Speaking to only basketball, I bet we could find donors willing to pay a pretty sizable exit fee if it meant Ohio in the MVC in men's hoops.  I could certainly see all the sports besides football and hoops being an issue... I doubt the MVC is as strong or as close as the MAC in the Olympic sports, but I have no idea.

I'm pretty sure #MACtion has been mentioned more than. Lets watch that Missouri Valley Conference game! WOO!

Let's see how good we do the next four years and see what the conferences are offering and what our expenses will be with exit fees and travel. 

I wonder how often CBS will say #MACtion while broadcasting the MVC finals...

By the way, MVC has a pretty darn good TV package and excellent attendance. As far as basketball goes, the MAC can't touch it.

For comparison purposes having a 20,000 seat arena in basketball is like having a 100,000 seat stadium in football. At a 5 to 1 ratio averaging 7,000 in basketball is like averaging 35,000 in football. Ohio is the basketball version of East Carolina with fan support that is too big to ignore despite the small market. The average would be even higher if it wasn't for the fact the school plays so many home games in November and December. Its a huge asset to have, That is why Ohio would get a look before Akron at another conference like ECU did with Big East before Charlotte. I know that fans on this board admire the MVC but the A10 would be a better fit from a geography perspective. That league is tied into the big markets of the East Coast where Ohio wants to recruit its out of state students from. Ohio has no problem recruiting students in state without athletics so playing in the MAC doesn't do anything for school. Its the same story every year in the MAC. Two very good teams contending for the NCAAs. Can one of them earn an at-large? Nope once they drop a game on the road to the likes of Buffalo. Akron wins 19 in a row and is on the outside looking in with 1 loss. Its different level in the A10. UMass has a conference record of 8-7 with an RPI of #55 higher than Ohio's. Temple has a record of 22-8 the same has Ohio but the RPI is #43.  The basketball program is ready to make a move let's home something happens

I do think the MAC has some talent, in which this Akron and Kent State game shows, but if Creighton were to stay in the MVC and the MVC were to get another good team like Murray State, I would think we should look into going into the MVC. Multi-team bid conference. MAC hasn't had two teams since 1999.

Hey Guys, I can tell you right now that the MVC would love to add you to basketball along with Akron and Kent State. You 3 would be a solid addition. The only question is where you would park your football program?

I think if we could do that and maybe pick up a Dayton as well, that we would be a very powerful force to reckon with.

Dayton if they don't end up in the Catholic League should take Creighton's opening in the Missouri Valley. A perfect replacement school in available. The geography to me doesn't work for Ohio to the MVC. Unless the MVC wants to invite Miami, BG and Kent State along with us then it would be okay.

I don't think Belmont will leave the OVC which geographically is perfect for them... however, being in a population and media center does make them an attractive candidate as well as being academically respected.  Their new arena is nice buy only holds about 5500 (3000 less than Murray)...however when Belmont was NAIA rivals with nearby Lipscomb, they actually sold out a Belmont-Lipscomb "battle of the boulevard" game in Vandy's gym once - over 14,000 local sports fans showed up.  Belmont could also play some games at Nash. Municipal where they just played Murray (9,000+ capacity) or Bridgestone Arena (17,000)

With MTSU going to C-USA, the MAC should consider trying to get Western Kentucky and Belmont.  Conferences might pass on Murray because they are 1-aa in football and in the middle of BFE. 

Belmont doesn't have football. That is a non-starter in the MAC.

 

This is an incredibly realistic scenario, IMO. I think you hit the nail on the head with regards to thr MAC being unable to turn away 3 key current football members. Would it ruffle some feathers? Absolutely.  Well worth it for the upgrade we get in basketball.
 

I wonder if the MVC would go for Akron, Ohio and Toledo (instead of Miami).  While I would hate to lose our rivalry with Miami, they are at a point right now where they just do not seem to care about athletics all that much.  Toledo is committed to spending and has shown attendance potential plus a decent market.  While I would like to stick with Miami, if the MVC came calling about us with Kron and Toledo no Fiami wouldn't be a dealbreaker for me..
 

As I understand it, the MVC needs teams now. I do not see any better options than 3 Ohio schools.
 

Crazier things have happened.

We have great olympic sports in the MVC, in fact, Missouri State already competes in the MAC for a few of our sports right now, including swimming and diving and field hockey. We have a very strong baseball league (#5 in this weeks RPI), and are pretty well known for our volleyball as well.  

Miami would need to make a financial commitment that they have shown no interest in up to now.  That would be best case scenario but I'm not sure they will.