Conference Realignment

[eldonabe]

^In order to maintain the stability of the stands, fans weighing in excess of 175 lb will be seated in the first 10 rows, evenly distributed from end zone to end zone...lighter weights, like Mr & Mrs SM, if (when) we get back for a game or two, will be seated further up.
Special consideration will be given to Males over 60 who may need to visit the facilities several times during the game.
Likewise, non-handicap fans with knee problems will be given lower seating.
See-through accoustical panels will be rolled out at halftime to prevent cement cracking vibrations when the brass section is playing at half time.
When we definitely score more TDs this year, the cannon firing will include new mutes developed by our stellar engineering department.
More is in the works, but this is all I have for now.
Go UMass

This is from The Onion or Babylon Bee right? WTF....

Steve you cannot defend this. THE ONLY money they should be putting into this fucking barn is a detonator and bulldozers.


Absolutely embarrassing....

[minutefanjsf]

^ Honest question....is this a joke?

Will fans need to weigh in before buying tickets or show a drivers license/birth certificate?

My thought is that UMass quit throwing good money after bad, and build a new stadium.

These proposed 'solutions' are just band aids.

Complete joke. The cannons are not fired and haven’t been in over a decade. Nice work sign man!

[eldonabe]

^ Honest question....is this a joke?

Will fans need to weigh in before buying tickets or show a drivers license/birth certificate?

My thought is that UMass quit throwing good money after bad, and build a new stadium.

These proposed 'solutions' are just band aids.

Complete joke. The cannons are not fired and haven’t been in over a decade. Nice work sign man!

If it is a joke.. well done.

Sadly though, it could easily be true.

[LS71]

^ You’re right…sadly it could easily be true!

[Quann]

I love that you guys took SM seriously with that post

[eldonabe]

I love that you guys took SM seriously with that post

Give the conditions of that stadium it was very believable.....

[doubledribble]

https://www.gazettenet.com/UMass-enters ... y-62331545

[Jack]

Strange article - misleading and oddly written. Does the author realize that St. Johns is not a MAC member ? Hopefully we see some immediate actual manifestation of the supposed commitment to "athletics excellence" which Mr; Bambford has been touting. Thus far I've seen no evidence of this supposed commitment to excellence. Hoping for the best however and have doubled down on ST and parking in support of the commitment. GO UMASS !!!

[eldonabe]

Strange article - misleading and oddly written. Does the author realize that St. Johns is not a MAC member ? Hopefully we see some immediate actual manifestation of the supposed commitment to "athletics excellence" which Mr; Bambford has been touting. This far I've seen no evidence of this supposed commitment to excellence. Hoping for the best however and have doubled down on ST and parking in support of the commitment. GO UMASS !!!

This should be to the surprise of nobody.

[Steve81]

Not a terrible article, but the lack of context leaves an impression that schools are now looking to get out of the MAC as UMass enters. The lack of context is not surprising with writes desire article message. UMass has entered a MAC the is becoming unstable like the rest of football conferences. The truth is Toledo decided to stay and we will all be building up our sports for a major wave of change in the early 2030's.

It's a fact any AD's worth their salt keeps in contact with other conferences and universities. No one wants to be caught blind sided. We have time to implement improvements and outcomes for the future. We will not be caught flat footed as most other universities, including Ohio featured in the story line.

[mdogt12]

Strange article - misleading and oddly written. Does the author realize that St. Johns is not a MAC member ? Hopefully we see some immediate actual manifestation of the supposed commitment to "athletics excellence" which Mr; Bambford has been touting. Thus far I've seen no evidence of this supposed commitment to excellence. Hoping for the best however and have doubled down on ST and parking in support of the commitment. GO UMASS !!!

Was pointing out that the ST John’s women’s soccer match is the first time UMass will be competing as a member of the MAC. He pointed out that the first MAC league game is later in the season.

[Steve81]

The article did give me some time to reflect and come up with this idea for the MAC.

