To be fair, UMess would require pile drivers if not coal mining excavators to go much deeper in the Minutemen depths of despair. While not wishing UMess bowl appearances, a couple to 5 wins per season would be a massive improvement. None versus UConn.
There is one step left. The fans and any remaining level of interest. They did draw over 6k a few times for hoops last season. Their first home game this year they drew like 2k. Fans have started to check out even more than they were and season ticket sales are essentially not a thing now. It can and will get worse for them. They will need to be the Gonzaga of the MAC including NCAA tournament runs for anyone to care
People love a train wreck.
success is a fickle mistress so of course we pay close attention to football programs and CR. Our neighbor UMass is a case study in its own right just up the road so I find it particularly interesting
we've been there and if UConn admins & State of CT are not super super SUPER careful about continued investment, we will be RIGHT back there in the 120's ranking. Let's not get too high and mighty.
This. We are not immune from a bad recruiting class/losses to the portal, not keeping up with NIL, unexpected coaching change…or worse yet, multiple happening at the same time. I’m hopeful we are on the right long-term trajectory but let’s recognize that even with current success we are still far closer to being right back to where UMass is than becoming Ohio State.
yep. i would add to this, that IMO most FBS teams (~60-70%) are more at risk to falling down closer to UMass's end, than rising up to Ohio State's end, if they rest on their laurels.
You are so wrong. Either they care about football of they don't. If the football team wins, people will show up. It really is that simple.
I agree that winning helps. That said, in the season after UMass went 13-2 and were ranked #2 in FCS losing in the championship game, UMass drew about 12k fans per game in 2007 (10-2 regular season with one loss to BC). And, the Thanksgiving week game only drew 5.2k. Unfortunately, the MACtion weeknight games are an attendance killer.
In terms of “really” caring about football in the northeast, it’s pretty easy to make a case that no one does compared to other places. UMass should have dropped football to FCS where they competed for a national championship multiple times and fans showed up in those seasons. They will never be anywhere near that good in FBS, the MAC stinks and no one will care in football or hoops. They are done
Great point. They should get a banner made up. Maybe some T-shirts. T-shirts are always nice.
Sad story.
Fan interest definitely dropped since the move was announced. It will next turn to something worse than being ticked off about the way their programs are performing. Apathy will set in and it already is. I had breakfast on Saturday with 2 UMass fans who have had season tix in both football and hoops over the years. Neither one of them even knew UMass basketball had a game that day and neither one of them cared. They would have been better off being a great FCS team as they were, going to the playoffs and keeping hoops in the A10. The MAC will do nothing for them except cost fans and yes I agree I do not know what the MAC was thinking asking UMass to join - neither side will benefit.
Missing the point. I’m not blaming the MAC , I’m saying that them moving to the MAC like it will solve anything was ridiculous. It will result in less fan interest/attendance in both hoops and football. The best move for them would have been to drop back to FCS where they were very good and keep hoops in the A10. It’s not like they invested a ton of money in a new stadium so no loss there. Going to the MAC is a step backwards in every way and it will play out exactly that way.
I already told you the alternative. Drop back to FCS where they were very good. Keep hoops in the A10. If you can’t think of one A10 team then you really don’t follow college basketball and that’s ok. The MAC is horrendous in football and worse than that in basketball. And no one in western MA cares.