The New MAC Daddy: Conference Names Steinbrecher Commissioner
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Steinbrecher Named
MAC Commish |
Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher was appointed Mid-American Conference (MAC) Commissioner yesterday at a meeting of the league's presidents in Indianapolis. Steinbrecher has served as Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner for the last six years, and previously served as Mid-Continent Conference Commissioner (MAC). ESPN.com's Graham Watson noted Steinbrecher "takes over at a time when the MAC is on a bit of an upswing," as the conference is "riding the coattails of the success of Ball State's 12-2 football season, and it recently renewed its television deal with ESPN." But the league is also "facing ridicule from other conferences that have been dismayed by the MAC's scheduling problems." In '07, the conference had "several teams overscheduled, which forced several MAC schools to either buy out opponents or bump them to future schedules" (ESPN.com, 3/16). ESPN.com's Watson noted there is "no doubt that many of these snafus have been created" by current MAC Commissioner Rick Chryst in "trying to gain more TV exposure." This has "forced several [ADs] to shuffle their schedules at the last minute, push games to future dates and even fork over hundreds of thousands of dollars to satisfy contracts" (ESPN.com, 3/16). In Cleveland, Elton Alexander writes with five MAC teams "going to bowl games the past two seasons, three bowl affiliations and a national ESPN TV deal, the MAC's current area of immediate attention appears to be basketball." Steinbrecher does bring "administrative experience inside major college basketball," as he has "served on several NCAA committees, including the Division I Basketball Issues Committee, and has served as a member of subcommittees for both men's and women's basketball" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 3/17).
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