OT: UMass to MAC

[FfldCntyFan]

The move to the MAC was entirely to allow them to continue as an FBS football program.

My guess is that they are banking on the possibility that down the road having football at an FBS level will be better for all sports than not having football at that level (or at all).

 

[Vuce]

Last year UMass football lost to MAC teams and Power programs. The MAC is about as good a landing spot as any for football. I don't know what other kind of schedule UMass fans would want where the games are entertaining and competitive. At least try to improve in a G5 conference and become a candidate for a better G5 conference.

Basketball, MAC was ranked 16 out of 31.

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UMass football fans are few and they will be much fewer playing the MAC. They played very entertaining football in the late 90s when they won the National Championship and drew in the range of 15,000. They will draw a decent amount less playing schools no one cares about in the MAC.

Also, the MAC was rated 23rd in NET which is what the NCAA uses - the A10 was rated 7th. For as marginal a conference as the A10 has become compared to what it used to be, it is worlds better than the dumpster fire that is the MAC in basketball.

 

[Vuce]

UMass has played one NCAA Tournament game in 26 years so I don't see how the A10 was helping their basketball.

That's because of the coaching hires. The A10 has consistently been a top 10 league in NET. However much the A10 helped UMass in hoops, the MAC will help it much much less

 

[Vuce]

I went to an employee appreciation at a BB game against GW and they had food and drinks set up behind one of the baskets. It was a weeknight game and it wasn’t very well attended in the stands. I don’t think they are giving up much leaving the A-10 except memories and I respect MAC football.

whatever the attendance was at that game, cut it in half for MAC games. Honestly they will not need to play in the capacity 9,500 Mullins Center anymore. Going back to The Cage would make way more sense which has a capacity of 4,000 - the 1500 or so fans they will draw for MAC opponents no one cares about will make it a better home court environment. I know 5 different season ticket holders that arent renewing and will just get single game tickets for next to nothing if they want to go. The ticket office at UMass has called then begging for them to renew but they are out.

 

[Kolumbo]

UMass football fans are few and they will be much fewer playing the MAC. They played very entertaining football in the late 90s when they won the National Championship and drew in the range of 15,000. They will draw a decent amount less playing schools no one cares about in the MAC.

Also, the MAC was rated 23rd in NET which is what the NCAA uses - the A10 was rated 7th. For as marginal a conference as the A10 has become compared to what it used to be, it is worlds better than the dumpster fire that is the MAC in basketball.

You may be right and the only reason I care at all about UMass is because it would be nice to have a close regional rival, someday. We disagree. I think playing against regular competition and for a conference championship will do a lot more for the program and attendance than remaining an independent and losing to all comers. Last thing I want for UConn is to remain independent because it is a losing proposition long term. Maybe UMass Soccer and Lax end up in a better situation with the move too.

 

[Vuce]

You may be right and the only reason I care at all about UMass is because it would be nice to have a close regional rival, someday. We disagree. I think playing against regular competition and for a conference championship will do a lot more for the program and attendance than remaining an independent and losing to all comers. Last thing I want for UConn is to remain independent because it is a losing proposition long term. Maybe UMass Soccer and Lax end up in a better situation with the move too.

I'm not even factoring UConn into any of this - the schools are in way different places now and have been for a long time. I'm simply commenting on UMass because I've lived in western MA my whole life, been to many, many football and hoops games in Amherst, and know a ton of die hard UMass fans. When I am hearing from them that they are definitely giving up their season tickets in both sports that says a lot because the casual fans aren't going to jump in and replace them for MAC competition. I dont know enough about the MAC to say if Olympic sports will benefit or not at UMass but I do know that they don't move the needle at all so it's a moot point.

 

[UConnJim]

I'm not even factoring UConn into any of this - the schools are in way different places now and have been for a long time. I'm simply commenting on UMass because I've lived in western MA my whole life, been to many, many football and hoops games in Amherst, and know a ton of die hard UMass fans. When I am hearing from them that they are definitely giving up their season tickets in both sports that says a lot because the casual fans aren't going to jump in and replace them for MAC competition. I dont know enough about the MAC to say if Olympic sports will benefit or not at UMass but I do know that they don't move the needle at all so it's a moot point.

If UMass wins in basketball or football, people will show up for the games. In football, they weren't winning and in basketball, they struggled as well. How is moving to the MAC a risk when they haven't been winning and there is limited fan support?

