A 20 game conference schedule seems to be gaining momentum with some of the larger conferences. What's your thoughts on the MAC adopting a 20 game schedule?

Personally, I think it makes a lot of sense. It creates a more balanced schedule for all teams so tournament seedings would more accurately reflect how the teams rank. Conference games draw more fan interest so it will help generate additional revenue for schools. The MAC has improved a lot so additional in conference games gives teams more opportunity to beat better quality opponents in an effort to build their resume. Toledo getting a 2nd win over both BGSU and Akron would help their at-large chances more than their cupcake home wins over Cleveland State and North Alabama.

The only negative I can think of is teams would have to sacrifice 1 home game. It seems like a small price to pay.

(02-15-2019 04:15 PM)kreed5120 Wrote:  A 20 game conference schedule seems to be gaining momentum with some of the larger conferences. What's your thoughts on the MAC adopting a 20 game schedule?

Personally, I think it makes a lot of sense. It creates a more balanced schedule for all teams so tournament seedings would more accurately reflect how the teams rank. Conference games draw more fan interest so it will help generate additional revenue for schools. The MAC has improved a lot so additional in conference games gives teams more opportunity to beat better quality opponents in an effort to build their resume. Toledo getting a 2nd win over both BGSU and Akron would help their at-large chances more than their cupcake home wins over Cleveland State and North Alabama.

The only negative I can think of is teams would have to sacrifice 1 home game. It seems like a small price to pay.

I think they should go to a 22 game conference schedule, which would be a full round-robin schedule where everyone plays everybody twice. That way, the schedules are completely balanced.

I like the round robin the best. Then we can get rid of the divisions.

(02-15-2019 05:00 PM)RocketBBallFan Wrote:  

(02-15-2019 04:15 PM)kreed5120 Wrote:  A 20 game conference schedule seems to be gaining momentum with some of the larger conferences. What's your thoughts on the MAC adopting a 20 game schedule?

Personally, I think it makes a lot of sense. It creates a more balanced schedule for all teams so tournament seedings would more accurately reflect how the teams rank. Conference games draw more fan interest so it will help generate additional revenue for schools. The MAC has improved a lot so additional in conference games gives teams more opportunity to beat better quality opponents in an effort to build their resume. Toledo getting a 2nd win over both BGSU and Akron would help their at-large chances more than their cupcake home wins over Cleveland State and North Alabama.

The only negative I can think of is teams would have to sacrifice 1 home game. It seems like a small price to pay.

I think they should go to a 22 game conference schedule, which would be a full round-robin schedule where everyone plays everybody twice. That way, the schedules are completely balanced.

I wouldn't be opposed to a double round robin. I agree it's better. Just not sure teams would agree to go from 18 games straight to 22.

ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE IDEA DESIGNED TO KILL MID-MAJORS ....

B10 doing it this year, meaning the additional two conference games erased 28-non-conference games mid-major programs should be going after ... AND DESPERATELY NEED ... to build NCAA Tournament resumes.

Multiply 28x the other power conferences and that's almost 150 games/chances mid-majors don't get if all decide to follow B10 lead.

Meanwhile, the elite conferences continue getting more and more teams with losing league records into the tournament, at the expense of strong mid-major teams that don't have "resumes" ... because of games they could not play or get, even on the road.

Indiana and Ohio State are still considered NCAA Tournament viable and they have barely defeated anybody other than themselves.

NCAA should stop this trend ... immediately.

MAX League schedule should be 18 games for all.

That all depends on if you really believe those games would go to mid-majors. It seems most big conference teams schedule other big conference teams so the games will have big tv ratings or they schedule a low-major so that they can get a guaranteed win to pad their win total. Getting a mid-major vs. major outside of a mid-season tournament is extremely challenging. Getting a major to agree to play at a mid-major is next to impossible.

(02-15-2019 05:01 PM)rocketinchitown Wrote:  I like the round robin the best. Then we can get rid of the divisions.

We’ve already gotten rid of divisions in any practical sense. Division titles are meaningless since the tourney seedings are based on overall conference record. The only thing that hasn’t happened is the MAC publishing the standings as a single 12 team league, like the MVC did a few years ago. There is zero reason not to.

(02-15-2019 05:54 PM)axeme Wrote:  

(02-15-2019 05:01 PM)rocketinchitown Wrote:  I like the round robin the best. Then we can get rid of the divisions.

