Plan C?

[NYUConn]

I can agree on all that... but why wouldn't the American want to get back to 12, and pick up some quality football in the process? Ok, fine, grab BYU and Boise State, and maybe Colorado State. Raid the Mtn. West instead of the MAC or C-USA. I mean at this point these confrence (Group of 5) should just all merge anyway. Create one big non-P5 conference. Have its own "playoff".

For starters, we don't NEED to get to 12. We can have a CCG at 10 and staying at that number increases the TV $$$ payout per school.

The problem with Southern Miss and Marshall is that you are basically adding two more ECU's. Football programs that may crack the Top 25 two or three times a decade and have a good following, but are in a dead media market and will be an absolute pain and the behind to get to travel wise for Olympic sports, while being RPI poison in basketball.

BYU, Boise State and Colorado State are the only G5 programs on the table not in the American that move the needle at all in terms of Football. CSU gets you into a new, lucrative market, BYU has a strong national following and Boise State strengthens you as a football conference more than anyone else.

Adding any schools that aren't BYU, Boise State or Colorado State should be a non-starter if The American loses schools.

 

[TRest]

For starters, we don't NEED to get to 12. We can have a CCG at 10 and staying at that number increases the TV $$$ payout per school.

The problem with Southern Miss and Marshall is that you are basically adding two more ECU's. Football programs that may crack the Top 25 two or three times a decade and have a good following, but are in a dead media market and will be an absolute pain and the behind to get to travel wise for Olympic sports, while being RPI poison in basketball.

BYU, Boise State and Colorado State are the only G5 programs on the table not in the American that move the needle at all in terms of Football. CSU gets you into a new, lucrative market, BYU has a strong national following and Boise State strengthens you as a football conference more than anyone else.

Adding any schools that aren't BYU, Boise State or Colorado State should be a non-starter if The American loses schools.

The only way we are getting any of the good Western schools is with an increased payday. Marshall and USM are raising the white flag and coming full circle on CUSA. At that point I would get behind the nelson plan for mothballing football for a better all-sports conference.

 

[D/$$$]

The only way we are getting any of the good Western schools is with an increased payday. Marshall and USM are raising the white flag and coming full circle on CUSA. At that point I would get behind the nelson plan for mothballing football for a better all-sports conference.

I used to be of that opinion. But not anymore. The landscape will be much different when these GOR's expire (or sooner). If we can hold out (we can) and improve the program even marginally, our strengths will be well suited in the post-ESPN world. We should stick it out one way or the other.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I say if we lose out this round on CR and don't make the Big 12 (and let's say they take Houston and Cincy from the AAC), we stay the course in the AAC and wait for further Big 12 expansion or (more likely) ACC or B1G moves... Get Aresco and the AAC to go get 2 nasty football and mildly competitive schools in MBB... My picks right now would be: 1. Southern Mississippi 2. Marshall

The MAC schools all are smaller in terms of stadium size, fanbase, and recruiting territories. Southern Miss while is on a down slope in terms of FB success recently, has a larger stadium (36,000), good fanbase, and decent recruiting area in the south. Marshall has been good recently and makes geographic sense as well. Their stadium seats 38,227.

After that, if the AAC wanted to expand to the west I think you look at Colorado State (they will open their new 45K seat stadium soon), and maybe Air Force? There's also always Army here in the Northeast to look at too- maybe they become a FB-only add like Navy is?

If you add a Southern Miss and Marshall UConn and possibly Memphis would be forced out or stay as football only schools.
Unless you can pry an BYU, or some other MW for FB only ot NM for all sports you you stay at 10
Football only and BB only schools might keep the AAC credible
AAC worth will be directly proportional to UConn football success

 

[UconnAlum04]

Plan C......wire hanger?

 

[Exit 4]

For starters, we don't NEED to get to 12. We can have a CCG at 10 and staying at that number increases the TV $$$ payout per school.

The problem with Southern Miss and Marshall is that you are basically adding two more ECU's. Football programs that may crack the Top 25 two or three times a decade and have a good following, but are in a dead media market and will be an absolute pain and the behind to get to travel wise for Olympic sports, while being RPI poison in basketball.

BYU, Boise State and Colorado State are the only G5 programs on the table not in the American that move the needle at all in terms of Football. CSU gets you into a new, lucrative market, BYU has a strong national following and Boise State strengthens you as a football conference more than anyone else.

Adding any schools that aren't BYU, Boise State or Colorado State should be a non-starter if The American loses schools.

I agree...but I expect UMass to lobby hard for a seat after two schools leave. UMass can have our seat, but not until we leave. Until then, stay at 10 unless BYU, CSU or Boise want to join is which isn't too likely.

 

[Redding Husky]

East

UConn
Army
Temple
ECU
UCF
USF
Memphis

West

Colorado State
Navy
Air Force
BYU
Fresno
SDSU
Boise

 

[Adios]

Don't forget Hawaii and Moscow State.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

East

UConn
Army
Temple
ECU
UCF
USF
Memphis

West

Colorado State
Navy
Air Force
BYU
Fresno
SDSU
Boise

As good a G5 football conference as possible but basketball is questionable and travel is crazy.
Why wouldn't Memphis switch with Navy ?

 

[Alum86]

Nobody. No--buddy.
I hate this thread. As if "travel" matters.

 

[UCFBfan]

For starters, we don't NEED to get to 12. We can have a CCG at 10 and staying at that number increases the TV $$$ payout per school.

If I recall correctly, if UC and Houston leAve, then there is no tv contract left to share. Can't ESPN then renegotiate or do something crazy like that if one of UC, UH, Temple, or us leave? Isn't that the rumor is fact out there? Not saying adding 2 more schools saves that contract because UMass or any CUSA crap school we add is not going to save that deal.

