UMass > MAC for all sports in 2025-2026

[Kolumbo]

• Sacramento the state capital has a population of over 527k
• Olympic sports join the Cali based Big West Conference which means less travel and better destinations
• Total of 8 FBS football programs in California with 4 within a 2-3 hour drive. That should help grease the skids for scheduling OOC games, especially if state politics has anything to do with anything
• Sac State will have options if successful, PAC 12, MWC, AAC
• Economic impact to the city, no question about it, but also many other benefits
• HORNET FOOTBALL TO JOIN THE MAC IN 2026 - Sacramento State
• Secured revenue rights from merchandising, pouring rights, food and beverage, and parking which was owned by a 3rd party

I know most are ridiculing this move but I see all of the benefits. Sure it's a big investment but should pay off long-term. Whether or not you agree with all the numbers, the move will no doubt help Sac State and the city of Sacramento. UConn will be facing a similar unfavorable financial price tag should an invitation to a P4 conference be proffered. Heck UConn may have to bend over just for a football only G6 invite

 

[Kolumbo]

 

[Kolumbo]

 

[KryHavok]

I don't think the conferences will even have to ask for concessions. Memphis, USF, etc will go in offering the moon and the stars and UConn will be expected to match if they are to be considered. Think of it like a bidding war in real estate you may prefer the all-cash offer with no contingencies, but if another offer comes in that is much higher, you're going to at least try to get the preferred offer to come up a bit.

Even if UConn is preferred, Memphis will be dangling whatever FedEx money they're allowed to (assume that offer will start above the amount of Memphis' previous offer); USF will dangle whatever Private Equity money they have and UConn will be expected to have an offer that is in the ballpark.

In other words, and combining two great sci-fi franchises, we are so fracking frelled aren't we? On the bright side, Rutty and BCU with their proverbial seats at the big boy table will have it made and yet still won't win as many NCAA team championships (in 100 years) as we currently have. Imma go find some train tracks to park on.

 

[Kolumbo]

I don't think the conferences will even have to ask for concessions. Memphis, USF, etc will go in offering the moon and the stars and UConn will be expected to match if they are to be considered. Think of it like a bidding war in real estate you may prefer the all-cash offer with no contingencies, but if another offer comes in that is much higher, you're going to at least try to get the preferred offer to come up a bit.

Even if UConn is preferred, Memphis will be dangling whatever FedEx money they're allowed to (assume that offer will start above the amount of Memphis' previous offer); USF will dangle whatever Private Equity money they have and UConn will be expected to have an offer that is in the ballpark.

That's an interesting angle. The conferences need to be very strategic (SEC) in who they invite. If they are basing their decision on a short-term money grab (ACC), then that might indicate the conference is in trouble. Any program worth inviting would be be foolish (SMU) to give up too much. What kind of concessions are you talking about? Accepting a half share for a few years? Accepting no share? Forking over 100s of million to join? I know Memphis made that kind of offer but I don't think Memphis is on the short list. I'm sure a program will have to give up a lot but I'm not sure the conference would choose one program over another based on money.

 

[ScottVib]

The Big Ten certainly wasn’t viewed as unstable, yet Washington and Oregon still had to accept a reduced payout to join. I think the real shift in the landscape came when those two schools were willing to take reduced revenue shares to secure a spot in their preferred conference.

What a potential partnership requires really depends on who is pursuing whom.

• If the conference is targeting a specific school, that school can usually expect a fair deal. Think of how Cincinnati, BYU, UCF, and Houston received full shares from a Big 12 that was simply trying to stabilize.
  
  
• If the school is the one seeking a better alignment, the leverage flips. That’s when you see the kinds of arrangements Washington, Oregon, Cal, Stanford, SMU — and most recently North Dakota State and Sacramento State — accepted to secure their preferred landing spots. Ultimately the desperation of the schools will drive their bids to the conferences.

 

[Kolumbo]

The Big Ten certainly wasn’t viewed as unstable, yet Washington and Oregon still had to accept a reduced payout to join. I think the real shift in the landscape came when those two schools were willing to take reduced revenue shares to secure a spot in their preferred conference.

What a potential partnership requires really depends on who is pursuing whom.

