The term “MACtion” has become synonymous on Twitter for midweek conference football.
It’s corny, catchy and unorthodox, but it has become the identity of the Mid-American Conference.
The term “MACtion” has become synonymous on Twitter for midweek conference football, when teams such as Ohio or Northern Illinois play their conference games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, instead of traditional Saturday afternoon matchups.
Playing during the week has allowed for exposure and the opportunity for fans or potential recruits to watch all 13 programs on national primetime television.
“It’s different,” MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said. “It’s change and it’s outside of the norm and an easy thing to point at. … We’re probably recruiting kids we normally wouldn’t have recruited because of that.”
As the MAC continues its search of becoming nationally relevant in a time when the major conferences reign supreme, the midweek games have become an opportunity for the conference to have its allotted time on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.
In August, ESPN and the MAC announced an extension to their original television deal, resulting in a 13-year extension, projected to be worth over $100 million, meaning more mid-season football games in November.
“At the time of our football season with high-paced, high-scoring games, it just made sense. Action, ‘MACtion.’ ” said Jeremy Guy, the MAC’s Director of Communications. “It just works. Over time it’s become something bigger than that and it’s become our brand.”
Perhaps “MACtion” hasn’t helped any program more than Northern Illinois.
The Huskies were the face of the MAC in 2013, as former quarterback Jordan Lynch electrified national audiences every week and ended up finishing third in the Heisman Trophy voting, the highest of any player in conference history.
But that doesn’t mean playing on Tuesday and Wednesday nights is the preferred game day for the Huskies.
“I’m a traditionalist and love Saturdays,” Northern Illinois coach Rod Carey said. “But the reward of playing during the week is so much greater. We’re usually the only game on.”
Carey also said his players love playing in the spotlight, but they still have to go to classes until noon the day of a game.
“It’s if you’re sitting there in calculus but have a game that night,” he said. “What are you going to be thinking of?”
It terms of the effects of midweek games on Ohio, coach Frank Solich says that it can be harder on teams if there isn’t a lot of organization and spacing for recovery.
He talked about the hectic span during 2012, when the Bobcats had to play four games in the span of 19 days.
“You’ve go to be ready to play a game, no matter what day it is,” Solich said. “It doesn’t matter if you have a kickoff at nine in the morning or eight at night, or even in snow. You’ve got to be ready to play football and it’s up to the coaches to prepare their team to play on off dates.”
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