OT: - UMass to MAC | Page 5 | The Boneyard

OT: UMass to MAC

Yup - UMass has definitely accepted their fate as a low mid major - at least they'll make more money though like BCU
 
Vuce said:
Nah I’m not moving anything. The MAC move is UMass admitting they are a low mid major and have accepted their fate
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They don’t have to admit that. That’s exactly what they are.
 
ScottVib said:
It's the right move for UMass.

UMass has a better shot of winning games and being competitive in basketball in the MAC than they did in the A-10. Fans weren't coming out to the hoops games because they might see a VCU team that went to a final four a decade ago, they were going to the basketball game and hoping to see a win. Seeing a few more wins will mean a few more people. The high attendance last year was 5000 on alumni day, with a free jersey giveaway, overall they averaged just over 2800 (and it was pretty consistent between 2500-3000 per). There was nothing left to protect for them in the A-10.

They simplify football scheduling and should have a more manageable schedule, who knows with a few wins there maybe they manage a few more fans there... if nothing else they will make more in overall revenue from conference distributions (media rights, football playoff & tournament distributions). The A-10 media revenue reportedly was around 525k per school on the new deal. The MACs previous deal (signed in 2014) would pay between 667k and 800k per school (based on reported escalators), with a negotiation expected to yield an increase from the 2026-27 season (for context the A-10s new deal was a 40% increase on their previous deal signed 4 years prior).
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Really nothing more needs to be said on this.
 
ZooCougar said:
They don’t have to admit that. That’s exactly what they are.
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They dont have to but they are now. And the die hard fans I know never admitted it - until now. They know their hoops is toast with no hope and football is just something to watch in the fall......on Tuesday nights :D
 
Vuce said:
They dont have to but they are now. And the die hard fans I know never admitted it - until now. They know their hoops is toast with no hope and football is just something to watch in the fall......on Tuesday nights :D
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Sounds like from Scott’s post that it was already dead.

To me if they are more competitive in football in the MAC it will help.

Hoop is already dead. Nowhere to go but up.

This is kind of like the argument over UConn Football scheduling. Are we better off living in denial and trying to be the BYU of the east; something that isn’t possible given the new financial landscape? Or should we seek more opponents with a similar profile to bring some consistency to our schedule.

That’s what UMass is doing. They won’t make any money in the MAC. They will get a little CFP money (we don’t), but what they get is more predictable scheduling and more stable framework to grow and improve.
 
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ZooCougar said:
Sounds like from Scott’s post that it was already dead.

To me if they are more competitive in football in the MAC it will help.

Hoop is already dead. Nowhere to go but up.

This is kind of like the argument over UConn Football scheduling. Are we better off living in denial and trying to be the BYU of the east; something that isn’t possible given the new financial landscape? Or should we seek more opponents with a similar profile to bring some consistency to our schedule.

That’s what UMass is doing. They won’t make any money in the MAC. They will get a little CFP money (we don’t), but what they get is more predictable scheduling and more stable framework to grow and improve.
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It's college football in the northeast - for the most part, no one cares. Predictable scheduling, more stability, blah blah - it's the MAC and attendance and fan support wont change from when they were in 1-AA/FCS. Basketball in the northeast can be good with the right coach and a good NIL......but not in the MAC. The fans and donors I know won't be all in like they were previously and have already cut ties.
 
Vuce said:
It's college football in the northeast - for the most part, no one cares. Predictable scheduling, more stability, blah blah - it's the MAC and attendance and fan support wont change from when they were in 1-AA/FCS. Basketball in the northeast can be good with the right coach and a good NIL......but not in the MAC. The fans and donors I know won't be all in like they were previously and have already cut ties.
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I remember when UConn left the AAC for football independence and many football people were furious. Then, Mora gets hired and UConn developed a plan for success and people are coming back.
 
Vuce said:
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.
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I think this is wrong. If Umass has a good season, has a chance to win the MAC, people will show up.
 
uconnyankee said:
I think this is wrong. If Umass has a good season, has a chance to win the MAC, people will show up.
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yes, like they show up for a good team in the Sun Belt or America East. So a couple thousand people because that is the level that MAC basketball is at. Moving their basketball games to The Cage and out of Mullins would be a good thing for them.
 
UConnJim said:
I remember when UConn left the AAC for football independence and many football people were furious. Then, Mora gets hired and UConn developed a plan for success and people are coming back.
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UMass doesnt have football people. Half of the faculty on campus campaign for the football program to be cancelled. UConn had the Big East football conference as incentive to move up. UMass never had that and did it anyway. The plan for success at UMass right now has caused apathy among the fan base. No one cares about MAC football or basketball.
 
Vuce said:
It's college football in the northeast - for the most part, no one cares. Predictable scheduling, more stability, blah blah - it's the MAC and attendance and fan support wont change from when they were in 1-AA/FCS. Basketball in the northeast can be good with the right coach and a good NIL......but not in the MAC. The fans and donors I know won't be all in like they were previously and have already cut ties.
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Again you are acting as if they had something worth protecting before.

There is nowhere else to go but up.
 