Let's face it, it's either we go to the Big 12 or the Big 12 does nothing. Any other option is pretty bleak for us.....

 

[A10 fan]

The league would have been better off with 10 schools to begin with. Tulane offers nothing. That would be a 10 team league, where 5 of the schools really have a strong basketball history, one recently strong program in SMU, a solid filler type program in Tulsa, and 3 weaklings. That's a pretty good mix, considering that Houston is finally taking hoops seriously again, and that Memphis actually has hired a real coach. That could actually be a very strong league if the B12 stands pat. Tulane just adds two worthless games to the schedule, that could be replaced by good ooc opponents. I'll never understand why they were added in the first place. It was their addition that sent the C5 running for the door.

 

[Drew]

The reason you want 12 teams for football is because 10 teams means 9 conference games and only 3 OOC games. Most AD's want 1 or 2 pay games as they can range from $750k-$1m+ per game. Plus its more inventory for the networks. I could easily see ESPN trying to encourage Air Force and Army to join the AAC. Best of both worlds. If not its gonna have to be 2 more all sports adds, which I think encourages us to look at certain markets and schools depending on who it is leaves for the XII

Ultimately I don't even know if the XII is going to expand so this whole thing could be moot.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

The league would have been better off with 10 schools to begin with. Tulane offers nothing. That would be a 10 team league, where 5 of the schools really have a strong basketball history, one recently strong program in SMU, a solid filler type program in Tulsa, and 3 weaklings. That's a pretty good mix, considering that Houston is finally taking hoops seriously again, and that Memphis actually has hired a real coach. That could actually be a very strong league if the B12 stands pat. Tulane just adds two worthless games to the schedule, that could be replaced by good ooc opponents. I'll never understand why they were added in the first place. It was their addition that sent the C5 running for the door.

I didn't buy the C7 reason then and I still don't buy it now,as they had the veto power. There were only four. Football schools with a vote. I don't think UConn or Cinn were too excited about Tulane. The C7 was negotiating s separate deal behind the back of thrir own commissioner as soon a Cuse announced. Tulane was a confident excuse I agree it was a bad.add though.

 

[bobbyinaz]

At the time conferences were required to have 12 teams in order to have a CCG. It was only last year that the P5 passed the rule allowing for 10 team conferences to have a CCG.

While the CCG brought no additional money to the AAC having a CCG was/is crucial to having a shot at a New Years 6 bowl game. The chances of having the AAC champ be the G5 representative without a CCG was/are very slim

 

[NYUConn]

If I recall correctly, if UC and Houston leAve, then there is no tv contract left to share. Can't ESPN then renegotiate or do something crazy like that if one of UC, UH, Temple, or us leave? Isn't that the rumor is fact out there? Not saying adding 2 more schools saves that contract because UMass or any CUSA crap school we add is not going to save that deal.

Let's face it, it's either we go to the Big 12 or the Big 12 does nothing. Any other option is pretty bleak for us.....

I was trying to remember the teams that triggered the null and void clause in the tv deal. I know that UConn, Cincy and Temple were there but not sure of the 4th was Houston or one of the Florida schools. Either way it's 2 of them and as a result if the current deal blows up, then we could possibly get our t3 rights back which would either way result in more money for UConn in a 10 team league.

 

[Fishy]

If two tier A schools leave - UConn, Cincy, Temple, Houston - the contract can be terminated.

If a tier A and a tier B school leave, same deal.

If two tier B schools leave, the contract can be renegotiated.

It'll be a circus.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I was trying to remember the teams that triggered the null and void clause in the tv deal. I know that UConn, Cincy and Temple were there but not sure of the 4th was Houston or one of the Florida schools. Either way it's 2 of them and as a result if the current deal blows up, then we could possibly get our t3 rights back which would either way result in more money for UConn in a 10 team league.

UCONN would be better off with no AAC TV contract and the schools selling their own media rights.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

UCONN would be better off with no AAC TV contract and the schools selling their own media rights.

Exactly. UConn is better off trying to get into a conference and keep its own T3 rights. That's why a nationwide conference for football only with teams like BYU, Navy, Air Force, and Army make sense since these are all teams that already are parking other sports in other conferences. Besides, these are all academic strong schools with pretty decent football.

 

[SixRings]

Why would BYU want to be in the AAC? Don't they already make more from their tv deal? Would the AAC really want BYU and their unethical baggage?

 

[whalerfan]

Don't forget Hawaii and Moscow State.

I'm not sure about Moscow State. The Comrades had some serious PED issues recently. They may be ineligible for any conference play.

 

[Redding Husky]

As good a G5 football conference as possible but basketball is questionable and travel is crazy.
Why wouldn't Memphis switch with Navy ?

Navy wants to be in the west. It's part of their marketing. And San Diego has a huge naval base.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Exactly. UConn is better off trying to get into a conference and keep its own T3 rights. That's why a nationwide conference for football only with teams like BYU, Navy, Air Force, and Army make sense since these are all teams that already are parking other sports in other conferences. Besides, these are all academic strong schools with pretty decent football.

I actually think the AAC as a whole would be better off doing that. I think the conference members as a whole could make more money selling their content regionally than they could by selling it as a conference to ESPN.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

I actually think the AAC as a whole would be better off doing that. I think the conference members as a whole could make more money selling their content regionally than they could by selling it as a conference to ESPN.

I agree. If we stay in the AAC, we better keep our T3 rights. ESPN is paying nothing. I don't think it will be hard to find someone who will pay more than $2m per team for media rights.