UMass > MAC for all sports in 2025-2026

[KryHavok]

As we were where UMass currently are, I think we can confidently say:

They are in a terrible situation, and nothing they do seems to make things get better. I don't wish their ills on any non-ACC school (some BIG, little-12, and SEC schools deserve it though).

 

[ZooCougar]

As we were where UMass currently are, I think we can confidently say:
View attachment 112967
They are in a terrible situation, and nothing they do seems to make things get better. I don't wish their ills on any non-ACC school (some BIG, little-12, and SEC schools deserve it though).

Oklahoma State and Cincy can have it all

 

[huskymedic]

“Bjorn started his professional career as an intern at the University of Connecticut before returning to UMass. He spent 15 years with the Minutemen in various roles, rising to associate athletic director for his last four. Bjorn was also the school’s interim athletic director for a few months from September 2003 to February 2004 and finished a master’s degree in higher education.”

 

[How Sway?!]

As we were where UMass currently are, I think we can confidently say:
View attachment 112967
They are in a terrible situation, and nothing they do seems to make things get better. I don't wish their ills on any non-ACC school (some BIG, little-12, and SEC schools deserve it though).

We were never lose to Bryant bad. This is an all time low for am FBS program.

UMass should serve as a precautionary tale for those in the fan base who want us to join a conference just for the sake of it. Playing for a conference championship is not worth the trade off of having to play 5 midweek games in front of max 5K people.

 

[ZooCougar]

We were never lose to Bryant bad. This is an all time low for am FBS program.

UMass should serve as a precautionary tale for those in the fan base who want us to join a conference just for the sake of it. Playing for a conference championship is not worth the trade off of having to play 5 midweek games in front of max 5K people.

Again. It is mind bogglingly wrong to say that they are this bad because they joined the MAC. There simply is no evidence. They would be this bad even if they were Indy. They haven’t even won 10 games total yet in this decade.

And in no way shape or form am I pushing for us to join the MAC. So don’t try to pin that strawman.

 

[ZooCougar]

As we were where UMass currently are, I think we can confidently say:
View attachment 112967
They are in a terrible situation, and nothing they do seems to make things get better. I don't wish their ills on any non-ACC school (some BIG, little-12, and SEC schools deserve it though).

Yup we almost lost to YALE! In 2021 we were simply awful.

 

[cellocgg]

I feel like UMass really needs a former P5 AD, or at least one with some kind of FBS experience. Thorr seems like a great dude but we are talking about Rhode Island after all, another small-time state flagship. I don't think he's gonna be saving them

Does UMass want a serious athletic department like they once had? Or will they settle to be another URI/UNH/UVM

 

[How Sway?!]

Again. It is mind bogglingly wrong to say that they are this bad because they joined the MAC. There simply is no evidence. They would be this bad even if they were Indy. They haven’t even won 10 games total yet in this decade.

And in no way shape or form am I pushing for us to join the MAC. So don’t try to pin that strawman.

I wasn't blaming the MAC for UMass problems. That's clearly an institutional issue that won't get fixed without heavy investment.

My post was directed at those who think that competing for a conference title would automatically make us a better football program. As shown by UMass, there are a lot more factors outside of conference affiliation.

 

[ZooCougar]

I feel like UMass really needs a former P5 AD, or at least one with some kind of FBS experience. Thorr seems like a great dude but we are talking about Rhode Island after all, another small-time state flagship. I don't think he's gonna be saving them

Does UMass want a serious athletic department like they once had? Or will they settle to be another URI/UNH/UVM

They need at least $1.5M in Revenue Sharing/NIL and a coach that isn't dumber than a rock like Harasmiyak.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Has UMass with Bamford’s involvement hired his replacement?

 

[shizzle787]

Has UMass with Bamford’s involvement hired his replacement?

That is what I am thinking. The football team is 0-9 and the basketball team lost at home to Marshall. Time for a change.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

$25 million for McGuirk. On the plus side, it's on campus. That's about it.

After years of ‘deferred maintenance,’ UMass AD Ryan Bamford announces multimillion-dollar investment in football

UMass athletic director Ryan Bamford says the school will invest millions of dollars into their football program.

www.boston.com

"The stadium renovation will be completed in three phases, Bamford said, starting with upgrades to the fan experience before the 2026 season. The second and third phases will be be structural and aesthetic upgrades to be completed by 2028."

 

[cellocgg]

So the AD just admits he hasn't been doing his job? Why does him being primarily at the Mullins Center mean he can't give Football proper attention?

 

[ZooCougar]

Umm. What else does he have to work on?

Who is protecting this guy?

 

[jostar1]

“Bjorn started his professional career as an intern at the University of Connecticut before returning to UMass. He spent 15 years with the Minutemen in various roles, rising to associate athletic director for his last four. Bjorn was also the school’s interim athletic director for a few months from September 2003 to February 2004 and finished a master’s degree in higher education.”

"Bjorn said he agreed to a five-year deal with UMass for an annual base salary of $395,000, plus cost-of-living adjustments and incentives — a raise and a touch more security compared to his current terms at URI."

 

[KryHavok]

"Bjorn said he agreed to a five-year deal with UMass for an annual base salary of $395,000, plus cost-of-living adjustments and incentives — a raise and a touch more security compared to his current terms at URI."