We’ve already gotten rid of divisions in any practical sense. Division titles are meaningless since the tourney seedings are based on overall conference record. The only thing that hasn’t happened is the MAC publishing the standings as a single 12 team league, like the MVC did a few years ago. There is zero reason not to.

Agree.

the fact that Toledo and BG only typicaly play once a season is reason enough to change the schedule. the division thing is dumb for basketball. that needs to go yesterday. the biggest impact on schedule issues would be the ncaa recognizing that the majors complete refusal to schedule road games against mid or low majors hurts college basketball at all level. it hurts the mid majors but it also limits opportunities for fans of the big name team who can't go to home games to watch them play elsewhere. for example, there's plenty of OSU fans in the Toledo or cleveland area but OSU won't play there, even though it would actually strengthen their fan base and build their brand. Look up random old MAC schedules from an era when you only played 6 or 8 non conference games, not 11 or 13.

Here's Ohio's 1971-72 non conf home games: Ohio St, Indiana, Cincinnati, Virginia Tech, Loyola, Marshall, Missouri
Toledo 1973-4 non conf home (not including current MAC teams who were independents then) Michigan, Marquette, Butler, Michigan St, St Marys
Kent State 1972-3: Western Kentucky, Penn State, Pittsburgh
Western Michigan 1975-6 Michigan State, Loyola

You had more reason to be a season ticket holder to go to home games. You could see your hometown team but also some of the other top teams in the region. The gradual decline in bigger name schools scheduling at smaller schools has corresponded to a drop in actual attendance at almost all levels. Outside of a few major programs fan bases have shrunk. The NCAA should change scheduling rules to force more teams to play on the road. And state university systems should require state schools to play home and home games to promote competition and rivalry within the state system. The increase in the exempt tourneys is liked by coaches because it gives the team preparation for the conference tourney setup. The TV networks like it because it is marketable. but it is horrible for fans, forces mid majors to travel far at great cost for the shot at a neutral court game or two with a name team and takes kids away from school for unnecessarily long stretches.

(02-16-2019 06:27 PM)pono Wrote:  the fact that Toledo and BG only typicaly play once a season is reason enough to change the schedule. the division thing is dumb for basketball. that needs to go yesterday. the biggest impact on schedule issues would be the ncaa recognizing that the majors complete refusal to schedule road games against mid or low majors hurts college basketball at all level. it hurts the mid majors but it also limits opportunities for fans of the big name team who can't go to home games to watch them play elsewhere. for example, there's plenty of OSU fans in the Toledo or cleveland area but OSU won't play there, even though it would actually strengthen their fan base and build their brand. Look up random old MAC schedules from an era when you only played 6 or 8 non conference games, not 11 or 13.

Here's Ohio's 1971-72 non conf home games: Ohio St, Indiana, Cincinnati, Virginia Tech, Loyola, Marshall, Missouri
Toledo 1973-4 non conf home (not including current MAC teams who were independents then) Michigan, Marquette, Butler, Michigan St, St Marys
Kent State 1972-3: Western Kentucky, Penn State, Pittsburgh
Western Michigan 1975-6 Michigan State, Loyola

You had more reason to be a season ticket holder to go to home games. You could see your hometown team but also some of the other top teams in the region. The gradual decline in bigger name schools scheduling at smaller schools has corresponded to a drop in actual attendance at almost all levels. Outside of a few major programs fan bases have shrunk. The NCAA should change scheduling rules to force more teams to play on the road. And state university systems should require state schools to play home and home games to promote competition and rivalry within the state system. The increase in the exempt tourneys is liked by coaches because it gives the team preparation for the conference tourney setup. The TV networks like it because it is marketable. but it is horrible for fans, forces mid majors to travel far at great cost for the shot at a neutral court game or two with a name team and takes kids away from school for unnecessarily long stretches.

THIS .... X-1000!!!!

I want the MAC v. MVC or CUSA challenge.
We don't have bracketbusters to prove our worth anymore so lets do this to give CBSsports something to televise.

(02-18-2019 08:33 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  I want the MAC v. MVC or CUSA challenge.
We don't have bracketbusters to prove our worth anymore so lets do this to give CBSsports something to televise.

Tournaments and challenges like this are the best way to raise the profile of MAC teams and increase the chances for multi bids. The 20 or more game conference games can be neutral or harmful on this objective depending on the overall strength of the conference.