With the airwaves crowded with college sports jargon, Alex Scheer provides a focus on the beloved Mid–America Conference (MAC) with his MAC Sports Connection Podcast. Scheer is originally from Lima, Ohio. After graduating from Lima Senior in 2007, he began his undergrad at Ohio Northern University, then transferring to University of Toledo in the 2010s. He has an Undergraduate Degree in Music from UT. Currently, he’s pursuing a Masters in Sports Administration at Ohio University. After spending many nights and weekends at the Glass Bowl and Savage Arena, he realized that there was not enough of an outlet covering the MAC and wanted to have a small voice. The show started as a hobby, but took off, leading him to pursue his masters and land a job in college athletics (a Sports Information Assistant at Heidelberg University). Lots of things broke the right way for him to turn his dream into a reality and he’s thankful for the chance to be a trusted voice in the MAC. Scheer shared his thoughts and insights for Toledo City Paper readers.
When did the idea for a sports podcast begin? And why focus on the MAC?
In 2019 I saw there wasn’t a consistent voice producing full episodes from across the spectrum of the conference. I struggled early to find an identity, but after landing an interview with Ricky Stokes – Associate Commissioner of the MAC – I realized I had a larger voice; hence the name of the show.
Why the MAC? The conference has long been a cornerstone of college athletics. Nick Saban played at Kent State and coached at Toledo. Urban Meyer coached at Bowling Green. John Heisman (yes, the namesake of the Heisman Trophy) coached at Akron. NFL stars like Maxx Crosby are conference alumni. These stories often went untold. I saw a void and decided to fill it.
When are you permitted to cover live games?
During the summer of Covid, oddly enough. I built a rapport with Toledo Women’s Basketball, NIU Track & Field, Ball State Golf, CMU Lacrosse, MAC alumni, and other groups. That fall, when the MAC announced its six-game football schedule, I reached out to the Conference office and requested the opportunity to cover the Football Conference Championship Game in Detroit.
With no fans allowed (due to the pandemic, the game was played in an empty stadium), the stadium felt eerie, but it was an incredible opportunity to dive into covering a live sporting event where people relied entirely on media for coverage.
Covering that game opened doors to other events, including Media Day and various tournaments. It led to credential opportunities for SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 venues, allowing us to provide coverage on larger stages. Since then, I’ve live–tweeted over 40 football games and covered several events, including the MAC Baseball Tournament.
Take us through the process of attending, covering, and broadcasting a live event.
Broadcasting live is vastly different each time. For the Miami, OH–Toledo football game in 2023, my broadcast partner Graham Giles did an incredible amount of prep work, gathering detailed information on each team’s roster. Even with all the planning, we quickly realized how tough it is to broadcast for four hours without a bathroom break.
When Miami’s Quarterback suffered a broken leg during the game, we had no plan for how to handle it on air. Those 25 minutes felt like the longest of my life as we exchanged nervous glances the entire time.
On the other hand, when we covered that year’s Baseball Tournament, it was our most polished effort. We spent significant time planning. I reached out to a friend who creates music and they provided tracks for audio breaks. I even included a few commercial breaks featuring other podcasters and my friend’s music. To date, that was our most professional and successful broadcast.
Five years in, it’s a privilege to bring attention to any game. Every broadcast leaves me completely drained. It’s a lot of work to maintain energy and tone throughout a broadcast, and having a great partner is absolutely essential.
Where has your influence come from?
The conference has been incredibly gracious in giving me the opportunity to expand. I give major credit to Graham Giles (my podcast co-host) for being the organized one. He brings an extensive knowledge of the games and a natural ability to maintain a great give–and–take dynamic during the broadcast.
I owe a lot to Brad Woznicki from BCSN. His insights on approaching these opportunities have been invaluable. Having worked with him on a couple of BCSN broadcasts, his suggestions have significantly improved my approach. I should also mention the mentorship of Russ Eisenstein, the now–former voice of the Ohio Bobcats. He’s been so instrumental in my growth, tuning into the baseball broadcast and giving some great feedback, along with being a great friend in my professional development.
