On fbschedules.com today, it was reported the UMass has joined the MAC for 2012 in just football. They will now have 14 teams as members.
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UMass joins MAC
- Thread starter Fiji Bill 72
- Start date
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Sycamore Proud
The Nicks Level
I don't see this as helping the MAC face the reality that as a whole they are in over their heads in football. An BS-UMass rivalry? I don't see it.
UMass is simply trying to 'up their profile' and they (obviously) feel that becoming a FBS school is the way to do that...
Not sure what other conferences would work...
big Least? Not since they had Villanova upgrade and added TCU...
So, who's left? ACC? SEC?? Pac-12? Big Ten (Twelve)? Big 12 (10)
C-USA.... Sunbelt... WAC... Mtn West...
With Temple and UBuffalo... it'll 'balance' the MAC Eastern Div...
Good luck in paying for it UMass (I think they'll return to FCS football at some point)
Not sure what other conferences would work...
big Least? Not since they had Villanova upgrade and added TCU...
So, who's left? ACC? SEC?? Pac-12? Big Ten (Twelve)? Big 12 (10)
C-USA.... Sunbelt... WAC... Mtn West...
With Temple and UBuffalo... it'll 'balance' the MAC Eastern Div...
Good luck in paying for it UMass (I think they'll return to FCS football at some point)
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UMass will play...
at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough...
Foxborough is 90 miles from UMass!
UMass has stated they will bus students from the campus in Amhearst.
UMass has also stated that Foxborough is a 30 minute drive for ~120,000 UMass alumni.
This move will require UMass to increase their (athletic?) operating budget from $4.4M to $7M annually.
UMass will be eligible for the MAC title (and affiliated bowls) in 2013.
at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough...
Foxborough is 90 miles from UMass!
UMass has stated they will bus students from the campus in Amhearst.
UMass has also stated that Foxborough is a 30 minute drive for ~120,000 UMass alumni.
This move will require UMass to increase their (athletic?) operating budget from $4.4M to $7M annually.
UMass will be eligible for the MAC title (and affiliated bowls) in 2013.
sycamore51
The Varsity Level
The problem is that the 5 Ohio schools are in the east right now with Buffalo and Temple. You either have to move one of the real MAC schools away from the other Ohio schools or move one of your 3 most eastern schools in the west. I think going after one of the MVFC schools or possibly WKU would have been a better fit.
Who reaced out?
Was it UMass or the MAC?
For UMass, the MAC was their 'best' option; for the MAC? Obviously not. From the few stories I've read, UMass was more interested in moving to FBS than the MCA was in adding a school.
IMO, C-USA and Sunbelt would have been a hard commute for UMass; the MAC was 'lopsided' with 13 schools.
The MAC is probably a good 'starting point' in FBS ball; maybe this works out really well for UMass and the jump again to the Big East (in 7-10 years)
Was it UMass or the MAC?
For UMass, the MAC was their 'best' option; for the MAC? Obviously not. From the few stories I've read, UMass was more interested in moving to FBS than the MCA was in adding a school.
IMO, C-USA and Sunbelt would have been a hard commute for UMass; the MAC was 'lopsided' with 13 schools.
The MAC is probably a good 'starting point' in FBS ball; maybe this works out really well for UMass and the jump again to the Big East (in 7-10 years)
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UMass has backing...
Bob Kraft (Top Demon in the evil empire...) is backing the UMass move...
We're really happy that in a small way, we can help to have UMass be the third team to be in the FBS in the New England region. It's a school that has a tremendous tradition, and its academic strengths are really excellent.
"We believe this will help attract even more students, and financially become something that will be very strong and be a great cash flow down the road."
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6397856
Bob Kraft (Top Demon in the evil empire...) is backing the UMass move...
We're really happy that in a small way, we can help to have UMass be the third team to be in the FBS in the New England region. It's a school that has a tremendous tradition, and its academic strengths are really excellent.
"We believe this will help attract even more students, and financially become something that will be very strong and be a great cash flow down the road."
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6397856