Who Would the AAC Steal?

[PromoTheRobot]

On 9/7/2021 at 11:37 AM, That's No Moon said:

That's not how that works and you know that. It's about getting the game televised in that market. The Big 10 couldn't care less if anyone in NYC actually cares about Rutgers. It is a vehicle for their other schools to show recruits that they will be on TV in their home area. It's also a way to pump up the TV contract knowing that the largest market in the country is within the broadcast area. It's why they will never kick Northwestern out even though Northwestern isn't like any of the other Big10 schools. It's the Chicago market.

 

At least one guy thinks Buffalo is a fit for basketball, but he mentions football too.

 

https://bustingbrackets.com/2021/09/07/aac-basketball-examining-8-potential-candidates-for-expansion/3/

Edited September 8, 2021 by PromoTheRobot

[That's No Moon]

5 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

At least one guy thinks Buffalo is a fit for basketball, but he mentions football too.

 

https://bustingbrackets.com/2021/09/07/aac-basketball-examining-8-potential-candidates-for-expansion/3/

Basketball yeah they could be but football pays all the bills and that's what will drive that train. If they dropped football they could go to a bigger basketball conference right now.

[PromoTheRobot]

44 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

Basketball yeah they could be but football pays all the bills and that's what will drive that train. If they dropped football they could go to a bigger basketball conference right now.

 

That'll never happen. They are a big state school. They want the prestige.

[May Day 10]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/alabama-aside-college-football-appears-bunched-together-and-that-should-invite-common-sense-conference-realignment-202704848.html

 

This essentially has the MAC adding back Temple and UMass and adding UConn

[May Day 10]

there goes Houston, UCF, and Cincinnati

[Cynical]

33 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

there goes Houston, UCF, and Cincinnati

 

Once TX and OU leave the Big 12, shoudn't we start referring to the Big 12 as the new G6 conference?

[May Day 10]

Id say it is still pretty good. Its probably very close to the Pac 12 overall.  Losing Oklahoma hurts bad... and while Texas is probably a money-getter, their football program has been mediocre for more than a decade. 

[Cynical]

8 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

Id say it is still pretty good. Its probably very close to the Pac 12 overall.  Losing Oklahoma hurts bad... and while Texas is probably a money-getter, their football program has been mediocre for more than a decade. 

 

And that's the rub.

TX and OU were basically the TV money generators for that conference.

With them gone, who's left?

Okie State and WVU?

 

Sure, they will add Cincinnati, Salt Lake, Orlando, and retain the Houston markets, but I doubt those markets will be able to make up for the loss.

 

If IIRC, out of all the P5 conferences now, the Big 12 has the smallest TV deal.

 

And the Big 12 was not included in the new PAC 12, Big 10, and ACC alliance.

The Big 12 status as a "power" conference is going to take a massive hit.

 

IMO, once all the moves have been made, the new Big 12 is going to be on par with old Big East conference.

And we know how well that worked out.

 

 

 

[May Day 10]

It looks like the AAU is taking  Florida Atlantic, Charlotte, North Texas, UTSA, Rice and UAB.  

 

You can clearly see the direction they intended on going there.

 

 

This move wouldnt have made sense for either the AAU or Buffalo, unless the AAU made some sort of committment to the NE/Mid West with their expansion, which wasnt happening.  

 

[frostbitmic]

I'd like to see a city name conference of 10 teams for football and basketball...

 

Buffalo

Syracuse

Boston College

Pitt

Cincinnati

Louisville

Houston

Memphis

Miami

Richmond ?  Toledo ?

 

Beats having 16 teams in the Big 12 and 14 teams in the Big 10 etc... I think it would build some great rivalries.

[That's No Moon]

On 9/7/2021 at 12:50 AM, That's No Moon said:

Rutgers in the Big10 has been an absolute disaster for Rutgers in terms of being competitive.  The Big10 wants them in because it gives them the NYC media market and, frankly, that's the only reason they are there. Rutgers has been a doormat the vast majority of their time in the conference because they haven't been able to compete at that level. They haven't been able to consistently recruit for squat and NJ gets raided for talent all the time.

 

One other thing we haven't spoken about a lot is what conferences are looking for when adding schools.  It's not always about the school or quality of competition they would bring, it's very often about what TV and media markets do those teams bring because that it what drives the big money for the conferences. I'm going to leave the Big 10 alone because it's not worth discussing any time soon. Let's stick with the AAC. They will lose Houston, Orlando, and Cincinnati.  That's, in order, the #8, #17, and #36 media markets in the US. Buffalo is #53.  That's a major downgrade when teams like UNC Charlotte (#22), UNLV (#40), Florida Atlantic (#18 and #39), Rice (#8), UT San Antonio (#31), San Diego St (#27), Air Force (#16 and #82 + a nationwide following to add to Navy), Army (#1 + a nationwide following to add to Navy) are all out there to be recruited. If you want to talk about an upcoming program who would be looking to move up who has made a MASSIVE commitment to athletics across the board recently it would be Liberty.  Their market size is smaller at #71 so, again, they wouldn't be top choice, but if they could snag UNC Charlotte to go along with them and add to East Carolina it would make a lot of sense.

Florida Atlantic, Charlotte, North Texas, UTSA, Rice and UAB have applied to join the AAC.  Calling 4 out of 6 ain't too shabby. I should have seen North Texas also (DFW area #5), UAB I didn't see given that they dropped football entirely not that long ago but Birmingham is the #44 market.

7 hours ago, May Day 10 said:

It looks like the AAU is taking  Florida Atlantic, Charlotte, North Texas, UTSA, Rice and UAB.  

 

You can clearly see the direction they intended on going there.

Yeah, media market access for TV contracts.  The smallest market added here is UAB at #44.

[May Day 10]

15 hours ago, frostbitmic said:

I'd like to see a city name conference of 10 teams for football and basketball...

 

Buffalo

Syracuse

Boston College

Pitt

Cincinnati

Louisville

Houston

Memphis

Miami

Richmond ?  Toledo ?

 

Beats having 16 teams in the Big 12 and 14 teams in the Big 10 etc... I think it would build some great rivalries.

 

I said it before, maybe another step down the line is some of the lower-tier power teams get bounced (or voluntarily leave) their conferences.

 

It would be really cool if we could see some sort of birth of a Big East type of conference that includes Buffalo.  Would be pretty strong, especially formidable in basketball, but not quite close to the SEC or Big10 (or ACC) in football

Buffalo, Syracuse, Pitt, BC, Rutgers, UConn, UMass, Temple, West Virginia, Army, Toledo?  Possibly some Basketball-onlies like Georgetown, St Johns, etc.

 

*I know there are 20 reasons this wont/cant happen now.  But let's see how everything shifts in the next decade.  10 years ago, I wouldnt believe the current Conference alignment exists.

[May Day 10]

CUSA getting raided now.  Could be down to 5 members

[PromoTheRobot]

I guess the ACC wants to be the new ACC or Sun Belt. No use for northern schools.