2019 Season

Get ready for some MACtion
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Steve81
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Re: 2019 Season

Post by Steve81 » Wed Jul 17, 2019 9:20 am

Other ideas seem moot because of the way we are scheduling out in the future but will post the thoughts that have been posted else where.

Agree for that we missed the boat and many like the idea of the BigTen but it's more about being practical. We are G5 and fit well in that group, however networks no longer pay big bucks for large conferences, hence they no longer make financial sense. The AAC is fine with splitting the pie with one less mouth at 11. Unless the networks see big value, if the AAC gets raided again, they will stay at 10 or get back to 10. Don't like our odds here and not knowing any insider information that means looking at the rest of the G5 conferences. The old CUSA was superior to the MAC, but now say they are even. CUSA is at 14 teams and has 4 directional teams like the MAC, North Texax, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky and Southern Mississippi.

So I focus on the MAC and know I'm more pro MAC than the normal fan. That does not matter because we represent no real value for them to go past 12 teams and split the pie 14 ways, they currently receive a 10M media contract and average about 3-4M in total revenue from media and CFP money. Here is a quote from the MAC commissioner taking to an Ohio U donor.
Had an unexpected opportunity to speak with the MAC commish last night. Nice guy. A few takeaways from our 20-minute conversation:

1. No new members on the horizon. Says the MAC has learned its lesson re east coast teams. "Unless UConn (and UMass) is willing to pay us a large annual fee and guarantee men's and women's bball games at home, they bring no value."
http://www.bobcatattack.com/messageboar ... 2#FirstNew

Now have floated the idea as did others about a UConn and UMass football only to the MAC, which will allow us to say in the A10. However, not sure if anyone is on board with that idea as the MAC would not share any of their pie with us, but we will gain bowl access, be able to compete for a conference championship, and get a tiny raise in CFP money (Remember all independents not named ND split 0.5% of the pie. With another team, UConn we will dip ruffly to 260k in CFP. If you are in a conference and meet the APR you get 300k.)

So to me it makes some sense to do the FB only with UConn, even thou there is no money in it. We'd be in a division with no direction MAC teams, which are all in the west division. This looks fine, but others will differ.

MAC East:
  • Ohio
    Miami
    UConn - FB only
    Buffalo
    UMass - FB only
    Akron
    Kent
Of course that means the UMass and UConn game would probably be mid- week on ESPN, during rivalry week/month. We'd have 2 cross over games with the west division and only one of those games will be at home. Travel wise does not look like an impact.

It will cost us a little bit and emphasis little in the grand scheme of things. Would like it to be limited to a 4 year term, so if you show value, we get some extra $$$
Go UMass!!

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Re: 2019 Season

Post by MJatUM » Wed Jul 17, 2019 10:01 am

I think a football only membership anywhere would be best - but primarily for the travel cost to non-revenue sports. I think the MAC East you've portrayed above makes sense, but I'm not sure if the juice is worth the squeeze if the only benefit is potential bowl placement. The schedule takes a pretty good hit - for one. I'm not sure if it's possible but I think UMass best bet for a bowl is to work something out with the Patriots (and maybe P&G) and make a Gillette Bowl similar to New Mexico State and the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. Give it to whatever 2 conferences you want and UMass get's one of the bids if A) one of the 2 conferences can't fill the spot AND B) UMass finishes .500 or better.

For now, we are probably stuck in a waiting pattern until the next big conference shakeup and hope there is a regional fit in the Northeast(ish) that can take all sports.

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Re: 2019 Season

Post by McKinney » Wed Jul 17, 2019 6:35 pm

MJatUM wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 10:01 am I'm not sure if it's possible but I think UMass best bet for a bowl is to work something out with the Patriots (and maybe P&G) and make a Gillette Bowl similar to New Mexico State and the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. Give it to whatever 2 conferences you want and UMass get's one of the bids if A) one of the 2 conferences can't fill the spot AND B) UMass finishes .500 or better.
That's not a bad plan, except that Fenway will now be hosting a bowl (I believe ACC vs. AAC). There are questions about whether the Greater Boston Area can support a single bowl, let alone two.
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Re: 2019 Season

Post by Floyd » Wed Jul 17, 2019 9:00 pm

McKinney, why you gotta be so logical?
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Re: 2019 Season

Post by eldonabe » Thu Jul 18, 2019 7:24 am

McKinney wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 6:35 pm
MJatUM wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 10:01 am I'm not sure if it's possible but I think UMass best bet for a bowl is to work something out with the Patriots (and maybe P&G) and make a Gillette Bowl similar to New Mexico State and the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. Give it to whatever 2 conferences you want and UMass get's one of the bids if A) one of the 2 conferences can't fill the spot AND B) UMass finishes .500 or better.
That's not a bad plan, except that Fenway will now be hosting a bowl (I believe ACC vs. AAC). There are questions about whether the Greater Boston Area can support a single bowl, let alone two.
The other problem with that is who the hell wants to roll the dice on a bowl in this area in December. It is 50/50 at best that the the weather will be OK. Part of the bowls for many/most teams is going someplace a little more weather desireable (or at least in a dome).

