OT: UMass to MAC

[ConnHuskBask]

Yes and even with that, the MAC is levels worse than the A10. It is beyond putrid. America East and the Colonial are higher rated leagues

I don't disagree. From a fan perspective is there really a material difference playing Buffalo, Toledo, and Miami OH than Fordham, Duquesne and Davidson that would cause someone to revolt against the program?

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I don't disagree. From a fan perspective is there really a material difference playing Buffalo, Toledo, and Miami OH than Fordham, Duquesne and Davidson that would cause someone to revolt against the program?

Revolt? Possibly not for a UMass Amherst program with blah fan support, but moving to a lower-ranked league than UMass Lowell (America East > MAC), shifting from an A10 Brooklyn conference tourney to MAC Cleveland, losing games with teams in larger, more accessible markets (Fordham Bronx/City, Duquesne Pittsburgh, Davidson Charlotte burb), etc may create less than positive impressions for UMess’ limited fan base and nationally.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Not including Rahsool Diggins, are there any quality UMess hoopsters who may reasonably aspire to potentially play in a power conference?

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Not including Rahsool Diggins, are there any quality UMess hoopsters who may reasonably aspire to potentially play in a power conference?

Matt Cross. Although I believe he has 1 year left, and UMass isn’t joining the MAC until 2025. Still a name to keep an eye on after the season ends.

Matt Cross - SMU Mustangs Forward - ESPN

View the profile of SMU Mustangs Forward Matt Cross on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.

www.espn.com

 

[JungleLobo]

Matt Cross. Although I believe he has 1 year left, and UMass isn’t joining the MAC until 2025. Still a name to keep an eye on after the season ends.

Miami, Louisville and UMass. What’s a 4th conference?

He obviously decided to go home though and will probably play out the string.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4433563/matt-cross[/URL

http://

 

[Vuce]

I don't disagree. From a fan perspective is there really a material difference playing Buffalo, Toledo, and Miami OH than Fordham, Duquesne and Davidson that would cause someone to revolt against the program?

Yes there is. I've live in western Mass and have been going to games my entire life because my father is a grad. This predates the Calipari glory years. I know plenty of UMass fans. They are a founding member of the A10 and they actually would rather play URI, St. Joe's, GW, etc over east, west and central Michigan. So much so that I personally know 3 people that already pulled their UMass Club membership (and one of those people is a mega donor that talks to the AD regularly). This will be better for UMass football but no one in Amherst cares about football. Their football stadium seats as many as the XL Center and the MAC schools will not bring fans to watch.

 

[husky429]

How many UMass fan refugees will we accept?

 

[Greedo]

How many UMass fan refugees will we accept?

Eh, I don't mind letting both of them join us.

 

[uconnric]

Yes there is. I've live in western Mass and have been going to games my entire life because my father is a grad. This predates the Calipari glory years. I know plenty of UMass fans. They are a founding member of the A10 and they actually would rather play URI, St. Joe's, GW, etc over east, west and central Michigan. So much so that I personally know 3 people that already pulled their UMass Club membership (and one of those people is a mega donor that talks to the AD regularly). This will be better for UMass football but no one in Amherst cares about football. Their football stadium seats as many as the XL Center and the MAC schools will not bring fans to watch.

Not a good move for basketball. I don't think MAC teams will draw fans for football (or basketball), especially on Tuesday nights. MAC teams aren't bad, but there is no fan recognition in the Northeast. It seems like the UMass admins did this to save football, and basketball will be collateral damage.

 

[uconnfan68]

Yes there is. I've live in western Mass and have been going to games my entire life because my father is a grad. This predates the Calipari glory years. I know plenty of UMass fans. They are a founding member of the A10 and they actually would rather play URI, St. Joe's, GW, etc over east, west and central Michigan. So much so that I personally know 3 people that already pulled their UMass Club membership (and one of those people is a mega donor that talks to the AD regularly). This will be better for UMass football but no one in Amherst cares about football. Their football stadium seats as many as the XL Center and the MAC schools will not bring fans to watch.

I think you're right... this was for football.

 

[Waquoit]

So can we call D-1 FB a failure at UMass yet?

