(06-08-2018 01:29 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  It might be unfeasible and impossible for a UP school to survive in D1 but it would be really cool if one made it as it’s one of the most hidden, mysterious, majestic places in the country. Most Americans probably don’t even know it exists.

I agree!

St. Louis no, they want Big East.
Bradley will say no. They would like to be with like minded Private schools.
Loyola-Chicago would be a no. You already have Northern Illinois claiming that market.
Dayton would be a possible yes.
Belmont wants the Southern Conference, and no for them.

David, if you have a passion for re-alignment then listen to the information being presented by those that are close to the schools being talked about. Read to learn and not just count the seconds until you can post again.......

The MAC will not expand unless these three criteria are met

1. Football
2. Access to markets
3. Name brand

Bellarmine does not have the sports the MAC needs. UAH will not join the MAC so that other MAC schools can start a MAC hockey conference. Dayton is not a possible yes. Etc etc.

Read to learn, David. Read to learn.

The stupidity in this thread just gets more and more ridiculous.

(06-08-2018 08:10 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  David, if you have a passion for re-alignment then listen to the information being presented by those that are close to the schools being talked about. Read to learn and not just count the seconds until you can post again.......

The MAC will not expand unless these three criteria are met

1. Football
2. Access to markets
3. Name brand

Bellarmine does not have the sports the MAC needs. UAH will not join the MAC so that other MAC schools can start a MAC hockey conference. Dayton is not a possible yes. Etc etc.

Read to learn, David. Read to learn.

"But Chicago State gives the MAC the access into the Northern Illinois market the conference needs!!!"

I don't understand the want for EMU to drop. The last two years have seen a huge improvement in both team performance and fan support. Doubt the MAC will kick them out and the only way they drop is if their administration warrants it. Also David, why would you suggest to replace them with schools in a remote part of the state, in Division 2, and only have 1/5th of the fan support EMU has now?

(06-08-2018 01:06 PM)seaking4steel Wrote:  I don't understand the want for EMU to drop. The last two years have seen a huge improvement in both team performance and fan support. Doubt the MAC will kick them out and the only way they drop is if their administration warrants it. Also David, why would you suggest to replace them with schools in a remote part of the state, in Division 2, and only have 1/5th of the fan support EMU has now?

Two years ago EMU went 7-5. Last year EMU went 5-7 but were 1 score from 2 P5 scalps. Their 7 losses were by 1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, & 12
points.

The rebranding of ‘The Factory’ and hiring of Creighton revived the program. EMU knocking off Toledo/NIU/CMU/WMU to win the MAC West would not surprise me.

EMU and other maligned schools are in no danger of being kicked-out of the MAC.
[/quote]

Don't think so?? I think that's a major pitfall holding the MAC back. Remove some of those lower tier teams that have no business being FBS and you make the conference more competitive, the recruits are less diluted, and the CFP money is split less ways. I think if the MAC could remove two schools from each division that would do the conference a lot of good. Strictly talking football that is.
[/quote]

What would do the most for MAC football is an upgraded bowl situation.

Having an EMU or Kent football program in each division doesn't hurt things too much.

We've got to get better at the top.

(06-08-2018 08:10 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  David, if you have a passion for re-alignment then listen to the information being presented by those that are close to the schools being talked about. Read to learn and not just count the seconds until you can post again.......

The MAC will not expand unless these three criteria are met

1. Football
2. Access to markets
3. Name brand

Bellarmine does not have the sports the MAC needs. UAH will not join the MAC so that other MAC schools can start a MAC hockey conference. Dayton is not a possible yes. Etc etc.

Read to learn, David. Read to learn.

The issue I am pointing out to the others on here, there are no name brand school that want to join the MAC unless it is a FCS school. The MAC have been considered the bottom feeder in FBS. The FBS schools that some of these guys in this thread wants to be bigger, and maybe the AAC? That is why I have not listed any FBS schools. They would think of the MAC as a downgrade, not an upgrade.

(06-09-2018 05:19 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-08-2018 08:10 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  David, if you have a passion for re-alignment then listen to the information being presented by those that are close to the schools being talked about. Read to learn and not just count the seconds until you can post again.......

The MAC will not expand unless these three criteria are met

1. Football
2. Access to markets
3. Name brand

Bellarmine does not have the sports the MAC needs. UAH will not join the MAC so that other MAC schools can start a MAC hockey conference. Dayton is not a possible yes. Etc etc.

Read to learn, David. Read to learn.

