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https://www.hustlebelt.com/2025/7/9/2446...ent-option

I would hope that WMU is sending out feelers too. I like the MAC, but if there is a chance for WMU to move up then they better be making the effort to find a path. I would be upset if we were left in a conference with Akron, Kent State, Eastern and Central.

Yeah, same. All that chaos was bound to find the MAC eventually. And while there are cons, I don't blame NIU for taking a risk and giving things a shot, if only for the much higher media revenue - and yeah, no Tuesday night games. I hate all this, but it's one of those things you need to plan and adapt to; survive or die.

Geographical reach has become the rage, for better or worse (more the latter), and that's not good news for a conference with 9 members clustered in two adjacent states.

And while there are obvious benefits to the close-knit regionality of the MAC, namely travel cost and local rivalries, I've also come to appreciate how hockey has given our 'brand' wider exposure, from here to AZ to CO to MN.

WMU should have done everything in their power to join NIU in the MWC football only. We are 1 of the few in the MAC that can survive in D1 FBS due mainly from our generous billionaire alumni.

(07-09-2025 11:53 PM)WesternDave Wrote:  I would hope that WMU is sending out feelers too. I like the MAC, but if there is a chance for WMU to move up then they better be making the effort to find a path. I would be upset if we were left in a conference with Akron, Kent State, Eastern and Central.

Get real. You’re stuck with the rest of us.

Any AD that isn't at least reaching out and looking at every possible option isn't doing their job, but realistically I don't really see WMU having much in the way of appeal to other conferences.

Seems like the weeknight games are a big motivator for OU looking at other options. I used to like those games and I think they were totally worth it when cable was king, but it pretty clearly has run its course. I would hope the conference is listening to its members and will change things when this deal ends (pretty soon). I doubt weeknight games will go away completely (most conferences do it to some degree), but this volume of them is way too much.

I do have my doubts it'll result in greatly increased attendance, but that's a different discussion I guess.

(07-11-2025 08:36 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  Any AD that isn't at least reaching out and looking at every possible option isn't doing their job, but realistically I don't really see WMU having much in the way of appeal to other conferences.

Seems like the weeknight games are a big motivator for OU looking at other options. I used to like those games and I think they were totally worth it when cable was king, but it pretty clearly has run its course. I would hope the conference is listening to its members and will change things when this deal ends (pretty soon). I doubt weeknight games will go away completely (most conferences do it to some degree), but this volume of them is way too much.

I do have my doubts it'll result in greatly increased attendance, but that's a different discussion I guess.

The bigger issue is the weeknight games haven't caused our TV deal to scale the way the rest of the conferences have. NIU is going to get multiple times more media money in their move without having the garbage schedule. The TV money was good in 2009, it's not anymore.

(07-11-2025 09:05 AM)SilentStryk09 Wrote:  

(07-11-2025 08:36 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  Any AD that isn't at least reaching out and looking at every possible option isn't doing their job, but realistically I don't really see WMU having much in the way of appeal to other conferences.

Seems like the weeknight games are a big motivator for OU looking at other options. I used to like those games and I think they were totally worth it when cable was king, but it pretty clearly has run its course. I would hope the conference is listening to its members and will change things when this deal ends (pretty soon). I doubt weeknight games will go away completely (most conferences do it to some degree), but this volume of them is way too much.

I do have my doubts it'll result in greatly increased attendance, but that's a different discussion I guess.

The bigger issue is the weeknight games haven't caused our TV deal to scale the way the rest of the conferences have. NIU is going to get multiple times more media money in their move without having the garbage schedule. The TV money was good in 2009, it's not anymore.

Yeah, signing such a long term deal was a bad idea.

(07-11-2025 08:36 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  Any AD that isn't at least reaching out and looking at every possible option isn't doing their job, but realistically I don't really see WMU having much in the way of appeal to other conferences.

Agree, on both counts.

Feels like Toledo, Buffalo and Ohio - and perhaps UMass if football gets its act together - would be the first bunch to get picked over by other G5s. For various reasons.

What is the hierarchy between the American, Conf USA, Sun Belt, & Mountain West these days? Isn't the Mountain West about to get purged by the Pac-12?

Man, there are some random small schools in all of these conferences now. Hard to make heads or tails of it.

(07-11-2025 10:20 PM)BroncoMinor Wrote:  What is the hierarchy between the American, Conf USA, Sun Belt, & Mountain West these days? Isn't the Mountain West about to get purged by the Pac-12?

Man, there are some random small schools in all of these conferences now. Hard to make heads or tails of it.

I think after the changes happen it’ll be something like this:

1. PAC-12
(sizable gap)
2. AAC
3. Sun Belt
4. MWC
5. MAC
6. CUSA

Current per school payouts for the current Group of 5 schools are:

AAC $7 mill
MWC $6 mill
MAC $2.5 mill
Sun Belt $2.5 mill
Conf USA $800,000

The PAC is still TO BE DETERMINED.

That's why I don't get why Ohio is looking at the Sun Belt. Much higher travel expenses with the same payout as they're getting now in the MAC.

SBC supposed to vote on Louisiana Tech on Monday

(07-12-2025 05:24 PM)sketownguy Wrote:  Current per school payouts for the current Group of 5 schools are:

AAC $7 mill
MWC $6 mill
MAC $2.5 mill
Sun Belt $2.5 mill
Conf USA $800,000

The PAC is still TO BE DETERMINED.

That's why I don't get why Ohio is looking at the Sun Belt. Much higher travel expenses with the same payout as they're getting now in the MAC.

Well right now, the Sun Belt has 8 weeknight games total, basically each with one. The MAC has 18, including almost the entire month of November. If I can get out of playing in front of 2,400 on a drizzling/sleeting Wednesday Night and get 10,000-12,000 on a Saturday afternoon, I'm taking a long look at it.

I have no idea if it impacts Ohio's potential move to the SBC or not, but SBC announced the return of La Tech