 

[Kolumbo]

I have no idea what the plans are for UMass Men's soccer and lacrosse but they can probably upgrade by leaving the A-10. Perhaps even join the Big East Here are the standings for A-10 Lax

Richmond
High Point
UMass
Saint Joseph's
Hobart
St. Bonaventure

 

[Vuce]

If UMass wins in basketball or football, people will show up for the games. In football, they weren't winning and in basketball, they struggled as well. How is moving to the MAC a risk when they haven't been winning and there is limited fan support?

Not just win, they will need to win very big against those opponents for fans to care and show up in numbers that will register. It's not so much a risk as it is them waving the white flag that they've truly given up and accepted their lot in life as a low mid major program. They are toast

 

[Bongo Fury]

I believe the change was driven by the new chancellor who is into competitive sports and in particular football. Former chancellor, wouldn’t say didn’t care but low priority. They will generate greater revenue with the move.

 

[huskymedic]

I have no idea what the plans are for UMass Men's soccer and lacrosse but they can probably upgrade by leaving the A-10. Perhaps even join the Big East Here are the standings for A-10 Lax

Richmond
High Point
UMass
Saint Joseph's
Hobart
St. Bonaventure

MSOC is headed to the Summitt and MLax is staying in the A-10 as affiliate member.

 

[Waquoit]

I will never forgive UMass for that "UConn is scared to play us" slander but I never wished things would get so low that they self-exile to the MAC. I was good with one NCAA Tournament game in 26 years.

 

[Kolumbo]

I'm not even factoring UConn into any of this - the schools are in way different places now and have been for a long time. I'm simply commenting on UMass because I've lived in western MA my whole life, been to many, many football and hoops games in Amherst, and know a ton of die hard UMass fans. When I am hearing from them that they are definitely giving up their season tickets in both sports that says a lot because the casual fans aren't going to jump in and replace them for MAC competition. I dont know enough about the MAC to say if Olympic sports will benefit or not at UMass but I do know that they don't move the needle at all so it's a moot point.

So your die-hard fan friends are throwing in the towel because they don't want to watch UMass play MAC programs even though UMass has been playing MAC programs for a long time. If UMass starts winning hopefully the casual fans do show up to support the program. It's not like they're going to drive to boston so support the other floundering program.

Not just win, they will need to win very big against those opponents for fans to care and show up in numbers that will register. It's not so much a risk as it is them waving the white flag that they've truly given up and accepted their lot in life as a low mid major program. They are toast

Sometimes you just have to accept things for what they are

 

[Kolumbo]

MSOC is headed to the Summitt and MLax is staying in the A-10 as affiliate member.

That's odd. I figured UMass Soccer might go to the Missouri Valley Conference with Bowling Green and Western Michigan. Nothern Illinois is moving sports to the Horizon League. And Akron Soccer is in the Big East.

 

[Vuce]

So your die-hard fan friends are throwing in the towel because they don't want to watch UMass play MAC programs even though UMass has been playing MAC programs for a long time. If UMass starts winning hopefully the casual fans do show up to support the program. It's not like they're going to drive to boston so support the other floundering program.


Sometimes you just have to accept things for what they are

Or, if you are fans, you don't have to accept things for what they are, which is why my buddies are not renewing football and hoops. Not sure if you realize that college football in the northeast has never been huge compared to other areas of the country. UMass made this move for football and there simply aren't that many football centric fans in the base (we see it with our own UConn fan base). Their rationale is that they won't support the programs with season tickets and donations and don't care at this point what happens and can go to a game here and there. And as I said before, UMass will need to win really big and dominate for casual fans to show up - otherwise their attendance and support will be less than it is now.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

You may be right and the only reason I care at all about UMass is because it would be nice to have a close regional rival, someday. We disagree. I think playing against regular competition and for a conference championship will do a lot more for the program and attendance than remaining an independent and losing to all comers. Last thing I want for UConn is to remain independent because it is a losing proposition long term. Maybe UMass Soccer and Lax end up in a better situation with the move too.

I rather have a football rivalry with Delaware. I'd rather travel to Lehigh

 

[CL82]

I will never forgive UMass for that "UConn is scared to play us" slander but I never wished things would get so low that they self-exile to the MAC. I was good with one NCAA Tournament game in 26 years.

It was laughable when they said it. In fact, pretty much everyone did laugh at them. That's why that they stopped making that argument.

You and I can remember when UMass was a principal rival for us. On some levels that makes me appreciate the train wreck they are, but the truth is a successful, or at least competent UMass is good for UConn. I actually low-key root for them to have some measure of athletic department competency, though that's counterintuitive to me.

