(03-15-2024 06:35 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Any chance of "contraction" within the MAC considering these new financial realities?

No offense please--I'm just guessing EMU? And what about that Akron/Kent St. merger "talk"?

Things are getting serious on the financial end:

--CFP money increase was "peanuts"

-- P4 putting more pressure on to restrict NCAA bids to non-P schools

--inflation and enrollments drops at many schools; game attendance faltering

--NIL, coaches salaries

The new MAC media deal will be better---but don't expect it to be the Solution.

https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/wkus-en...5cdc9.html

(03-17-2024 11:08 PM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  Neither Kent nor Akron have any interest in this.

First, this isn't true, as there have been confidential discussions within the last few years on this topics in which both schools were involved -- one side was more interested than the other, I suspect. Second, in the end, it might not be a matter of choice. The State of Ohio may mandate it as a fiscal necessity. I'm not saying that it will happen, just that it's more than a remote possibility.

(03-18-2024 02:44 PM)OhioCatFan Wrote:  

(03-17-2024 11:08 PM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  Neither Kent nor Akron have any interest in this.

First, this isn't true, as there have been confidential discussions within the last few years on this topics in which both schools were involved -- one side was more interested than the other, I suspect.

Can you share evidence of this?

(03-18-2024 04:26 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(03-18-2024 02:44 PM)OhioCatFan Wrote:  

(03-17-2024 11:08 PM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  Neither Kent nor Akron have any interest in this.

First, this isn't true, as there have been confidential discussions within the last few years on this topics in which both schools were involved -- one side was more interested than the other, I suspect.

Can you share evidence of this?

Close to the idea, but this has been a discussion point
https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/educ...358293007/

(03-19-2024 09:04 AM)mpurdy22 Wrote:  

(03-18-2024 04:26 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(03-18-2024 02:44 PM)OhioCatFan Wrote:  

(03-17-2024 11:08 PM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  Neither Kent nor Akron have any interest in this.

First, this isn't true, as there have been confidential discussions within the last few years on this topics in which both schools were involved -- one side was more interested than the other, I suspect.

Can you share evidence of this?

Close to the idea, but this has been a discussion point
https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/educ...358293007/

That was 2014. Akron's financial woes have increased dramatically since then, and the discussions have taken different turns.

(03-18-2024 04:26 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(03-18-2024 02:44 PM)OhioCatFan Wrote:  

(03-17-2024 11:08 PM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  Neither Kent nor Akron have any interest in this.

First, this isn't true, as there have been confidential discussions within the last few years on this topics in which both schools were involved -- one side was more interested than the other, I suspect.

Can you share evidence of this?

Sorry, I can't give you specifics of a private conversation with a person in the know.

(03-19-2024 10:39 AM)OhioCatFan Wrote:  

(03-18-2024 04:26 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(03-18-2024 02:44 PM)OhioCatFan Wrote:  

(03-17-2024 11:08 PM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  Neither Kent nor Akron have any interest in this.

First, this isn't true, as there have been confidential discussions within the last few years on this topics in which both schools were involved -- one side was more interested than the other, I suspect.

Can you share evidence of this?

Sorry, I can't give you specifics of a private conversation with a person in the know.

Fair enough.

I would note speculation about an Akron-Kent State merger goes back a long time. Jim Rhodes talked about it more than 40 years ago. https://osupublicationarchives.osu.edu/?...xIN-------

Akron's primary issue is carrying a hefty mortgage for substantial campus upgrades and KSU is not in a position to want to assume that mortgage

https://www.ideastream.org/education/202...rams-staff

(03-19-2024 10:58 AM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  Akron's primary issue is carrying a hefty mortgage for substantial campus upgrades and KSU is not in a position to want to assume that mortgage

https://www.ideastream.org/education/202...rams-staff

Again, I'm not saying that this is going to happen, only that it has been discussed relatively recently. IF it did occur, the savings would be considerable -- only one set of top administrators, one athletic program, consolidation of duplicate departments, etc. Under these circumstances the state might sweeten the pot and agree to pay off Akron's debt in order to benefit long-term from a reduction in annual appropriations to this new, slimmer and more efficiently run university, which would be one of biggest in the state.