Steinbrecher "not a huge fan" of 24-team Playoff; talks potential MAC expansion

Mid-American Conference commissioner Jon Steinbrecher was on-site for the Battle for the Victory Cannon between Central Michigan and Western Michigan in Mt. Pleasant last Saturday, catching one of the conference's most-celebrated rivalry games.

At some point during the festivities, Steinbrecher made his way to the Don Chiodo Broadcast Booth for a short interview with the Chippewa Radio Network's Adam Jaksa to discuss a variety of topics, including the Protect College Sports Act, the 24-team College Football Playoff and the potential for the conference to expand.

"Change always occurs, right?" Steinbrecher quipped when asked about the state of college football. "It's the rate of change that has been really interesting."

Strinbrecher then asserted his stance about the PCSA, saying it needs to be passed in November.

"If we can't get control of our rules– basic eligibility and transfer rules– then we're going to have some challenges," Steinbrecher said. "That really sets the stage for trying to get out hands around everything else."

Steinbrecher also proclaimed he was "not a huge fan" about the yet-to-be-adapted 24-team College Football Playoff, saying he "voiced his concerns in the meeting room", but that it seems to be on the way to adoption.

Streinbrecher cited worry about the timing of the deal and how it affects various contracts between networks and conferences.

"I don't think it's the wisest business practice to try to negotiate an expansion of the field while you're trying to re-negotiate a contract," Steinbrecher said. "I don't think that leads to maximizing the value you're gonna get from that contract."

Steinbrecher also addressed how the proposed format would change Championship Weekend, not committing in either direction about the future of the MAC's Championship Game in Detroit.

"[Playoff] expansion is really going to wreak havoc with what all of us have been trying to do with our championship games," Steinbrecher said. "We're not sure what we're going to do with that yet. We've got a lot of hard conversations coming up. We'll have a champion– but will we have a championship game or not? I don't know that."

Steinbrecher expressed that losing the championship games would be "a loss for the entire country," as it made for a "great stand-alone weekend" for college football fans at large.

Steinbrecher then pivoted to the future of the MAC, discussing the conference leadership's work surrounding a "strategic plan" dating back to last spring, which has included discussions about branding and marketing, revenue generation and "maximizing the value of the assets we have."

"We're going to spend a lot of time talking about 'what are our competitive aspirations?'," Steinbrecher said. "What do we do, how do we work together so we can achieve those aspirations?"

When Jaksa asked about conference expansion, Steinbrecher said the league leadership talks about expansion "at every meeting", saying part of his job is to periodically "scan the environment" and look for institutions that "make you a better, stronger conference."

"We have a lot of neat things in this league," Steinbrecher said. "I think it's important [an expansion candidate] fit from a cultural perspective, they fit programatically..."

Steinbrecher did stress that geography was important for any potential candidate, and that "there were special circumstances" surrounding Sacramento State's addition as a football-only member.

"You take all those factors into account, and– let me put it this way– you never say never," Steinbrecher said. "We continually look; if we can find institutions that can make us better that are interested in being part of this wonderful partnership, we would probably consider that."

Expansion– both of the College Football Playoff and in the college football environment at large– have been topics of discussion recently, especially in MAC circles.

Central Michigan head coach Matt Drinkall came out in fierce opposition of the proposed 24-team Playoff on Tuesday afternoon, while Miami University has been linked to realignment rumors involving the American Conference over the last month.

Those meetings Steinbrecher referred to with league leadership over the weekend will be crucial to the MAC's immediate future, as they're also in the midst of re-negotiating their TV deal which expires in 2027.

What happens from there is to be determined, but Steinbrecher's comments to Jaksa are a rare, in-season look into where the MAC stands as far as the issues both within the league and with the NCAA at large.

You can watch the entire interview between Jaksa and Steinbrecher below: