(04-24-2014 08:17 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 07:53 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:50 PM)ECMAN79 Wrote:  simple breakdown from Stewart Mandel.......the AAC should be fine...

http://college-football.si.com/2014/04/2...ructuring/

To be clear, the five power conferences are NOT breaking away from the NCAA."

"Nor will these leagues be “playing by their own rules.” Anything the five power conferences agree to, the other 27 leagues will be free to adopt, too. (It’s not yet clear what the mechanism for that will be.)"

How do you figure? p5 schools will be able to outspend G5 schools into irrelevancy. The current system served as basic salary cap where competiton wasn't just based on who had the most money. With these money spending restrictions removed there is NO way G5 schools can keep up. I just don't see where those folks who think we will be fine think that we will be able to find the money to compete?

The sad part is that the P5 will be able to do this without thinking twice, much like us G5 schools don't think twice about how our spending impacts division I-AA schools...

Party is over, glass is broken, fat lady has sung, the sun won't come out tomorrow ...end of the world as we know it days are finally here.

^^^^
THIS.

Losers....

There is still a salary cap. Expenditures cannot exceed the full cost of attendance---otherwise the "student athletes" become "employees". The P5 don't want "employees". Yes, the P5 will be able to offer more side benefits than the G5. So what? Our biggest selling point has always been playing time. We can still offer playing time and most of the major benefits you can get at the P5 schools. In the AAC we can also offer national exposure--a card we didn't have until this year.

One other thing that will change---while we can offer playing time AND benefits---FCS wont be able to afford the benefits other than playing time. We will be fine. FCS, on the other hand, will be worse off than its ever been.

(04-24-2014 08:37 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:17 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 07:53 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:50 PM)ECMAN79 Wrote:  simple breakdown from Stewart Mandel.......the AAC should be fine...

http://college-football.si.com/2014/04/2...ructuring/


To be clear, the five power conferences are NOT breaking away from the NCAA."

"Nor will these leagues be “playing by their own rules.” Anything the five power conferences agree to, the other 27 leagues will be free to adopt, too. (It’s not yet clear what the mechanism for that will be.)"

How do you figure? p5 schools will be able to outspend G5 schools into irrelevancy. The current system served as basic salary cap where competiton wasn't just based on who had the most money. With these money spending restrictions removed there is NO way G5 schools can keep up. I just don't see where those folks who think we will be fine think that we will be able to find the money to compete?

The sad part is that the P5 will be able to do this without thinking twice, much like us G5 schools don't think twice about how our spending impacts division I-AA schools...

Party is over, glass is broken, fat lady has sung, the sun won't come out tomorrow ...end of the world as we know it days are finally here.

^^^^
THIS.

Not only that, but some have asked "Well what about the Big East?" To which I respond, the Big East is all over this. Because they don't have to fit out an FBS football team, they can channel all their resources towards D1 BB. So, for example, if the P5 decide a $10,000/year (3.3k/semester...Fall, Winter, Summer) stipend works for each player, the Big East schools can match that. THEY don't have 85 (currently...gets worse if the FB scholarship limit goes up to 100) football players to pay. THEY only have to worry about matching the stipend for their sports. And they are getting MORE than the AAC right now as well. The Big East, and probably the A10 can keep pace.

The first bite will come to those programs trying to keep up with FBS football. The Sunbelt first, then the MAC will have some hard decisions to face as their individual members evaluate what things mean. Does the Sunbelt, for example, or the MAC, decide to stay the course for D1 Basketball but drop their FB down to the FBS (like other D1-FCS conferences)? I'm waiting for a MAC fan (like Kittonhead) to protest, but that ***COULD*** be a viable move; it still allows them to remain relevant in the NCAA BB tournament, takes the burden of the bowls (which are money-losers for the smaller conferences/programs anyway) off the shoulders of the conference, and allows them to compete for the FCS championship right away.