What is the best attribute of the MAC conference as a whole?
Two things stand out: Midweek MACtion and the fact that it’s a bus league.
Midweek MACtion has been instrumental in getting national exposure for NFL scouts.
I love that I can drive to Buffalo, watch a football game, and drive home the same day. Without that accessibility, I wouldn’t have attended and covered a game at every MAC stadium in 2023. It’s why the fans should travel to away games more often. The amazing fans who love their schools are what make the conference special.
What has been a highlight of your coverage so far?
Meeting the coaches, players, athletic directors and the Commissioner. Each interaction gives me valuable insight into who these people are and what drives them. I understand the trust that comes with this access, and I do my best to honor it.
The fans are just as important. Tailgating with them, hearing their content suggestions, watching how they celebrate their teams and understanding what they love about the league makes the job truly meaningful and personal.
The fact that people trust me to deliver this content humbles me. Being referred to as “the podcast voice of the MAC” is an honor I don’t take lightly. No matter the event, I walk away grateful for the chance to do what I love.
What’s your reach when it comes to social media?
X is where the show has the most traction – over 3,600 followers and about 1.5 million impressions per month. Podcast episodes are consistently increasing across every platform, so that’s taken giant steps forward. I’ve been very pleased with the growth.
My priority is informing and maintaining a voice for fans. I’m incredibly thankful for everyone who engages with the material. Every like, comment, retweet, and follow is special. I’ve been grateful for accounts like the Sickos Committee, Reddit CFB, CFB Home, and others for sharing my content. Ultimately, it’s all about community, and I’m happy to contribute. I’ll take 3,600 loyal followers who contribute to discussions. Begging for engagement is odd and doesn’t build loyalty. I’ve tried it, and it reeks of desperation.
We’ve seen how the NIL and Transfer Portal have affected the top conferences, but how has it affected the MAC?
The challenge for the MAC is its proximity to the Big Ten. It’s much easier for Ohio State to convince a three-star player to ride the bench with a bag of cash than for Akron to promise immediate playing time.
The system is going to blow up in everyone’s face. While I support players being paid, the system has metastasized. ‘No Freshman–Year’ deals would ensure athletes don’t face overwhelming pressure before adjusting to college life. A salary cap for the top programs would create competitive equity across the spectrum.
While the transfer portal is in need of regulation, that is where a MAC school looks to fill immediate needs. Shaun Dolac returning to Buffalo from Utah State to lead the nation in tackles is a great example. On the flip side, when Dequan Finn left Toledo, he lost the starting QB job at Baylor after battling injuries.
Thoughts on where the conference is headed?
The MAC is at a crossroads, and national relevance is always the goal. We’ve seen strong performances in Olympic sports, like Charity Griffith’s national title in Outdoor Track and Field at Ball State, Toledo’s dominance in Cross-Country, and Miami’s Field Hockey and Softball programs earning national respect.
The challenge is to become a premier conference. Some argue that resources are lacking. The NIL has played a role in players transferring in or out of the MAC and the conference is constantly seeking ways to improve in that area. Western Michigan’s football program is a great example of this. They went from a New Year’s Day bowl to fighting for bowl eligibility in seven years. Same with NIU’s dominance in the 2010s followed by the struggle to maintain that success. The conference is still figuring out how to get where it needs to be.
There are plenty of positive developments. Adding Lacrosse as an emerging sport was a big move. And starting in 2025, the MAC will add Women’s Rowing. Little steps like these increase the conference’s value athletically and as a media commodity. The recent Sun Belt–MAC Basketball Challenge shows the league is working to showcase its teams and create buzz.
If the MAC becomes a player in the current landscape of college football, then schools will want to join its stability, consistency and longevity – qualities that other top conferences have lacked in recent years.
Lastly, a challenge to alumni: It’s easy to cheer for Ohio State, but if you gave a MAC school as much attention and financial support as you do the big brands, you’d see Toledo in the playoffs and College GameDay in town for a Top 15 matchup. Show up, donate and support your schools. If you put real effort into that, you’ll see your school build into a national power.
