Wichita State Emerges As Potential Basketball Only Add To AAC (Officially Official)
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UConnDan97
predicting undefeated seasons since 1983
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If Nova and GTown were both serious in upgrading their football, they would make much more sense. Nova was at one point in time serious about it anyways. They would both bring very strong olympic sport brands and natural rivals for us and others (temple, etc.). The fact that they would be lower-tier football teams would likely only be temporary.
Wichita State, while seemingly bringing a very good bball team, would not bring anything else in a bball-only move, and they are one bad season from becoming Tulsa as others have mentioned.
Finally, they don't fit the Aresco large market model, which was supposed to be the driver behind the next tv contract. It makes us better in bball, but only temporarily...
shizzle787
King Shizzle DCCLXXXVII of the Cesspool
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Although the idea of bringing Nova and Georgetown into the fold sounds sexy, what if they get good enough at football that they get invites to the B1G or ACC instead of us?
UConnDan97
predicting undefeated seasons since 1983
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You are talking about an 8 to 10 year look out. I can't even predict how many conferences there will be in that time-frame, much less who will be in them. And if we can't get our $#it together in another decade of football, we probably don't deserve the invite anyways...
shizzle787
King Shizzle DCCLXXXVII of the Cesspool
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Hopefully, the dirty ACC rumor turns out to be true and we don't have to worry about any of this.
Drew
Its a post, about nothing!
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Sources: A Wichita State move to AAC grows more likely
The possibility of Wichita State joining the American Athletic Conference has been discussed at the presidential level and is seen as increasingly likely, according to several sources in college athletics who recently spoke on the topic on the condition of anonymity.
A source directly connected to AAC members described Wichita State’s candidacy as strong and expectations among many schools are that the Shockers will be added. Another source involved in college athletics termed it “almost inevitable.”
A timetable is unclear for the possible addition of the Shockers, who would join the AAC for all of its current sports and give the conference a 12th basketball member.
Nine of the conference’s 12 members (football-only Navy will vote) are required to approve a new member. A vote could happen at spring meetings or by conference call.
No American or Wichita State officials have publicly confirmed the possibility of expansion.
People at American schools, Wichita State and the Missouri Valley Conference routinely decline comment on the matter because of the sensitivity of the expansion topic.
The American is, perhaps, interested in the addition to strengthen its basketball product and balance the schedule with a 12th school. Wichita State is looking for a home for athletics that would provide its powerful men’s basketball program a bigger stage and better opponents. WSU also wants to be aligned with higher-profile schools that are more similar to it in location and academic mission than the MVC’s mix of four private and five other public schools, all located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri.
National media reports add to the growing mood that Wichita State is well down the road to leave the MVC for the American.
The possibility of Wichita State joining the American Athletic Conference has been discussed at the presidential level and is seen as increasingly likely, according to several sources in college athletics who recently spoke on the topic on the condition of anonymity.
A source directly connected to AAC members described Wichita State’s candidacy as strong and expectations among many schools are that the Shockers will be added. Another source involved in college athletics termed it “almost inevitable.”
A timetable is unclear for the possible addition of the Shockers, who would join the AAC for all of its current sports and give the conference a 12th basketball member.
Nine of the conference’s 12 members (football-only Navy will vote) are required to approve a new member. A vote could happen at spring meetings or by conference call.
No American or Wichita State officials have publicly confirmed the possibility of expansion.
People at American schools, Wichita State and the Missouri Valley Conference routinely decline comment on the matter because of the sensitivity of the expansion topic.
The American is, perhaps, interested in the addition to strengthen its basketball product and balance the schedule with a 12th school. Wichita State is looking for a home for athletics that would provide its powerful men’s basketball program a bigger stage and better opponents. WSU also wants to be aligned with higher-profile schools that are more similar to it in location and academic mission than the MVC’s mix of four private and five other public schools, all located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri.
National media reports add to the growing mood that Wichita State is well down the road to leave the MVC for the American.
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Exit 4
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The AAC doesn't have any money to share and its probably likely our media partners have no interest what so ever in a move to add a school.
Yes, I'm being a downer on purpose...why cheer for any of this lower school stepping up to join the ACC?
The only lesser schools that interest me are the Mtnwest Conf schools and BYU.
