Poor MAC Attandance Could Improve MVFC

[yellowstreak]

I read an article saying many of the schools in the MAC don't meet the minimum average attendance required by the FBS and could get the boot. Even if they aren't forced out, administration may decide to drop to the FCS because their programs are hemorrhaging money.
https://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...ship-leave-fcs

This could be great for the MVFC as smaller schools that offer great competition look for a new home.

Indiana State and Western Ill. have no business in a full scholarship FCS conference. Indiana St. could maintain a DI basketball program and cut football program costs by moving to the Pioneer Conference (currently at 10 teams) with no scholarships. Western Ill. can barely pay they their power bill. WIU should drop to DII conference Great Lakes Valley Conference (currently at 8 teams). Missouri St. and Southern Ill. could cut travel costs and be more competitive if they moved to the Ohio Valley (currently at 9 teams).

Team.......................2018 Ave Attend........New Conference
Missouri St................7405........................Ohio Valley FCS
Southern Ill...............6557........................Ohio Valley FCS
Indiana St.................5657........................Pio neer FCS
Western Ill................3179........................Gre at Lakes Valley DII

The MAC currently has (12) teams split into an East and West division. If (4) teams dropped to FCS, the MAC divisions would be combined. Northern Ill., Ball St., Central Mich and Miami-OH would all be great additions to the MVFC. Northern Ill. especially would bring the talent level up in the conference. If the MVFC wanted to bring the team count to an even 12, Grand Valley St. from DII would be a great fit.

Team.......................2018 Ave Attend.......Previous Conference
NDSU.......................18106
UND.........................9336
SDSU.......................10178
USD.........................9420
UNI..........................9337
Northern Ill...............10404......................MAC FBS
Illinois St..................9260
Grand Valley St.........11039......................Division II
Ball St......................10288..................... .MAC FBS
Central Mich..............12840......................MAC FBS
Miami-OH.................14253......................MAC FBS
Youngstown St...........11554

Kent St. and W. Kentucky are other schools that are a little farther away that could still be a good fit for the MFVC.

Team.......................2018 Ave Attend.......Current Conference
Kent St....................13118......................M AC
W. Kentucky.............14231......................Co nf USA East

[AKBison]

ISUb and MoState would drop football before moving their basketball programs to the Ohio Valley.

Current MAC schools HATE YSU and see them the way we see UMary.

MAC schools agreeing to be in a conference with Grand Valley?????? Lol.

An all sports conference that included NDSU, SDSU, UNI, Illinois State, and Northern Illinois would be awesome. Northern Illinois despite their recent struggles is a legit football school that would make for an awesome rivalry.

[Professorbum]

ISUb and MoState would drop football before moving their basketball programs to the Ohio Valley.

Current MAC schools HATE YSU and see them the way we see UMary.

MAC schools agreeing to be in a conference with Grand Valley?????? Lol.

An all sports conference that included NDSU, SDSU, UNI, Illinois State, and Northern Illinois would be awesome. Northern Illinois despite their recent struggles is a legit football school that would make for an awesome rivalry.

I peruse the MAC board once in a while. Despite all of these woes, the fans over there still see any FCS addition, no matter the quality, to be a net negative. Plus, they only seem interested in looking east, where there is already football saturation. I would love for the the good MAC teams, including NIU (where I got my masters), to blow that popsicle stand and create a conference with the teams you suggest. The good teams in the MAC better start thinking a little outside of the box, or the conference will be such a dumpster fire, they won't be able to call up anybody and they'll go the way of the WAC.

[Jacks02]

I peruse the MAC board once in a while. Despite all of these woes, the fans over there still see any FCS addition, no matter the quality, to be a net negative. Plus, they only seem interested in looking east, where there is already football saturation. I would love for the the good MAC teams, including NIU (where I got my masters), to blow that popsicle stand and create a conference with the teams you suggest. The good teams in the MAC better start thinking a little outside of the box, or the conference will be such a dumpster fire, they won't be able to call up anybody and they'll go the way of the WAC.

I'm fine with the MAC being a dumpster fire. It gives NDSU/SDSU a recruiting advantage over those schools. Being able to play for a championship in front of similar or better crowds with a good path the NFL are some pretty strong selling points to recruits.

[taper]

I wish the NCAA would either enforce its rules or change them. Very much dislike this looking the other way on attendance rules. By rule most of the conference is ineligible for FBS. The FCS is the best place for a big chunk of the G5, they just don't want to admit it. When the TV contract gets renegotiated in after 2025 they might not have a choice on keeping up with costs.

[tjbison]

I wish the NCAA would either enforce its rules or change them. Very much dislike this looking the other way on attendance rules. By rule most of the conference is ineligible for FBS. The FCS is the best place for a big chunk of the G5, they just don't want to admit it. When the TV contract gets renegotiated in after 2025 they might not have a choice on keeping up with costs.

P5 will not allow the G5 to keep taking "their" money, guaranteed, that's even if there is a NCAA as we know it by then