UMass > MAC for all sports in 2025-2026

[huskymedic]

Thread on rationale for NIU move to MWC:

 

[nelsonmuntz]

It will basically take college enrollment numbers down to where they were around the year 2000 or so. But expenses today are higher than they were back then and state governments give much less money now than back then. But most D1 universities will be ok as you noted. It’s the small schools who might be in trouble.

Buffalo is R1 and AAU. Not going anywhere.

Miami is a public ivy. Not going anywhere.

In addition to Buffalo, Kent State, Ohio and UMass are R1. Not going anywhere.

They will adapt, but they aren’t going anywhere.

One of Kent or Akron will not exist in 10 years.

 

[CashewCrew]

Thread on rationale for NIU move to MWC:

The MAC only gets 800k a year? My god. To think we voluntarily left a conference making 10x that and we’re probably clearing that still with our new media deals as is

 

[Vowelguy]

Gotta hand it to the MWC commish. I thought that conference was dead in the water, but they managed to hold UNLV and add 4 schools + 1 FB-only school, to give them 9 teams for FB and 10 for BB.

Yes, they'll be battling C-USA for the weakest G6, but the fact that they're still alive is impressive.

 

[Rufus]

Gotta hand it to the MWC commish. I thought that conference was dead in the water, but they managed to hold UNLV and add 4 schools + 1 FB-only school, to give them 9 teams for FB and 10 for BB.

Yes, they'll be battling C-USA for the weakest G6, but the fact that they're still alive is impressive.

And it cuts the money paid out to G6 conferences. One conference needs to die to increase payouts to the others five.

 

[Vowelguy]

And it cuts the money paid out to G6 conferences. One conference needs to die to increase payouts to the others five.

1) Why does it matter? Isnt # of schools the factor? Why would payout/school be higher if there are 5 conferences instead of 6 (with same total # of schools)?

2) Not gonna happen. Thru the 40 years ending 2026, have averaged one new FBS school a year. And more will come, to further shore up the G6. We may even get a G7 if the WAC/ASUN schools move up.

 

[Rufus]

1) Why does it matter? Isnt # of schools the factor? Why would payout/school be higher if there are 5 conferences instead of 6 (with same total # of schools)?

2) Not gonna happen. Thru the 40 years ending 2026, have averaged one new FBS school a year. And more will come, to further shore up the G6. We may even get a G7 if the WAC/ASUN schools move up.

Because conference offices take a cut. And additional FBS schools also cause harm.

 

[Vowelguy]

There will be at least 68 Gx schools, in conferences of 14-11-12-9-7-14
With the 7 expected to increase.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

There will be at least 68 Gx schools, in conferences of 14-11-12-9-7-14
With the 7 expected to increase.

The P4 or P2 will keep paying. These are extortion payments to keep the G5 from filing an anti-trust lawsuit that the P4 is guaranteed to lose.

 

[Rufus]

 

[Rufus]

COLUMN: The loss of NIU should be a call to arms for Jon Steinbrecher and the MAC

With the shock departure of Northern Illinois and the pursuit of Toledo, the MAC has existential questions to face at a crucial juncture in college sports.

www.hustlebelt.com

 

[Jetskies]

hypothetical:
football-only invite for UConn?
i'd tell the MAC to kick rocks.
I want no part of MAC-tion on a tuesday.

 

[cellocgg]

hypothetical:
football-only invite for UConn?
i'd tell the MAC to kick rocks.
I want no part of MAC-tion on a tuesday.

I'm pretty sure UConn makes more money as an independent

 

[Rufus]

hypothetical:
football-only invite for UConn?

Won’t happen unless the MAC changes their stance on football only members.

 

[CashewCrew]

I'm pretty sure UConn makes more money as an independent

MAC schools make $800k a year for all sports from their TV deal. UConn will be making 10x that from TV deals once the new BE contract starts ($7.3M from BE + $500k from CBSSN)

 

[Kolumbo]

Won’t happen unless the MAC changes their stance on football only members.

It won't happen period. The likelihood of the MAC changing its stance on football only members is greater than UConn accepting a football only invite to the MAC. The MAC finally got UMass to go all in only to lose Nothern Illinois. I don't think UConn would even consider an AAC or PAC 12 football only invite at this point. Big 12 or ACC until those options are concrete no's.

