For years, every time the Umass stadium has come up (I've asked a few times), they always state they will not invest until they are in a conference. Always been a head scratcher for me, as it's clearly a cart/horse scenario. Umass needs to invest in that OCS and prove they mean business. Everyone who built recently ended up making themselves more attractive and it usually pays off. Even my school finally announced a build, and should produce renderings soon.

I don't understand why they don't just tear down one side of that McGuirk stadium and put a nice 15-20K 'once sided' in it's place. You are basically only building half a stadium, and keep the older other half as bleachers.

All six ACC additions seem to be investing pretty well... I'm sure you put a nice OCS at Umass and the AAC would be VERY interested.

Disclaimer... never been there so what do I know... just always found Umass interesting...

(10-25-2023 08:18 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  Correct me if I’m wrong, and/or if I’m oversimplifying, but it sounds like it’s MAC All Sports or bust based on the feedback from UMass supporters.

It's pretty clear that the MAC could have a UMass football affiliation any time it wanted. The only path into the MAC would be an all-sports invitation, and even then it may come down to whether the math works out: Would any additional TV revenue cover the cost of the additional travel for the MAC's existing schools?

For UMass, I assume they would take football affiliation in a heartbeat. It is the other sports where I think this becomes a tough call. Many fans are emotionally attached to the Atlantic 10, even though -- as this talk of Virginia Commonwealth leaving suggests -- it isn't quite what it used to be.

(10-25-2023 07:21 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 05:25 PM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  [quote='templefootballfan' pid='19233367' dateline='1698271718']
with 7 schools, how on God's green earth did C-USA decline UMass

Jax St got nice program, there #6 in Ala and people think there in Fla

They know the difference between “there” and “their”. And where is Temple supposed to be?

Quote:Some of them even know the difference between "they're" and "their".

Folks know where it is (hint: not 30 minutes south of Waco). They just think it's a private university and not a whatever Pennsylvania calls it's pseudo state schools.

(10-25-2023 08:28 PM)whittx Wrote:  Folks know where it is (hint: not 30 minutes south of Waco). They just think it's a private university and not a whatever Pennsylvania calls it's pseudo state schools.

Temple's high school stadium is fairly nice on its own.

(10-25-2023 08:19 PM)Bull Wrote:  For years, every time the Umass stadium has come up (I've asked a few times), they always state they will not invest until they are in a conference. Always been a head scratcher for me, as it's clearly a cart/horse scenario. Umass needs to invest in that OCS and prove they mean business. Everyone who built recently ended up making themselves more attractive and it usually pays off. Even my school finally announced a build, and should produce renderings soon.

I don't understand why they don't just tear down one side of that McGuirk stadium and put a nice 15-20K 'once sided' in it's place. You are basically only building half a stadium, and keep the older other half as bleachers.

All six ACC additions seem to be investing pretty well... I'm sure you put a nice OCS at Umass and the AAC would be VERY interested.

Disclaimer... never been there so what do I know... just always found Umass interesting...

I don't know the exact specifics here, but I think there's an issue with code on the stadium where if they do any actual work on the structure that has seating they need to replace the whole thing. Something where it's been grandfathered in at this point, but once a modification happens it needs to be updated.

Again, not sure on what exactly it was about, but I remember reading that at one point.

(10-25-2023 08:18 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  Correct me if I’m wrong, and/or if I’m oversimplifying, but it sounds like it’s MAC All Sports or bust based on the feedback from UMass supporters.

MAC all sports or bust is the realistic option at this point. AAC is the stretch goal.

Big East with UConn and us tied at the hip is an unrealistic one that's probably unsustainable long term as well for football (but provides more money and a somewhat more stable solution).

ACC is the ultimate dream that will never happen, with UConn, BC, and Syracuse all in there.

Not bust, just misery.

Part of UMass's issue is that the fans of each sport are not in alignment.

The football fans want to join the MAC in all sports.

The basketball fans (and, frankly, every other sport) want to stay in the A-10.