 

[freescooter]

You know, this wlll largely depend on how they do. Winning basketball and getting to championship games and tournament bids will draw fans. Winning football games and competing for titles will do the same for football. For years UMass hockey was dead in the water. Then they got good and that’s not the case. Former players can whine all they want. They mostly stunk and helped create this situation. When you think of it we have more National Championships than they have tournament bids in the last 25 years. So it isn’t like they’ve been tearing up the A10. They like playing Fordham and St Joes and GW because those are the only teams they can beat.

 

[Fishy]

I’ve talked to several UMass fans today and they all hate the move. No one really goes
to their football games and this move wont draw fans. Basketball is showing some signs of momentum and they had 7k at a game this weekend. That is gone. They will struggle to draw 2k in Mullins playing Michigan directional schools and the 16th and 17th best programs in Ohio. I also saw a few former players on social media today who were critical of the move - Carmelo Travieso pulled his membership in the UMass Club. The alums I talked to today are depressed and said they won’t renew season tix

I don't disagree. From a fan perspective is there really a material difference playing Buffalo, Toledo, and Miami OH than Fordham, Duquesne and Davidson that would cause someone to revolt against the program?

From a UMass’ fan perspective, I can imagine that they hate it. They’re gonna look at Akron like we looked at Tulsa…..it will never be okay.

From a basketball perspective…meh, UMass has historically been crap. The 1990s were a wild, wild outlier. They might actually be better in the MAC and win the autobid more often, but fans will still hate it.

The financial math for athletic departments is really, really bad these days - I have to imagine the numbers were so dire at UMass that they figured they had no other path forward.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Tiamat7]

Aside from Dayton and VCU the A10 is pretty dreadful too. Not exactly a ton of headliners they are foregoing.

Harsh and incorrect take. A10 is the 8th best conference out of 30+.
Not every school can play in the Power 6.

There are other quality A10 programs that have made the occasional noise in March: Loyola, Richmond, George Mason, St Louis, Davidson, URI.

 

[Storrs South]

From a UMass’ fan perspective, I can imagine that they hate it. They’re gonna look at Akron like we looked at Tulsa…..it will never be okay.

From a basketball perspective…meh, UMass has historically been crap. The 1990s were a wild, wild outlier. They might actually be better in the MAC and win the autobid more often, but fans will still hate it.

The financial math for athletic departments is really, really bad these days - I have to imagine the numbers were so dire at UMass that they figured they had no other path forward.

This is where I landed. It will be easier for basketball to make the tourney in theory. Just need to win 3 games in a row every March against some mediocre teams.

Only issues are 1) will the school care enough to pull adequate resources for this 2) what recruit wants to go to UMass to play in the MAC 3) if performance isn't good enough early on will fan support dwindle and mediocrity ensue.

If they really commit the resources to dominate the MAC they could make the tourney at a decent clip but having to host Ball State EMU Buffalo Kent State Ohio in your gym is roughhh. If you thought the AAC was bad....woooooffff. The TV money for this league is not good so it is not a given UMass continues to adequately invest in hoops.

I'm shocked they did this only because hoops is actually showing signs of life for the first time in at least 5 years.

 

[Vuce]

Good summary on the move from Matt Vautour who was the UMass beat writer for a long time. The MAC is a horrendous hoops conference. And while the A10 isn't what it was when it got 5 bids in some years I didnt realize it has mostly gotten multiple bids for the last almost 20 years. Vautour says what I have been saying about this - relatively no one in Amherst cares about football. It's a nice thing to do on a fall Saturday and you don't care about the result - kind of like going to see the YardGoats in Hartford. We saw what happened to our attendance in the AAC - this will be even worse for UMass. As I mentioned earlier, they've shown some signs of life recently under Frank Martin - opened a great basketball training facility and recruiting some decent talent. They drew 7K fans this past weekend. That's over - Mullins Center is obsolete for hoops now and they could play their conference games back at The Cage and still have open seats when the MAC opponents from east, west and central Michigan come to town.

UMass move to MAC is brutal blow to its men’s basketball program | Vautour

The Mid-American conference is one of the worst basketball conferences in Division I.

www.masslive.com

 

[Bongo Fury]

Those UMass/ Temple battles with Calipari & Cheney were awesome. I don’t know if UMass has had a rivalry since?