So, the MAC has been playing games midweek for years. They decided to have a game on just about every midweek night throughout November. You've got 8 directional Michigan schools, Eastern, Western, Central, South Central, North-to-Slightly-Western..... You've got Akron, Ohio, Toledo, NIU etc. Now, I love me some football, I don't care who it is. And if I'm flipping channels, I'll dang sure stop and watch a little MAC action, especially late in the season when it's getting cold as a witch's titty up north. But holy damn, how do these programs stay afloat?
ESPN has to be footing the bill because they absolutely aren't making it from the gate. Tuesday, I watched part of some game and there seriously could not have been 3,000 people total in the stadium. Same last night. The shots of the stands they showed might have verified 74 fans on that side. No matter what happened in the game, you couldn't hear a peep from the fans. Right now, it's Western Michigan and NIU on senior night. They've shown the WMU stands several times. 500? Maybe? I've seen more fans at SEC chick volleyball matches.