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Re: 2019 Season

Post by InnervisionsUMASS » Thu Jul 18, 2019 8:16 am

A bowl up here (Fenway or Gillette) would be good every 2 or 3 years. It will likely fail if it's a yearly thing.
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Re: 2019 Season

Post by Floyd » Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:36 pm

I'm guessing there's more than a few on here who think a bowl every now and then is a good thing
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Re: 2019 Season

Post by Sheck » Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:44 pm

MJatUM wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 10:01 am I think a football only membership anywhere would be best - but primarily for the travel cost to non-revenue sports. I think the MAC East you've portrayed above makes sense, but I'm not sure if the juice is worth the squeeze if the only benefit is potential bowl placement.
It wouldn't be worth it just for bowl access. You can bet that UMass would be on the absolute bottom of the list for bowl placement unless it won the conference championship game. The MAC has 5 bowl slots and their full members will almost assuredly get those spots first. When Temple was in the MAC they went 8-4 one year and were shut out of a bowl game.

Hopefully when UMass finally gets over the hurdle and has a .500 or better season there won't be enough 6 win teams to fill all of the bowl slots.
#maction 🚩#flagship

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Re: 2019 Season

Post by Steve81 » Fri Jul 19, 2019 8:11 am

Sheck wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:44 pm
MJatUM wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 10:01 am I think a football only membership anywhere would be best - but primarily for the travel cost to non-revenue sports. I think the MAC East you've portrayed above makes sense, but I'm not sure if the juice is worth the squeeze if the only benefit is potential bowl placement.
It wouldn't be worth it just for bowl access. You can bet that UMass would be on the absolute bottom of the list for bowl placement unless it won the conference championship game. The MAC has 5 bowl slots and their full members will almost assuredly get those spots first. When Temple was in the MAC they went 8-4 one year and were shut out of a bowl game.

Hopefully when UMass finally gets over the hurdle and has a .500 or better season there won't be enough 6 win teams to fill all of the bowl slots.
Think we'll just wait things out. Regarding bowl invite the conference and bowl organizers have a lot to do with the selection. My guess is that Temple attendance had been poor and that influenced the selection. Do agree with a tie, the MAC would send a full member over a fb-only one.

For the record, this guy first says 7 and then 6 bowls for the MAC. In either case it is above 5.
Updated with the addition of the Detroit bowl for 2020...

Dec. 20
Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
2 p.m. (ESPN)
C-USA vs. MAC

Dec. 21
Boca Raton
Boca Raton, Fla.
3:30 p.m. (ABC)
MAC vs. American

Dec. 21
Camellia
Montgomery, Ala.
5:30 p.m. (ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt

Dec. 26
Quick Lane
Detroit, Mich.
8 p.m. (ESPN)
Big Ten vs. MAC

Dec. 31
Arizona
Tucson, Ariz.
12:15 p.m. (CBSSN)
Mountain West vs. MAC

Jan. 3
Idaho Potato
Boise, Idaho
3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
MAC vs. Mountain West

Jan. 6
Mobile Alabama
Mobile, Ala.
7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt

-Its official. No longer will the MAC have to send its champion to Alabama. Between Detroit (B1G), Arizona (MWC), Frisco (AAC) the MAC can avoid playing in the SBC's back yard and be over matched by a win or two against their bowl opponent leading to more victories.

-The MAC has 7 bowls for 2020 according to what I have above but the MAC can only have 6. Detroit, Arizona, Boise and Myrtle Beach were just signed.
https://csnbbs.com/thread-876789-page-2.html
Go UMass!!

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Re: 2019 Season

Post by ZooMass84 » Fri Jul 19, 2019 10:11 am

Steve81 wrote: Fri Jul 19, 2019 8:11 am
Sheck wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:44 pm
MJatUM wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 10:01 am I think a football only membership anywhere would be best - but primarily for the travel cost to non-revenue sports. I think the MAC East you've portrayed above makes sense, but I'm not sure if the juice is worth the squeeze if the only benefit is potential bowl placement.
It wouldn't be worth it just for bowl access. You can bet that UMass would be on the absolute bottom of the list for bowl placement unless it won the conference championship game. The MAC has 5 bowl slots and their full members will almost assuredly get those spots first. When Temple was in the MAC they went 8-4 one year and were shut out of a bowl game.