He's taking over the worst FBS program in the country...anything greater than 3 to 4 wins a season at this point and he'll be given a golden parachute.

 

[Waquoit]

I assume the player didn’t qualify academically to get into the graduate program.

You assume incorrectly. The player easily qualified.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Unclear Bjorn’s a good answer for Umess’ woes, but a report indicated he’s 5 years away from a full UMess or Bay State pension due to his prior 15 years working in the Minutemen athletic department.

 

[Hoophound]

Unclear Bjorn’s a good answer for Umess’ woes, but a report indicated he’s 5 years away from a full UMess or Bay State pension due to his prior 15 years working in the Minutemen athletic department.

This really looked like two older guys wanting to work together from the beginning. Sure seems like Bjorn’s buddy throwing him a bone. This is a waste of 400k. If Bjorn can fix the football program, make him AD and fire his buddy.

 

[ArtTheFan]

People wrote off our football program as well after the trifecta of incompetence that was Pasqulone, Diaco and Edsall. And no, I'm not trying to equate our two programs. UMass has an unequal history of futility across all sports, except hockey.

They were a principal rival when I was in school, so it pains me to admit this, but I low-key want them to have some degree of success. It's good for New England sports and thus good for UConn. That said, being able to achieve that probably would require a massive in sustained investment by the school in Minuteman athletics. I don't see it happening.

I remember when UMass and URI were our rivals. The Ramnapping Trophy against URI. Now, we shouldn't tell another school to drop Football or go back to FCS. I've heard that URI is rumored to upgrade (and UNewHampshire) and go into the MAC as a eastern partner for UMass. (Another rumor is Albany to MAC).

Not sure if those rumors are real (heard it on YouTube, so I take it with a grain of salt), but maybe the MAC will help UMass. I want them to be good ( better than BCU, not as good as us...)

 

[ArtTheFan]

Listen, teams like North Central and Mount Union might be able to beat UMass. Those WIAC teams are no joke either. If I was UMass I would stop playing FBS football. They are like many who will never get the call up to the P4. At this point they have destroyed generations of fans and have only hockey left to cheer on.

I have to hit dislike because we shouldn't tell another school that they should stop playing FBS football. What they need is 3 things: 1) A DB type of guy who will reinvigorate the Athletic Department, 2) A Jim Mora type of coach to get Football reinvigorate and 3) A Dan Hurley type of coach for Basketball. If that happens, you might see energy in Amherst.

Who knows, maybe a College Game Day visiting the Rent for a unbeaten UConn (B12 Champion) versus an unbeaten MAC Champion UMass. 😀

 

[ArtTheFan]

The Calhoun comparison isnt even close. He said it's doable because UConn was playing in the best hoops conference in the country and while they were playing some games in Greer, Gampel was already planned but hadn't been built yet. UMass isnt playing in a great football league and has a dump for a stadium with nothing new planned. Add to it that football is tons more difficult to improve than college basketball, and the northeast just doesnt support college football, It will be at least a decade before UMass gets any traction and they've already aliened all but a handful of their died hard fans. It's all hopes and wishes at this point for UMass with very little chance of anything coming of this

As much as I see people calling for an on campus stadium for UConn, I have a solution for UMass stadium ordeal. The Rent! Ok, it might not be in Massachusetts, but it seats 40,000 people. 😀

 

[huskymedic]

“Bjorn started his professional career as an intern at the University of Connecticut before returning to UMass. He spent 15 years with the Minutemen in various roles, rising to associate athletic director for his last four. Bjorn was also the school’s interim athletic director for a few months from September 2003 to February 2004 and finished a master’s degree in higher education.”

Spitballing that URI may look @ UConn to backfill AD opening.



Among others…

-> Jason Butikofer - Deputy director of athletics/chief operating officer, Connecticut

This might be toward the higher end of the curve for what URI can hire – Butikofer is listed at more than $250,000 annually per a public portal of school salaries – but it could be well worth a swing. Butikofer leads external relations, development, ticketing, social media and video services for the Huskies. He has experience with major markets like Purdue and Washington and is a leader with Huskies Sports Properties, the chief media and marketing arm with Learfield.

Annie Fiorvanti - Deputy director of athletics/senior woman administrator, Connecticut

Fiorvanti is a deputy director of athletics and the current senior woman administrator at the University of Connecticut, a place that knows how winning feels among major programs. Her background in compliance since being hired away from Hofstra stretches more than a decade, but Fiorvanti coming to URI would be like a homecoming – she was a women’s volleyball student-athlete and captain at Providence in the late 2000s.

Chris Grosse - Senior associate athletic director for external strategy, Connecticut

Grosse was hired back to his alma mater after a stint at Penn State, multiple years with the Nittany Lions that gave him a look at the highest level of college athletics and revenue generation. He’s a New Hampshire native who has worked closely in creative content, marketing, fan engagement, communications, multimedia, ticketing and promotions.

 

[Kolumbo]

As far as McGuirk goes, I don't even know what they were thinking with the design. It looks like they built both ends of the stadium backwards, bowing in instead of out. what a disaster. I mean, how much can this place actually be worth. Level it and start from scratch