Too early to say whether or not it’s a good decision by NIU. I don’t think they felt a strong connection to the MAC, though. And although they delivered great P4 upsets from time to time, I think we will be fine without them.
But, as noted above, their rationale and the economics driving the decision are worth discussing here as it could impact the MAC later if other schools consider defecting.
The reality is that in a few years it’ll be the Big10 and SEC gobbling up all the TV money. NIU will likely
find themselves in a deeper
Financial hole than they are now
Quite possible fer sure.
Sometimes the elevator doesn’t go to the top floor.
I was watching the Duke vs Ole Miss bowl, and saw that Tulane’s QB is coming to play for Duke next season for $8M in NIL money. I’m all for getting paid the max that you can, but there’s no way a MAC, MW, American, C-USA or Sun Belt team can compete with that and shouldn’t even really try to…
What I’m hoping for is the powerhouses of the P5 start their own league, get boo-koo bucks from ESPN and CBS, and let the littler members of the B1G and SEC compete with the G5. Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Oregon and USC can fight each other while Rutgers, Maryland, Northwestern, Illinois and Purdue square off against Miami U, App State, Oklahoma State, Stanford and Wake Forest.
There are so many networks and sports channels that want college football. There is a huge demand for the product. I see the value continuing to go up.
Why would the Missouri Valley want that basketball program? Currently in the low 300’s for just about every ranking, with pretty much zero sustained success. They don’t fit the MVC profile, and the lack of interest in their basketball program tells me all I need to know about how the MWC sees them.
Didn’t say they were going, just asking.
Fair. I heard they (NIU) wanted MVC, but the Horizon League is the only commish that’s been on their campus so far.
Horizon makes a lot of sense for them for non-football athletics. In today’s basketball landscape, not even much of a downgrade vs. the MAC in hoops. (although NIU has been pretty terrible at hoops in the MAC ).
They also built a new (not so great) arena some 15 years ago or so (I have been there multiple times), but they never followed that up w any consistent winning thereafter. Gotta have both to be successful.
The MVC would want nothing to do with NIU’s trash heap of a basketball team. Arch Madness doesn’t need another Chicago-ish team for ratings.
Time flies
…that NIU convocation center (which houses men and women’s hoops in addition to other gatherings…sound familiar, Miamiains?) was built back in 2002. It has a nice, closed in feeling when set up for hoops but the overall feeling is that it kinda looks like they built it “on the cheap”.
P.S. hopefully our new arena will look more like the 5,000 seat Schar Arena at Elon (inside and out) than the NIU multi-purpose Arena.
Horizon has 5 schools in top 200 NET with 130 peak (UW-M)
MAC has 4 schools in top 200 NET, with Toledo just outside at 202. Kent highest at 134.
Really are almost exactly equal at least this year according to NET, but as said above, NIU has demonstrated they don’t care at all about MBB. Football obviously their only concern here.
Number of Dougs Gottlieb:
Horizon 1
MAC 0
We win.
Go to YouTube and watch Conference Realignment NIU to MWC
It’s a 37 minute in-depth analysis.
You really watched 37 minutes on conference realignment?
No. About 20 minutes. He steers you to two options after that. The final half is way into the weeds.The first half provides some interesting numbers relative to the MAC.
Does the move make sense for Niu
Based on this analysis it apparently does.
Can you give us the short version w a few bullet points?