My thoughts on UMass-to-the-MAC and the mixed response.
I don’t believe this was Plan A, nor do I see it as our forever home if there’s such a thing in college sports. But I do see it as a good fit for a lot of reasons and I’m optimistic about our future in the MAC for all theUMass Athletics teams that make the move.
I see it as a lifeboat, and somewhat charitable on the MAC’s part to be honest. We’ve done nothing in football to warrant an invite, but there’s some hope and some promise there. Our basketball team is definitely a draw for them — perhaps our most valuable asset behind hockey which obviously isn’t leaving Hockey East.
Our Athletic Dept spend, commitment, resources, facilities and alum base are more positives, at least relative to other MAC schools.
But the reality is that the MAC offered us a lifeboat when we were looking at the potential risk of drowning in the next few years. No one knows if the A10 as we know it today will still be around. Look at what it was 10-15 years ago. It’s not as powerful today as it was then. And it’s getting worse. The number of NCAAT bids to confirm this. And if the “Power 4” conferences have their way, there will be even fewer spots for mid-major at large berths which means the A10 is just another one-bid conference. Better hope you run the table come conf tournament time.
Maybe Dayton and Richmond are privately angling to jump to FBS and quietly putting out feelers for partner conferences. Whether it’s the MAC or not doesn’t matter, ut it DOES matter that they might not be in the A10 anymore. So what does A10 basketball look like with Charleston, Hofstra, Towson or Iona as opposed to UMass, Dayton, and Richmond. (Just examples here, folks, don’t freak out about exact schools mentioned). Again, no one knows exactly what will happen but the only thing you can count on lately is change.
UMass had to read the tea leaves based on all the information they’ve collected over the last few years regarding college athletics, network contracts, CFP changes, realignment, NIL, athletes-as-employees, streaming platforms, weakening of NCAA, potential antitrust lawsuits, demise of Power Conferences, and a host of other potentially seismic changes still to come, and they had to make a decision.
UMass made a decision, realizing the potential (even likely) short-term consequences.
How many times have we called out Ryan Bamford and the administration for sitting there and doing nothing while the NCAA landscape changed around us? This even pre-dates Bamford though he’s been the face of much of this all-sports conference journey during his tenure.
So now UMass takes a highly-calculated leap of faith that this not only keeps our Athletics afloat as an FBS athletic dept, but that the MAC can become one of the top G5 programs in the country in all sports, compete at a national level, increase revenues and even create new revenue streams for its member programs, and most importantly (let’s never forget) put our student athletes in a position to succeed on-and-off the court/field.
And upon hearing the news, some of our more loyal and vocal basketball fans (including some former players) crapped on it. Crapped on it Monday when news broke and continue to do so today. Hey, they have a right. They’re invested too — emotionally and financially.
I’m far more optimistic. And it will take time and it will take financial support of The Midnight Ride Collective (football NIL) and The Massachusetts Collective (basketball NIL) and other programs. And it will also take some of the 300,000 in-state @UMass alums to commit to attend football and basketball games in the future. Not because you’re excited to see us play Kent State but because this is a part of who you were, who you are, and hopefully who you will continue to be in the future.
It’s not that hard, really. UMass is asking for your support, not your approval. As an alum or even just as a fan, I think it’s on us to ride along with them.
Go.
Go U.
Go U-Mass.
Go U Mass.
TL:DR — LFG!