Yes, I'm being a downer on purpose...why cheer for any of this lower school stepping up to join the ACC?
The only lesser schools that interest me are the Mtnwest Conf schools and BYU.
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I'm definitely in favor. Obviously does nothing for football, but it does strengthen our conference on the basketball side making it more tolerable the longer we're here.
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I haven't been one of the biggest supporters of UConn to the Big East, but this move would change that in a hurry.
Wichita State is a nothing addition.
Wichita State is a nothing addition.
Fishy
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Anyone who gets excited about this one way or the other just is not paying attention.
Is Wichita a good addition? No. Are they a bad addition? No.
It doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter that they are a small market because the American has no way to monetize a larger market. It doesn't matter if they're one more mouth to feed; the difference per team is meaningless.
There is no one else out there. If Wichita joins and they earn some NCAA credits fine. If they don't, they'll fit right in. At least we'll play in a full building for a change.
But in the end, it doesn't matter. It won't affect anything.
Is Wichita a good addition? No. Are they a bad addition? No.
It doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter that they are a small market because the American has no way to monetize a larger market. It doesn't matter if they're one more mouth to feed; the difference per team is meaningless.
There is no one else out there. If Wichita joins and they earn some NCAA credits fine. If they don't, they'll fit right in. At least we'll play in a full building for a change.
But in the end, it doesn't matter. It won't affect anything.
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Everything is a nothing addition in this league. I mean .
The run down in this conference is basically this:
The good basketball schools are a burden to the good football schools.
The good football schools are a burden to the good basketball schools.
All of whom will make a half-ass commitment to beefing up their weaker programs - but with the lack of exposure, it's a pipe dream. A fruitless, expensive, stupid pipe dream.
I mean I laugh my face off reading people being down on adding Wichita State because their coach will leave and they'll be nothing. WTF do you think your football program is? Valuable? A desired destination by denziens of accomplished, grizzled pros? No. It's a place for P5 cast off coaches to settle in for a while before getting an undeserved second crack or for up and coming coaches to take a coffee break before taking a P5 job. That's this whole conference in the two major sports. That's just the reality of all of it. Does anyone honestly think that South Florida or UCF is sitting there saying to themselves 'UH OH UCONN HIRED RANDY EDSALL, HERE THEY COME.' Of course they're not! And travel expenses? I'm sure the entire rest of the conference - mostly nestled in the Midwest and South - LOVE sending their olympic sports all the way to butt-fk Connecticut for women's diving. We're the biggest burden on anyone in this conference in that regard.
So i'm just tired of hearing it. If this makes basketball a little more enjoyable for the short period of time between us being here and leaving here - wherever that leads - whether that's a pipe-dreamy P5 bid which I don't think is ever going to happen or the more likely 'we let football float into space' while heading to the new Big East... then fine. I'll live with it.
The run down in this conference is basically this:
The good basketball schools are a burden to the good football schools.
The good football schools are a burden to the good basketball schools.
All of whom will make a half-ass commitment to beefing up their weaker programs - but with the lack of exposure, it's a pipe dream. A fruitless, expensive, stupid pipe dream.
I mean I laugh my face off reading people being down on adding Wichita State because their coach will leave and they'll be nothing. WTF do you think your football program is? Valuable? A desired destination by denziens of accomplished, grizzled pros? No. It's a place for P5 cast off coaches to settle in for a while before getting an undeserved second crack or for up and coming coaches to take a coffee break before taking a P5 job. That's this whole conference in the two major sports. That's just the reality of all of it. Does anyone honestly think that South Florida or UCF is sitting there saying to themselves 'UH OH UCONN HIRED RANDY EDSALL, HERE THEY COME.' Of course they're not! And travel expenses? I'm sure the entire rest of the conference - mostly nestled in the Midwest and South - LOVE sending their olympic sports all the way to butt-fk Connecticut for women's diving. We're the biggest burden on anyone in this conference in that regard.
So i'm just tired of hearing it. If this makes basketball a little more enjoyable for the short period of time between us being here and leaving here - wherever that leads - whether that's a pipe-dreamy P5 bid which I don't think is ever going to happen or the more likely 'we let football float into space' while heading to the new Big East... then fine. I'll live with it.
