POLL: What would you choose for UMass football?

[Old Cage]

People who want football to move to D2 or D3 should be prepared to see the flagship set sail along with football. Can’t wait for the UMass vs. Westfield State rivalry basketball game to determine the MASCAC winner! Just ask a University of Hartford alum how that transition is going!

02: The poll is about FOOTBALL!

[Old Cage]

Given the argument that FBS is a financial necessity, how do our 14 A10 brethren, 10 of the 11 teams in the Big East, and every team but BYU in the West Coast Conference mange to survive without playing FBS football?

Good question. Anyone have a compact (and correct) answer?

[minutefanjsf]

Going back to the CAA makes zero sense financially. There were 10k fans for a Saturday after Thanksgiving this year to watch the worst team in FBS. FCS years this would have been a playoff game and we would have been lucky to get 3500. And, we have to pay to host the playoffs. (I’ve been season ticket holder since 1999 and have gone to every home game including playoffs during that time except for E Michigan two years ago. Yesterday the crowd surprised me and was much better than any first round FCS playoff in Amherst).

For the top 25 all time crowds at McGuirk, ONE has come during the FBS era. One. The program’s first FBS game. Nothing comes close since. And if you have been to every home game (which is to be applauded),including playoffs since 1999, you’ll already know that yesterday’s crowd of a little over 10,000 was 7,000 shy of the FCS playoff sell out in Amherst (against UNH) in 2006. Similarly, the year before you got your season tickets, 12,108 watched the FCS Minutemen defeat Lehigh at McGuirk in the 1998 playoffs. I’m not sure why ‘first round’ is the metric you’ve chosen, but clearly FCS success has more than equal appeal to a final game of a 1-11 season.

It is a fairly common refrain from FBS boosters that 1AA is a financial loser. Maybe so. But can anyone share the actual numbers of the last eleven years? I’ve heard the argument, but never seen the numbers. What does our FCS v FBS balance sheet look like? Do “buy” games offset 22 more scholarships and poor attendance or other associated coats? Does getting hammered by, say, a Florida State put us in the black? Given the argument that FBS is a financial necessity, how do our 14 A10 brethren, 10 of the 11 teams in the Big East, and every team but BYU in the West Coast Conference mange to survive without playing FBS football?

I chose the first round because it matches the same relative date as this past weekend. I also was at the game vs Lehigh. That game and UNH were not first round games, meaning not Thanksgiving weekend with no students. The other teams/leagues you reference either don’t have football (yes URI and Richmond are outliers), or in the case of the big east use basketball money to supplement FCS. McGuirk has not drawn well in the FBS because the team has been horrible. And, the draw is still better on average than most FCS years, especially for late season games, that routinely used to draw about 4-5k especially when there was no shot at playoffs or a long weekend, etc. Even the Gillette games drew well at the start. We’ve seen the ceiling at FCS in the NorthEast, and it is not much higher than the floor we currently reside on in terms of attendance or finances. The subsidies have been posted in the last few years, and yes the subsidy is lower than it was during FCS days, marginally. FBS is not a financial necessity. If the school wants to field a football team it is the financially sound path to stay in FBS. Getting out of the bottom 10 or bottom 25 will help.

[ZooMass84]

Given the argument that FBS is a financial necessity, how do our 14 A10 brethren, 10 of the 11 teams in the Big East, and every team but BYU in the West Coast Conference mange to survive without playing FBS football?

Good question. Anyone have a compact (and correct) answer?

Like usual, its a stupid question asked by someone who knows nothing about football. He comes off like a pseudo-intellectual but his questions are always non-sequiturs. Who cares what our "A10 brethren" do? How about our CAA "brethren"? How about our Hockey East "brethren"? We're FBS and will always be FBS. One of these days the stars will align and we'll have an actual OC and QB to match. Don't need Trevor Lawrence but just someone who can complete a pass and some pass catchers. Yeah the Army game turned into a rout but it didn't have to be. The 55 yard TD called back for illegal formation/receiver is a cardinal sin on the OC. 1st and goal to go from the 1 yard line and couldn't score is again on the OC. I don't blame the kids. They played their hearts out.

[ZooMass84]

Going back to the CAA makes zero sense financially. There were 10k fans for a Saturday after Thanksgiving this year to watch the worst team in FBS. FCS years this would have been a playoff game and we would have been lucky to get 3500. And, we have to pay to host the playoffs. (I’ve been season ticket holder since 1999 and have gone to every home game including playoffs during that time except for E Michigan two years ago. Yesterday the crowd surprised me and was much better than any first round FCS playoff in Amherst).

For the top 25 all time crowds at McGuirk, ONE has come during the FBS era. One. The program’s first FBS game. Nothing comes close since. And if you have been to every home game (which is to be applauded),including playoffs since 1999, you’ll already know that yesterday’s crowd of a little over 10,000 was 7,000 shy of the FCS playoff sell out in Amherst (against UNH) in 2006. Similarly, the year before you got your season tickets, 12,108 watched the FCS Minutemen defeat Lehigh at McGuirk in the 1998 playoffs. I’m not sure why ‘first round’ is the metric you’ve chosen, but clearly FCS success has more than equal appeal to a final game of a 1-11 season.

It is a fairly common refrain from FBS boosters that 1AA is a financial loser. Maybe so. But can anyone share the actual numbers of the last eleven years? I’ve heard the argument, but never seen the numbers. What does our FCS v FBS balance sheet look like? Do “buy” games offset 22 more scholarships and poor attendance or other associated coats? Does getting hammered by, say, a Florida State put us in the black? Given the argument that FBS is a financial necessity, how do our 14 A10 brethren, 10 of the 11 teams in the Big East, and every team but BYU in the West Coast Conference mange to survive without playing FBS football?

