The Temple Owls will leave the MAC and Atlantic 10 for the Big East, joining in 2012 in football and in 2013 in other sports. The Big East has set a 5:30 p.m. ET presser to announce the move, but the MAC's gone ahead and done the announcing for them.
Temple Leaving MAC For Big East In 2012, MAC Confirms
In a statement, the spurned football conference best known for making Tuesday nights the finest of the week revealed Temple’s $6 million buyout and its new division alignment (which still has a tidy 13 teams, since UMass is coming up from FCS). That’s a much larger buyout than the MAC was reportedly going to get from Temple, so maybe everybody’s happy here?
The statement:
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced today in conjunction with Temple University that the two parties have reached an agreement for Temple to leave the Conference immediately. Temple spent five seasons (2007-11) with the Conference.
Statement from MAC Commissioner, Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher regarding Temple:
“Temple University requested to be released from its obligation, as a football-only member of providing two season’s prior notice before departing the Mid-American Conference. As a result the Conference and its member institutions engaged in a dialogue with Temple regarding an appropriate resolution. We have come to an agreement that is fair to the parties involved.”
“As a result, the Mid-American Conference has adjusted its football divisional alignment. Bowling Green State University will compete in the East Division that will consist of seven member institutions. The West Division will have six members. The eight-game Conference schedule should be released within several weeks.”
Additional Information:
-The negotiated exit fee for Temple to leave the Mid-American Conference is $6 million.
-2012 MAC Football Divisional Alignment
East Division: Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Kent State, UMass, Miami, Ohio
West Division: Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo, Western Michigan.
See More:
