'm not trying to smack talk Georgia State even if it's about to come out like I am. They have a hard enough time getting more than 100 people to show up to their homecoming game much less travel to a bowl destination. App State and Georgia Southern both have proven travelling fan bases and the game being hosted on Coastal's campus means they would have an equally great turn out. Georgia State just isn't there yet. I doubt Georgia State would be chosen if any of App, Coastal, and Georgia Southern were eligible and available.

***waits for Panama***

Wow. That's "bless their hearts" level.

So this will be one of the lower tier bowl then for CUSA, SunBelt and MAC. The stadium will only seat 21k so it won't be high on the pecking order for bowl payouts.

Interesting the first G5 announcement kind of comes at the bottom with SBC/CUSA/MAC going in on Myrtle Beach.

Looking at existing tie-ins the MAC is sitting at 5 bowls not 6 bowls so are there more starter bowls in the works? This could be it who knows.

Of course I'd like to see news about a top tier bowl rotation for the G5 or MAC/MWC in the Holiday Bowl but this is a nice addition.

(11-13-2018 08:12 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Interesting the first G5 announcement kind of comes at the bottom with SBC/CUSA/MAC going in on Myrtle Beach.

Looking at existing tie-ins the MAC is sitting at 5 bowls not 6 bowls so are there more starter bowls in the works? This could be it who knows.

Of course I'd like to see news about a top tier bowl rotation for the G5 or MAC/MWC in the Holiday Bowl but this is a nice addition.

Or it's an indication that ESPN is taking a more "black box" approach to the G5 bowls. Fewer conference tie-ins, more "bowl pool"(s).

(11-13-2018 08:05 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  So this will be one of the lower tier bowl then for CUSA, SunBelt and MAC. The stadium will only seat 21k so it won't be high on the pecking order for bowl payouts.

This bowl isn't about payouts. It probably doesn't even have one. It exists only to (a) give ESPN another game to air over the holidays, and (b) to make sure two more MAC/CUSA/SB bowl eligible schools that otherwise would miss out on bowling (like Buffalo and WMU last year) because of a lack of tie-ins get to play in a bowl.

So yes, this game is almost surely going to feature two teams that are 6-6 or at best 7-5.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

(11-13-2018 08:30 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(11-13-2018 08:12 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Interesting the first G5 announcement kind of comes at the bottom with SBC/CUSA/MAC going in on Myrtle Beach.

Looking at existing tie-ins the MAC is sitting at 5 bowls not 6 bowls so are there more starter bowls in the works? This could be it who knows.

Of course I'd like to see news about a top tier bowl rotation for the G5 or MAC/MWC in the Holiday Bowl but this is a nice addition.

Or it's an indication that ESPN is taking a more "black box" approach to the G5 bowls. Fewer conference tie-ins, more "bowl pool"(s).

Or it could indicate we are just in “wash, rinse, and repeat” mode for the G5 post season bowl picture. Too early to tell. It may not be a good sign that the MAC appears to already know they have 6 guaranteed slots in the next bowl cycle. Sounds like they have just resigned the old deals and added one new bowl.

Makes sense for the MAC, there's a ton of Rust Belt snowbirds living in the area and it's a good December destination. Hopefully we switch our Boise tie-in somewhere more local (e.g. Indianapolis) or exotic (e.g. Hawaii) next.

(11-13-2018 03:46 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  Well, blame the MAC administrators for not signing enough bowl contracts. But this is a pro-active move to help remedy that problem.

The MAC has been pro-active in pursuing those, but doesn't entirely control whether tie-ins get renewed ... this offsets the loss of the primary tie-in in Detroit when that bowl committee was shouldered aside to make room for a 6-6 Big Ten / 6-6 ACC bowl.

(11-13-2018 10:24 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Makes sense for the MAC, there's a ton of Rust Belt snowbirds living in the area and it's a good December destination. Hopefully we switch our Boise tie-in somewhere more local (e.g. Indianapolis) or exotic (e.g. Hawaii) next.

I don't expect that there's an option for an additional bowl in Hawaii, and most of the other tropical destinations have the same passport issues as the Bahamas bowl. If the people in St. Louis that have been trying in vain to attract interest in a P5-P5 bowl game would adopt a more realistic ambition, St. Louis might be an upgrade on Boise.

(11-13-2018 02:52 PM)OdinFrigg Wrote:  Weather in Myrtle Beach in late December will be a gamble. It can be a beautiful, sunshine day, or real funky, i.e. cold, windy, overcast, rain. Otherwise, a great location to host G-5 conference schools.

Sounds like the Northeast and the Mid Atlantic States - just add snow to your list too.

(11-14-2018 12:02 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(11-13-2018 03:46 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  Well, blame the MAC administrators for not signing enough bowl contracts. But this is a pro-active move to help remedy that problem.