The issue I am pointing out to the others on here, there are no name brand school that want to join the MAC unless it is a FCS school. The MAC have been considered the bottom feeder in FBS. The FBS schools that some of these guys in this thread wants to be bigger, and maybe the AAC? That is why I have not listed any FBS schools. They would think of the MAC as a downgrade, not an upgrade.

You're right, it is probably difficult to get a FBS school to join but it did happen when Northern Illinois joined. There are name brand FCS schools who fit the criteria and the MAC would consider them. It's still no reason to list every school from coast to coast. The MAC would not be allowed to add a D2 school not to mention the enormous financial burden to the D2 school. Dayton will never be on the list since the MAC already has 6 Ohio members including one just 34 straight-line miles away and they don't have football.

(06-09-2018 09:22 AM)AZcats Wrote:  

(06-09-2018 05:19 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-08-2018 08:10 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  David, if you have a passion for re-alignment then listen to the information being presented by those that are close to the schools being talked about. Read to learn and not just count the seconds until you can post again.......

The MAC will not expand unless these three criteria are met

1. Football
2. Access to markets
3. Name brand

Bellarmine does not have the sports the MAC needs. UAH will not join the MAC so that other MAC schools can start a MAC hockey conference. Dayton is not a possible yes. Etc etc.

Read to learn, David. Read to learn.

The issue I am pointing out to the others on here, there are no name brand school that want to join the MAC unless it is a FCS school. The MAC have been considered the bottom feeder in FBS. The FBS schools that some of these guys in this thread wants to be bigger, and maybe the AAC? That is why I have not listed any FBS schools. They would think of the MAC as a downgrade, not an upgrade.

You're right, it is probably difficult to get a FBS school to join but it did happen when Northern Illinois joined. There are name brand FCS schools who fit the criteria and the MAC would consider them. It's still no reason to list every school from coast to coast. The MAC would not be allowed to add a D2 school not to mention the enormous financial burden to the D2 school. Dayton will never be on the list since the MAC already has 6 Ohio members including one just 34 straight-line miles away and they don't have football.

Before David beats me to the punch, Dayton actually does have football. They play in the Pioneer League.

This is my thoughts on when it comes to basketball.

1) If there are 32 conferences in basketball, if the conferences consolidated to 30 or even 25 it would create more room for at-large bids.

2) The A-10 has done well with a 14 team, best of the rest saturation model. They are by far the biggest and best mid major conference along the East Coast.

3) Most mid major conference have adopted a formula where the team that earns the units keeps the units. Therefore concerns about splitting the basketball money most ways is moot.

4) The more basketball teams you have, the more competition it creates it creates at the top. My expansion idea to 18 adding 6 basketball schools wouldn't mean the MAC would continue to be a 1 bid, 12 seed league. It would become a 2 or 3 bid league with higher seed lines.

The traditional reason for the MAC requiring football was it didn't want to put itself in a position where it didn't have enough members to make the attendance requirement. EMU, Kent, Ball St, Ohio even if you go back to the 90's would have taken that get out of jail free card and dropped down to AA. Only Toledo, BGSU, Miami, WMU and CMU were committed to the top level in the 90's.

The only schools that would take that get out of jail free card and drop to FCS are Kent State and maybe Eastern Michigan. Buffalo is not going to drop to FCS. Akron has a new stadium. Ball State expanded/renovated a few years ago and is the only G5 team in. Ohio has stepped it up and is now a conference power.

This is why I am fine with adding more non-football schools within the MAC footprint. More schools would help with Olympic sports. It can be done with academics in mind too.

For example if the MAC added Milwaukee, IL-Chicago, IUPUI and could pick up Saint Louis which has a billion dollar endowment that would help the conference. Saint Louis might be interested in making the move because of the academics. It would put the MAC in a position to challenge the MVC more in recruiting.

Dayton is only 3 hours west of Pittsburgh so its not as far removed from the A10 footprint. Davidson is just as far removed south. As higher profile basketball programs its okay to be on the wings of the A10. Saint Louis is a wing to a wing plus has regional interest in Chicago and Indianapolis which is not addressed at all in the A10.

(06-09-2018 09:22 AM)AZcats Wrote:  

(06-09-2018 05:19 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-08-2018 08:10 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  David, if you have a passion for re-alignment then listen to the information being presented by those that are close to the schools being talked about. Read to learn and not just count the seconds until you can post again.......

The MAC will not expand unless these three criteria are met

1. Football
2. Access to markets
3. Name brand

Bellarmine does not have the sports the MAC needs. UAH will not join the MAC so that other MAC schools can start a MAC hockey conference. Dayton is not a possible yes. Etc etc.