Since Buffalo in the past, NIU, Toledo, Ohio and others looking around at other conferences, perhaps the MAC should consider a bylaw change. To allow existing members to drop football, with no CFP, Bowl money and a 20% share of media money. It would also allow non new football membership with the same terms, but require them to have D1 football and could move up within the conference. Looking at Illinois and Indiana State. Heck, throw in Rhode Island and others into that pool of universities.

The reason for this is there are the sky is falling scenarios with changes in 6 years roughly. This will give some run way for all to know the MAC will remain a solid conference.

[wmmmfan]

What always has me scratching my head about the moves of these schools ( let’s use Ohio’s supposed interest in the Sunbelt ) is the AD’s and Presidents of the universities are involved in the direction and growth of the conference. If they don’t like the direction and growth of their conference why aren’t they doing something about it. Don’t they hire the individuals charged with running the conference to move the conference in the direction of their desired results?
I get the fast buck aspect of jumping conferences but not all these moves are to the P4. Moving from one G5 to another for not much economic benefit seems costly. Look at how much of a financial hit UConn took being in the AAC, and they really didn’t have a choice. I believe they still have financial issues from it.
It just seems to me these universities should be discussing what the end game is they are trying to achieve. I really believe this is why leaving the A10 was good for UMass in that the A10 was a private university centric league where UMass didn’t fit in and our goals were not the same as the private universities. There was no we, mostly me in that league, and we needed to find a league we could grow together with and build with. I know if a better opportunity comes we would jump at it but I would hope it was with a group of peer universities with like goals.
This is one of the reasons I’ve always like the B1G, they are aligned in every way.

[Steve81]

Throwing spit balls but do like a package to get WKU to move with MTSU as 2021.
There's talk about an Illinois State and Delaware. However, there is no need to wait for those schools. The MAC needs to be aggressive and go after WKU and MTSU.

MAC might need to make a play for WKY, MTSU, Marshall, Temple, Liberty, JMU, ODU, and Delaware. Midwest, Mid Atlantic and Mid-south. The Mid-American Conference. regional conference with old conference rivals reunited. Fits geographically with travel. The balance of competition of the 20 schools in both basketball and football would be amazing. Old classic pre-1996 MAC in one division and the schools added after in the other.

I still like WKY and MTSU. MTSU is close to Nashville which has several advantages like air travel, TV market, etc.

This has to be Plan A. Be aggressive and go after them with a media contract value to lure them. In the same way as the Sun Belt did with LA Tech. Commit now and be patient on entry date. Plan B does suck that I brainstormed with. In my mind the conference either needs to be aggressive with Plan A, or settle on an A10 like decline.

The one thing that could favor plan A possibility. The Sun Belt has to be concerned with a break away with the east. Marshall has shown the ability and wiliness to be bold and the SBC West has to be concerned and with LA Tech can continue to block eastern adds.

[PreecherJenkins]

Throwing spit balls but do like a package to get WKU to move with MTSU as 2021.
There's talk about an Illinois State and Delaware. However, there is no need to wait for those schools. The MAC needs to be aggressive and go after WKU and MTSU.

MAC might need to make a play for WKY, MTSU, Marshall, Temple, Liberty, JMU, ODU, and Delaware. Midwest, Mid Atlantic and Mid-south. The Mid-American Conference. regional conference with old conference rivals reunited. Fits geographically with travel. The balance of competition of the 20 schools in both basketball and football would be amazing. Old classic pre-1996 MAC in one division and the schools added after in the other.

I still like WKY and MTSU. MTSU is close to Nashville which has several advantages like air travel, TV market, etc.

This has to be Plan A. Be aggressive and go after them with a media contract value to lure them. In the same way as the Sun Belt did with LA Tech. Commit now and be patient on entry date. Plan B does suck that I brainstormed with. In my mind the conference either needs to be aggressive with Plan A, or settle on an A10 like decline.

The one thing that could favor plan A possibility. The Sun Belt has to be concerned with a break away with the east. Marshall has shown the ability and wiliness to be bold and the SBC West has to be concerned and with LA Tech can continue to block eastern adds.

Both are close to nashville, Bowling Green is about 65 minutes and MTSU is about 45.