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Ohio Basketball Topic
Topic: Northern Illinois to Leave the MAC?
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Bobcat Tattoo
12/16/2024 1:11 PM
I know there's been a buzz for a while about NIU football joining the Mountain West, and it now seems like a done deal: https://www.si.com/college/group-five/mountain-west/repor...

As for hoops, if it's true that they leave it can only help the MAC. NIU for UMass is obviously a major upgrade.

**In case you can't see the article: "Per Brown, the rest of NIU's sports are also expected to leave the Mid-American Conference for a mid-major league such as the Summit, Ohio Valley and Horizon."
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GraffZ06
12/16/2024 1:51 PM
Horizon makes a lot of sense as a non-football league with regional ties and minimal $$ requirements.

Gets the Chicago market back into league after Loyola and UIC departures.

They'll need to save with all the $$ they are going to have to dump into football to a) compete at mtn west and b) travel to men west.

MAC football takes a hit.
MAC basketball, UMass for NIU?, I'll take that trade all day.
Last Edited: 12/16/2024 1:54:14 PM by GraffZ06
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Clown Ohio Fan
12/16/2024 7:34 PM
The ironic part is that most NIU fans were complaining about UMass joining the league when I think most MAC fans are more excited about gaining them for basketball than losing NIU for football.
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Bobcat1998
12/17/2024 8:36 AM
FormerMember wrote:expand_more
The ironic part is that most NIU fans were complaining about UMass joining the league when I think most MAC fans are more excited about gaining them for basketball than losing NIU for football.
Goodbye NIU, don't let the door hit you where the good lord....
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M.D.W.S.T
12/17/2024 12:52 PM
Addition by subtraction.
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Kevin Finnegan
12/17/2024 12:53 PM
Personally hate it being 30 minutes from Dekalb. It was my easiest chance to catch OHIO sports.
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El Gato Roberto
12/17/2024 1:41 PM
Kevin Finnegan wrote:expand_more
Personally hate it being 30 minutes from Dekalb. It was my easiest chance to catch OHIO sports.

+1
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TWT
12/18/2024 7:57 PM
Its time for the MAC to seriously consider adding schools that don't play FBS football but can help us in basketball. Saint Louis, UI-Chicago, Rhode Island, Fordham. If that was the way the MAC was nobody would want to leave it.
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GraffZ06
12/20/2024 2:04 AM
TWT wrote:expand_more
Its time for the MAC to seriously consider adding schools that don't play FBS football but can help us in basketball. Saint Louis, UI-Chicago, Rhode Island, Fordham. If that was the way the MAC was nobody would want to leave it.
I think the problem is, the minute the MAC allows members who don't play FBS football, half the current league members will breathe a sigh of relief and either drop football or move to FCS. You'd end up with a league of like 4 football teams. Come to think of it, that's exactly what should happen. Ok let's do this.
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GoCats105
12/20/2024 10:41 AM
TWT wrote:expand_more
Its time for the MAC to seriously consider adding schools that don't play FBS football but can help us in basketball. Saint Louis, UI-Chicago, Rhode Island, Fordham. If that was the way the MAC was nobody would want to leave it.
I'm not sure I like this, but they need to do something fast. I just don't like the idea of going to market in 2026-27 when the current TV deal expires with almost no changes to your current product, save for the NIU/UMass swap. I don't know if ESPN/FOX/CBS sees that as an upgrade, but IMO it's minimal at best.

Edit: I guess the one thing the MAC has going for it is that with bringing in UMass, that could be a sign the A-10 is getting weaker. Dayton really wants out and to be in the Big East. You could probably kick the tires on Rhode Island as a full member, but they would have to make a massive upgrade financially in football.
Last Edited: 12/20/2024 12:39:46 PM by GoCats105
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TWT
12/20/2024 4:44 PM
GoCats105 wrote:expand_more
Its time for the MAC to seriously consider adding schools that don't play FBS football but can help us in basketball. Saint Louis, UI-Chicago, Rhode Island, Fordham. If that was the way the MAC was nobody would want to leave it.
I'm not sure I like this, but they need to do something fast. I just don't like the idea of going to market in 2026-27 when the current TV deal expires with almost no changes to your current product, save for the NIU/UMass swap. I don't know if ESPN/FOX/CBS sees that as an upgrade, but IMO it's minimal at best.

Edit: I guess the one thing the MAC has going for it is that with bringing in UMass, that could be a sign the A-10 is getting weaker. Dayton really wants out and to be in the Big East. You could probably kick the tires on Rhode Island as a full member, but they would have to make a massive upgrade financially in football.
I think the MAC will do fine going to market with the NIU/UMass swap in 26/27. My point more is that it would be smart to take in some non-football members while the leverage is still there and not wait until its gutted and without a national TV deal. Pay some of these basketball schools a full media share of the MAC contract to entice them over.
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The Optimist
12/22/2024 8:09 AM
UMass for NIU is a net win.

