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118-488: Since 2008, the stadium had been mostly vacant, hosting some high school football games. In 2013, the Rubber Bowl was acquired by Team1 Marketing Group Inc. of Canton, Ohio , with plans to renovate and update the structure as the home for a professional football team. Renovation work began later in 2013, but initial plans for a professional team in the revived United States Football League (USFL) fell through. The stadium

236-408: A heavy manufacturing center because of its numerous railroad lines. However, its status in that regard began to decline during the late 20th century, as shifts in the manufacturing industry led to the relocation or downsizing of many factories and workers. After this decline, the city's industry diversified into the service economy , including retailing, education, finance and healthcare . Canton

354-436: A metropolitan area that covers Carroll and Stark counties and had a combined population of 404,422 at the 2010 census . As of the census of 2010, there were 73,007 people, 29,705 households, and 17,127 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,867.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,107.1/km ). There were 34,571 housing units at an average density of 1,357.9 per square mile (524.3/km ). The racial makeup of

472-475: A 35–3 win over arch-rival Kent State in that year's Wagon Wheel game. Akron would go on to win the 2005 MAC Championship with a last-second 31–30 win over Northern Illinois at Ford Field in Detroit . In 2003, the university began exploring the feasibility of building an on-campus stadium to replace the Rubber Bowl, which was in disrepair and several miles away from campus. In 2007, plans were announced for

590-436: A MAC member in men's swimming & diving. Appalachian State joined MAC field hockey, and SIU Edwardsville (SIUE) joined in men's soccer. SIUE was initially announced as joining in both men's soccer and wrestling in 2018, but less than a week after the initial announcement, the conference indicated that SIUE men's soccer would immediately join. SIUE wrestling joined on its originally announced schedule. On March 5, 2019,

708-629: A dissenting opinion recognizing the constitutional protection of such speech in Abrams v. United States . Justice Louis D. Brandeis was the only other jurist to join Justice Holmes' dissent, and the minority opinion had no effect on Debs' conviction and continued incarceration. The changed mind articulated by Justice Holmes on November 10, 1919 nevertheless had a profound impact on the development of American constitutional law. His dissent in Abrams

826-473: A dome built over it. On April 2, 2015 it was revealed that the non-profit Minor League Football Team named the Summit County Storm would be playing football in the revived stadium along with its multi-use entertainment. The first event in the stadium under Team1 was scheduled for May 15, 2015, a hip-hop concert and party fest known as LOUD-Fest, produced by a local music company. However, the event

944-601: A horseshoe-shaped stadium in southern Akron adjacent to Derby Downs , the home of the Soap Box Derby that had been built in 1936. Construction lasted approximately one year and the first event hosted was a state music and drill competition in June 1940. Dedication ceremonies were held in August 1940 before a crowd estimated between 36,000 and 40,000 the day before the running of the seventh Soap Box Derby. The primary use of

1062-481: A household in the city was $ 28,730, and the median income for a family was $ 35,680. Males had a median income of $ 30.628 versus $ 21,581 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 15,544. About 15.4% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.4% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over. Canton's economy has traditionally been primarily industrial, with significant health care and agricultural segments. The city

1180-511: A male householder with no wife present, and 42.3% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.04. The median age in the city was 35.6 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of

1298-742: A month following the American entry into the First World War, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Espionage Act of 1917 into law. This Act made it a federal crime to interfere with, among other things, the Selective Service Act or military draft. On June 30, 1918, Debs was arrested and charged with, among other things, “unlawfully, willfully and feloniously cause and attempt to cause and incite and attempt to incite, insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny and refusal of duty, in

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1416-678: A new stadium, later known as InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field , with work beginning in January 2008 and opening in September 2009. The final Akron Zips football game at the Rubber Bowl took place on November 13, 2008 against the Buffalo Bulls . The game was nationally televised on ESPN and featured the two teams tied for first place in the Mid-American Conference 's East Division with identical 5-4 (3-2) records entering

1534-769: A number of years when Louisville was a member of the Metro Conference and Conference USA, winning two MAC tourney titles in 2003 and 2004. The Missouri State Bears , Evansville Purple Aces , and Southern Illinois Salukis participate in the MAC for men's swimming and diving. In 2012, the West Virginia Mountaineers joined the Florida Atlantic Owls and Hartwick College Hawks as men's soccer affiliates. Florida Atlantic departed upon joining Conference USA in 2013. Hartwick's contract

1652-492: A sport that it last sponsored in 1995, for the 2014 season. The new affiliates for 2014–15 were Binghamton in men's tennis and Longwood in field hockey. On July 1, 2017, one associate member left the MAC, another associate member dropped one of its two MAC sports, and two new schools became associate members. Northern Iowa wrestling moved from the MAC to the Big 12 Conference . Missouri State dropped field hockey, but remained

1770-463: A suite of major changes to the conference's competitive format across multiple sports in response to fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic . Specific to men's and women's basketball, the following changes took effect in 2020–21 and will continue through at least 2023–24: The following are the most recent conference champions of each MAC sport. Champions from the previous academic year are indicated with

1888-613: A surveyor and devout Episcopalian from Maryland born January 28, 1763. Canton was likely named as a memorial to Captain John O'Donnell , an Irish merchant marine with the British East India Company whom Wells admired. O'Donnell named his estate in Maryland after Canton, China as he had been the first person to transport goods from there to Baltimore . The name selected by Wells may also have been influenced by