• If the conference is targeting a specific school, that school can usually expect a fair deal. Think of how Cincinnati, BYU, UCF, and Houston received full shares from a Big 12 that was simply trying to stabilize.
  
  
• If the school is the one seeking a better alignment, the leverage flips. That’s when you see the kinds of arrangements Washington, Oregon, Cal, Stanford, SMU — and most recently North Dakota State and Sacramento State — accepted to secure their preferred landing spots. Ultimately the desperation of the schools will drive their bids to the conferences.

Makes sense. With Washington and Oregon, I'm guessing they would have been invited eventually so both sides agreed to move the timeline up at reduced revenue shares and both sides benefited. Plus it was still a much better deal than they were getting in the PAC 12 so it's not like they were putting themselves out financially. I think their situations were much different than the ACC additions but those ACC additions are so wealthy anyway.

 

[ZooCougar]

I don't think the conferences will even have to ask for concessions. Memphis, USF, etc will go in offering the moon and the stars and UConn will be expected to match if they are to be considered. Think of it like a bidding war in real estate you may prefer the all-cash offer with no contingencies, but if another offer comes in that is much higher, you're going to at least try to get the preferred offer to come up a bit.

Even if UConn is preferred, Memphis will be dangling whatever FedEx money they're allowed to (assume that offer will start above the amount of Memphis' previous offer); USF will dangle whatever Private Equity money they have and UConn will be expected to have an offer that is in the ballpark.

That’s why we have hope for complete destruction the ACC to have a shot.

 

[ZooCougar]

The MAC will realize nothing on their television deal by adding Sac State. Some of you are simply insane.

Assuming Sac State actually pays them anything, the MAC is being paid to babysit Sac State football for five years.

My guess is that they're bounced back to oblivion when the lease is up.

Yeah but now the MAC can recruit California /s

 

[ZooCougar]

• Sacramento the state capital has a population of over 527k
• Olympic sports join the Cali based Big West Conference which means less travel and better destinations
• Total of 8 FBS football programs in California with 4 within a 2-3 hour drive. That should help grease the skids for scheduling OOC games, especially if state politics has anything to do with anything
• Sac State will have options if successful, PAC 12, MWC, AAC
• Economic impact to the city, no question about it, but also many other benefits
• HORNET FOOTBALL TO JOIN THE MAC IN 2026 - Sacramento State
• Secured revenue rights from merchandising, pouring rights, food and beverage, and parking which was owned by a 3rd party

I know most are ridiculing this move but I see all of the benefits. Sure it's a big investment but should pay off long-term. Whether or not you agree with all the numbers, the move will no doubt help Sac State and the city of Sacramento. UConn will be facing a similar unfavorable financial price tag should an invitation to a P4 conference be proffered. Heck UConn may have to bend over just for a football only G6 invite

The economic impact is highly questionable.

Do you see thousands of MAC fans flying in?

The basketball in the Big West has high school crowds.

 

[Purple Stein]

• Sacramento the state capital has a population of over 527k

The cost of this move would have bought a Costco membership for the entire population of Sacramento.

 

[CL82]

In other words, and combining two great sci-fi franchises, we are so fracking frelled aren't we? On the bright side, Rutty and BCU with their proverbial seats at the big boy table will have it made and yet still won't win as many NCAA team championships (in 100 years) as we currently have. Imma go find some train tracks to park on.

Don't make it on any of the commuter lines in Jersey. I got places to be.

 

[CL82]

That’s why we have hope for complete destruction the ACC to have a shot.

Yeah, I'm not sure about this. If the ACC is destroyed, that creates more schools looking to fill fewer seats. And we've already seen with the big 12 that the The schools there have a preference for people who already had a seat at the big boy table.

 

[ZooCougar]

Yeah, I'm not sure about this. If the ACC is destroyed, that creates more schools looking to fill fewer seats. And we've already seen with the big 12 that the The schools there have a preference for people who already had a seat at the big boy table.

No, it creates more seats.

 

[Kolumbo]

The economic impact is highly questionable.

Do you see thousands of MAC fans flying in?

The basketball in the Big West has high school crowds.

