UMass to the MAC

[UDDave]

Of our current CAA brethren, I wonder whether Stony Brook would make the most sense to make the jump to FBS. They have over 17K undergrads and a 470M endowment- not overwhelming numbers, but not chump change either. You can see how they might be enticing to CUSA- bringing New York market exposure and as a R1 University. What seems to be lacking from SB's perspective is the dedication to making athletics their front porch. But if they ever decided to jump, they would be interesting. And traveling to Long Island is probably more difficult than traveling to New Mexico

[Bluewyn Gold]

And traveling to Long Island is probably more difficult than traveling to New Mexico

Ha! So very true in every regard.

[Caribbean Hen]

I seriously doubt NC A&T has the resources to compete in CUSA. It's highly questionable whether or not they can do so even in the Coastal.

I love the idea of competing against HBCUs, but wouldn't Southern, Jackson St., Grambling, or FAMU be better able to compete at the FBS level?

Yes and I’ve seen all those schools mentioned as CUSA candidates minus Southern, Stony Brook as well as UDDave just pointed out. If the goal for Stony is go winless, might as well get paid for it

[Steve1981]

Did you guys sign the CUSA GOR?
Seems like Carribean Man has implied no on page 2 with a Joe fan credibility rating of slim to none.

[Bluewyn Gold]

Did you guys sign the CUSA GOR?

I've not seen any official media report that would suggest otherwise. You'd have to imagine any agreement with CUSA would have been executed just before or immediately after the official announcement was made, including the GOR agreement.

[Caribbean Hen]

Did you guys sign the CUSA GOR?
Seems like Carribean Man has implied no on page 2 with a Joe fan credibility rating of slim to none.

I just saw some new talk about Delaware to the MAC which didn’t make sense

I reminded these rumor mongers that Delaware has already committed to CUSA….and was told that doesn’t officially happen until July 1st …. Again, these are rumors not facts

I just saw some more salacious speculation on AGS about MAC taking Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee St. If that happened it creates the need for one more team to balance it out at 16 teams. The addition of UMass creates opportunity for MAC to look eastward for that 16th team. Some knowledgeable fans are of the opinion that Delaware should do whatever is necessary to get into the MAC…

There is a long thread called “Delaware to CUSA” on AGS with some interesting views from outside of the 302

https://www.anygivensaturday.com/showth ... USA/page42

[bluehenbillk]

Saw speculation that UMass may be joining the MAC immediately- for the fall of 2024….

[Udforever1]

Tweet from KT on the situation.

https://twitter.com/kevintresolini/stat ... 7868230817

[bluehens2005]

Tweet from KT on the situation.

https://twitter.com/kevintresolini/stat ... 7868230817

Appealing because of the wider geographic reach I’m suspicious, especially since folks on here, said the Mac didn’t want us hopefully our new conference doesn’t go sour before we even get there specially if there’s several departures, and no one else coming in UMASS would have been a good partner for us in a conference honestly I just don’t see the wide appeal of some of the teams in CUSA especially Western Kentucky and or middle Tennessee depart

[77HEN]

IMO, it’s unfathomable that UMass could be joining the MAC now and that UD never knew there was a good probability of that happening - there was (is) no blindsiding . These are two separate issues that did not happen separately in a vacuum. Is it possible that UD joining CUSA was a trigger for WKU or MTSU to consider the MAC? Are we to them what Hampton, Campbell and NC A&T were to us?

[bluehens2005]

IMO, it’s unfathomable that UMass could be joining the MAC now and that UD never knew there was a good probability of that happening - there was (is) no blindsiding . These are two separate issues that did not happen separately in a vacuum. Is it possible that UD joining CUSA was a trigger for WKU or MTSU to consider the MAC? Are we to them what Hampton, Campbell and NC A&T were to us?

Brutal. We can’t be that unappealing…. But maybe so dang shame if so

[Steve1981]

From an UMass perspective and with the stuff that was on The Fan 92.3. Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said the talks with UMass did not begin until late fall. https://twitter.com/923TheFan/status/17 ... 2940554703

Perhaps UMass Athletics did not receive the green light for all sports until Army decided to go to the AAC. That is kind of late fall. Assuming Delaware's conversations with the MAC were earlier, can see the 'not now' from the MAC. UMass could even have received the green light while at the Army game with the UMass President and Chancellor hearing the reasons Army ended their long stand preference to be independent. The ESPN announces heard this and ad libbed CUSA. UMass has the green light and UMass is doing due diligence and now actively talking with the MAC hoping for an invite. (After UConn left the AAC, the MAC has been the first chose.) My source said so earlier in the football season and forget about CUSA.) We fan's heard the ESPN announcers, we saw the MAC publish the pods out into the future and Delaware accepted CUSA invitation. UMass never talked about a conference, but said it's best to operate with private conversations. We had MAC plan A and CUSA plan B. We are all glad plan A worked out as it is unclear if UMass would have accepted CUSA, but very possible.

[Miami (Oh) Yeah !]

IMO, it’s unfathomable that UMass could be joining the MAC now and that UD never knew there was a good probability of that happening - there was (is) no blindsiding . These are two separate issues that did not happen separately in a vacuum. Is it possible that UD joining CUSA was a trigger for WKU or MTSU to consider the MAC? Are we to them what Hampton, Campbell and NC A&T were to us?

Brutal. We can’t be that unappealing…. But maybe so dang shame if so

Nah. I think its more likely that UD was talking to the MAC along with UMass but so was WKU and the MAC wants WKU (or maybe UConn football only with some basketball games thrown in out of conference) and so WKU game the wink and nod and MAC told Delaware "not now". It was then that UD took CUSA up on their offer as the last FBS option available. From here UMass announced and the MAC is waiting on WKU now.

This almost happened in 2021 with WKU and MTSU but MTSU balked last minute and WKU still wanted in but the MAC didn't want an odd number and UMass wasn't ready to leave the A10 three years ago.

[Miami (Oh) Yeah !]

*duplicate message I couldn't figure out how to delete

[tomdawg00022]

IMO, it’s unfathomable that UMass could be joining the MAC now and that UD never knew there was a good probability of that happening - there was (is) no blindsiding . These are two separate issues that did not happen separately in a vacuum. Is it possible that UD joining CUSA was a trigger for WKU or MTSU to consider the MAC? Are we to them what Hampton, Campbell and NC A&T were to us?

Brutal. We can’t be that unappealing…. But maybe so dang shame if so

Western Kentucky's wanted out of Conference USA for a number of years. We weren't the tipping point but UMass deciding Conference USA wasn't where it wanted to end up and the MAC needing a team to even out the ranks *may* be.