Quote:To be fair. the teams as UCF and Temple always viewed the MAC as a temporary. If you have two teams that are committed and not using the MAC as a stepping stone, it could work out.
Temple - LOL. Not used as a stepping stone, just more $$. They wanted back to the very-different conference that kicked them out. Once back, they won their division in the AAC, and Toledo whipped 'em good in the bowl. Temple ain't ever going to the P5 -- it's for more $, but not at all by leaps & bounds like a P5 conference.
Marshall - Yeah, tried to make it a stepping stone. CUSA now turned out to be no better in Football & Basketball, thanks to the AAC having to adjust and take. But no reason Marshall should go back to the MAC unless the CUSA falls apart due to AAC having to take from CUSA & Sun Belt, and doesn't choose them. Then, the MAC would be better for them. However, if the AAC takes Marshall, which is very reasonable -- it's still not really a stepping stone. No different than Temple (thanks to their background in said prior conference) -- just more $$.
UCF - Yeah, they used MAC & CUSA as a stepping stone, and even though in recent times AAC has been stepping-stone material (everyone's going for P5) -- they've used it quite well and are going to the B12. But, to be fair, that's also thanks to their Huge Budget and having a big stadium, etc. They don't need to be NY/BCS Bowl contenders to have gone (just a couple under their belt doing well).
In a nutshell though, the MAC, no matter how good a particular season is -- doesn't have a fan-base being in the shadow of the B10. Unlike the others, it never really shifts around, just has an occasional team popping in and out once in a great while. In some sense traditional, to at least hold on to something worth recognizing.
UMASS - They should join for all sports. Look, UMass doesn't have the 90s basketball program they used to have. Their football team competes with UConn for the bottom of the barrel. They're not a "higher power" in sports, and have had Many years to demonstrate that. MAC said bye-bye if ya ain't going all in (notably basketball, of course). They ain't no Notre Dame in the mid-majors for basketball, that's for damn sure.
In the end, it's all about the $$ (viewership/fans), even if one conference really isn't better than the other.
The stepping stone is to make it to the P5 for prestige above all others -- and of course a lot more $$$$, much more than a bump in some $.