2006-534: A typical January, high temperatures of over 50 °F (10 °C) are just as common as low temperatures of below 0 °F (−18 °C). Snowfall is lighter than the snow belt areas to the north. Akron-Canton Airport generally averages 47.7 inches (121 cm) of snow per season. Springs are short with rapid transition from hard winter to summer weather. Summers tend to be warm, sometimes hot, with average July high temperatures of 83 °F (28 °C), and average July low of 62 °F (17 °C). Summer weather

2124-645: Is a lower class I am in it; while there is a criminal element I am of it; while there is a soul in prison I am not free.'" In June 2017 Canton applied for and received a historical marker from the Ohio History Connection , formerly the Ohio Historical Society. The marker is located next to where Debs stood in Canton on the afternoon of June 16, 1918. It commemorates the significance and legacy of his speech at Nimisilla Park, notes

2242-481: Is also home to several regional food producers, including Nickles Bakery (baked goods), Case Farms (poultry), and Shearer's Foods (snack foods). Poultry production and dairy farming are also important segments of the Canton area's economy. Since 2000, Canton has experienced a very low unemployment rate. The healthcare sector is particularly strong, with Aultman Hospital and Mercy Medical Center among its largest employers. Nevertheless, as in many industrial areas of

2360-736: Is bordered by Plain Township and North Canton to the north, Meyers Lake and Perry Township to the west, Canton Township to the South, and Nimishillen Township , Osnaburg Township and East Canton to the east. Annexations were approved in December 2006 extending Canton's eastern boundary to East Canton 's border. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 25.48 square miles (65.99 km ), of which 25.46 square miles (65.94 km )

2478-746: Is chiefly notable for being the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the birthplace of the National Football League . 25th U.S. President William McKinley conducted the famed front porch campaign , which won him the presidency of the United States in the 1896 election , from his home in Canton. The McKinley National Memorial and the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum commemorate his life and presidency. Canton

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2596-565: Is considered by many legal scholars to be the canonical affirmation of free speech in the United States. While Debs’ speech in Canton and subsequent conviction ultimately aided Debs in delivering the Socialist Party's antiwar platform, his age and the deleterious effects of prison exhausted his ability as an orator. Debs died of heart failure on October 20, 1926. His obituary in The New York Times recounted his words from

2714-740: Is home to the Canton Centre mall and several retail outlets of varying size. A vein of commerce runs along Whipple Avenue, connecting the Canton Centre area with the Belden Village area. A similar vein runs north from the downtown area, along Cleveland and Market avenues. Connecting Cleveland and Market avenues is a small shopping district on 30th Street NW, and retail lines the Route 62 corridor leading from Canton to Louisville and Alliance . The city's economy has diversified due to

2832-507: Is home to the TimkenSteel Corporation, a major manufacturer of specialty steel. Several other large companies operate in the greater Canton area, including Timken Company , a maker of tapered roller bearings ; Belden Brick Company , a brick and masonry producer; Diebold , a maker of ATMs , electronic voting devices, and bank vaults, and Medline Industries , a manufacturer and distributor of health care supplies. The area

2950-498: Is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km ) is water. Canton has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfa ), typical of much of the Midwestern United States , with warm, humid summers and cold winters. Winters tend to be cold, with average January high temperatures of 34 °F (1 °C), and average lows of 19 °F (−7 °C), with considerable variation in temperatures. During

3068-470: Is more stable, generally humid with thunderstorms fairly common. Temperatures reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C) about 10 times each summer, on average. Fall usually is the driest season with many clear, warm days and cool nights. The all-time record high in the Akron-Canton area of 104 °F (40 °C) was established on August 6, 1918, and the all-time record low of −25 °F (−32 °C)

3186-552: Is still reflected today in many different ways, and he remains the namesake of McKinley Senior High School of the Canton City School System. On June 16, 1918, Eugene V. Debs delivered the keynote speech at the annual Ohio Socialist Convention held in Canton's Nimisilla Park. At the time, Debs had been a four-time candidate for president and was considered the country's leading socialist and labor organizer. During his speech he decried America's involvement in

3304-804: The American Professional Football Association (renamed the National Football League in 1922). The attendees included Ralph Hay , owner of the Hupmobile showroom and the hometown Canton Bulldogs , and George Halas , owner of the Decatur Staleys . Jim Thorpe of the Bulldogs was the league's first president. In 2014 a sculpture titled Birth of the NFL was erected in downtown Canton marking

3422-676: The Amtorg Trading Corporation , one of Soviet Russia's buying agencies in the US, for $ 329.000. The company's massive brick factories, which covered more than 20 acres and included an ornate 150-foot clock tower, were demolished to accommodate the construction of Interstate 77 . On September 17, 1920, a meeting was held at the Hupmobile showroom in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Building in Canton to found

3540-512: The Big 12 Conference as a wrestling-only member. At the same time, four schools became single-sport MAC members— Bellarmine in field hockey, Georgia Southern and Georgia State in men's soccer, and Valparaiso in men's swimming (the school does not include diving in its men's aquatics program). In 2022, West Virginia men's soccer was scheduled to leave the MAC for single-sport membership in Conference USA (CUSA). However, due to

