Steinbrecher talks MAC realignment; potential new media deal

Mid-American Conference commissioner Jon Steinbrecher is continuing to make the media rounds, attending the Ball State vs. Sacramento State football game in Muncie, Indiana this past Saturday.

During halftime, he sat down for an interview with the Ball State Sports Network's Mick Tidrow to discuss matters involving Ball State, Sacramento State and the MAC at-large, including potential membership changes and a new media deal.

"I don't look at a lot of social media or even a lot of print media, but apparently, there's a lot of chatter about all sorts of things going on," Steinbrecher said, alluding to rumors of various programs leaving the conference. "I tell ya, don't believe everything you read."

Steinbrecher said the conference is always looking for opportunities to get stronger, working with current members and media partners on identifying potential candidates.

"Does that mean something happens? Not necessarily," Steinbrecher said. "But you're always scanning the environment, you're thinking 'what if?' You're talking with your media partners, you're doing analytics on institutions and the programs and what kind of value they can bring."

"You add to either survive– and we're not in that mode, right?– [or] you add to get better," Steinbrecher said. "To me, that means better product on the field, better rivalries, build attendance, help you grow your media rights fees, those sorts of things."

When Tidrow followed up on the media rights aspect, which Steinbrecher brought up on his own, Streinbrecher said he looks forward to announcing something "in the not-too-distant future."

"We basically have a deal done," Steinbrecher replied. "We're waiting to get the paperwork done. Looking forward to sharing some aspects of that in the not-too-distant future."

The MAC has been in the process of meeting with potential media partners about a new rights deal over the past year or so, as the conference's Grant of Rights with ESPN expires at the end of this athletic season.

Steinbrecher also shed some new light on the process of bringing in Sacramento State, saying discussions had gone back as far as late November 2025. Inclement weather cancelled the meeting, originally set for Chicago, before various conference conference and Sac State leadership rescheduled for Washington, D.C. to mid-January 2026– a delay which Steinbrecher says put them behind by "about a month."

"They got put behind the eight-ball by us having them join this year," Steinbrecher admitted regarding the Hornets' addition. "They were recruiting for an FCS team for this year when we added them in February. They've got a long way to go... but they gotta get bigger, faster, stronger and they know that. Let's give them two, three years to develop and it's going to be fascinating to see where they go."

Streinbrecher expressed confidence that Sacramento State will fund the team at a level where they can find success quickly, and said the Hornets have been embraced within league circles.

"I think [Sac State] has been very well-received," Steinbrecher said. "They're very good hosts when our folks go out there, and I think our folks are being hospitable when [Sac State] come[s] to them."

The appearance on air in Muncie is coming off a similar interview in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan last weekend, where the MAC presidents met to discuss league business after the Central Michigan/Western Michigan game.

The full interview, which includes a bit about Ball State's new indoor training facilities, can be heard below: