UMass to the MAC in 2025. Why is the MAC agreeing to this?

MAC isn't great competition for the FBS, or basketball really, but they are a great conference in the sense of regionality and competition amongst members.

The MAC is one of the most stable conferences there is. Not sure what they see with UMASS but at times UMASS is solid in basketball. One thing I appreciate about the MAC is they know who they are and what they are not. They are a really good regional conference with likeminded teams with tight budgets but they field some solid teams in football and basketball.

Is this an all sports invite for FB only? I can't see how UMASS would want to leave the A10 conference. If it's an all sports invite, that's a good get for the MAC.

EDIT - YEP full member. Damn good job MAC.

Buffalo and UMass aren't that far apart. Makes good sense for the eastern division. Smart for UMass because they can't continue to let their football program be such a money pit and they don't have top 10 basketball like UConn.

This legitimately gives the MAC some recruiting footprint in New England for all sports.

AggieFBObsession wrote: ↑

February 26th, 2024, 3:06 pm

Buffalo and UMass aren't that far apart. Makes good sense for the eastern division. Smart for UMass because they can't continue to let their football program be such a money pit and they don't have top 10 basketball like UConn.

This legitimately gives the MAC some recruiting footprint in New England for all sports.

UMASS like UCONN would have been better off staying FCS. JMHOA.

ViAggie wrote: ↑

February 26th, 2024, 5:18 pm

AggieFBObsession wrote: ↑

February 26th, 2024, 3:06 pm

Buffalo and UMass aren't that far apart. Makes good sense for the eastern division. Smart for UMass because they can't continue to let their football program be such a money pit and they don't have top 10 basketball like UConn.

This legitimately gives the MAC some recruiting footprint in New England for all sports.

UMASS like UCONN would have been better off staying FCS. JMHOA.

In UConn's case it could be sustained, not having a football program. In UMass' case I don't think FCS is as profitable as the MAC. Do you have numbers that show otherwise? Granted a lot of FCS teams would be regional such as Maine. They've already been there done that. So I assume they know the numbers and don't go back for that reason.

AggieFBObsession wrote: ↑

February 26th, 2024, 3:06 pm

Buffalo and UMass aren't that far apart. Makes good sense for the eastern division. Smart for UMass because they can't continue to let their football program be such a money pit and they don't have top 10 basketball like UConn.

This legitimately gives the MAC some recruiting footprint in New England for all sports.

I wouldn't call UMass to Buffalo particularly
Buffalo to Amherst is almost 6 hours drive-

Except Buffalo - which is three hours east of Kent St - all the rest can be driven within 6 hours.
So Buffalo to UMass is almost as far as the other 11 east/west separation

Sure, it's not ACC spread - but adding 6 hours east of the current furthest east when all the rest are within 6 hours drive, is adding a pretty significant outlier.

@AGinNEIowa what are the distances between MWC schools.

It's all relative.

AggieFBObsession wrote: ↑

February 27th, 2024, 12:49 pm

@AGinNEIowa what are the distances between MWC schools.

It's all relative.

relative is right - that's why I pointed out adding 6 hours of driving to the conference for one school.
I didn't do detailed calculations - but it looks like the east/west width went from about 500 to 800 miles
That's like SJS to UNM instead of SJS to UNLV.
11 MAC schools are within 400 east-west and 300 north south miles
you have nothing like that in MW
MAC north/south is less that Reno to Vegas

I'm surprised how geographically tight the MAC is if you look on a map, much more tight than the MWC/PAC14 which stretches from Canada to Mexico, Colorado the California and all parts in-between (minus Arizona).

With the addition of UMASS the MAC will now have 13 members.

I've only visited Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio (Ohio University).

Stadium isn't great, but Athens is a cool town to visit.

I'd have a hard time not going to almost every away game if I was in the MAC.

Life wouldn't be the same without some mid-week MACtion