3658-725: The Big East Conference for football only (the school's other sports would join the Big East/ American for 2013–14), and Massachusetts replaced Temple as a football-only member in the MAC East Division. On September 19, 2012, the MAC announced Missouri , Northern Iowa and Old Dominion would join as wrestling affiliates; as the Southeastern and Missouri Valley Conferences do not sponsor wrestling. Missouri and Northern Iowa participated only in

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3776-557: The Canton Civic Center . Operations were suspended in 2009. The Continental Indoor Football League also has offices in Canton. For the 2023 United States Football League (USFL) season , Canton served as the hub for the New Jersey Generals and Pittsburgh Maulers , with both teams playing their designated home games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The first official female bodybuilding competition

3894-479: The First World War , saying, “They have always taught you that it is your patriotic duty to go to war and slaughter yourselves at their command. You have never had a voice in the war. The working class who make the sacrifices, who shed the blood, have never yet had a voice in declaring war.” Among Debs' audience at Nimisilla Park were agents of the U.S. Department of Justice . The year before his speech, and

4012-811: The Horizon League , were announced as incoming associates at the same time the MAC announced the addition of lacrosse. RMU was announced as an incoming associate in late June 2020, shortly after the school announced it would join the Horizon League in July 2020. In June 2020, SIUE announced that it would leave the MAC men's soccer league in 2021 to rejoin its previous men's soccer home of the Missouri Valley Conference . It remains in MAC wrestling to this day. Also in 2021, Missouri left MAC wrestling and returned to its former home of

4130-565: The Huguenot use of the word "canton," which meant a division of a district containing several communes. Through Wells' efforts and promotion, Canton was designated the county seat of Stark County upon its division from Columbiana County on January 1, 1809. For most of his adult life, Canton was the home of William McKinley , the 25th president of the United States. Born in Niles, Ohio , McKinley first practiced law in Canton around 1867, and

4248-530: The Timken Company and TimkenSteel split, forming two separate companies at the urging of shareholders. The Timken Company relocated to neighboring Jackson Township , while TimkenSteel remains headquartered in Canton. In response to this changing manufacturing landscape, the city is undergoing a transition to a retail and service-based economy. Beginning in the 1970s, Canton, like many mid-size American cities, lost most of its downtown retail business to

4366-515: The Tudor , Georgian , and French-Norman styles built in the early 20th century with amenities such as original brick streets and locally produced street lighting standards. The District features homes designed by several distinguished architects, including Charles Firestone, Herman Albrecht, and Louis Hoicowitz. Canton is the largest principal city of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area ,

4484-495: The University of Toledo (1950), Kent State University (1951), and Bowling Green State University (1952). The University of Cincinnati resigned its membership February 18, 1953, with an effective date of June 1, 1953. Cincinnati's decision was based on a new requirement that at least 5 conference football games would have to be scheduled each season, university president Raymond Walters saying they "...regretfully resign...as

4602-493: The Western Athletic Conference in all sports, including soccer. Also in 2022, the MAC gained another affiliate when another Chicago institution, UIC , joined for men's swimming & diving. Ultimately, Chicago State's tenure as a MAC affiliate lasted only for the 2022 season, as the conference dropped men's soccer at season's end. 2023 saw UIC adding men's tennis to its affiliate membership, as well as

4720-474: The Western Athletic Conference , which sponsors that sport, in July 2013. The conference unveiled the addition of women's lacrosse to its sport sponsorship in November 2019. Lacrosse began competing under the MAC banner with six teams in the 2021 season with MAC members Akron, Central Michigan and Kent State joined by associate members Detroit Mercy, Robert Morris, and Youngstown State. Eastern Michigan became

4838-462: The 1940s, prior to the opening of Memorial Stadium in 1950. The stadium also hosted professional football on a number of occasions: the Cleveland Rams of the National Football League (NFL) played two regular-season games at the Rubber Bowl, one in 1941 and one in 1942, and the NFL's Cleveland Browns used the stadium for 19 preseason games between 1950 and 1973. On November 27, 1952,

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4956-678: The 1970s. In the 1980s, the New Jersey tour of Bon Jovi and the Monsters of Rock Tour 1988 that featured Van Halen , the Scorpions , Dokken , Metallica , and Kingdom Come had stops at the Rubber Bowl. Simon & Garfunkel returned in 1983 in front of a crowd of around 37,000 during their first tour together in 13 years. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers , Bob Dylan , and The Grateful Dead toured together in 1986 and played at

5074-593: The 1985–86 season. The University of Akron joined the conference in 1992. The conference became the largest in Division I-A with the re-admittance of Marshall and NIU in 1997 and addition of the Bulls from the University at Buffalo in 1998. The University of Central Florida , a non-football all-sports member in the Atlantic Sun Conference at the time, joined for football only in 2002, becoming

5192-708: The 2 MAC schools (Ball State and Miami) joining the MVC as affiliates for that sport. However, shortly after dropping men's swimming, the MAC announced it would begin sponsoring a new sport, women's rowing, in 2025–26. Accordingly, it brought on 3 new affiliates for that sport: Delaware , High Point , and former football affiliate Temple . School names, nicknames, and colors listed here reflect those used during each school's MAC tenure. School names, nicknames, and colors listed here reflect those used during each school's MAC tenure. Full members  Full members (non-football)  Associate members (football only)  One of

