Article by Scalzo

[penguinpower]

http://m.cantonrep.com/article/20160307/SPORTS/160309393

He is an excellent writer

Should we be reading between the lines with regard to the title?

[Penguin Nick]

I can only dream one day we will be in the MAC, where we belong.  Fan interest in all sports would be so much greater in the MAC.  Plus we could travel to away games so easy.

[Penguin Nation]

I wish.  I would love it.

It's my understanding that the MAC TV contract does not pay for adding 22 additional schollies and FCOA for all 85.  If we add 22 mens schollies, do we also need to add womens' schollies?

Money games would pay more, including again playing BIG games, and hopefully gate revenue would spike (although it would need to spike a lot to meet FBS minimums).

If we went in for all sports. the conference RPI is much higher for both MBB and WBB.  The MBB, in its current state, would be blown away.

I'd like to think Akron and Kent would welcome it, as it is a regional opponent that likely would improve desperately needed attendance figures as well as lower travel costs.

Regarding Bo, I doubt he'd just randomly say this.  The MAC wants to replace U Mass, and I suspect NDSU or JMU would be stronger candidates, but perhaps the MAC has tired of transient short term members, and YSU would be seen as more committed.  So maybe there are ongoing discussions.

Also, the IL members of the MVFC are in dire financial straights, and the loss of any (or all) of them makes YSU MVFC membership even less appealing.

Fingers crossed.

[ytownchief22]

It's not going to happen due to the financial issues at YSU in general. The entry fee alone would be a couple million dollars. No way it happens.

[go guins]

"I can only dream one day we will be in the MAC, where we belong.  Fan interest in all sports would be so much greater in the MAC."

I read this stuff and say "WHAAAAT?"  You mean like the fan interest in all sports has gone up at Akron?  This move for Akron has been a disaster and we want to repeat it?  I certainly hope not!
As I've said before, what we need is 1AA for MBB and WBB.  NOT 1A for football!

[FOOTBALLFEVER]

Strollo is on record that the $$$ to do this is just not there. Would it be a great fit and make sense? Yes. Could it happen down the road? Sure, but don't look for it anytime soon. Just be glad we have a nice money game with W.V.U. to help with travel expenses(etc) for this year. I'm not sure how much longer the FCS schools can get games like that

[go guins]

“Strollo is on record that the $$$ to do this is just not there.”  Actually this is the end of the story, not the beginning.  The MAC does NOT make sense financially. PERIOD
“Would it be a great fit and make sense?”  Geographically, yes, but in any other sense, no.  We are completive in track and maybe softball.  NO OTHER SPORT IS CURRENTLY OPPERATING AT A MAC COPETITIVE LEVEL.  Everything including new facilities would need to be created. The MAC does NOT MAKE SENSE, on many levels, including money.
“Could it happen down the road? Sure, but don't look for it anytime soon.”  I disagree.  I think NO NEVER, and why?  Read above!
“ Just be glad we have a nice money game with W.V.U. to help with travel expenses (etc) for this year. I'm not sure how much longer the FCS schools can get games like that” My guess? Not long, but then I’m opposed to institutionalized prostitution and so I think this is a good thing. 

[Penguin Nation]

A few years old, but this writer believes YSU membership in the MAC would work.

https://drewzuhoskydaily.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/youngstown-state-a-much-better-fit-in-the-mac-than-in-the-mvfc/

Another article re:the entire MAC dropping to FCS...with a surprising amount of support of the idea.  Prolly no way it would happen, but it would make sense for Toledo and NIU to upgrade (C-USA?), and every else to drop to FCS.

http://www.hustlebelt.com/mac-football/2014/12/7/7324531/hustle-belt-roundtable-uab-blazers-mac-to-fcs

On one hand, the $$ is simply not there.  On the other, there is a reason Bo brought this topic up.

[go guins]

Nation,
15000 fans average for a team with a winning record maybe, but what about a 3-9 team with no playoff prosects ever?  maybe 6000, 4000?  Remember, we didn't average 15000 this past season and we had a new exciting coach and were in the playoff hut until the end of the year.  Then what, buy the tickets to give them away like Akron?  This is completely unworkable for YSU (or Akron either!)

MAC droping to 1AA makes sense if Toledo and NIU move on, but that will never pass the egos of schools and puts them in the same mess we are if the big money games go away.

[Penguin Nation]

Agree. I don't think the ESPN $$, the savings in travel, the enhanced money game revenue, and likely increased loge and gate revenue would overcome the increase in coaches salaries, increased scholarship costs (which would be massive as you'd have to add female FCOA scholarships in addition to 85 FCOAs for the men).

Unless there are donors offering to pony up millions, I don't see it. I think FB would be successfull and even be in bowl games from the start of eligibility. But most other sports would get their clocks cleaned.

But my info is limited. Surely Bo knows immensely more than I do.....and he's advocating it for a reason.

[go guins]

Agree. I don't think the ESPN $$, the savings in travel, the enhanced money game revenue, and likely increased loge and gate revenue would overcome the increase in coaches salaries, increased scholarship costs (which would be massive as you'd have to add female FCOA scholarships in addition to 85 FCOAs for the men).

Unless there are donors offering to pony up millions, I don't see it. I think FB would be successfull and even be in bowl games from the start of eligibility. But most other sports would get their clocks cleaned.

But my info is limited. Surely Bo knows immensely more than I do.....and he's advocating it for a reason.

Bo is a "rental" coach.  When the Nebraska money runs out, so will Bo.  He is just talking to make noise.  Football would be the hardest to compete not easiest.  Remember, you are a LONG way since and a LONG way from making the 1AA playoffs.  What in the world would incline you to think you can make a 1A bowl?

[Wick250]

My guess is that 95% of people who consider themselves college football fans follow only the legitimate big time powers.  The typical fan of a Georgia, Texas, or Southern Cal could not name three teams in the MAC, nor could they differentiate between the athletic programs at Akron and Youngstown State if their lives depended upon it.  Spending millions upon millions of additional funds to be a "make believe" big time program has always struck me as absurd.  If many MAC schools are forced to scale back their programs into FCS, then I am interested.  Buying phony prestige....no thank you.

[Penguin Nation]

Go--

Very true. Bo is history after the 2018 season. 

2/3 of 1A teams make it to a bowl game. Akron made it to a bowl game in 2015, and won. The MAC would be a downgrade from the MVFC in terms of talent. UNI, and NDSU would run wild in the MAC. I'd also say ISUr but I think they're a much weaker team in 2016. It would be such a downgrade for NDSU that I doubt they'd accept an invite.

[go guins]

Go--

Very true. Bo is history after the 2018 season. 

2/3 of 1A teams make it to a bowl game. Akron made it to a bowl game in 2015, and won. The MAC would be a downgrade from the MVFC in terms of talent. UNI, and NDSU would run wild in the MAC. I'd also say ISUr but I think they're a much weaker team in 2016. It would be such a downgrade for NDSU that I doubt they'd accept an invite.

slightly less than 2/3 but a lot.  MAC is NOT a downgrade from MVFC, and NDSU would JUMP at the chance.
Big 10 vs. MAC 292-47-4 That's 47 MAC wins.  I believe the MVFC is 0-fer against the Big 10.  The kool aid is good, but don't drink to much, it clouds your judgment.

[Penguin Nation]

Sagarin conference ratings. MVFC rated higher than MAC East ( and CUSA East). 

http://sagarin.com/sports/cfsend.htm