Read to learn, David. Read to learn.

The issue I am pointing out to the others on here, there are no name brand school that want to join the MAC unless it is a FCS school. The MAC have been considered the bottom feeder in FBS. The FBS schools that some of these guys in this thread wants to be bigger, and maybe the AAC? That is why I have not listed any FBS schools. They would think of the MAC as a downgrade, not an upgrade.

You're right, it is probably difficult to get a FBS school to join but it did happen when Northern Illinois joined. There are name brand FCS schools who fit the criteria and the MAC would consider them. It's still no reason to list every school from coast to coast. The MAC would not be allowed to add a D2 school not to mention the enormous financial burden to the D2 school. Dayton will never be on the list since the MAC already has 6 Ohio members including one just 34 straight-line miles away and they don't have football.

The MAC could add D2 schools if that school does not have football. Bellarmine do not have football, and could help with their strong basketball program. Grand Canyon University got invited to an FBS conference, and they did not have football either.

(06-09-2018 11:09 AM)seaking4steel Wrote:  

(06-09-2018 09:22 AM)AZcats Wrote:  

(06-09-2018 05:19 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-08-2018 08:10 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  David, if you have a passion for re-alignment then listen to the information being presented by those that are close to the schools being talked about. Read to learn and not just count the seconds until you can post again.......

The MAC will not expand unless these three criteria are met

1. Football
2. Access to markets
3. Name brand

Bellarmine does not have the sports the MAC needs. UAH will not join the MAC so that other MAC schools can start a MAC hockey conference. Dayton is not a possible yes. Etc etc.

Read to learn, David. Read to learn.

The issue I am pointing out to the others on here, there are no name brand school that want to join the MAC unless it is a FCS school. The MAC have been considered the bottom feeder in FBS. The FBS schools that some of these guys in this thread wants to be bigger, and maybe the AAC? That is why I have not listed any FBS schools. They would think of the MAC as a downgrade, not an upgrade.

You're right, it is probably difficult to get a FBS school to join but it did happen when Northern Illinois joined. There are name brand FCS schools who fit the criteria and the MAC would consider them. It's still no reason to list every school from coast to coast. The MAC would not be allowed to add a D2 school not to mention the enormous financial burden to the D2 school. Dayton will never be on the list since the MAC already has 6 Ohio members including one just 34 straight-line miles away and they don't have football.

Before David beats me to the punch, Dayton actually does have football. They play in the Pioneer League.

Well that would explain why I forgot they have football.

(06-09-2018 12:54 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-09-2018 09:22 AM)AZcats Wrote:  

(06-09-2018 05:19 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-08-2018 08:10 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  David, if you have a passion for re-alignment then listen to the information being presented by those that are close to the schools being talked about. Read to learn and not just count the seconds until you can post again.......

The MAC will not expand unless these three criteria are met

1. Football
2. Access to markets
3. Name brand

Bellarmine does not have the sports the MAC needs. UAH will not join the MAC so that other MAC schools can start a MAC hockey conference. Dayton is not a possible yes. Etc etc.

Read to learn, David. Read to learn.

The issue I am pointing out to the others on here, there are no name brand school that want to join the MAC unless it is a FCS school. The MAC have been considered the bottom feeder in FBS. The FBS schools that some of these guys in this thread wants to be bigger, and maybe the AAC? That is why I have not listed any FBS schools. They would think of the MAC as a downgrade, not an upgrade.

You're right, it is probably difficult to get a FBS school to join but it did happen when Northern Illinois joined. There are name brand FCS schools who fit the criteria and the MAC would consider them. It's still no reason to list every school from coast to coast. The MAC would not be allowed to add a D2 school not to mention the enormous financial burden to the D2 school. Dayton will never be on the list since the MAC already has 6 Ohio members including one just 34 straight-line miles away and they don't have football.

The MAC could add D2 schools if that school does not have football. Bellarmine do not have football, and could help with their strong basketball program. Grand Canyon University got invited to an FBS conference, and they did not have football either.

Is Bellarmine a name brand?
Does Bellarmine deliver a new market?
Does Bellarmine match the general profile of MAC institutions?

The answer to all is NO. The general public has no idea what a Bellarmine is. They certainly don't get much attention in their own town of Louisville. The financial strain would be too much with all the requirements to be D1 for a private school of 3,757 students.

GCU is a situation all on its own, there is no way you can compare their move to D1 to anyone else.

When should we expect Dayton and SLU to dump Davidson and George Washington for the academically superior MAC?