5310-575: The Akron Fire. Sean Mason of Team1 argued that even though InfoCision Stadium is newer, the Akron Fire's ability to generate revenue would be less due to the University of Akron controlling concession and marketing rights, and by buying the Rubber Bowl outright it could also be used for other sporting events and concerts. The Rubber Bowl was purchased by Team1 Marketing in January 2013 for $ 38,000, with several improvements planned such as updates to

5428-505: The Hampden Watch Company quickly became two of Canton's largest employers. In 1888, the companies' first year in Canton, they employed 2,300 Canton residents. In 1890, Canton's population was 26,337. Thanks to these two companies, Canton became an important center for watch manufacturing in the United States. In 1927 the company went bankrupt, finally ceasing operations in the city in 1930. The machinery and tools were sold to

5546-662: The MAC in football and joined the Big East for football in July 2012. Following the split of the Big East into football-sponsoring and non-football conferences in July 2013, Temple became a full member of the football-sponsoring portion, the American Athletic Conference , ending its membership in the Atlantic 10 at that time. The Chicago State Cougars were an affiliate for men's tennis until joining

5664-596: The MAC was contracted to provide a team for each of five college football bowl games : the Bahamas Bowl , LendingTree Bowl , Famous Idaho Potato Bowl , Camellia Bowl (later renamed the Salute to Veterans Bowl ) and Quick Lane Bowl (later renamed the GameAbove Sports Bowl). The MAC also has secondary agreements with several ESPN-owned bowls . The MAC champion receives an automatic berth in one of

5782-503: The Mid-American Conference were Ohio University , Butler University , the University of Cincinnati , Wayne University (now Wayne State University), and Western Reserve University, one of the predecessors to today's Case Western Reserve University . Wayne University left after the first year. Miami University and Western Michigan University took the place of those charter members for the 1948 season. The MAC added

5900-565: The Ohio federal courtroom: "At his trial he admitted the charges against him, declaring he would not retract a word he had uttered to save himself from going to the penitentiary for the rest of his days. Before sentence was passed on him, Debs said to the Court: ' Your Honor, years ago I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth. I said then, and I say now, that while there

6018-578: The Pro Football Hall of Fame Grand Parade. The festival culminates in the enshrinement of the new inductees and the NFL/Hall of Fame Game, a pre-season exhibition between teams representing the AFC and NFC at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium . Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, used during the regular season by Canton McKinley High School (as well as some other area schools and colleges), was rated

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6136-436: The Rubber Bowl hosted a "home" game for the financially troubled and league-controlled Dallas Texans . The Texans recorded their only win in franchise history, a 27–23 victory over the George Halas -led Chicago Bears , in front of approximately 2,500 fans: Halas had been so confident the Bears would beat the lowly Texans that he started his second-string players. The Rubber Bowl has also hosted around 1,500 football games for

6254-415: The Rubber Bowl on September 30, 1961. In 1971, the university purchased the stadium for $ 1 from the city. An artificial surface was installed in 1973, which was replaced with AstroPlay in 2003. On September 15, 1973, before the Acme-Zip game , renown tightrope walker Karl Wallenda walked a wire suspended above the field while the Akron Zips marching band played circus music. The Zips played 324 games at

6372-453: The Rubber Bowl was for American football games. The Akron Zips football team was the primary tenant, and they played their first game in the stadium on October 5, 1940, against Case Western Reserve , getting their first win in the facility November 9, 1940, against Kent State . Prior to playing at the Rubber Bowl, the Zips football teams played at Buchtel Field, a 7,000-seat facility that opened in 1923. The Zips recorded their first sellout in

6490-446: The Rubber Bowl, which featured Bob Dylan performing live on stage for the first time with The Grateful Dead. The stadium also hosted a Veterans Memorial Jam concert with Aretha Franklin , Ringo Starr , and Three Dog Night in 1997 and Ozzfest in 1998. On June 28, 2012, it was revealed that local marketing company Team1 Marketing Group of Canton was pursuing the Rubber Bowl for a potential United States Football League (USFL) team called

6608-484: The United States, employment in the manufacturing sector is in a state of decline. LTV Steel (formerly Republic Steel ) suffered bankruptcy in 2000. Republic Steel emerged and continues to maintain operations in Canton. Hoover Company , a major employer for decades in the region, reached an agreement to sell Hoover to Hong Kong-based Techtronic Industries . The main plant in nearby North Canton closed its doors in September 2007 due to classified reasons. On June 30, 2014,

6726-425: The announcement that James Madison would be joining as an affiliate for field hockey in 2024. In 2024, the Missouri Valley Conference announced it would begin sponsoring men's swimming & diving for the 2024–25 season. At the time, the MAC men's swimming programs consisted of 2 MAC schools and 5 affiliates from the MVC; correspondingly, all of these programs would move to the MVC for the following season, with

6844-595: The city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 80,806 people, 32,489 households, and 19,785 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,932.1 people per square mile (1,518.2/km ). There were 35,502 housing units at an average density of 1,728.0 per square mile (667.2/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 74.5% White , 21.0% African American , 0.5% Native American , 0.3% Asian , nil% Pacific Islander , 0.6% from other races , and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.2% of

6962-427: The city was 69.1% White , 24.2% African American , 0.5% Native American , 0.3% Asian , 1.0% from other races , and 4.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.6% of the population. There were 29,705 households, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.8% were married couples living together, 21.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had

