| Mid-American Conference | |
|---|---|
| Data | |
| Classification | NCAA Division I FBS |
| Established | 1946 |
| Members | 12 |
| Sports fielded | 23 (11 men's, 12 women's) |
| Region | Great Lakes |
| States | 5 - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio |
| Headquarters | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Locations | |
| colspan="2" align=center | |
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a college athletic conference with a membership base that stretches from New York to Illinois. Nine of the 12 full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members also located in Illinois, Indiana and New York. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I; for football, it participates in the top level of NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS; formerly Division I-A). The MAC is headquartered in the historic Public Square district in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The MAC has been referred to as the Conference of Quarterbacks due to the accomplishments of numerous former players in the National Football League. The MAC ranks highest among all 11 NCAA Division I FBS conferences for graduation rates.
In March of 2006, Commissioner Rick Chryst and Cleveland Cavaliers President Len Komoroski announced that the Mid-American Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments would remain in Cleveland at Quicken Loans Arena through 2011. Both tournaments have flourished since moving to Cleveland in 2000, with the men's semi-finals and championship regularly drawing large crowds at Quicken Loans Arena (the 2007 semi-final between Akron and Kent State drew a crowd of more than 15,000). The MAC also announced a format change for both tournaments, bringing all 12 men’s and women’s teams to Cleveland beginning in 2007. The MAC also co-hosted the 2007 Women’s Final Four at "the Q," after successfully hosting the 2006 NCAA Women’s Basketball Regional at the same facility.
In 2006, Chryst also announced a new, five-year relationship with International Sports Properties (ISP), Inc. to oversee and coordinate the league's marketing and sponsorship rights. ISP currently manages more than 40 college properties nationwide, but the MAC was ISP’s first conference property.
ISP will be responsible for managing, and ultimately growing, the MAC’s stable of corporate partners. FirstEnergy has been the title sponsor for the men’s basketball tournament since its first year in Cleveland in March 2000, Kraft has been associated with the women’s basketball tournament since 2001, and Marathon Oil will be sponsoring the football championship for the third time in 2007.
Member schools participate in baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross-country, field hockey, football, men's and women's golf, women's gymnastics, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track, women's volleyball and wrestling.
