First reaction: UMass to the MAC

[GOODY]

^In order for this to be a "stepping stone" destination, the school needs to make a much bigger commitment to the football program. McGuirk needs either an extreme facelift/expansion, or a complete rebuild. 5 years from now, a 7-6 Umass team fresh off their Ruffles Potato Chip Bowl victory isn't going to be any more appealing to a better conference if we are still playing in our current facilities.

And yes, I completely understand the need to get the football program into a conference. With all of these super-leagues forming, it'll become nearly impossible to build an 11 or 12 game schedule, as their will be far fewer non-conference games available. But the fact that Umass-Lowell now sits in a better hoops conference that us is a very bitter pill to swallow

America East is better ???

[BR72]

I guess I don’t understand why who we play matters. I’m not going to say “oh UMass is playing Ball State and not LaSalle, I’m not going.”

I don’t go to games to watch Loyola or Davidson or even URI, I go to watch UMass.

I’ve been to two away games in recent memory: Toledo and Dayton lol

I agree. Who you play only matters for rankings, attendance, national exposure and recruiting. Otherwise who cares.

Rankings: A10 is a one bid league. I don’t care about NET garbage or anything else. It’s Dayton and the dwarfs.

Attendance: our attendance stinks in the A10. Nobody cares about the teams we’re already playing.

National exposure: all MAC games are on TV

Recruiting: we’ve been playing the same teams for decades. This is all about the coach, and he hasn’t spoken out against the move. And he’s outspoken.

Wrong on all counts. The A10 has had 2 or more bids 17 of the last 18 seasons and three or more in 11 of the last 15. Moreover, rankings matter not just for the NCAA but for the NIT as well.
Attendance has been up significantly this year culminating in 7K for the St. Bonaventure's game.
How many MAC games are on national TV?
What does who we are playing have to do with recruiting?
Finally, unless Frank was going to quit tomorrow, what do you expect him to say? How would it benefit him or the team now to fight the move? Time will tell.

[Camby4Life]

I agree. Who you play only matters for rankings, attendance, national exposure and recruiting. Otherwise who cares.

Rankings: A10 is a one bid league. I don’t care about NET garbage or anything else. It’s Dayton and the dwarfs.

Attendance: our attendance stinks in the A10. Nobody cares about the teams we’re already playing.

National exposure: all MAC games are on TV

Recruiting: we’ve been playing the same teams for decades. This is all about the coach, and he hasn’t spoken out against the move. And he’s outspoken.

Wrong on all counts. The A10 has had 2 or more bids 17 of the last 18 seasons and three or more in 11 of the last 15. Moreover, rankings matter not just for the NCAA but for the NIT as well.
Attendance has been up significantly this year culminating in 7K for the St. Bonaventure's game.
How many MAC games are on national TV?
What does who we are playing have to do with recruiting?
Finally, unless Frank was going to quit tomorrow, what do you expect him to say? How would it benefit him or the team now to fight the move? Time will tell.

Smaller sample size post tournament cancelled year is 5 total A10 bids in 3 years. The league is trending towards a 1 at large plus auto bid league. It’s not even listed on espn bubble watch anymore. MAC is currently a true 1 bid league. Take that for what it’s worth but it’s trending that both leagues won’t be much different when it comes to number of tourney teams as the Power conferences continue to take over. Mid majors need to have a ridiculous record just for bubble consideration.

[vanmeter]

The move to the MAC was a necessary move to save Football!
For all the love of the A10, we had one team in the NCAA and 0 in the NIT last year. Even the MAC had a team in the NIT, granted that it was a team that one the league and not the tournament.

[Merlin Samuels]

I agree. Who you play only matters for rankings, attendance, national exposure and recruiting. Otherwise who cares.

Rankings: A10 is a one bid league. I don’t care about NET garbage or anything else. It’s Dayton and the dwarfs.

Attendance: our attendance stinks in the A10. Nobody cares about the teams we’re already playing.

National exposure: all MAC games are on TV

Recruiting: we’ve been playing the same teams for decades. This is all about the coach, and he hasn’t spoken out against the move. And he’s outspoken.

