UMass shot themselves in the foot playing home games at Foxboro. Students and fans will not travel all that distance for a UMass vs Toledo or Buffalo game. When they were in the CAA they sold out their home stadium just about every game. imagine us traveling to Met life Stadium for a couple of home games, I still think FBS is in our future but not the immediate future. Then again with a new AD coming who knows what his or her thoughts are on football.
First time poster and MAC fan and a fan who is receptive to SB joining the MAC in due time.
UMass had an interesting situation, as I understand it. Their stadium, especially the press box, was deemed inadequate by the MAC and a requirement was that the stadium (mostly press box) be upgraded as a condition of admittance. The press box is more than simply a press box. It is part of a remodel. I'll try to get photographs. This has been discussed at length on a MAC forum.
Starting this Fall, UMass will split home games between their campus and the Patriots' stadium.
While there was faculity discontent about UMass FB (faculty doesn't like to see $ spend on athletics, esp. if the team(s) aren't winning) that is apparently water over the damn. The money has been spent on the stadium improvements and UMass isn't reconsidering their move to FBS football.
As far as SB is concerned, I do strongly hope that you build your football program. SB has the academics, demographics and locations to be say another UConn (some might think that your location is far superior than UConn's). I would like two SUNY teams in the MAC. Instant rivals. SB should have no trouble scheduling other schools like Army, UConn, BC, Rutgers, etc. as well as some FCS opponents from the CAA.
The biggest problem I see, over the next 10 years, is enlarging a stadium which really wasn't built to be expandable to 20 - 25K, which works nicely for the MAC. I see your stadium as a stadium which could be reasonably expanded to say 15K.
BTW, I have seen the Seawolves play a number of times on television or webcast (e.g., Army, Syracuse and Buffalo). With Maysonet, the Seawolves were a very dangerous team for FCS and many FBS opponents.