The MAC has been pro-active in pursuing those, but doesn't entirely control whether tie-ins get renewed ... this offsets the loss of the primary tie-in in Detroit when that bowl committee was shouldered aside to make room for a 6-6 Big Ten / 6-6 ACC bowl.

(11-13-2018 10:24 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Makes sense for the MAC, there's a ton of Rust Belt snowbirds living in the area and it's a good December destination. Hopefully we switch our Boise tie-in somewhere more local (e.g. Indianapolis) or exotic (e.g. Hawaii) next.

I don't expect that there's an option for an additional bowl in Hawaii, and most of the other tropical destinations have the same passport issues as the Bahamas bowl. If the people in St. Louis that have been trying in vain to attract interest in a P5-P5 bowl game would adopt a more realistic ambition, St. Louis might be an upgrade on Boise.

It would be nice to have a bowl game we could drive to. We have the leftover bowl in Detroit which is Big14/ACC but has a decent chance they don't fill the slot leaving it open for a MAC team. But that's the only one. St. Louis, Indy, or some place in Kentucky or Tennessee.

(11-13-2018 06:52 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(11-13-2018 02:53 PM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(11-13-2018 02:48 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(11-13-2018 01:56 PM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  The Myrtle Beach bowl is in a great location in the years it will feature a Sun Belt team. 3 Sun Belt schools App State, Coastal Carolina, and Georgia Southern all within easy driving distance that have a great chance at being Bowl Eligible year in, year out. You can't really go wrong no matter who you pick.

Is Atlanta that much further away, or are you just smack-talking Georgia State that they're not going to be bowl-eligible anyway?

I'm not trying to smack talk Georgia State even if it's about to come out like I am. They have a hard enough time getting more than 100 people to show up to their homecoming game much less travel to a bowl destination. App State and Georgia Southern both have proven travelling fan bases and the game being hosted on Coastal's campus means they would have an equally great turn out. Georgia State just isn't there yet. I doubt Georgia State would be chosen if any of App, Coastal, and Georgia Southern were eligible and available.

***waits for Panama***

Wow. That's "bless their hearts" level.

"It'll be way better when we have our own on campus stadium."












Technically accurate.





On the plus side, you have a way better chance of catching a foul ball down the third base line than you would at a Braves game. On the downside the new home team is even more woeful than the cratered Braves team they replaced. If a tree falls at Turner Field during a game .... does it make a sound? Maybe attendance was light because this was just batting practice. At least the warning track will help receivers know they're almost out of the endzone. Fans be sure to visit Atlanta Chiropractic Associations behind the Panthers Club in left field to remove the crick in your neck from having it turned the entire game. But if there's ever a game winning fade to the right endzone man home plate has the best seats in the country! I see the streak of road teams securing a postseason success in Turner Field continues. Do you get to trot round the bases after kicking a field goal over the left field fence? If you have a kickoff guy with a huge leg can he call his shot? Decades after baseball removed nearly all sight lights obscured by posts ... Georgia State reintroduces them at Turner Field with away side lighting. At least the press box is strategically located to keep journalists as far away from the horrors on the field as possible... maybe if they can't see the game they can't report on it. Recruiting pitch: "Look at all the space available for future honored players."

(11-14-2018 12:51 PM)georgia_tech_swagger Wrote:  





"It'll be way better when we have our own on campus stadium."












Technically accurate.





On the plus side, you have a way better chance of catching a foul ball down the third base line than you would at a Braves game. On the downside the new home team is even more woeful than the cratered Braves team they replaced. If a tree falls at Turner Field during a game .... does it make a sound? Maybe attendance was light because this was just batting practice. At least the warning track will help receivers know they're almost out of the endzone. Fans be sure to visit Atlanta Chiropractic Associations behind the Panthers Club in left field to remove the crick in your neck from having it turned the entire game. But if there's ever a game winning fade to the right endzone man home plate has the best seats in the country! I see the streak of road teams securing a postseason success in Turner Field continues. Do you get to trot round the bases after kicking a field goal over the left field fence? If you have a kickoff guy with a huge leg can he call his shot? Decades after baseball removed nearly all sight lights obscured by posts ... Georgia State reintroduces them at Turner Field with away side lighting. At least the press box is strategically located to keep journalists as far away from the horrors on the field as possible... maybe if they can't see the game they can't report on it. Recruiting pitch: "Look at all the space available for future honored players."

I think GTS burned Georgia State worse than General Sherman!

(11-13-2018 03:53 PM)Nittany_Bearcat Wrote:  Conway, SC is ----- well, sort of, being 15 miles from the Atlantic ---- Myrtle Beach. I guess.

IMO, we're probably going to have a handful of extra Bowl teams this year. So this 40th game gets us "ahead of the curve" in terms of ensuring that all eligible teams go Bowling.