The hockey fans are all set, Hockey East isn't going away.

At this point, it's pretty clear that the football contingent doesn't have the upper hand and isn't driving the bus.

The A10 isn’t what it was. They need to find a New England rival to come w/ them to the MAC. If they leave the MAC in a couple years, who cares, the MAC returns back to its status quo.

Circle 4 games to win every year: FCS, Akron, Kent St whoever the bottom of the West is, & build off that, suddenly recruits will want to come. & you can get it turned around.

If they don't think the MAC is that good in basketball, they should win it every year. You get football good, your basketball winning the MAC every year, springboard to a different conference.

(10-26-2023 08:27 AM)ccd494 Wrote:  Part of UMass's issue is that the fans of each sport are not in alignment.

The football fans want to join the MAC in all sports.

The basketball fans (and, frankly, every other sport) want to stay in the A-10.

The hockey fans are all set, Hockey East isn't going away.

At this point, it's pretty clear that the football contingent doesn't have the upper hand and isn't driving the bus.

You don't know UMass and basketball fans are starting to realize the A10 has issues. There is only 1 women's sport that is significantly lower in the MAC. Moving men's lacrosse and possible soccer to the Big East would be an upgrade,

(10-25-2023 04:37 PM)e-parade Wrote:  We know we need to get into a conference, and right now the AAC is the goal. That's not at all likely though, but people seem to be holding out hope for it one way or the other. The irony is that had we stayed in the MAC and continued to improve like the signs were showing in our last 2 years we may have been considered for the AAC at this point.

The most likely thing that would happen, if we get into a conference, would be in the MAC with Delaware. Buffalo and Delaware are both fine permanent rivals for us, and some of the rest of us also enjoy playing Ohio. However I feel that this would still be viewed as a temporary stop, with the next goal ultimately being the AAC after we get our **** together. It's certainly been a tough ride for us of late, and those of us who still stick around tend to be the most insane ones who love the punishment. The only relief we get is from Hockey, and even that is only a recent change.


Independence it tough. It's about to get tougher. We still have UConn (and hopefully would after joining a conference), but that's one game a year.

IMO Umass only needs one more defection from the AAC to get in. Adding Army made it much easier ot make a NE quadrant with Temple/Army/Navy/Umass.

any of USF/Mem/Tulane leaving opens the door for UMass.

(10-26-2023 08:52 AM)ballantyneapp Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 04:37 PM)e-parade Wrote:  We know we need to get into a conference, and right now the AAC is the goal. That's not at all likely though, but people seem to be holding out hope for it one way or the other. The irony is that had we stayed in the MAC and continued to improve like the signs were showing in our last 2 years we may have been considered for the AAC at this point.

The most likely thing that would happen, if we get into a conference, would be in the MAC with Delaware. Buffalo and Delaware are both fine permanent rivals for us, and some of the rest of us also enjoy playing Ohio. However I feel that this would still be viewed as a temporary stop, with the next goal ultimately being the AAC after we get our **** together. It's certainly been a tough ride for us of late, and those of us who still stick around tend to be the most insane ones who love the punishment. The only relief we get is from Hockey, and even that is only a recent change.


Independence it tough. It's about to get tougher. We still have UConn (and hopefully would after joining a conference), but that's one game a year.

IMO Umass only needs one more defection from the AAC to get in. Adding Army made it much easier ot make a NE quadrant with Temple/Army/Navy/Umass.

any of USF/Mem/Tulane leaving opens the door for UMass.

Needs to be Tulane, as it only takes 4 no votes for this not to happen. Tulsa and the 2 Texas teams will vote NO.

(10-25-2023 05:08 PM)templefootballfan Wrote:  with 7 schools, how on God's green earth did C-USA decline UMass
SHST located in 1 horse town
Jax St got nice program, there #6 in Ala and people think there in Fla
KSU sounds div1AA

C-USA had shot at ArkLR & Tex Arl
that's 8 FB, 9 BB, now you start chasing MVC schools

it was a matter of geography. Huntsville in East Texas and KSU has a campus in Atlanta. They would have taken an NAIA school if it were anywhere in the South. Hate to say this, but I think FCS is where UMass may be headed.