I chose the first round because it matches the same relative date as this past weekend. I also was at the game vs Lehigh. That game and UNH were not first round games, meaning not Thanksgiving weekend with no students. The other teams/leagues you reference either don’t have football (yes URI and Richmond are outliers), or in the case of the big east use basketball money to supplement FCS. McGuirk has not drawn well in the FBS because the team has been horrible. And, the draw is still better on average than most FCS years, especially for late season games, that routinely used to draw about 4-5k especially when there was no shot at playoffs or a long weekend, etc. Even the Gillette games drew well at the start. We’ve seen the ceiling at FCS in the NorthEast, and it is not much higher than the floor we currently reside on in terms of attendance or finances. The subsidies have been posted in the last few years, and yes the subsidy is lower than it was during FCS days, marginally. FBS is not a financial necessity. If the school wants to field a football team it is the financially sound path to stay in FBS. Getting out of the bottom 10 or bottom 25 will help.

Don't bother even responding to him. He doesn't even know what a balance sheet is. He meant to say income statement but it is governmental accounting that he means to say. Its fund accounting with budgets. The appropriated funds have to be spent in that we make so much more as FBS and that in turn gets spent on coaches salaries and other expenses.

[minutefanjsf]

Given the argument that FBS is a financial necessity, how do our 14 A10 brethren, 10 of the 11 teams in the Big East, and every team but BYU in the West Coast Conference mange to survive without playing FBS football?

Good question. Anyone have a compact (and correct) answer?

No one said FBS is a financial necessity. It is the prudent move for UMass if UMass wants to field a football team. Many of “our brethren” in those leagues, including the A10, do not have football or use basketball to supplement FCS football, Villanova, Georgetown, etc. URI and Richmond are outliers in the A10 who still have FCS football. And, URI was close to dropping the sport altogether a few years ago. FBS football cellar dwellers, like UMass has been for the last few years, reap about the same financial gains as they did when we were at the pinnacle of FCS in the mid aughts.

[JoleonLescottsHair]

Like usual, its a stupid question asked by someone who knows nothing about football. He comes off like a pseudo-intellectual but his questions are always non-sequiturs. Who cares what our "A10 brethren" do? How about our CAA "brethren"? How about our Hockey East "brethren"? We're FBS and will always be FBS. One of these days the stars will align and we'll have an actual OC and QB to match. Don't need Trevor Lawrence but just someone who can complete a pass and some pass catchers. Yeah the Army game turned into a rout but it didn't have to be. The 55 yard TD called back for illegal formation/receiver is a cardinal sin on the OC. 1st and goal to go from the 1 yard line and couldn't score is again on the OC. I don't blame the kids. They played their hearts out.

Asking a question about a program’s balance sheet and financial viability is a stupid question? Hmm, I take it you’ve never had a position with even the most limited of responsibilities. Are you 12? If so, that would at least explain your truly remarkable emotional blinders as well as the hilariously misplaced insult that I “come off like a pseudo-intellectual.” Is the bar that low? On the other hand, coming from you, I suppose it does make sense.

At any rate, ‘stupid question’…’will always be FBS’...’don’t need to be Trevor Lawrence’…’I don’t blame the kids.’
You mentioned something about a non-sequiter?

[JoleonLescottsHair]

Don't bother even responding to him….

Meanwhile, 7 minutes earlier:

ZooMass84 » Sun Nov 27, 2022 8:15 pm

Like usual, its a stupid question …

[Merlin Samuels]

With the Pac 12 commissioner visiting SMU’s campus, it’s looking like there may be an opening in the American Athletic Conference soon. I hope Bamford is selling UMass and we reconnect with Temple (and share a football conference with them finally).

[e_parade]

With the Pac 12 commissioner visiting SMU’s campus, it’s looking like there may be an opening in the American Athletic Conference soon. I hope Bamford is selling UMass and we reconnect with Temple (and share a football conference with them finally).

We're very far down the list to get in. First and second calls will be Army and Air Force. After that they'll look to try and grab a Sun Belt team or someone like FIU. If they wanted to go north (other than Army) they'd probably look at Buffalo first.

The only way we get in is if ESPN tells them to specifically add us for some reason.

[stevemaz]

they will be glad they did when we are 6-0 to start the 2024 season

[eldonabe]

they will be glad they did when we are 6-0 to start the 2024 season

Will you still be glad when they are not?

[ZooMass84]

Elevate to FBS 20 years late, go to closest G5 conference, stay for minimum time, go Independent............oh wait WE DID THAT!!!

[Merlin Samuels]

With the Pac 12 commissioner visiting SMU’s campus, it’s looking like there may be an opening in the American Athletic Conference soon. I hope Bamford is selling UMass and we reconnect with Temple (and share a football conference with them finally).

We're very far down the list to get in. First and second calls will be Army and Air Force. After that they'll look to try and grab a Sun Belt team or someone like FIU. If they wanted to go north (other than Army) they'd probably look at Buffalo first.

The only way we get in is if ESPN tells them to specifically add us for some reason.

I don’t think those Academies are realistic possibilities for various reasons. FIU? They’re a joke of an athletic dept and the AAC is already in So. Florida.

Maybe Texas State, but they’re already in an ESPN conference, so ESPN would be paying them more when they already have them locked down. Same with Buffalo. I just don’t see ESPN advocating those moves.

I think UMass has a better shot than you think, and it’s because of ESPN.

[stevemaz]

The landscape may take a radical turn if Baker does the right thing and leads the NCAA to separating football into its own entity. Our new conference for all other sports will be something like this

UMass
BC
UConn
Temple
Buffalo
Pitt
Syracuse
W Virginia
Rutgers
Maryland
Cincy
Va Tech