UMass football leaving MAC after 2015

Surprising announcement from UMass and the MAC today. Here's the press release from the MAC:
Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) and the University of Massachusetts (UMass) jointly announced today that the 2015 football season will be the final year for UMass as a football-only member of the MAC.
“UMass has been a valued partner during its brief time within our Conference, however the 2014 and 2015 seasons will be the final two football seasons for UMass as a football-only member in the MAC,” said MAC Commissioner, Dr. Jon Steinbrecher.
The MAC announced the addition of UMass as a football-only member on April 20, 2011, which brought MAC football membership to 14 universities.  At the time of the addition of UMass to the MAC, the Minutemen joined Temple as the two football-only MAC members and evened MAC football membership to 14 universities and brought balance to the East and West Divisions in football.
However, less than one year later, Temple unexpectedly departed for the Big East Conference in all sports in March of 2012.  Temple and the MAC reached an agreement for Temple to depart the MAC immediately on March 7, 2012.  Temple’s departure left the MAC with 13 football members.
The agreement between the MAC and UMass contained a contractual clause that offered UMass a choice of becoming a full member for all sports or to remain a football-only member for two more years.  The MAC Council of Presidents exercised this clause on February 17, 2014 and UMass was offered full membership.  UMass elected to use the 2014 and 2015 seasons to conclude its football-only membership with the MAC.
“This is not the outcome we anticipated when UMass was admitted as a football-only member.  However, circumstances changed regarding our football membership and this is a result of those circumstances,” added Steinbrecher.  “I want to thank University of Massachusetts Chancellor, Dr. Kumble Subbaswamy, and Director of Athletics, John McCutcheon, for their professionalism and understanding in reaching this amicable decision.”


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