7080-454: The city. Furthering this downtown development, in June 2016, Canton became one of the first cities in Ohio to allow the open consumption of alcoholic beverages in a "designated outdoor refreshment area" pursuant to a state law enacted in 2015. Canton was founded in 1805, incorporated as a village in 1822, and reincorporated as a city in 1838. The plat of Canton was recorded at New Lisbon , Ohio, on November 15, 1805, by Bezaleel Wells ,

7198-468: The company moved to Canton as the automobile industry began to overtake the carriage industry. Timken and his two sons chose this location because of its proximity to the American car manufacturing centers of Detroit and Cleveland and the American steel-making centers of Pittsburgh and Cleveland. By 1960, Timken had operations in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, France, South Africa, Australia and Brazil. The company changed its corporate structure in 2014;

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7316-420: The conference announced that it would be adding the seven former members of the Eastern Wrestling League as affiliate members in wrestling, making the MAC the second-largest wrestling conference for academic year 2019–20. With the addition of women's lacrosse, the MAC added affiliate members Detroit Mercy , Robert Morris , and Youngstown State in the 2020–21 academic year. UDM and YSU, all-sports members of

7434-513: The conference lacking enough teams to maintain its automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Of the four full MAC members that sponsored men's soccer in the 2022 season, Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, and Western Michigan moved the sport to the Missouri Valley Conference , and Akron moved it to the Big East Conference . The MAC eliminated its East and West divisions for football in January 2024. The divisions had already been eliminated for other sports in 2020. Later that year, in late February, it

7552-444: The conference tournament in the 2012–13 school year, and began full conference play in 2013–14. Old Dominion did not begin MAC competition until 2013–14, when it left the Colonial Athletic Association (which had sponsored wrestling, but no longer does so ) for Conference USA (which has never sponsored the sport). Old Dominion discontinued wrestling in April 2020. On July 1, 2013, Florida Atlantic's men's soccer program moved with

7670-693: The current full member schools, the University at Buffalo , is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). All members of the MAC are classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity" except for the University at Buffalo, Kent State University , and Ohio University , which are classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". Member schools are also ranked nationally and globally by various groups, including U.S. News & World Report and Times Higher Education . The Mid-American Conference sponsors championship competition in 9 men's and 13 women's NCAA sanctioned sports, with women's lacrosse becoming

7788-446: The decline of the heavy manufacturing industry . At the heart of this transformation is the Pro Football Hall of Fame , with its multimillion-dollar "Hall of Fame Village" expansion project. This project has been complemented with significant investments by city leaders in urban redevelopment, which continued with the transformation of the Hotel Onesto into the Historic Onesto Lofts. Other urban renewal plans are underway, which include

7906-492: The early 1900s, including the Canton Terriers in the 1920s and 1930s. The Canton–Akron Indians were the AA affiliate of the major league Cleveland Indians for nine years, playing at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium until the team relocated north to Akron following the 1996 season. Two independent minor league teams, the Canton Crocodiles and the Canton Coyotes , both members of the Frontier League, called Munson Stadium home for several years afterward. The Crocodiles, who won

8024-583: The early 1920s. It formally organized in 1923, having previously consisted of two separate companies: the Dueber Watch Case Company and the Hampden Watch Company. In 1886, John Dueber, the owner of the Dueber Watch Case Company, purchased a controlling interest in the Hampden Watch Company. In 1888, he relocated the Hampden Watch Company from Springfield, Massachusetts and the Dueber Watch Case Company from Newport, Kentucky to Canton, Ohio. These two companies shared manufacturing facilities in Canton but remained two separate companies. The Dueber Watch Case Company and

8142-420: The edge of Ohio's Amish Country . As of the 2020 census , the population of Canton was 70,872, making Canton eighth among Ohio cities in population. It is the largest municipality in the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area , which includes all of Stark and Carroll counties, and was home to 401,574 residents in 2020. Founded in 1805 alongside the Middle and West Branches of Nimishillen Creek , Canton became

8260-452: The elements. As part of a statewide initiative, the remaining parts of the Rubber Bowl were demolished in mid-2023 after almost 15 years of abandonment. The movement to build a stadium in Akron began in 1939 when Akron Beacon Journal sports editor James Schlemmer and Akron Municipal Airport director Bain Fulton began a campaign asking patrons to donate $ 1 each. Later that year, the Works Progress Administration authorized construction of

8378-421: The era of the now-defunct Bowl Championship Series (BCS), one MAC team appeared in a BCS bowl game. In 2012 , NIU qualified by being ranked in the top 16 (15th) in the season's final BCS standings, and also higher than at least one champion of a conference that received an automatic berth in a BCS game. In the 2012 season, two such conference champions were ranked below NIU: Big East champion Louisville , who

8496-506: The exact location in the Hupmobile showroom where the NFL was created in 1920. On December 6, 1959, the Canton Repository , a local newspaper, called for city officials to lobby the National Football League to create a football hall of fame in the community. Canton officials formally proposed their city as site for the hall of fame in 1961. The NFL quickly agreed to the city's proposal. To help convince NFL officials to locate

8614-581: The first football-only member in conference history. Marshall and Central Florida left after the 2004–05 academic year, both joining Conference USA in all sports. In May 2005, the Temple Owls in Philadelphia signed a six-year contract with the MAC as a football-only school and began play in the East Division in 2007. The Louisville Cardinals were a MAC affiliate for field hockey for