Hopefully when UMass finally gets over the hurdle and has a .500 or better season there won't be enough 6 win teams to fill all of the bowl slots.
Think we'll just wait things out. Regarding bowl invite the conference and bowl organizers have a lot to do with the selection. My guess is that Temple attendance had been poor and that influenced the selection. Do agree with a tie, the MAC would send a full member over a fb-only one.

For the record, this guy first says 7 and then 6 bowls for the MAC. In either case it is above 5.
Updated with the addition of the Detroit bowl for 2020...

Dec. 20
Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
2 p.m. (ESPN)
C-USA vs. MAC

Dec. 21
Boca Raton
Boca Raton, Fla.
3:30 p.m. (ABC)
MAC vs. American

Dec. 21
Camellia
Montgomery, Ala.
5:30 p.m. (ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt

Dec. 26
Quick Lane
Detroit, Mich.
8 p.m. (ESPN)
Big Ten vs. MAC

Dec. 31
Arizona
Tucson, Ariz.
12:15 p.m. (CBSSN)
Mountain West vs. MAC

Jan. 3
Idaho Potato
Boise, Idaho
3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
MAC vs. Mountain West

Jan. 6
Mobile Alabama
Mobile, Ala.
7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt

-Its official. No longer will the MAC have to send its champion to Alabama. Between Detroit (B1G), Arizona (MWC), Frisco (AAC) the MAC can avoid playing in the SBC's back yard and be over matched by a win or two against their bowl opponent leading to more victories.

-The MAC has 7 bowls for 2020 according to what I have above but the MAC can only have 6. Detroit, Arizona, Boise and Myrtle Beach were just signed.
https://csnbbs.com/thread-876789-page-2.html
Forget the MAC. We have nothing in common with Akron or Eastern Michigan or whatever. We're better off as an independent until something better comes along. For a couple million bucks or whatever our CFP payout could possibly be, its not worth it. What are we going to join them full time?(we aren't going to be football only) They did us a solid by taking us from 1AA but its over. Debt paid.

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Steve81
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Re: 2019 Season

Post by Steve81 » Fri Jul 19, 2019 1:45 pm

ZooMass84 wrote: Fri Jul 19, 2019 10:11 am Forget the MAC. We have nothing in common with Akron or Eastern Michigan or whatever. We're better off as an independent until something better comes along. For a couple million bucks or whatever our CFP payout could possibly be, its not worth it. What are we going to join them full time?(we aren't going to be football only) They did us a solid by taking us from 1AA but its over. Debt paid.
The A10 peaked in 2014 and is now weaker as CUSA. If it's not the AAC, then it better be the MAC or a new east coast league, which will not hold my breathe.

Hate to burst your bubble, but as every non UMass fan says, except for the Cal years, UMass has what a 1 and done in the NCAA in the past 20 YEARS.

When was the last time UMass won the A10 tournament? Hint, it was not in the 21st century but a generation ago. So sure, highlight by mentioning the two least desirable MAC teams in our division, the A10 has their share as well.

Perhaps I'm wrong and we are going to give it 5 years until 2024, but if BB is not in NCAA again by that time. Its time to stop screwing with other sports. The MAC is strong in most sports than the A10.
Go UMass!!

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Re: 2019 Season

Post by Berkman » Fri Jul 19, 2019 4:00 pm

MAC NEVER ! ! !

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Re: 2019 Season

Post by Sheck » Fri Jul 19, 2019 4:55 pm

I stand corrected on the bowl bids; good to see the MAC got the bowl game in Detroit back. That was always a big game for that conference. But either way the MAC ship has sailed. UMass was offered full membership because it was part of the agreement that if the MAC terminated the FB only arrangement then it had to offer UMass an opportunity to join as a full member.
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Re: 2019 Season

Post by 69MG » Wed Jul 24, 2019 8:01 pm

Does anyone know if there are tickets to the Army game available through the athletic dept.? If so, are they restricted to Gridiron Club members or STH?

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Re: 2019 Season

Post by minutefanjsf » Wed Jul 24, 2019 10:21 pm

69MG wrote: Wed Jul 24, 2019 8:01 pm Does anyone know if there are tickets to the Army game available through the athletic dept.? If so, are they restricted to Gridiron Club members or STH?
They are the website open to public. $70 each. I don’t know if there is a different price or benefit for STH or gridiron members.

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