IIRC, WKU wanted into the MAC ten or more years ago. They were summarily denied. It was a mistake then and it would be a mistake now. Take them. If they are committed and energized, it might rub off on a few other programs. Figure out the odd number. That should not be tough. And add another team now or in the near future, whatever that is.And what if we have contraction?
Don’t wait and lose.
I agree with this.
I’ve been trying to put into words my view of conference realignment, but I have not done a great job at this. This likely won’t help.
Conferences themselves mean nothing. They are only names. The group of schools matter. Everyone else has been bouncing around between groups, up and down (Marshall is a good example).
The goal of all the groups (conferences) is to help one another move up in one way or another and make more money. Every small conference has had schools move up to what was perceived as greener pastures. The Sun Belt had some teams “move up” to CUSA but that didn’t work out for the schools. It was worth the try, though. None of those schools are really worse off for trying.
Temple was only football so I don’t count them.
My point is the MAC is stable. Nothing else. People can point at the AAC and say it flopped, but the AAC worked out pretty great for the schools it boosted up. The goal of these smaller conferences is to collect a group of schools that can help some of the members to move up eventually.
It’s just like minor league baseball. “Conferences” are the Clippers and Mud Hens while the schools are the players.
Is a “conference” truly successful if no one is improving? Nothing ever changes.
That said, Miami has nothing to offer any bigger conference. The MAC staying stagnant and treading water is a good thing for us.
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MAC releases statement saying no expansion at this time. I think we are missing a good opportunity with WKU.
It’s all just a numbers game, right? I would assume whatever potential added TV money didn’t cover having to split the pie with another school (or 2). I don’t think the MAC can’t afford to expand just to expand.
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MTSU desperately needs facility upgrades and has been studying it for about 3 yrs. The prob is that the AD is not well liked and a poor fundraiser, so getting the school to pay to get out of CUSA and into MAC would have sealed his fate (and prob the Prez as well). Staying gives them a split of the CUSA exit fees estimated to be ~$30+M and not have to pay to get into MAC. That just jump started their building campaign (which they announced almost simultaneously as staying yesterday). They along with WKU I believe would have been a net gain, but not either individually. The two would have brought the Nash mkt and WKU gets reasonable coverage in Lville considering they are ~1.5hrs south.
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And the big winner is Liberty.
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Agree on Liberty being the big winner. I predict they’ll dominate CUSA and attempt to leave for greener pastures ASAP. That conf make-up is horrible - I’ve heard MTSU also wants to use their $ to build facilities to skip to AAC as soon as B12 expands again (prob Memphis).
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Interesting. Liberty wants to use the money from their lucrative online university to buy Athletics prominence and a modicum of respect. They will have no loyalty to anyone other than themselves and will try to trample anyone or any institution that gets in their way. You have to know they’re just using CUSA and MTSU/WKU as their temporary “biaches” in order to puff themselves up on the national stage. The conference and both those two schools will be used and abused by the ambitious Flames. WKU knows that and MTSU -as you mentioned - is just trying to buy time to game the system. They remind me a little of Brian Kelly at UC. Lol
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Understand the Liberty angst here, but I would think the people at CUSA see this and have a big exit fee planned? They get a program on the rise, and when they leave it’s big $$. They really just buy time to stay afloat for the short term until things shake out.
Rent a school.
Sounds like Liberty is playing the game well. In this new landscape of college athletics, they’ll probably do quite well.
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Speaking of money driving college athletics, Sports Business Journal is reporting that the B1G’s new media rights deal is expected to land the conference more than $1 billion per year. For comparison, the current deal is $440 million per year.
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