8732-482: The forerunner of the modern National Football League , was founded in a Canton car dealership on September 17, 1920. The Canton Bulldogs were an NFL football team that played from 1920 to 1923, skipped the 1924 season, then played 1925 to 1926 before folding. Canton is the home of the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival, which includes a hot air balloon festival , ribs burn-off, fashion show, community parade, Sunday morning race, enshrinee dinner, and

8850-472: The game. Buffalo defeated the Zips 43-40 in four overtimes in front of a crowd of 18,516. For the Zips, it was both the first four-overtime game and the first overtime loss in school history. After the game, a special ceremony with current and former players and coaches was held to honor the 68-year history of the stadium. The Kent State Golden Flashes football team played select games in the Rubber Bowl during

8968-423: The hall of fame in Canton, city officials donated several acres of land on Canton's north side to the project. Local residents also raised almost $ 400,000 to help construct the hall of fame. The Pro Football Hall of Fame formally opened on September 7, 1963. Initially the museum consisted of two buildings, but in 1971, 1978, 1995, and 2013, the Pro Football Hall of Fame experienced several expansions. As of 2013,

9086-606: The high schools in Akron, as well as for Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) playoff games. The Rubber Bowl was also a regular performance venue: the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus gave its first performance since the Hartford circus fire on July 6, 1944. Music groups such as Black Sabbath , Simon & Garfunkel , Alice Cooper , Three Dog Night , and The Rolling Stones played there in

9204-593: The league championship in their inaugural season in 1997, moved to Washington, Pennsylvania, in 2002, and the Coyotes moved to Columbia, Missouri, in 2003, after just one season in Canton. Mid-American Conference The Mid-American Conference ( MAC ) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois . Nine of

9322-551: The many speeches at the park by other prominent historical figures, and honors the park's continued importance as a gathering place for the community. The Timken Company has been among the largest employers in Canton for nearly 100 years. In 1898, Henry Timken obtained a patent for the tapered roller bearing , and in 1899 incorporated as the Timken Roller Bearing Axle Company in St. Louis . In 1901,

9440-433: The men's semi-finals and championship regularly drawing large crowds at Quicken Loans Arena. In 2007, the MAC also announced a format change for both tournaments, bringing all twelve men's and women's teams to Cleveland. The MAC also co-hosted the 2007 Women's Final Four at Quicken Loans Arena after successfully hosting the 2006 NCAA Women's Basketball Regional at the same facility. On May 12, 2020, Steinbrecher announced

9558-607: The military and naval forces of the United States.” Debs' trial began on September 10, 1918, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio . On September 12, 1918, a jury found Debs guilty. He was sentenced to ten years in prison. On March 10, 1919, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of Debs' conviction in Debs v. United States . Debs began serving his prison sentence on April 13, 1919, and remained incarcerated until December 25, 1921, when he

9676-400: The museum consisted of five buildings, covering 118,000 square feet. Since its founding, over 10 million people have visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "Welcome to Canton" is the official way of saying congratulations to a new enshrinee. Canton is located at an elevation of 1,060 feet (323 m). Nimishillen Creek and its East, Middle and West Branches flow through the city. Canton

9794-417: The museum off-site to libraries, parochial schools, area public schools, five inner city schools and a school for students with behavioral disorders. The city's Arts District, located downtown, is the site of monthly First Friday arts celebrations. Canton has the main branch of Stark County District Library. Canton is home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame . The American Professional Football Association ,

9912-499: The newest sport in 2020–21. As of the 2024–25 school year, 16 schools are associate members for four sports. As the MAC is an FBS conference, its full members are subject to the NCAA requirement that FBS members field teams in at least 16 NCAA-recognized sports. However, as of 2017, the MAC itself required sponsorship of only four sports: football, men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball. This may have since changed, as UMass

10030-727: The number one high school football venue in America by the Sporting News in 2002. This may be partly attributable to the Bulldogs' rivalry with the nearby Massillon Washington High School Tigers . All seven of the Ohio High School Athletic Association state final football games are hosted in Canton at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The Canton Legends played in the American Indoor Football Association at

10148-513: The other 2 teams in its pod every season. Additionally, every team in the MAC will be guaranteed to face every other team in the MAC at least once every three years. The MAC Football Championship Game , which previously matched the winner of the East Division against the winner of the West Division, will instead pit the two teams in the MAC with the highest conference winning percentage. The pods are as follows: Bowl games In 2017,

10266-405: The population. There were 32,489 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were married couples living together, 19.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

10384-423: The press box, locker rooms, and concession areas, along with new scoreboards and seating. The company announced plans to acquire a USFL franchise; the team was planned to be named the Akron Fire, but in July 2013 it was announced that the league's plans no longer included the Akron team. Team1 announced on April 17, 2014 that the stadium would instead be used as a multi-use entertainment facility and that it would have

10502-625: The redevelopment of the downtown Market Square area. Private investment has furthered Canton's transformation, which is illustrated by the multimillion-dollar creation of the Gervasi Vineyard, which draws patrons throughout the region. In furtherance of these development initiatives, Canton was one of the first cities in Ohio to create a "designated outdoor refreshment area" legalizing the possession and consumption of " open container " alcoholic beverages in its downtown area. According to Canton's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,