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Vuce said:
UMass doesnt have football people. Half of the faculty on campus campaign for the football program to be cancelled. UConn had the Big East football conference as incentive to move up. UMass never had that and did it anyway. The plan for success at UMass right now has caused apathy among the fan base. No one cares about MAC football or basketball.
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Well it seems they are trying to turn it around by making a football move and joining the MAC. UConn Football fans are very excited right now coming off a win against UNC at Fenway. How did UConn get to the Fenway Bowl? By beating:

Merrimack
FAU
Buffalo
Temple
Rice
Georgia State
UAB
UMass

Losses to 4 P4 teams Maryland, Duke, Wake, Cuse, but without the G5 schedule UConn has another losing season. Winning brings the fans no matter who you beat.
 
Vuce said:
UMass doesnt have football people. Half of the faculty on campus campaign for the football program to be cancelled. UConn had the Big East football conference as incentive to move up. UMass never had that and did it anyway. The plan for success at UMass right now has caused apathy among the fan base. No one cares about MAC football or basketball.
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In fairness half the faculty on campus campaigned for football to never move up (or be canceled) at UConn. They managed to hold up things a bit in the mid-90s, because they were upset at the attention men’s basketball was getting and didn’t want to see another sport take on focus (short-sightedly not recognizing how the increased profile of the school led to greater applications improving enrollment and student quality).. who knows how the butterflies may have adjusted the universities fate with a few extra years to solidify its position in FBS? (Do they avoid the dark ages of the 2010s? Do they become more desirable than BC in the initial round? Or establish enough distance to stay ahead of a Pitt later on?)
 
ZooCougar said:
Again you are acting as if they had something worth protecting before.

There is nowhere else to go but up.
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Incorrect - the few die hard fans they still had are gone. Being a good MAC program will do nothing because it's the MAC and no one in western MA cares. If UMass is a middling MAC program they havent even reached the depths of how bad it will get yet
 
Also a good line from the article: “[The MAC] is the poorest [FBS] league in the country … these are mostly not healthy institutions.”
 
Vuce said:
Incorrect - the few die hard fans they still had are gone. Being a good MAC program will do nothing because it's the MAC and no one in western MA cares. If UMass is a middling MAC program they havent even reached the depths of how bad it will get yet
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I think I've spent enough time on UMass. Good luck with UMass. I'm thinking you may not know the right "die-hard" fans because this board is pretty active.

 
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Kolumbo said:
I think I've spent enough time on UMass. Good luck with UMass. I'm thinking you may not know the right "die-hard" fans because this board is pretty active.

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That board is no more active than it’s been. There are a handful of posters on it. Even if they thrive in the MAC, well, it’s the MAC and no one really cares. It’s a bunch of low mid majors who play football on Tuesday nights. And basketball is one of the worst conferences in the country.
 
UMass was 7-25 in league play as a football affiliate in the MAC and is 15-47 all-time verses MAC schools. Six of the 15 wins were against Buffalo.
 
Rufus said:
UMass was 7-25 in league play as a football affiliate in the MAC and is 15-47 all-time verses MAC schools. Six of the 15 wins were against Buffalo.
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That's how bad MAC football is, when you CAN beat them, join them ;)
 
Just noticed that UMass men’s soccer (along with Delaware) is still laying in the Summit league next year! The Summit only had 5 so maybe it was desperate but seems a bit crazy to send your team to Oral Roberts, KC, Denver ….

I would’ve thought some northeastern league would take them.
 
Vowelguy said:
Just noticed that UMass men’s soccer (along with Delaware) is still laying in the Summit league next year! The Summit only had 5 so maybe it was desperate but seems a bit crazy to send your team to Oral Roberts, KC, Denver ….

I would’ve thought some northeastern league would take them.
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getsomemaction.com

University of Massachusetts Officially Joins Mid-American Conference as Full Member

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Mid-American Conference (MAC) Council of Presidents have voted unanimously to add the University of Massachusetts (UMass) as a full member in all sports, beginning with the 2025-26 academic season. The move will bring the conference’s membership to 13 institutions.
getsomemaction.com getsomemaction.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The University of Massachusetts (UMass) has officially joined the Mid-American Conference today, July 1. The MAC Council of Presidents voted unanimously to add UMass as a full member in all sports, beginning with the 2025-26 academic season, as announced on Feb. 29, 2024. The move brings the conference’s membership to 13 institutions.

"Today marks a historic moment for the Mid-American Conference as we proudly welcome the University of Massachusetts into our family,” said MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher. “Adding UMass is an exciting next step as we increase the strength of our collective programs. We are thrilled to welcome their student-athletes, coaches, administrators, alumni and fans to the Conference. The opportunity to add a state flagship institution with exceptional academics and a storied athletics tradition does not come along often. I look forward to our collaborative efforts in providing outstanding opportunities for student-athletes to maximize their intellectual and athletic pursuits.”

“The addition of UMass expands our geographic footprint into the Northeast, which is a very attractive market, and it will strengthen our league for many years to come,” said Geoffrey S. Mearns, Council of Presidents Chair and President of Ball State University. “With an outstanding academic reputation and an excellent record of athletic success, UMass aligns fully with the MAC’s mission and our core values.”

The Minutemen will compete in the MAC in baseball, field hockey, football, men’s & women’s basketball, men’s & women’s cross country, men’s & women’s indoor/outdoor track and field, softball, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, men’s & women’s swimming and women’s tennis. UMass was a football only affiliate member of the MAC from 2012-2015…

​

 
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