 

[WrenchFan69]

It was the right move for the football program but fans won't care about multi Michigan directional schools and this finishes off their basketball program for good. The MAC is legit one of the worst hoops conferences in the country.

I already considered their basketball program finished

 

[WrenchFan69]

MSOC is headed to the Summitt and MLax is staying in the A-10 as affiliate member.

Slightly surprised Men's Soccer didn't find a better landing spot than the Summit. America East at least should have given them a look, if not the Big East

 

[huskymedic]

That's odd. I figured UMass Soccer might go to the Missouri Valley Conference with Bowling Green and Western Michigan. Nothern Illinois is moving sports to the Horizon League. And Akron Soccer is in the Big East.

Slightly surprised Men's Soccer didn't find a better landing spot than the Summit. America East at least should have given them a look, if not the Big East

UMass set to join Summit League for Men's Soccer in 2025

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—The University of Massachusetts has accepted an invitation to join the Summit League as an affiliate member for the sport of men’s soccer effective July 1, 2025, both parties announced jointly Monday.

thesummitleague.org

-> The Minutemen will become the seventh men’s soccer program in the league joining the University of Denver, University of Missouri-Kansas City, the University of Nebraska Omaha, Oral Roberts University and the University of St. Thomas and the University of Delaware, a fellow first-year affiliate member. <-

 

[Vuce]

I already considered their basketball program finished

Agree. But what’s happened now is that even their own long time die hard fans consider the hoops program dead with this move. They see a low mid major league where the whole season comes down to the conference tournament.

 

[ZooCougar]

Not just win, they will need to win very big against those opponents for fans to care and show up in numbers that will register. It's not so much a risk as it is them waving the white flag that they've truly given up and accepted their lot in life as a low mid major program. They are toast

It’s not like they were showing up before. I honestly fail to see how it would get worse.

The football was/is utterly broken. Independence was killing them. Not to mention having the worst stadium in FBS.

Functionally I don’t see how the MAC is any different than the A-10.

 

[ZooCougar]

Agree. But what’s happened now is that even their own long time die hard fans consider the hoops program dead with this move. They see a low mid major league where the whole season comes down to the conference tournament.

The haven’t seen March Madness since 2014.

 

[CL82]

The haven’t seen March Madness since 2014.

That's not fair. I'm sure they watch it on TV.

 

[pepband99]

There is a big difference. They had terrible issues getting a reasonable schedule together. There was a joke last year that UMass played the hardest SEC schedule.

With a conference slate they will be competing for something and have a more even schedule against more opponents that they actually have a chance at beating.

For basketball, they haven’t had a good program in forever.

Tell us this after the 2nd or 3rd MACtion game, when whatever novelty wears off. Directional Rust Belt U on a Tuesday night in November.

 

[Vuce]

There is a big difference. They had terrible issues getting a reasonable schedule together. There was a joke last year that UMass played the hardest SEC schedule.

With a conference slate they will be competing for something and have a more even schedule against more opponents that they actually have a chance at beating.

For basketball, they haven’t had a good program in forever.

The attendance/support of the football program will not increase playing directional Michigan schools, Bowling Green, Ball State and the not Florida Miami. And yes, they threw in the towel on hoops with this move. UMass is a hockey school only now.

 

[Kolumbo]

The attendance/support of the football program will not increase playing directional Michigan schools, Bowling Green, Ball State and the not Florida Miami. And yes, they threw in the towel on hoops with this move. UMass is a hockey school only now.

It's a Massachusetts thing. MAC, A-10, ACC, it makes no difference.

 

[ZooCougar]

Tell us this after the 2nd or 3rd MACtion game, when whatever novelty wears off. Directional Rust Belt U on a Tuesday night in November.

This is a stupid nonsensical take. MACtion is an upgrade for them. They have zero juice now. It can’t get worse. As an Indy they had no hope of improvement.

The only other rational choices were dropping football or going back to FCS.

 

[ZooCougar]

The attendance/support of the football program will not increase playing directional Michigan schools, Bowling Green, Ball State and the not Florida Miami. And yes, they threw in the towel on hoops with this move. UMass is a hockey school only now.

It won’t get worse. They can’t do any worse.

 

[Vuce]

It's a Massachusetts thing. MAC, A-10, ACC, it makes no difference.

At least BCU gets to see good opponents - UMass won't even get that with this move