2008 Woodie Awards
MAC meetings set for January
Athletics: ESPN contract lasts until 2009-10 season
By: Tim Ottusch
Issue date: 11/19/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The Mid-American Conference is well aware of Central Michigan University's stance on avoiding mid-week MAC football games.
The issue could be discussed in January, said MAC Commissioner Rick Chryst.
Athletic directors and faculty athletic representatives each separately meet in mid to late January and then university presidents meet about three weeks later.
"It's going to be an interesting January meeting because it is going to be a topic and I've already asked formally that it be added to our agenda," said Kevin Love, faculty athletic representative.
At the meetings, the group discusses issues that have come up in all MAC athletics, including football.
"We evaluate everything we're doing with football (at the meetings)," Chryst said.
Chryst said the MAC did see the e-mail release sent out by University President Michael Rao and Interim Provost E. Gary Shapiro last Tuesday to students and faculty.
"They were informed through the press release that was sent out by the president and the provost," said Athletic Director Dave Heeke.
While CMU's stance may seem to have just come to the forefront, the issue has been ongoing Heeke said.
"We've talked informally about it. This has been a discussion point at MAC meetings," Heeke said.
CMU officials said this issue isn't going to have a quick fix.
Heeke said mid-week games could continue to happen - at least the next two years. Television packages are negotiated a year and a half in advance, he said.
"It's not like all of a sudden instantly they're going to go away," Love said. "But if you don't ever come out and express your concerns we might just keep going down this pathway, and I'm not sure that's the pathway we should follow."
The contract with ESPN and the MAC runs through the 2009-2010 season. The contract has broadcast 51 MAC games since it was started in 1999.
"Weeknight football is not new to this conference; this is not a new issue. It is a new issue for Central Michigan," Heeke said.
With CMU's rise in the MAC and Western Michigan's resurgence last year, the rivalry game was on ESPN's radar when they picked the games they wanted to cover.
"This year (it) was the No. 1 game out of the MAC when they picked the games. They wanted the Central/Western game," Heeke said.
CMU quite possibly will have another weeknight game ahead of it next November, given its status as an elite team in the MAC and the low probability of the ESPN contract being broken.
news@cm-life.com
The issue could be discussed in January, said MAC Commissioner Rick Chryst.
Athletic directors and faculty athletic representatives each separately meet in mid to late January and then university presidents meet about three weeks later.
"It's going to be an interesting January meeting because it is going to be a topic and I've already asked formally that it be added to our agenda," said Kevin Love, faculty athletic representative.
At the meetings, the group discusses issues that have come up in all MAC athletics, including football.
"We evaluate everything we're doing with football (at the meetings)," Chryst said.
Chryst said the MAC did see the e-mail release sent out by University President Michael Rao and Interim Provost E. Gary Shapiro last Tuesday to students and faculty.
"They were informed through the press release that was sent out by the president and the provost," said Athletic Director Dave Heeke.
While CMU's stance may seem to have just come to the forefront, the issue has been ongoing Heeke said.
"We've talked informally about it. This has been a discussion point at MAC meetings," Heeke said.
CMU officials said this issue isn't going to have a quick fix.
Heeke said mid-week games could continue to happen - at least the next two years. Television packages are negotiated a year and a half in advance, he said.
"It's not like all of a sudden instantly they're going to go away," Love said. "But if you don't ever come out and express your concerns we might just keep going down this pathway, and I'm not sure that's the pathway we should follow."
The contract with ESPN and the MAC runs through the 2009-2010 season. The contract has broadcast 51 MAC games since it was started in 1999.
"Weeknight football is not new to this conference; this is not a new issue. It is a new issue for Central Michigan," Heeke said.
With CMU's rise in the MAC and Western Michigan's resurgence last year, the rivalry game was on ESPN's radar when they picked the games they wanted to cover.
"This year (it) was the No. 1 game out of the MAC when they picked the games. They wanted the Central/Western game," Heeke said.
CMU quite possibly will have another weeknight game ahead of it next November, given its status as an elite team in the MAC and the low probability of the ESPN contract being broken.
news@cm-life.com
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