The MAC would love nothing more than to have the MACC in Cleveland with its office and basketball tournaments already there, but that's never going to happen unless the Browns or Guardians play indoors one day. The main benefit for the MACC at Ford Field is that it is indoors. Weather is removed from the equation all together. It lets the division winners play in ideal conditions and the kids get to play in a pro venue. It's also positioned somewhat fittingly between East and West teams, so it's a decent neutral site location as well. Yes, it's too big. In fact, it's way too big for what the MAC needs. But it's the best option at this time. If the Browns or Guardians were to ever put a roof on one of their stadiums (or build a new one with one), the MACC would move to Cleveland. Yes the stadiums in Canton and Columbus are nice and yes the capacities are better suited for what the MACC needs, but they're both open air stadiums and that's the main issue. So the MACC will stay in Detroit unless something changes with a roof or dome one day in Cleveland.

Several of the suggestions here would really diminish the stature of the MACCG.

First, playing at Crew or the new soccer stadium (if possible). Playing on a make-shift football field would really lend a HS atmosphere to the game. Some HS regional games were played at Crew stadium a couple weeks ago, and no college FB games have been played there in years. Plus, there's a reason the B10 doesn't play at an outdoor stadium in December -- weather. Moving to Canton isn't doable for the weather reason plus the OHSAA plays its six HS championships there the first weekend in December. That probably gets the venue more cash than the one MACCG would.

Second, play at the home field of the higher seed. Again, weather. But also, the crowd would be overwhelmingly a home team crowd. I just watched the North Texas-UTSA game from San Antonio and it was about 90% UTSA fans. It was the same way when T'erd hosted all those MACCG earlier this century, and I think they won all but one of the five or so they were in. At least Detroit is more centrally located for MAC schools and fans.


The main problem is the smaller crowds relative to the venue. The games usually draw 12.000-20,000 with the smallest being about 9,000 and the biggest 45,000 (when WMU was ranked). That could be a matter of timing. One or both champions usually aren't decided until the last week of the season, so there's little time for fans to get tickets and arrange travel. One solution might be to start the season during the so-called "Week 0" and finish the Saturday before Thanksgiving. That would give fans some extra time to get involved.

Yes, sir! The guys and gals on this board do have their way with tangents! Thanks for putting things back into proper focus! Go OHIO!

Are we fighting over which boring midwestern city is less boring?

The point is to have a venue where elements don’t decide the championship. Detroit delivers that. Indy, the only other possibility, is taken.

Guilty as charged. I wasn't excluding myself from this board's tangentitis. My tangents, are of course, more educational than your average BA rant! ;-)