The economic impact is certainly significant. Especially when other Cali schools roll into town. Remember how much UConn's attendance increased when it went D1-A

And just for you. Sacramento Republic FC is getting a new stadium as part of an entire mixed-use development in the Railyards. They currently play in a stadium at Cal Expo. Things are bustling in Sacramento

 

[CL82]

No, it creates more seats.

View attachment 117261

So the complete destruction of the ACC, which would eliminate possible ACC seats creates more seats?

How exactly is that going to work?

Now, don't get all butt hurt over this. It's just a question. Just answer it without a meltdown. It's perfectly OK to just admit...

 

[ZooCougar]

The economic impact is certainly significant. Especially when other Cali schools roll into town. Remember how much UConn's attendance increased when it went D1-A

And just for you. Sacramento Republic FC is getting a new stadium as part of an entire mixed-use development in the Railyards. They currently play in a stadium at Cal Expo. Things are bustling in Sacramento

EDIT: have you seen how empty most California stadiums are these days?

They are more empty than the WAC message board on CSNBBS.


The Republic have been around for ages and will
outdraw MAC football.

Building stadiums will have an impact but what comes after won’t be much.

If you really could generate a billion playing MAC football then there would be many more programs signing up. This all just feels like a massive grift or an example of how irrational schools will be when it comes to securing a place at the top level of college football.

 

[ZooCougar]

So the complete destruction of the ACC, which would eliminate possible ACC seats creates more seats?

How exactly is that going to work?

Now, don't get all butt hurt over this. It's just a question. Just answer it without a meltdown. It's perfectly OK to just admit...

Our best hope is an eastern conference with some ACC leftovers.

It’s over.

 

[Kolumbo]

So the complete destruction of the ACC, which would eliminate possible ACC seats creates more seats?

How exactly is that going to work?

Now, don't get all butt hurt over this. It's just a question. Just answer it without a meltdown. It's perfectly OK to just admit...

Right. the complete destruction of the PAC 12 was several magnitudes of crotch shots. Who the hell would have predicted the Corner 4 fall into the Big XII lap. along with the Calford Kicker to the ACC

 

[CL82]

Our best hope is an eastern conference with some ACC leftovers.

It’s over.

I don't know if it's our best hope, but I think it's a likely outcome. I doubt it would be an entirely new conference, however. More likely is schools would be brought in to buttress the ACC leftovers, because, for a time at least, there would continue to be brand value in the ACC name. The reconditioned ACC would likely occupy a space in between the existing P conferences and the existing G conferences.

 

[Kolumbo]

EDIT: have you seen how empty most California stadiums are these days?

They are more empty than the WAC message board on CSNBBS.


The Republic have been around for ages and will
outdraw MAC football.

Building stadiums will have an impact but what comes after won’t be much.

If you really could generate a billion playing MAC football then there would be many more programs signing up. This all just feels like a massive grift or an example of how irrational schools will be when it comes to securing a place at the top level of college football.

I haven't seen the crowds but apparently Fresno State draws pretty well. I guess we'll have to see how it plays out. I get it, California is a mess. But I think a school of Sac State's size in the state's capital has a lot more potential than many other FBS programs.

 

[CL82]

Right. the complete destruction of the PAC 12 was several magnitudes of crotch shots. Who the hell would have predicted the Corner 4 fall into the Big XII lap. along with the Calford Kicker to the ACC

Yep, the gutting of the Pac 12 as a P conference shows why Connecticut should root for the ACC to survive in some fashion. If it disappears as a conference, the ACC leftovers will likely fill any big 12 spots, and we will be left, once again, on the outside looking in.

 

[Jetskies]

This all makes me sad.
but on the subject of this particular thread - glad to not be UMass! ...... ?

 

[Vowelguy]

Something I just saw online: What's UMass's reaction to SacSt getting a FB-only invite?

Not that UMass has any cards to play, but they were told it was all sports or none. Then again, UMass didn't have to spend millions of dollars to get in, pay travel expenses, and accept no revenue.

 

[Vowelguy]

I haven't seen the crowds but apparently Fresno State draws pretty well. I guess we'll have to see how it plays out. I get it, California is a mess. But I think a school of Sac State's size in the state's capital has a lot more potential than many other FBS programs.

Fresno 38k (-6% y/y)
San Diego 26k (+6%)
San Jose 14k (-13%)