10620-544: The rest of its athletic program to Conference USA, and Chicago State's men's tennis team followed the rest of its sports to the Western Athletic Conference . The 2014–15 school year saw one affiliate member leave for another conference and two new affiliates join. The Hartwick men's soccer team left the MAC for the Sun Belt Conference , which had announced in February 2014 that it would reinstate men's soccer,

10738-582: The roadway to collapse. In 2023, the remainder of the stadium was demolished with the hillside portion of the stadium reinforced with concrete to form a retaining wall for the roadway above and transform the structure into a grassy hill. Canton, Ohio Canton ( / ˈ k æ n t ən / ) is a city in and the county seat of Stark County, Ohio , United States. It is located approximately 60 miles (97 km) south of Cleveland and 20 miles (32 km) south of Akron in Northeast Ohio on

10856-492: The roller bearing-producing part of the company was separated from the steel-producing part of the company, resulting in two separate companies. The Timken Company continues to manufacture roller bearings, while TimkenSteel produces steel. Today, TimkenSteel remains headquartered in Canton and employs 2,800 people, most of them in Northeast Ohio. The company makes special bar quality steel, used in applications all over

10974-399: The seventh women's lacrosse member when it added the sport in the 2022 season. At the end of the 2022 season, the MAC discontinued men's soccer as a sponsored sport. While the conference realignment of the early 2020s did not affect the MAC's core membership up to that time, it significantly impacted the amount of men's soccer sponsoring programs within the conference, and ultimately led to

11092-535: The so-called "New Year's Six" bowl games associated with the College Football Playoff under either of the following circumstances: The first "Access Bowl" berth in 2014 went to Boise State (MW); the 2015 berth went to Houston (American). The MAC got its first berth in 2016 with Western Michigan, who had an undefeated regular season that year and finished ranked at No. 15 in the AP Poll . During

11210-403: The stadium, which included their first-ever appearance on ESPN in 1986. Other notable games include the highest-scoring game in the stadium's history, a 65–62 victory over Eastern Michigan in 2001, as well as a 65–7 Akron victory over Howard University in 2003. In 2005, the Zips clinched their first Mid-American Conference East Division title and spot in the 2005 MAC Championship Game with

11328-576: The street name (e.g. Tuscarawas St W, 55th Street NE). Typically within the city numbered streets run east and west and radiate from the Tuscarawas Street baseline, while named avenues run north and south. The Ridgewood Historic District is a historic residential neighborhood in Canton that, due to its architectural significance, was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on December 19, 1982. The neighborhood consists of preserved, architect-designed Revival style buildings of

11446-435: The structure. Akron announced on September 22, 2017 that the stadium would be demolished. Demolition began in 2018 with the scoreboard and the western portion of the stadium closest to Derby Downs, which included the press box, being razed, while the east and south tiers, which are built into the adjacent hill, remaining. The portion built into the hillside supported George Washington Boulevard, and removal could potentially cause

11564-645: The suburbs. The majority of the Canton area's "box store" retail is located in the general vicinity of the Belden Village Mall in Jackson Township . However, the 2010s saw the downtown area bringing in new cafes, restaurants, and the establishment of an arts district. A few retail centers remain in Canton at or near the city limits. Tuscarawas Street (Lincoln Way), a leg of the Lincoln Highway connecting Canton with nearby Massillon ,

11682-830: The ten-year lease ended. The Canton Invaders of the National Professional Soccer League II and American Indoor Soccer Association played home games at the Canton Memorial Civic Center from 1984 until 1996, winning five league championships. In 2009, the Ohio Vortex became an expansion team in the Professional Arena Soccer League . Operations have since been suspended. Canton has been home to professional baseball on several occasions. A number of minor league teams called Canton home in

11800-483: The tenuous future of CUSA at that time, West Virginia opted instead to join the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) in 2022 as that league reinstated men's soccer. Georgia Southern and Georgia State, both full SBC members, also returned men's soccer to their home conference in 2022. In response, the MAC announced that Chicago State would join as a men's soccer affiliate as of the 2022–23 season, as the Cougars prepared to depart

11918-497: The top employers in the city are: The Canton Museum of Art , founded in 1935, is a broad-based community arts organization designed to encourage and promote the fine arts in Canton. The museum focuses on 19th- and 20th-century American artists, specifically works on paper, and on American ceramics , beginning in the 1950s. The museum sponsors annual shows of work of high school students in Canton and Stark County, and financial scholarships are awarded. Educational outreach programs take

12036-650: The trophy 4 times. Western Michigan has won the trophy three straight years (2018–2020) as well as six of seven years from 2014 to 2020 (2014–2016, 2018–2020). In August 2010, Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher and the Cleveland Cavaliers announced that the Mid-American Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments would remain in Cleveland at the venue then known as Quicken Loans Arena and now as Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse through 2017. Both tournaments have flourished since moving to Cleveland in 2000, with

12154-642: The twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan , with single members located in Illinois, Indiana , and New York . For football , the MAC participates in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision . The MAC is headquartered in the Public Square district in downtown Cleveland, Ohio , and has two members in the nearby Akron area . The conference ranks highest among all ten NCAA Division I FBS conferences for graduation rates. The five charter members of

