UC officially joins ‘The American’ on July 1
06/28/13 at 11:26am by Tom Groeschen



The University of Cincinnati officially will say goodbye to the Big East and become part of the American Athletic Conference on Monday (July 1).

League administrators have pushed for the new conference to be called “The American” instead of the AAC. In UC’s case, the school plans no formal ceremony to mark the occasion.

The American will add full members Central Florida, Houston, Memphis and SMU on July 1; East Carolina, Tulane and Tulsa on July 1, 2014; and football-only member Navy on July 1, 2015.

In 2013, the members are Cincinnati, UConn, South Florida, Louisville, Rutgers, Central Florida, Temple, Houston, Memphis and SMU.

UC enters the new league as one of its flagship members, after the recent success of the Bearcats’ football and men’s basketball programs. UC athletic director Whit Babcock said the school cannot afford to take that distinction for granted.

“The league that we’re in is going to be hard enough, and while we’re in it we darn sure better win it,” Babcock recently told The Enquirer. “Just like the Big East elevated Cincinnati’s game, I think the (American) will elevate SMU, Houston, Central Florida, East Carolina and all that because, remember, they’re coming into a league where now they’re making more money and we’re going to make the same or slightly less over time (than UC made in the Big East).

“They’re getting $3 (million) to $4 million more per year and you can make a difference with that. The challenge for us is that if we have a leadership position in this league, let’s not take for granted that we can’t get passed. They’re coming.”

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/uc/2013/06/2...on-july-1/