No doubt the AAC-CUSA-MW will try to keep up...and we will for a time. But conferences don't pay the bills. Individual schools have to pay their own way. What happens for a cash-strapped San Jose State or Temple? Which Peter will they rob to pay Paul? Coaching salary? Other sports programs? Or will they offer a smaller stipend? What do you do if you're Temple...where the Cost of Living is MORE EXPENSIVE, but you try to pay a minimum stipend? Meanwhile Rutgers is just up the road, paying a bigger stipend because they can? Or Pitt? And I'm not picking on Temple...the exact same dilemma (maybe even worse) exists at Cincinnati; Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Kentucky, and Louisville all already out-recruit UC in their own talent-rich backyard. What happens when they come in offering full-CoL-Stipends but UC has to offer some players half-stipends? (I'm assuming that stipends will be handled LIKE scholarships.)

The P5 programs can set the limits...ANYWHERE THEY LIKE THEM... and they can do it by saying "It's not fair for us to be tied down to smaller schools." We get a vote, but our vote counts for .6 of their vote. (1.5 to 1) So, what we vote for doesn't really count because we will always be out-voted. And let's be honest...we don't want to look weak or like "cry-babies" so we will vote to go along with it anyways.

Enjoy the ride, but be ready for the train to stop.

Why would Sun Belt drop to FCS??

Even though P5 implement some rules, the other conferences can stay put without doing anything while stay in FBS.

(04-24-2014 08:42 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:17 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 07:53 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:50 PM)ECMAN79 Wrote:  simple breakdown from Stewart Mandel.......the AAC should be fine...

http://college-football.si.com/2014/04/2...ructuring/

To be clear, the five power conferences are NOT breaking away from the NCAA."

"Nor will these leagues be “playing by their own rules.” Anything the five power conferences agree to, the other 27 leagues will be free to adopt, too. (It’s not yet clear what the mechanism for that will be.)"

How do you figure? p5 schools will be able to outspend G5 schools into irrelevancy. The current system served as basic salary cap where competiton wasn't just based on who had the most money. With these money spending restrictions removed there is NO way G5 schools can keep up. I just don't see where those folks who think we will be fine think that we will be able to find the money to compete?

The sad part is that the P5 will be able to do this without thinking twice, much like us G5 schools don't think twice about how our spending impacts division I-AA schools...

Party is over, glass is broken, fat lady has sung, the sun won't come out tomorrow ...end of the world as we know it days are finally here.

^^^^
THIS.

Losers....

There is still a salary cap. Expenditures cannot exceed the full cost of attendance---otherwise the "student athletes" become "employees". The P5 don't want "employees". Yes, the P5 will be able to offer more side benefits than the G5. So what? Our biggest selling point has always been playing time. We can still offer playing time and most of the major benefits you can get at the P5 schools. In the AAC we can also offer national exposure--a card we didn't have until this year.

One other thing that will change---while we can offer playing time AND benefits---FCS wont be able to afford the benefits other than playing time. We will be fine. FCS, on the other hand, will be worse off than its ever been.

Our schools can barely afford our current level of commitment. I think you are either being naive or are the wishful person in the world. A few years we all laughed at the possibility of the P5 autonomy. Now it's being talked about openly and matter of factually and will be in place by August. I hope you are right....but I don't see where the money is going to come to pay for all the extra benefits, stipends with no real chance to compete for any meaningful,post season prize.

(04-24-2014 10:02 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:42 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:17 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 07:53 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:50 PM)ECMAN79 Wrote:  simple breakdown from Stewart Mandel.......the AAC should be fine...

http://college-football.si.com/2014/04/2...ructuring/

To be clear, the five power conferences are NOT breaking away from the NCAA."

"Nor will these leagues be “playing by their own rules.” Anything the five power conferences agree to, the other 27 leagues will be free to adopt, too. (It’s not yet clear what the mechanism for that will be.)"

