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Shuttering of UAB football gives UMass another league option in C-USA

Harry

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Harry Grand Master

Harry

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AMHERST – University of Massachusetts athletic director John McCutcheon may be in the process of looking for a new job, but for now, he's still at UMass.

And since announcing that UMass football would be leaving the Mid-American Conference following the 2015 season and play the 2016 and 2017 seasons as an independent, that means fielding a constant barrage of questions about when and where and how the school will find a new conference home.

The current flavor of the month is Conference USA, which earlier this week lost league member Alabama-Birmingham after UAB officials decided to kill the football program as a measure to help keep the athletic department financially solvent.

Naturally, many UMass fans immediately zeroed in on C-USA as a potential landing spot for the Minutemen. The league, which for the moment has an even 12 football members, will have 13 again beginning in 2015 when Charlotte makes its Football Bowl Subdivision debut and that makes for considerable logistical problems.

Read more: http://www.masslive.com/umassfootball/index.ssf/2014/12/conference_usa_umass_football.html

untbowler Grand Master

untbowler

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no thanks, they can go to the MAC.

Would prefer someone near current members.

Navy, James Madison, but obviously ULL, ASU, or TX State

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UNTFan23 Rising Star

UNTFan23

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The reason why UMass is not in the MAC is because they didn't want to become a full member. What makes anyone think they'd join CUSA as a full member?

VideoEagle Mentor

VideoEagle

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I know some of the Eastern members want another member closer to them, but that means someone else has to come to the West. I suspect when faced with the choice of going West or accepting someone like ULL or Arky State or Texas State will make adding a Western school more palatable.

Elvis Newbie

Elvis

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I don't know enough about UMass. Are they traditional dorm or suitcase college?

They are top notch research 1 institution and the flagship public institution in the state.

  • Upvote 1
NM Green Experienced

NM Green

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I just remember their run to the final four or great basketball teams of the past if I am not mistaken. That and then that is where he Boston marathon bomber went to school I believe.

GMG

Arkstfan Proficient

Arkstfan

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Sun Belt looked at UMass and said no thanks.

Travel wise it's like going to Troy or AState. Fly in and bus an hour.

They are a traditional campus outside of the Boston market.

Stadium isn't close to being up to snuff so they play half their games at the Pats stadium which is 100 miles from campus.

Key to remember with UMass. The MAC was in the middle of their TV negotiation when they gave them the all or nothing ultimatum. That means they meant very little to the MAC's TV value compared to the issues of scheduling 13 in football.

CUSA enters this realignment issue presumably negotiating the next TV deal since it expires in 18 months. If CUSA doesn't take a team by June 30 that might not be a good sign. If adding is close to revenue neutral CUSA will expand because 13 is terrible for scheduling football and basketball. Even a near wash makes it worthwhile. If there is $14 million in TV on the table it keeps revenue near constant (hoops revenue is currently declining) and if less than $150,000 (difference per team in splitting current revenue 13 ways instead of 14) makes a difference to the membership there are programs in deep trouble. If there is more than $14 million on the table expanding is the only logical choice.

Edited by Arkstfan
UNT86 Mentor

UNT86

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It will be someone in the West, and probably a travel partner for Southern Miss.

It will NOT be anyone in the northeast, including Army.

I would doubt it is any Texas or Louisiana school.

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Rudy Grand Master

Rudy

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It will be someone in the West, and probably a travel partner for Southern Miss.

It will NOT be anyone in the northeast, including Army.

I would doubt it is any Texas or Louisiana school.

I see where you're going, and I don't like it...

Not just no, but hell no.

Let's stay at 13.

Not just no, but hell no.

JesseMartin Explorer

JesseMartin

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Yeah, it would be like another "home" game for us.

Hey, between that and SMU, Rick could sell us on a 7-"home"-game schedule. Hmm...let's not mention that....

MeanGreenOverseas Newbie

MeanGreenOverseas

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I don't know enough about UMass. Are they traditional dorm or suitcase college?

They are definitely not a suitcase college and they would be a great improvement from any Sunbelt team.

Their football stadium is an old stadium that was recently renovated, holds many more than Apogee and has much better attendance. The university itself is beautiful, especially with the lakes surrounding it. It would make a pleasant trip.

This video should help sum up their sports culture:

I would vote for them to join C-USA. It would pull us up.

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