Wrong on all counts. The A10 has had 2 or more bids 17 of the last 18 seasons and three or more in 11 of the last 15. Moreover, rankings matter not just for the NCAA but for the NIT as well.
Attendance has been up significantly this year culminating in 7K for the St. Bonaventure's game.
How many MAC games are on national TV?
What does who we are playing have to do with recruiting?
Finally, unless Frank was going to quit tomorrow, what do you expect him to say? How would it benefit him or the team now to fight the move? Time will tell.

The A10 is trending down and if Dayton wins the tourney, it’s a 1-bid league again. Not a good look.

I wonder if 7k people showed up because we played St Bona? No, it’s because we finally have a legitimate coach and the team is doing well. Most wins in ten freaking years so please don’t pretend it’s who we’re beating. That’s the worst argument put forth. If UMass is winning this much in the MAC, the fans will show up. Nobody is staying home because of the away team’s jersey.

I’ve seen MAC games on one of the cable ESPNs, I can’t tell you how many, but they’re all on ESPN+. They’re also on CBSSN. I do know it’s hard to find some UMass games and I’ve literally had to watch them on YouTube lol

Coaches have come out against moves recently including Chip Kelly. It’s not unheard of.

[Quann]

We’ll have a much better shot at winning the MAC tournament vs. the A10. It’s been almost 30 years since we won the A10 tourney. That’s nuts considering we won 5 in a row.

[doubledribble]

^^ Maybe UMass can pull a Pat Kelsey!

Good one

[Jackson96]

Rankings: A10 is a one bid league. I don’t care about NET garbage or anything else. It’s Dayton and the dwarfs.

Attendance: our attendance stinks in the A10. Nobody cares about the teams we’re already playing.

National exposure: all MAC games are on TV

Recruiting: we’ve been playing the same teams for decades. This is all about the coach, and he hasn’t spoken out against the move. And he’s outspoken.

Wrong on all counts. The A10 has had 2 or more bids 17 of the last 18 seasons and three or more in 11 of the last 15. Moreover, rankings matter not just for the NCAA but for the NIT as well.
Attendance has been up significantly this year culminating in 7K for the St. Bonaventure's game.
How many MAC games are on national TV?
What does who we are playing have to do with recruiting?
Finally, unless Frank was going to quit tomorrow, what do you expect him to say? How would it benefit him or the team now to fight the move? Time will tell.

The A10 is trending down and if Dayton wins the tourney, it’s a 1-bid league again. Not a good look.

I wonder if 7k people showed up because we played St Bona? No, it’s because we finally have a legitimate coach and the team is doing well. Most wins in ten freaking years so please don’t pretend it’s who we’re beating. That’s the worst argument put forth. If UMass is winning this much in the MAC, the fans will show up. Nobody is staying home because of the away team’s jersey.

I’ve seen MAC games on one of the cable ESPNs, I can’t tell you how many, but they’re all on ESPN+. They’re also on CBSSN. I do know it’s hard to find some UMass games and I’ve literally had to watch them on YouTube lol

Coaches have come out against moves recently including Chip Kelly. It’s not unheard of.

You didn’t have to add the literally. I think folks believed you.

[NE Cat]

I agree. Who you play only matters for rankings, attendance, national exposure and recruiting. Otherwise who cares.

Rankings: A10 is a one bid league. I don’t care about NET garbage or anything else. It’s Dayton and the dwarfs.

Attendance: our attendance stinks in the A10. Nobody cares about the teams we’re already playing.

National exposure: all MAC games are on TV

Recruiting: we’ve been playing the same teams for decades. This is all about the coach, and he hasn’t spoken out against the move. And he’s outspoken.

Attendance has been up significantly this year culminating in 7K for the St. Bonaventure's game.
How many MAC games are on national TV?

OHIO had 6k for a Tuesday night victory against first place Akron yesterday (feel free to stream it on ESPN+), and we also had over 9k in our building two weeks ago against Miami. And we're on TV Friday night on CBSSN at 6pm against Bowling Green...feel free to tune in!

All this for a team in a two bit nothing town of 40k in the middle of the rust belt, in a conference that no one cares about and with a conference ranking of 24.

If you are ever interested in a future trip to Athens, PM me and I'll have two tix left at the box office for you.

No one is asking you guys to love the MAC, but since you're now here...I'd like you all to feel welcome. Peace

[vanmeter]

^Happy to join the league.
I have been fortunate to have visited all the A10 facilities at least once over the past 26 years. I look forward to visiting at least 2 Mac sites per years going forward.