Kittonhead, maybe if you post these ideas on the Dayton and SLU boards, it will be received with thunderous applause and trigger their fan bases into pressuring their administrations to make the move.

(06-09-2018 01:05 PM)AZcats Wrote:  

(06-09-2018 11:09 AM)seaking4steel Wrote:  

(06-09-2018 09:22 AM)AZcats Wrote:  

(06-09-2018 05:19 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-08-2018 08:10 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  David, if you have a passion for re-alignment then listen to the information being presented by those that are close to the schools being talked about. Read to learn and not just count the seconds until you can post again.......

The MAC will not expand unless these three criteria are met

1. Football
2. Access to markets
3. Name brand

Bellarmine does not have the sports the MAC needs. UAH will not join the MAC so that other MAC schools can start a MAC hockey conference. Dayton is not a possible yes. Etc etc.

Read to learn, David. Read to learn.

The issue I am pointing out to the others on here, there are no name brand school that want to join the MAC unless it is a FCS school. The MAC have been considered the bottom feeder in FBS. The FBS schools that some of these guys in this thread wants to be bigger, and maybe the AAC? That is why I have not listed any FBS schools. They would think of the MAC as a downgrade, not an upgrade.

You're right, it is probably difficult to get a FBS school to join but it did happen when Northern Illinois joined. There are name brand FCS schools who fit the criteria and the MAC would consider them. It's still no reason to list every school from coast to coast. The MAC would not be allowed to add a D2 school not to mention the enormous financial burden to the D2 school. Dayton will never be on the list since the MAC already has 6 Ohio members including one just 34 straight-line miles away and they don't have football.

Before David beats me to the punch, Dayton actually does have football. They play in the Pioneer League.

Well that would explain why I forgot they have football.

Its non-scholarship football. That's no one cares about UD football.

(06-09-2018 01:37 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  When should we expect Dayton and SLU to dump Davidson and George Washington for the academically superior MAC?

Kittonhead, maybe if you post these ideas on the Dayton and SLU boards, it will be received with thunderous applause and trigger their fan bases into pressuring their administrations to make the move.

Saint Louis has talked with the MAC before.

They have a different profile than the other A10 catholic schools. Larger size and with professional students. Almost 5000 grad students.

They might dream about the Big East but they don't have the teams to get in anytime in the future.

(06-09-2018 12:54 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-09-2018 09:22 AM)AZcats Wrote:  

(06-09-2018 05:19 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-08-2018 08:10 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  David, if you have a passion for re-alignment then listen to the information being presented by those that are close to the schools being talked about. Read to learn and not just count the seconds until you can post again.......

The MAC will not expand unless these three criteria are met

1. Football
2. Access to markets
3. Name brand

Bellarmine does not have the sports the MAC needs. UAH will not join the MAC so that other MAC schools can start a MAC hockey conference. Dayton is not a possible yes. Etc etc.

Read to learn, David. Read to learn.

The issue I am pointing out to the others on here, there are no name brand school that want to join the MAC unless it is a FCS school. The MAC have been considered the bottom feeder in FBS. The FBS schools that some of these guys in this thread wants to be bigger, and maybe the AAC? That is why I have not listed any FBS schools. They would think of the MAC as a downgrade, not an upgrade.

You're right, it is probably difficult to get a FBS school to join but it did happen when Northern Illinois joined. There are name brand FCS schools who fit the criteria and the MAC would consider them. It's still no reason to list every school from coast to coast. The MAC would not be allowed to add a D2 school not to mention the enormous financial burden to the D2 school. Dayton will never be on the list since the MAC already has 6 Ohio members including one just 34 straight-line miles away and they don't have football.

The MAC could add D2 schools if that school does not have football. Bellarmine do not have football, and could help with their strong basketball program. Grand Canyon University got invited to an FBS conference, and they did not have football either.

Grand Canyon was added because the WAC was shedding schools and wanted to stay alive. Bellarmine (or any D2 school for that matter) will make the MAC weaker than it already is. Their Basketball RPI would tank.

(06-08-2018 01:06 PM)seaking4steel Wrote:  I don't understand the want for EMU to drop. The last two years have seen a huge improvement in both team performance and fan support. Doubt the MAC will kick them out and the only way they drop is if their administration warrants it. Also David, why would you suggest to replace them with schools in a remote part of the state, in Division 2, and only have 1/5th of the fan support EMU has now?

They only sold $200k worth of tickets last year, lowest in the MAC by a long shot. They are in a completely saturated market with no room for growth. They should drop the program and let the other MAC/Michigan schools take the CFP money and recruits.