(10-25-2023 08:52 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  Not bust, just misery.

The last 12 years have been pretty much misery. Love for a conference, any conference to take us, football only or all sports but I think the handwriting is on the wall. Good thing all the future football contracts are voidable like Idaho's was.

(10-25-2023 08:19 PM)Bull Wrote:  For years, every time the Umass stadium has come up (I've asked a few times), they always state they will not invest until they are in a conference. Always been a head scratcher for me, as it's clearly a cart/horse scenario. Umass needs to invest in that OCS and prove they mean business. Everyone who built recently ended up making themselves more attractive and it usually pays off. Even my school finally announced a build, and should produce renderings soon.

I don't understand why they don't just tear down one side of that McGuirk stadium and put a nice 15-20K 'once sided' in it's place. You are basically only building half a stadium, and keep the older other half as bleachers.

All six ACC additions seem to be investing pretty well... I'm sure you put a nice OCS at Umass and the AAC would be VERY interested.

Disclaimer... never been there so what do I know... just always found Umass interesting...

Almost a chicken and egg thing except they knew the FBS experience wouldn't last, so why invest in anything. Now since the stadium sucks and is an embarrassment this would be the perfect time to drop back down to 1AA since UMass can't put an FBS schedule together.

(10-26-2023 08:41 AM)Steve1981 Wrote:  

(10-26-2023 08:27 AM)ccd494 Wrote:  Part of UMass's issue is that the fans of each sport are not in alignment.

The football fans want to join the MAC in all sports.

The basketball fans (and, frankly, every other sport) want to stay in the A-10.

The hockey fans are all set, Hockey East isn't going away.

At this point, it's pretty clear that the football contingent doesn't have the upper hand and isn't driving the bus.

You don't know UMass and basketball fans are starting to realize the A10 has issues. There is only 1 women's sport that is significantly lower in the MAC. Moving men's lacrosse and possible soccer to the Big East would be an upgrade,

That's not what I hear from UMass basketball fans I know, who generally say things like "I don't give two [expletives] about Ball State" and "I will never donate to the university again if we join that [expletive] conference"

UMass had the chance to go full MAC with JMU in 2012. They elected to stay A-10 and go indy in football.

Hind site being 20/20, that move has proved to be a disaster.

(10-26-2023 09:38 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  UMass had the chance to go full MAC with JMU in 2012. They elected to stay A-10 and go indy in football.

Hind site being 20/20, that move has proved to be a disaster.

Very true, but back then the Athletic Department had a leg to stand on. The A10 was receiving lots of cash and UMass was in the NIT Final 4 and did make the big dance in 2014. Now the A10 and UMass not so much.

To me, the answer would be for the MAC to invite UMass as a full member along with 3 of the best non-FCS A-10 schools in order to boost the MAC’s basketball brand. Then UConn for football only with a scheduling agreement for x games in men’s basketball.

The result is 16 all-sports/13+1 for football.

St Louis and Dayton make. Lot of sense if they can get them to buy into the vision.

(10-26-2023 08:27 AM)ccd494 Wrote:  Part of UMass's issue is that the fans of each sport are not in alignment.

The football fans want to join the MAC in all sports.

The basketball fans (and, frankly, every other sport) want to stay in the A-10.

The hockey fans are all set, Hockey East isn't going away.

At this point, it's pretty clear that the football contingent doesn't have the upper hand and isn't driving the bus.

That's the problem. Every other FCS transitional school prioritized the main moneymaker: football!

Why UMass is holding onto the A10 doesn't make any sense from my perspective. Well, I mean I see what they're trying to do: tread water until they receive an all-sports invite from the AAC. It seems the administration is AAC or bust. Instead, they should be focused on climbing the Great Totem Poll of Realignment via joining an all-sports conference and working their way up. This is the proven model.