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Umass Rejects MAC; Stays in A10


Taj79

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Looks like the Mid-American said all of us or nothing. Either align all your sports with the MAC or take a flier. And flier it is:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10677441/massachusetts-minutemen-reach-agreement-leave-mid-america-conference-2015-season-per-sources

This is under debate on the A10 board. Speculation is that Umass wants the AAC as long as Uconn and Temple are in it but rumor is Uconn wants the ACC but the ACC isn't inviting them. And then there is the speculation that the A10 is better ---- as logn as SLU/Dayton/VCU/Richmond stay and don't bolt for the Big East.

Which would be an interesting concept. We have long talked ot two additions to the new Big East but it's always come back to divisional balance. What if they added all four? It woudl knock the balance issue out of the equation. But it would still involve a VCU profile that doens't fit the rest of the new big east. Hmmm.

Can't see expansion at all then jumping to four instead of two. But stranger things have happened. Which would be Umass to the "Sunbelt."

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UConn definitely wants in the ACC. Unfortunately, they don't have a legitimate football program, and don't add much to viewership above Syracuse and BC. (There is also some internal pusback against admitting UConn.) And given the recent grant of rights, it seems unlikely the ACC is going to be making any further moves in the foreseeable future.

I'm not as privy to AAC goings-on, but it seems like a much better fit for UMass (money- and media-wise) than the MAC or A10. They're going to need to continue developing that football program, though.

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  • 6 months later...

UMass looked to be shopping for another all-sports conference but have been put on hold by the AAC (they have 12 football teams already). They are leaving the MAC football at the end of the next season but have not found a home. They are publicly saying they are willing to be independent for football but that would be disastrous to be independent while having no TV money or exposure. This to add to another 0-5 start in football (although they have played much better this year) and an academic progress rate teetering into sanctions zone. I doubt they would admit that the move to FBS football was a mistake but it obviously was.

This means that UMass is more likely to stay in the A-10 long-term but should things with the AAC improve, UMass would move on. It does not sound like that is likely soon though. The Sun Belt is a possibility for football but that would likely be football only (I suspect UMass thought the Sunbelt would take them as Football only but the Sunbelt would rather get another all sports school --they have an odd number in football but also in the other sports as they have 2 football only members already).

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The only way UMass gets an invite to the AAC is if UConn finds a new home. UConn will not allow an invite to UMass as long as it is a member. The problem for UMass however is the AAC is far less attractive an option if there is no UConn. The closest schools would be Temple, East Carolina, and Cincinnati (who want out bad). Most of the AAC is in the region bounded by NC, FL, OK and TX. It would be very expensive travel wise for the non revenue sports of UMass and the league would not be a power in either of the two high profile sports of football and hoops. Losing Louisville was a big blow on two fronts and losing UConn or Cincinnati down the road would be another massive hit.

Current AAC members

UConn

Temple

Cincinnati

ECU

USF

UCF

Tulane

Memphis

Houston

SMU

Tulsa

Navy (football only)

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