[Camby4Life]

Rankings: A10 is a one bid league. I don’t care about NET garbage or anything else. It’s Dayton and the dwarfs.

Attendance: our attendance stinks in the A10. Nobody cares about the teams we’re already playing.

National exposure: all MAC games are on TV

Recruiting: we’ve been playing the same teams for decades. This is all about the coach, and he hasn’t spoken out against the move. And he’s outspoken.

Attendance has been up significantly this year culminating in 7K for the St. Bonaventure's game.
How many MAC games are on national TV?

OHIO had 6k for a Tuesday night victory against first place Akron yesterday (feel free to stream it on ESPN+), and we also had over 9k in our building two weeks ago against Miami. And we're on TV Friday night on CBSSN at 6pm against Bowling Green...feel free to tune in!

All this for a team in a two bit nothing town of 40k in the middle of the rust belt, in a conference that no one cares about and with a conference ranking of 24.

If you are ever interested in a future trip to Athens, PM me and I'll have two tix left at the box office for you.

No one is asking you guys to love the MAC, but since you're now here...I'd like you all to feel welcome. Peace

That’s some serious attendance numbers for a 16-12 team. We haven’t seen 9k in a long time or 6k for a midweek game.

Also a very kind midwestern gesture with the ticket offer. We are not used to that on this board. There’s a number of true Massholes on here. I had to just search how to get to Ohio U. Columbus the best option for flights? I’ve only driven through Ohio on the way to Ann Arbor.

[bunkerhill87]

Just wanted to say absolutely no disrespect to the MAC teams. Our discussions have sparked our passion for the success of all Umass sports. Lots of unknowns which raises several concerns. The uncertainty of the landscape has brought chaos. I get the stability for football. However the basketball will suffer tremendously. i fear us drifting into irrelevance and the support going with it. National exposure matters. and the argument that the MAC is on ESPN+ doesnt fly. Most college games are on that platform. Its whether you get on the bigger stage like ESPN(2) or the national networks which the A10 does have. Ah well, time to move on. the dominos are starting to fall and the whole thing is gonna get wonky

[stevemaz]

Talk about a plot twist that would surprise even M Night Shimalayan: this whole time, Stevemaz has actually the one on earth while the rest of us have apparently been living on some other planet.

Reading some of these posts... he's not far off about a few folks here...

The Big Ten and SEC about to leave the NCAA and form their own entity or at least are strongly threatening to this. The reason for my planet earth comment is because of all the posts about moving to the MAC is a bad thing. The choice was move to the MAC or to CUSA, not move to the MAC, to CUSA, or stay in A10. There is going to be one last major conference realignment and a separation of the FBS schools from FCS schools and non football schools in all sports. There is no stopping this and frankly I dont blame the likes of Michigan, Ohio St, Alabama, Texas, etc.. Why should they be held back by the likes of SIU Edwardsville, Oakland, Bellarmine, and Houston Baptist

[bmc24]

Let this sink in. Instead of going to games in Philly, DC, Charlotte, Richmond, NYC, Chicago and Pittsburg.

We now get to play in, Kent, Kalamazoo, Oxford, Ypsilanti, Bowling Green, Muncie, Mount Pleasant, Dekalb and Buffalo.

I can’t freaking wait!!!

[Jackson96]

Talk about a plot twist that would surprise even M Night Shimalayan: this whole time, Stevemaz has actually the one on earth while the rest of us have apparently been living on some other planet.

Reading some of these posts... he's not far off about a few folks here...

The Big Ten and SEC about to leave the NCAA and form their own entity or at least are strongly threatening to this. The reason for my planet earth comment is because of all the posts about moving to the MAC is a bad thing. The choice was move to the MAC or to CUSA, not move to the MAC, to CUSA, or stay in A10. There is going to be one last major conference realignment and a separation of the FBS schools from FCS schools and non football schools in all sports. There is no stopping this and frankly I dont blame the likes of Michigan, Ohio St, Alabama, Texas, etc.. Why should they be held back by the likes of SIU Edwardsville, Oakland, Bellarmine, and Houston Baptist

The reason for my comment about your planet earth comment had way more to do with your history of posts than it did that actual comment. Like 100% more.