 

[CashewCrew]

I don't think UConn would even consider an AAC or PAC 12 football only invite at this point. Big 12 or ACC until those options are concrete no's.

This has already been addressed:

Sources: UConn won’t join Pac-12, doesn’t consider conference the right fit

The wheels of collegiate conference realignment are spinning again, with basketball powerhouse Gonzaga set to join the newly configured Pac 12. Though the possibility of UConn joining the Pac 12 as a football-only complement was explored last week, this will not happen. UConn sources, requesting...

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Jetskies]

Won’t happen unless the MAC changes their stance on football only members.

It won't happen period. The likelihood of the MAC changing its stance on football only members is greater than UConn accepting a football only invite to the MAC. The MAC finally got UMass to go all in only to lose Nothern Illinois. I don't think UConn would even consider an AAC or PAC 12 football only invite at this point. Big 12 or ACC until those options are concrete no's.

realignment is making everyone change their stance. As fat joe says "yesterday's price is not today's price!"

i.e. - the picky/choosy MAC of yesterday that forced UMass to sacrifice its whole Athletic Department for the sake of football stability, is not the same MAC now that NIU is gone.

FWIW, I think UMass made a YUGE mistake letting go of a good thing in the A10 - but i digress.

Agree with Kolumbo, but re-worded as --- I think today, the MAC is absolutely capable of lowering their demands to get a brand name like UConn in their portfolio, even if only football. Again - NIU changes the negotiation.
If the situation gets dire, they will call us - But as others have said, we won't pick up the phone.

We're all in on the real deal - P4 or bust.

 

[ZooCougar]

realignment is making everyone change their stance. As fat joe says "yesterday's price is not today's price!"

i.e. - the picky/choosy MAC of yesterday that forced UMass to sacrifice its whole Athletic Department for the sake of football stability, is not the same MAC now that NIU is gone.

FWIW, I think UMass made a YUGE mistake letting go of a good thing in the A10 - but i digress.

Agree with Kolumbo, but re-worded as --- I think today, the MAC is absolutely capable of lowering their demands to get a brand name like UConn in their portfolio, even if only football. Again - NIU changes the negotiation.
If the situation gets dire, they will call us - But as others have said, we won't pick up the phone.

We're all in on the real deal - P4 or bust.

The A-10 is a dead. It’s nothing like it used to be.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The A-10 is a dead. It’s nothing like it used to be.

Why is the A10 dead?

I do think the MAC is in serious trouble, not because of just sports stuff, but because the shrinking pool of college kids is an existential threat to every large regional that is effectively open admission. The world doesn’t need all of these big schools in two aging states like Ohio and Michigan. The A10 is not facing that problem.

 

[Bongo Fury]

The move appears to be from the new chancellor and wants to be competitive. Giving up the A10 hurts for nostalgia but is a move between other leagues.

 

[Patman]

The A-10 is a dead. It’s nothing like it used to be.

agreed, it was a reasonable 'mid-major' back in the 90s

 

[Tyler2Rings]

Why is the A10 dead?

I do think the MAC is in serious trouble, not because of just sports stuff, but because the shrinking pool of college kids is an existential threat to every large regional that is effectively open admission. The world doesn’t need all of these big schools in two aging states like Ohio and Michigan. The A10 is not facing that problem.

I would argue schools like St Bona and La Salle are in deeper trouble than Kent State or Central Michigan

That said I believe UMass is making a mistake with their conference change

 

[Bongo Fury]

From an institution standpoint they have more research partnerships with MAC schools.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I would argue schools like St Bona and La Salle are in deeper trouble than Kent State or Central Michigan

That said I believe UMass is making a mistake with their conference change

Agree on St. Bonaventure, but LaSalle is a big city school in a mid-Atlantic state. It should be fine for a while.

The entire reason for many of these MAC school's existence, rapidly growing population in the industrial heartland, is long gone. States have budget problems and university enrollment is dropping rapidly, especially in the Rust Belt. Nostalgia is the only thing keeping some of these schools going now. Several of them should be shut down.