The final Great Realignment of College Football?

[Schadenfreude]

The MAC may end up standing pat, at least for now. This man long covered Western Kentucky games as a radio broadcaster:

https://twitter.com/ToddoHam/status/145 ... 31332?s=20

The sense I'm getting is that Western Kentucky was ready to go but Middle Tennessee was not, so nothing will happen at this time.

[TommyG]

Told you guys…MTSU doesn’t want to be in the MAC. Football and Basketball would be an okay fit, but MTSU thinks they can have better options. If they joined they would want basically no buyout so they could leave at anytime.

[jpfalcon09]

MTSU has a board meeting scheduled for 2pm today to discuss a potential MAC move. Hopefully we'll get some clarity.

[MarkL]

Sounds like MTSU is interested but there's a financial hangup. And sounds like WKU really wants the move. So if finances block the move on MTSU's part there may be some animosity between MTSU and WKU.

[jpfalcon09]

Told you guys…MTSU doesn’t want to be in the MAC. Football and Basketball would be an okay fit, but MTSU thinks they can have better options. If they joined they would want basically no buyout so they could leave at anytime.

From the sounds of today's meeting, they want to cash in on the exit fees from the outgoing members of CUSA, and then worry about it realignment. Problem is, that door is going to be closed if they rebuff the MAC. WKU is all in, so if MTSU stiffs them, going to be some high drama there.

[Schadenfreude]

Told you guys…MTSU doesn’t want to be in the MAC. Football and Basketball would be an okay fit, but MTSU thinks they can have better options. If they joined they would want basically no buyout so they could leave at anytime.

From the sounds of today's meeting, they want to cash in on the exit fees from the outgoing members of CUSA, and then worry about it realignment. Problem is, that door is going to be closed if they rebuff the MAC. WKU is all in, so if MTSU stiffs them, going to be some high drama there.

If Western Kentucky is worth adding, it seems to me we should add them and find a 14th, whether that be Massachusetts in football-only, North Dakota State, Stony Brook, or someone else (such as Middle Tennessee when they are good and ready).

If Western Kentucky isn't worth adding unless Middle Tennessee comes along, are they really worth adding?

[jpfalcon09]

Told you guys…MTSU doesn’t want to be in the MAC. Football and Basketball would be an okay fit, but MTSU thinks they can have better options. If they joined they would want basically no buyout so they could leave at anytime.

From the sounds of today's meeting, they want to cash in on the exit fees from the outgoing members of CUSA, and then worry about it realignment. Problem is, that door is going to be closed if they rebuff the MAC. WKU is all in, so if MTSU stiffs them, going to be some high drama there.

If Western Kentucky is worth adding, it seems to me we should add them and find a 14th, whether that be Massachusetts in football-only, North Dakota State, Stony Brook, or someone else (such as Middle Tennessee when they are good and ready).

If Western Kentucky isn't worth adding unless Middle Tennessee comes along, are they really worth adding?

From the conversations I've had on twitter with WKU folks, MTSU provides them a natural rival within the conference right away which to them is important. Their fans don't see much value in dedicating a non-conference game to them every year if they rebuff the opportunity to join the MAC. On the flip side, I don't know how the MAC perceives taking on a 13th member without any guarantees of a 14th waiting in line. I think the MAC sees MTSU as the throw-in to ensuring WKU comes along, as WKU is in much better shape both athletically and financially.

[Flipper]

So...lets take WKU and another decent sized directional from KY, IN, IL or TN...shouldn't be too hard to find one

[jpfalcon09]

MTSU's AD said this afternoon that they expect to have a resolution sometime this week.

I'd wager they end up staying in CUSA.

[jpfalcon09]

So...lets take WKU and another decent sized directional from KY, IN, IL or TN...shouldn't be too hard to find one

MAC wants a 20-year commitment from WKU/MTSU. No way in hell they're going to offer a 20-year anything to a school who competes at the FCS level in football within the region.

[BillyLP]

So...lets take WKU and another decent sized directional from KY, IN, IL or TN...shouldn't be too hard to find one

MAC wants a 20-year commitment from WKU/MTSU. No way in hell they're going to offer a 20-year anything to a school who competes at the FCS level in football within the region.

Is that a pretty standard ask? 20 years feels like a lifetime in college athletics. I would have thought 10 years would be the standard.

[jpfalcon09]

So...lets take WKU and another decent sized directional from KY, IN, IL or TN...shouldn't be too hard to find one

MAC wants a 20-year commitment from WKU/MTSU. No way in hell they're going to offer a 20-year anything to a school who competes at the FCS level in football within the region.

Is that a pretty standard ask? 20 years feels like a lifetime in college athletics. I would have thought 10 years would be the standard.

MAC is guarding against these two bolting if more realignment happens and something better regionally comes up.

MTSU source said they're calling donors to get money for the $4 million exit fee by the end of the week. How much money they get will ultimately determine whether or not they join the MAC.

[MarkL]

4 million is hefty especially if not moving up a conference. If the media payments for MAC vs the cadaver of C-USA is similar, that's a tough pill. That's 10x what we played Jinks to go anywhere else.

However sometimes those exit fees can be negotiated down.

[TommyG]

4 million to play 3 football games a year on Tuesday night in front of 1000 people. Can’t imagine it would be all that appealing.

[MarkL]

4 million to play 3 football games a year on Tuesday night in front of 1000 people. Can’t imagine it would be all that appealing.

Yeah. Exactly. Add to that the travel cost is pretty much a wash. Rather travel from Nashville to Michigan a bunch of times, or to NM, Texas, and Florida? Perhaps they can negotiate the fee down by agreeing to home and homes with the remaining members.