It's time for MAC-Sun Belt Challenge to end ... ASAP

[NewsCopy]

Sometimes ideas sound pretty good on paper, but just don’t work in reality.

The MAC-Sun Belt Challenge in basketball fits in that category.

It’s time to put an end to that ploy.

Advocate
Kevin Foote
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[ZoomZoom]

Paywall. No clue other than CGB’s picture.

I always felt playing a MAC MBB team twice a year just cross pollinated both leagues and further secured their one bid status.

Case in point. Miami (Ohio) is 22-0 but played 3 non D1 games. NET rating is 53. How does playing Marshall benefit either league?

Miami could run the regular season table and miss the NCAA tournament with one loss in their conference tournament.

Akron, FWIW, has a NET of 50. Same boat as Miami. Three MAC teams are in the NET 300s.

JMU is the highest NET rated WBB team out of both leagues at 54, Ball State at 74. Nothing to gain.

[Turbine]

Paywall. No clue other than CGB’s picture.

Anyway, you nailed it.

"There isn’t one good reason for any of those teams to be traveling around the country to play non-conference games in February."

[CajunSID]

Been saying this for years. Miami (OH) is the perfect example of what they envisioned: Get a team with a shot at an at-large to play a late-season quad 2 (or better) they likely couldn’t get in their league.

Instead, it’s just another quad 3 game because the Sun Belt continues to be a disaster in men’s basketball.

The supposed positive is it gives everyone a D1 home game. What they forget is it’s another D1 road game that adds unnecessary travel expense (flight) and zero local home game appeal.

These leagues are one-bid leagues. Schedule accordingly (guarantee games).

[RaginDave]

Been saying this for years. Miami (OH) is the perfect example of what they envisioned: Get a team with a shot at an at-large to play a late-season quad 2 (or better) they likely couldn’t get in their league.

Instead, it’s just another quad 3 game because the Sun Belt continues to be a disaster in men’s basketball.

The supposed positive is it gives everyone a D1 home game. What they forget is it’s another D1 road game that adds unnecessary travel expense (flight) and zero local home game appeal.

These leagues are one-bid leagues. Schedule accordingly (guarantee games).

This should be a SBC/CUSA challenge.

[MarlinMan3]

Anyway, you nailed it.

"There isn’t one good reason for any of those teams to be traveling around the country to play non-conference games in February."

Whether we agree or not, the timing of the article doesnt seem like it is aimed at helping attendance for either.

Article too late to effect immediate change,

[Turbine]

Whether we agree or not, the timing of the article doesnt seem like it is aimed at helping attendance for either.

Article too late to effect immediate change,

How would you turn this into an attendance booster?

[MarlinMan3]

How would you turn this into an attendance booster?

https://sunbeltsports.org/news/2024/...27-season.aspx

[Million$Mullet]

This should be a SBC/CUSA challenge.

It should be a SBC/SLC challenge

[Turbine]

https://sunbeltsports.org/news/2024/...27-season.aspx

There is literally not a single thing about Central Michigan in that article.

How would you turn this game buildup into an attendance booster?