Well it is closer to 10 miles than 15 to the beach...but does it really matter? Most folks staying will book on the beach anyways and drive the 20 mins to the game. It is a great spot for these conferences as it is driveable for most teams and at even 20,000 seats (after expansion) it will still be full enough to provide a pretty good visual on TV. The right teams and it could sell out easily. I expect the locals and retired snowbirds will attend the game as something to do on a nice winter day. The biggest factor is the chance for a game day in the 30s is a significant risk. This game needs to be played during the day.

(11-14-2018 12:02 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(11-13-2018 10:24 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Makes sense for the MAC, there's a ton of Rust Belt snowbirds living in the area and it's a good December destination. Hopefully we switch our Boise tie-in somewhere more local (e.g. Indianapolis) or exotic (e.g. Hawaii) next.

I don't expect that there's an option for an additional bowl in Hawaii, and most of the other tropical destinations have the same passport issues as the Bahamas bowl. If the people in St. Louis that have been trying in vain to attract interest in a P5-P5 bowl game would adopt a more realistic ambition, St. Louis might be an upgrade on Boise.

I meant that we'd take over the Hawaii bid or something of that nature...I've always gotten the impressions that the C-USA doesn't want it since there are so many southern options available for them.

If I'm not mistaken, St. Louis isn't an option since they've effectively mothballed the dome aside from large conventions since the Rams left. They even moved the high school championships out, though it'd be a decent option. So would Milwaukee if you could get Miller Park as a venue, I'm not sure if it could fit a field or if the Brewers would let it happen though.

(11-14-2018 06:59 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  

(11-14-2018 12:02 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(11-13-2018 10:24 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Makes sense for the MAC, there's a ton of Rust Belt snowbirds living in the area and it's a good December destination. Hopefully we switch our Boise tie-in somewhere more local (e.g. Indianapolis) or exotic (e.g. Hawaii) next.

I don't expect that there's an option for an additional bowl in Hawaii, and most of the other tropical destinations have the same passport issues as the Bahamas bowl. If the people in St. Louis that have been trying in vain to attract interest in a P5-P5 bowl game would adopt a more realistic ambition, St. Louis might be an upgrade on Boise.

I meant that we'd take over the Hawaii bid or something of that nature...I've always gotten the impressions that the C-USA doesn't want it since there are so many southern options available for them.

CUSA has both New Mexico Bowl and Hawaii with the MWC. They are getting something for going to New Mexico for a game, also a tie with Hawaii while the MAC is filling Boise with no reward tied to it.

To an extent I'm sure CUSA likes the New Mexico Bowl with the Texas schools. MWC doesn't have to worry about them staying there as much as they do with the MAC.

(11-13-2018 08:30 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(11-13-2018 08:12 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Interesting the first G5 announcement kind of comes at the bottom with SBC/CUSA/MAC going in on Myrtle Beach.

Looking at existing tie-ins the MAC is sitting at 5 bowls not 6 bowls so are there more starter bowls in the works? This could be it who knows.

Of course I'd like to see news about a top tier bowl rotation for the G5 or MAC/MWC in the Holiday Bowl but this is a nice addition.

Or it's an indication that ESPN is taking a more "black box" approach to the G5 bowls. Fewer conference tie-ins, more "bowl pool"(s).

Right so if the MAC, CUSA, SBC are committing 4 slots over 6 years for Myrtle Beach does that mean that Mobile will open up for CUSA in some years and New Orleans for the MAC?

If that happens and the MAC is able to shop its champ around to 3-5 ESPN bowl games that will be a much better situation than putting its champ against the #2 SBC team (Troy/App/ASU) every year in Mobile and get blasted which isn't productive for the conference.

To get to 6 minimum ties over 6 years that is 36 slots the MAC has to fill.

There is 4 with Myrtle Beach. Let's say the MAC has two bowls for the full 6 years. That leaves 20 slots (5 bowls with 4 slots a piece) to cover.

Myrtle Beach
New Orleans
Bahamas
Mobile
Montgomery
Boca Raton

It could be 4 slots in all 6 of these bowl games to make it happen plus a couple of MWC games in Boise and Arizona Bowl with a full 6 slots.

Another way to get to 36 slots for the MAC.

1) Arizona (MWC #1/MAC #1)
2) Boise (MWC #2/MAC #2)

Detroit (4 of 6 w/ACC/B1G)
Indianapolis (4 of 6 w/AAC/B1G)
Myrtle Beach (4 of 6 w/CUSA/SBC)
Bahamas (4 of 6 w/CUSA/SBC)
Mobile (4 of 6 w/CUSA/SBC)
Boca Raton (4 of 6 w/CUSA/SBC)

Work the Quick Lane Bowl and a new game in Indianapolis into the rotation somehow.