How do you figure? p5 schools will be able to outspend G5 schools into irrelevancy. The current system served as basic salary cap where competiton wasn't just based on who had the most money. With these money spending restrictions removed there is NO way G5 schools can keep up. I just don't see where those folks who think we will be fine think that we will be able to find the money to compete?

The sad part is that the P5 will be able to do this without thinking twice, much like us G5 schools don't think twice about how our spending impacts division I-AA schools...

Party is over, glass is broken, fat lady has sung, the sun won't come out tomorrow ...end of the world as we know it days are finally here.

^^^^
THIS.

Losers....

There is still a salary cap. Expenditures cannot exceed the full cost of attendance---otherwise the "student athletes" become "employees". The P5 don't want "employees". Yes, the P5 will be able to offer more side benefits than the G5. So what? Our biggest selling point has always been playing time. We can still offer playing time and most of the major benefits you can get at the P5 schools. In the AAC we can also offer national exposure--a card we didn't have until this year.

One other thing that will change---while we can offer playing time AND benefits---FCS wont be able to afford the benefits other than playing time. We will be fine. FCS, on the other hand, will be worse off than its ever been.

Our schools can barely afford our current level of commitment. I think you are either being naive or are the wishful person in the world. A few years we all laughed at the possibility of the P5 autonomy. Now it's being talked about openly and matter of factually and will be in place by August. I hope you are right....but I don't see where the money is going to come to pay for all the extra benefits, stipends with no real chance to compete for any meaningful,post season prize.

Our schools will either adapt or they get will passed up by CUSA schools. Every CUSA school is getting 1 million extra dollars from the CFP. Most schools have about 200 scholarship athletes in total. A 5K stipend for 200 athletes comes to 1 million. The insurance policies will be an expense as well as will a lifetime educational award. Perhaps out stipend will be lower. Perhaps the lifetime education will mean different things at different schools. Perhaps it might mean access to 150 free hours at the school in the AAC where the P5 schools its unlimited. The key is to be competitive.

We dont have to offer EXACTLY what the P5 offer. We just need to stay competitive and offer more than everyone other than the P5. The reality is that we can stay viable and it will be up to us and our resources how competitive we can be. It wont be up to 22 other conferences to decide how we will compete with the P5. We have more resources than the rest of the G5, so we should be fine if we manage what we have well.

(04-24-2014 12:28 PM)upstater1 Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 09:59 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 09:44 AM)msm96wolf Wrote:  Has anyone heard the Big East or A10 position on this? If they are for it, that probably damages the G5 dreams of lawsuits even further.

I have no idea what the basis for a lawsuit could be.

Illegal tiering arrangements violate antitrust regulations.

But would it be illegal if the membership votes for it?

Guys, I had a stipend when I was in college as part of a scholarship. It's actually more like getting pocket money. Without it I would have had to work my way thru college and risked lower grades or even dropping out. The stipend will probably put the athletes on par with students who work part time jobs. So the players will have a little pocket money to buy a burger, go to the movies, party or on a date.
Students at West Point get about $600 per month stipend. About half of that goes to expenses, so in the end the student has $300 per month in his pocket.
Also note that conferences such as ours will have the option to adopt what the P5 does on most issues. Maybe it's a good thing that we are being asked whether or not we want to step up and provide more for the student athletes. I for one am tired of seeing high paid AD's and assistant AD's taking home fat checks while the athletes struggle.

Also there are probably some football programs that need to give up. A program such as EMU may want to reconsider. As we all know Temple was one trustee vote away from dropping football. Luckily we stuck with it mostly because the potential is there. We have the market, facilities, coaching and conference to step things up.
Our last bowl trip was 2010. I expect us to go back to a bowl this year.

So this is the proposal in simple terms - Everything is "permissive" with the P5, the G5, and the remaining 22 conferences each voting for themselves. Right?