12272-544: The university could not continue under the present setup..." The membership was steady for the next two decades except for the addition of Marshall University in 1954 and the departure of Western Reserve in 1955. Marshall was expelled from the conference in 1969 due to NCAA violations. The first major expansion since the 1950s took place in the mid-1970s with the addition of Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University in 1972 and Ball State University and Northern Illinois University in 1973. NIU left after

12390-420: The world. The Timken Co. is now headquartered in Jackson Township , a suburb of Canton, and employs 14,000 people around the world. The company designs, engineers, manufactures and sells bearings, transmissions, gearboxes, chain and related products, and offers a spectrum of power system rebuild and repair services around the globe. The Dueber-Hampden Watch Company was an important employer in Canton during

12508-412: Was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.04. In the city the age distribution of the population shows 26.6% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males. The median income for

12626-503: Was accepted as a new conference member effective in 2025 despite not sponsoring women's volleyball. Future members in gray. Future member in gray. Notes: On November 30, 2023, the MAC approved a new scheduling format for football effective for the 2024 season, eliminating its East and West Divisions for the first time since 1996 in favor of a pod-based protected rivalry system. Under the new system, teams will be divided into 4 pods of 3 teams each, and each team will be guaranteed to face

12744-506: Was also chosen as the site of the First Ladies National Historic Site largely in honor of his wife, Ida Saxton McKinley . Starting in the mid-2010s, Canton began experiencing an urban renaissance, anchored by a growing arts district centrally located in the downtown area. Several historic buildings have been rehabilitated and converted into upscale lofts, attracting hundreds of new downtown residents into

12862-604: Was announced that the UMass Minutemen and Minutewomen will join the conference as a full member beginning in 2025, returning UMass football to the MAC. In July, the conference announced that it would begin sponsoring women's rowing for the 2025–26 season; full members Eastern Michigan, Toledo, and UMass would be joined by affiliate members Delaware, High Point, and Temple. There are twelve public universities with full membership: Sixteen schools have MAC affiliate membership status as of 2024. On July 1, 2012, Temple joined

12980-421: Was condemned in 2017, and partial demolition began on June 20, 2018. By 2020, the south and east tiers, built into the hillside, remained, along with their respective ticket booths, though all wound up in a dilapidated state from damage caused by vandals and weathering. Most of the artificial turf field, last used in 2008, also remained in place during that time, though it had also been heavily damaged by vandals and

13098-532: Was held in Canton in November 1977 and was called the Ohio Regional Women's Physique Championship. For 10 seasons, Canton was home to an NBA G League team, the Canton Charge , which started play with the 2011–12 season and home games at the Canton Memorial Civic Center . The Cleveland Cavaliers had full control over the franchise and relocated the franchise in to Cleveland in 2021 when

13216-444: Was invited to become an affiliate member in both men's soccer and wrestling in 2018. When Buffalo suddenly dropped four sports, including men's soccer, SIUE's move in that sport was made immediately. The UMass Minutemen joined the MAC as a football-only member in July 2012; the university announced that the team would leave the MAC at the end of the 2015 season due to contractual issues. Meanwhile, Temple ended its affiliation with

13334-465: Was not renewed by the MAC in 2015. Nine schools are wrestling affiliates; most became affiliates when the MAC absorbed the former Eastern Wrestling League in 2019. Appalachian State University and Longwood University are associates in field hockey; Missouri State had also been a member in that sport from 2005 until dropping field hockey after the 2016 season. Binghamton University is an affiliate in men's tennis. In June 2017, SIU Edwardsville (SIUE)

13452-503: Was prosecuting attorney of Stark County from 1869 to 1871. The city was his home during his successful campaign for Ohio governor, the site of his front-porch presidential campaign of 1896 and the campaign of 1900 . Canton is now the site of the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum and the McKinley National Memorial , dedicated in 1907. President McKinley's impact on Canton as his adopted home

13570-630: Was ranked 22nd, and Big Ten champion Wisconsin , who was unranked. NIU lost to Florida State in the Orange Bowl . Football rivalries involving MAC teams include: In addition, Central Michigan , Eastern Michigan , and Western Michigan compete for the Michigan MAC Trophy , which is awarded to the team with the best head-to-head record each year. Since the inception of the trophy in 2005, Western Michigan has won 7 times, Central Michigan has won 5 times, and Eastern Michigan has won

13688-483: Was released after President Warren Harding commuted his sentence to time served. The U.S. Supreme Court's decision affirming Debs' conviction was sharply criticized by legal scholars at the time and is generally regarded as a low point in First Amendment jurisprudence. The lead author of the opinion, progressive Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes , later changed course that same term and authored

13806-453: Was rescheduled to another location "due to concerns about the dilapidated stadium". On April 5, 2017 the County of Summit foreclosed on the stadium with plans to allow Team1 to lease the stadium and repurpose it for mixed use entertainment. Team1 gave up the deed on August 29, 2017 allowing the city of Akron to become full-time owners after Team1 announced that they failed to attract attention to

13924-541: Was set on January 19, 1994. Canton's street layout forms the basis for the system of addresses in Stark County. Canton proper is divided into address quadrants (NW, NE, SW, SE) by Tuscarawas Street (dividing N and S) and Market Avenue (dividing E and W). Due to shifts in the street layout, the E–W divider becomes Cleveland Avenue south of the city, merging onto Ridge Road farther out. The directionals are noted as suffixes to

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