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It seems extremely short sighted. What happens when Marshall leaves? More dead weight in the conference? More mouths to feed? I don't get it.
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Nothing matters
I'm not sure anyone chimed in on this the first time- would VCU be a better addition than Wichita St? Bigger market, the market has more wealth so more tickets sold etc, bigger school, bigger endowment, better academically (US News has VCU top 200 while Wichita St is unranked), keeps the conference from becoming too midwestern-heavy.
That may be a good point from the perspective of the other members of the conference but for UConn the short term is more important than the long term right now. If they don't get into a power conference during this next realignment, they may very well be out of a power conference for good. That could also be cause for re-evaluating the football program as a whole and whether we want/can afford to be an FBS school, in which case we would bolt the American for another conference like the Big East anyway. Thus, in UConn's case, this is a good time to take a gamble that has short-term benefits.
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Before we jump in without thinking and add Wichita State, I think we need to assess all possible additions.
There might be some other schools that have football that might be interested in joining just in basketball. We might want to consider UMass. They have been wanting to join a long time. And let's not forget East Carolina. We are always hearing East Carolina whining about finally getting their chance to join. We could bring in East Carolina in basketball only. Then, in a few years, after schools leave or get kicked out (Temple), we might add East Carolina as a full member. It would be a good deal for a school like East Carolina because they would just need to bide their time and eventually they might get to be a full-fledged member.
There might be some other schools that have football that might be interested in joining just in basketball. We might want to consider UMass. They have been wanting to join a long time. And let's not forget East Carolina. We are always hearing East Carolina whining about finally getting their chance to join. We could bring in East Carolina in basketball only. Then, in a few years, after schools leave or get kicked out (Temple), we might add East Carolina as a full member. It would be a good deal for a school like East Carolina because they would just need to bide their time and eventually they might get to be a full-fledged member.
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2/10
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Chin Diesel
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going
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How Shakespearean of you.
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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WTF! Thanks for your interest in UCONN Sports!
Waquoit
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Not for UConn. It will make it tougher to poach their players.
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If you're claiming that UConn and East Carolina are equivalents, you're just wrong. Market size and athletic department budget is enough to end the conversation. Also, not sure you're aware but Edsall manufactured a successful football team for a while. Who says he can't do it again? Go ahead and add Wichita State, I don't care. But don't pretend like every school in this conference has something to offer. The second UConn or Cincinnati leave, the conference is officially dead. Imagine how much ESPN or FOX will pay to broadcast those games!
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From Dom: Down the road, it could get more interesting: WSU does not play football, and could be a jigsaw fit with UConn — if the Huskies were to change their stated course and pursue a return to their old conference, the Big East. With the hiring of Randy Edsall as coach, UConn is committed to building its football brand, and without an invitation to one of the Power Five conferences, the Huskies best football course is to remain in the American. But if Wichita State, or another non-football school such as Dayton or Virginia Commonwealth, were to join the AAC, UConn could leave its football where it is and move its other programs without leaving the AAC short of participating schools. The conference would have to accept that, but adding a basketball school or two could make for more favorable exit negotiations.
If that's the case. All for this move. Otherwise, big no.
CL82
James Breeding sucks
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Conspiracy Kitty says:
My god you people are so bad at reading tea leaves, I ought to be paid for teaching remedial classes.
What was the biggest impediment to UConn moving to the conference calling itself the the Big East? A place to put football. What does Wichita State as a BBO bring to the AAC? Its decent basketball takes away the sting from the loss of UConn basketball for AAC while still leaving our football slot open. Wichita State upgrades it hoops. UConn gets games back with regional opponents with name recognition (e.g., Georgetown, Nova and Seton Hall), gets its tier 3 rights back (which are worth more than than our share of the NBE tv deal) and gets a conference RPI boost. The NBE gets a marquee opponent and ratings bump that will help it in it's next deal. AAC keeps UConn for football and gets a decent hoops school that better fits the conference.
Seem obvious now? You're welcome.
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4in16
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Would it be for 17-18 or 18-19?
BUConn10
Artist formerly known as BUHusky10
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Was not informed of that aspect, but I highly doubt everything is ready for this coming season, both on the AAC's end and WSU with the MVC, my money is on official announcement by year's end and with official entry the following year.
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