If we do add Rhode Island, I would also take a look at Delaware. And maybe Vermont. That's a big shift east but it makes sense
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OhioCatFan
12/22/2024 9:47 AM
Saw one story that said NIU has delayed a decision until early 2025, and may be having second thoughts. I guess we'll see!
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GoCats105
12/26/2024 1:55 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
Saw one story that said NIU has delayed a decision until early 2025, and may be having second thoughts. I guess we'll see!
They wouldn't be joining until the 2026-27 season at the earliest anyway. We're still getting at least one more year of NIU.
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JSF
12/27/2024 12:48 PM
Oh no…. please, stay… don’t go… *flails limply*
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Bobcat1996
12/27/2024 6:06 PM
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Message Not Read RE: Northern Illinois to Leave the MAC?
Posted: 12/22/2024 9:47:16 AM

Saw one story that said NIU has delayed a decision until early 2025, and may be having second thoughts. I guess we'll see!
The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

OCF- hope you are correct. NI for UMASS is not a great swap in football. UMass is bottom part of A-10 in hoops last few years. Not a great upgrade, but of course the A-10 is much better than MAC in basketball. This league is a one bid league in basketball so it doesn't matter if Umass comes aboard or not.
Last Edited: 12/27/2024 6:37:30 PM by Bobcat1996
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OhioCatFan
1/2/2025 6:45 PM
Still no official word from NIU? A friend told me he’d read some “online chatter” indicating that NIU was getting “hesitant about leaving the MAC.” I saw one article that said essentially this about ten days ago, but nothing since. Not sure what to make of the silence. Anybody with any insight?
Last Edited: 1/2/2025 6:46:27 PM by OhioCatFan
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GoCats105
2/24/2025 2:45 PM
Action Network's Brett McMurphy reporting that NIU will join the Horizon in all non-football sports (other than wrestling and gymnastics) in 2026.
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spongeBOB CATpants
2/24/2025 3:29 PM
Interesting, my gut is telling me this entire thing won't be worth it.
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MonroeClassmate
2/24/2025 6:03 PM
Does a MAC team that decides to leave have any guarantees that the Conference will treat them the same during their final year?

Could the MAC during 2025 football season tell NIU that none of their games count in the conference standings, they cannot be in the championship game and they do not get one of the MAC bowl bids. They don't get to share any bowl revenue.

Tell them to go independent basically.
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Pete Chouteau
2/24/2025 6:57 PM
Worth it to be rid of them.
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M.D.W.S.T
2/24/2025 7:07 PM
spongeBOB CATpants wrote:expand_more
Interesting, my gut is telling me this entire thing won't be worth it.
Will be quite an interesting case study, though like I mentioned maybe in this thread or one of the dozen others, NIU has been running a deficit within the athletic department for years. I believe it was north of -$3M last season. If they even get to a break-even point, I have tremendous doubts - especially initially - it is likely worth it for them to have taken a step-down in other programs. Football rules everything.
Last Edited: 2/24/2025 7:08:35 PM by M.D.W.S.T
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Clown Ohio Fan
2/24/2025 7:40 PM
I've said it a million times already but I'm thankful that NIU basketball is leaving the MAC. They've been a joke forever and added nothing to the league on the hardwood.
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BillyTheCat
2/24/2025 8:26 PM
M.D.W.S.T wrote:expand_more
Interesting, my gut is telling me this entire thing won't be worth it.
Will be quite an interesting case study, though like I mentioned maybe in this thread or one of the dozen others, NIU has been running a deficit within the athletic department for years. I believe it was north of -$3M last season. If they even get to a break-even point, I have tremendous doubts - especially initially - it is likely worth it for them to have taken a step-down in other programs. Football rules everything.
We’ve run a deficit forever, our institution just covers it with the general fund. Ever notice how we are even every year? That’s not great financial skill on behalf of the ICA CFO.
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spongeBOB CATpants
2/25/2025 10:29 AM
M.D.W.S.T wrote:expand_more
Interesting, my gut is telling me this entire thing won't be worth it.
Will be quite an interesting case study, though like I mentioned maybe in this thread or one of the dozen others, NIU has been running a deficit within the athletic department for years. I believe it was north of -$3M last season. If they even get to a break-even point, I have tremendous doubts - especially initially - it is likely worth it for them to have taken a step-down in other programs. Football rules everything.
Makes sense, seems like they will need to see some success in football to generate the buzz for attendance. I guess they do get a shot at the playoff if they can win the conference and get a couple big non-con wins but it seems like they aren't gonna get to that point for quite awhile.
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