AAC possibly expanding with BB Only Schools...

[BigEastPhil]

A Kansas newspaper has reported that several prominent AAC Presidents recently approached Mike Aresco (AAC Commish) and gave him the go-ahead to expand the AAC so it's Basketball imprint becomes more prominent.

Specifically, the AAC is exploring the expansion of 3 BB only schools:

- Wichita State
- VCU
- Dayton

If the above occurs, I see it as a smart move for the AAC as it helps the strength of its BB; it appeases UConn and Cincy with improved competition and it basically kills off the A-10 as a competitor.

 

[bac2therac]

this would be a great move for them....I always thought the BE should have done this by taking in Wichita State and VCU. I wonder why the A10 also didnt look to poach Wichita State before...there really is no reason for the Shockers to stay in the Missouri Valley once Creighton bolted.

seems like the AAC is making a preemptive strike. This would solidfy this conference, possibly keep UConn from bolting and pretty regulate the A10 to CUSA/Colonial status as a top tier low major conference

 

[colbert17]

I long for the days when conferences were regional. Who pays for all these road trips half way across the country?? Does this come out of student activity fees?? I know athletic departments have their own seperate budgets but since most are far from self sustaining where does this $ come from??

 

[RJM_Go_RU]

Interesting. So if AAC is okay to have BB only schools, would the AAC be okay to have a football only school, allowing UCONN to move basketball and other sports to Big East?

 

[LotusAggressor]

This will not end well.

 

[megadrone]

Interesting. So if AAC is okay to have BB only schools, would the AAC be okay to have a football only school, allowing UCONN to move basketball and other sports to Big East?

It already has a football only school.

 

[RJM_Go_RU]

It already has a football only school.

Navy?

 

[megadrone]

Navy?

Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Navy is happy with other sports in the Patriot League; the American is happy with Navy football.

Finally, everyone goes home happy.

 

[ruman]

Interesting. So if AAC is okay to have BB only schools, would the AAC be okay to have a football only school, allowing UCONN to move basketball and other sports to Big East?

No they will not.

 

[32Mine]

There but for Jim Delany goes us.

 

[MADHAT1]

What doomed the ild Big East was Basketball schools dominating the waty the conference was run.
The AAC is going to wind up splitting apart like the BE did because the football school;s will decide their programs won't ever be treated fairly by the AAC's version of the Old BE's Providence gang.

 

[megadrone]

What doomed the ild Big East was Basketball schools dominating the waty the conference was run.
The AAC is going to wind up splitting apart like the BE did because the football school;s will decide their programs won't ever be treated fairly by the AAC's version of the Old BE's Providence gang.

Except you don't have one school dominating the commissioner's office like Providence College did in the Big East. While all of those schools would bolt if a P spot was available, realistically there may only ever be two slots to fill. For the other 9 schools in the American, their best bet is to stay together and continue developing both major products, and be the best of the rest. If the bottom of the basketball conference wasn't so God awful, it would already be the best of the rest.

They are close to P status in basketball -- don't let down years in Memphis, Temple and Connecticut fool you, that should be a 3 to 4 bid conference each year if the bottom of the conference was a wee bit stronger.

 

[ScarletDave]

I really don't like the idea of 1 sport conference deals if your current conference supports that sport ... like it's fine for Navy because Patriot League is not FBS, but Witchita would be playing in a different conference in 1 sport than the teams they play in all other sports, while that conference still exists in basketball? Don't like it. Also don't like the idea of the American and I think the NCAA should step in since all conferences are technically run like private businesses and force some reallignment between AAC/CUSA/Sun Belt and some other non-power conferences and make things more geographic.

 

[ScarletRunner]

What doomed the ild Big East was Basketball schools dominating the waty the conference was run.
The AAC is going to wind up splitting apart like the BE did because the football school;s will decide their programs won't ever be treated fairly by the AAC's version of the Old BE's Providence gang.

The old BE was like a wicker raft adrift at sea during the cataclysmic events that drove P5 conference expansion over the past 15 years. It was bound to break apart and - in retrospect - it is somewhat amazing it lasted as long as it did.

Fast forward to today... P5 expansion has died down, with only two plausible seismic events (B12 implosion and ND forgoing independence) left on the horizon. With few viable P5 contenders among its membership, the AAC would likely survive whatever limited changes are out there.

 

[RUfinal4]

If they can add these teams BE style for all sports but football it may make sense.

Wichita St and Tulsa could be a regional home and home rivalry
Cincy and Dayton could be a regional home and home rivalry
VCU and ECU could be a regional home and home rivalry

 

[Seton75]

this would be a great move for them....I always thought the BE should have done this by taking in Wichita State and VCU. I wonder why the A10 also didnt look to poach Wichita State before...there really is no reason for the Shockers to stay in the Missouri Valley once Creighton bolted.

seems like the AAC is making a preemptive strike. This would solidfy this conference, possibly keep UConn from bolting and pretty regulate the A10 to CUSA/Colonial status as a top tier low major conference

Wasn't a billionaire going to finance their move to major fb?

The BE seems happy at 10, the perfect size for a league. They say if UConn interested and agrees to the right deal, we would take them and then play a 20 game league schedule. Can the AAC give them enough money to pay for all the travel for the other sports? Moving there seems a silly thing for WSU. You know any school in the AAC is dying to get offered by a fb conference and then leave.

 

[megadrone]

Wasn't a billionaire going to finance their move to major fb?

The BE seems happy at 10, the perfect size for a league. They say if UConn interested and agrees to the right deal, we would take them and then play a 20 game league schedule. Can the AAC give them enough money to pay for all the travel for the other sports? Moving there seems a silly thing for WSU. You know any school in the AAC is dying to get offered by a fb conference and then leave.

But who is going to offer? It's all on hold until the Big 12 implodes or GORs expire OR someone goes to 12/16. I think there's stability among the P5 until 2025, the Big East is where it wants to be, and the American will be the go to destination for G5 programs east of the Rockies/New Mexico.

 

[BoroKnight]

Basketball-only schools don't make sense for what Aresco likes to claim is the "sixth P5 conference." (Is that like the fifth Beatle?)

I don't wish the American ill will (well, maybe Connecticut) at all, and in fact I kind of hope it does well since if it wasn't for geography and Jim Delany's vision we would be enjoying the Tulsa trip every so often.

Going to 14 in case of future departures is not a terrible idea, but again, you have a football-only in Navy and things SHOULD be stable for a few years. When that time comes, as football has to be your primary focus, they might as well go for the rivalry-ticket selling angle since nobody out there would move the TV needle for them. Old Dominion (for ECU) and UMass (for UConn, assuming both don't drop the big-time football dream before then) are logical there. But a basketball-only? Asking for trouble.