(04-25-2014 12:08 AM)Philly Brian Wrote:  Also there are probably some football programs that need to give up. A program such as EMU may want to reconsider. As we all know Temple was one trustee vote away from dropping football. Luckily we stuck with it mostly because the potential is there. We have the market, facilities, coaching and conference to step things up.
Our last bowl trip was 2010. I expect us to go back to a bowl this year.

I don't see why a school like EMU would have to give up their football program. Say that the MAC approves the stipends for all scholarship athletes, that's what, about 300 kids per school give or take. So you're looking at an increase of about $1 Million per year in the athletic budget. A school like EMU will find a way to get that money. Now, other sports teams may have to be cut, like Baseball, but the football program is not going to be cut.

(04-24-2014 08:35 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:55 PM)3rdWardCoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:30 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:18 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 03:10 PM)Carolina Stang Wrote:  Am I the only one that feels slighted that the AAC gets grouped with the Sun Belt, when we are clearly closer to ACC status than SBC status?

I know, we don't get paid big time TV dollars, and that is where the demarcation begins...but that is just stupid.

Uh, in terms of INCOME and RESOURCES, the American is far closer to the SBC, CUSA, MAC, and MW than to the ACC, Big XII, Big Ten, SEC, and Pac12.

And in going forward, the available resources will matter far more than "how many wins one conference has over another." The whole point of these autonomy talks is to allow schools of certain budget sizes to make rules without being encumbered by schools who cannot possibly keep up.

And when your income disparity is on the magnitude of a factor of 10... well... It's just a smaller...a far smaller...step between the SBC and AAC than from the American to the ACC.

Yes. ACC media dollars, about $20 million. AAC media dollars, about $2 million. Sun Belt media dollars, about $800k.

We are obviously FAR closer to the Sun Belt than the ACC on the money metrics that matter.

I don’t think anyone can argue that the AAC and MWC schools have more total income then the other G5 (AAC probably a little more). Not just the TV contract but donations, basketball creds, war chest, etc. Yes the P5 has way more but I think the post was pointing to the fact that UH for example might not be able to foot the bill for 10 family member’s trip to Houston but 3-4 is doable. We keep that advantage and we can begin to separate ourselves from the others as (we hope) the TV look in gets us more TV money.

I think the only issue is will the smaller G5 conferences vote to hold the AAC and MWC back if we want to do things to keep up with the P5.

The other conferences wont have any say over which P5 adopted autonomous rules the AAC decides to utilize. It will be the AAC's choice. The MW will enjoy the same freedom--as would every other D1 conference.

Not too sure about that. This statement seems to imply that the mechanism by which other conferences could adopt P5 changes hasn't been hammered out. Could be that any change could be adopted unilaterally by any other conference, or it could be that it would require the approval of the other minor conferences:

"The board also decided on Thursday that any rules adopted by the power five conferences would not require separate votes by the other 27 leagues. NCAA officials said they would seek more input from those conferences on how they would want to handle those decisions."

(04-24-2014 08:42 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:17 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 07:53 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:50 PM)ECMAN79 Wrote:  simple breakdown from Stewart Mandel.......the AAC should be fine...

http://college-football.si.com/2014/04/2...ructuring/

To be clear, the five power conferences are NOT breaking away from the NCAA."

"Nor will these leagues be “playing by their own rules.” Anything the five power conferences agree to, the other 27 leagues will be free to adopt, too. (It’s not yet clear what the mechanism for that will be.)"

How do you figure? p5 schools will be able to outspend G5 schools into irrelevancy. The current system served as basic salary cap where competiton wasn't just based on who had the most money. With these money spending restrictions removed there is NO way G5 schools can keep up. I just don't see where those folks who think we will be fine think that we will be able to find the money to compete?

The sad part is that the P5 will be able to do this without thinking twice, much like us G5 schools don't think twice about how our spending impacts division I-AA schools...

Party is over, glass is broken, fat lady has sung, the sun won't come out tomorrow ...end of the world as we know it days are finally here.

^^^^
THIS.

Losers....

There is still a salary cap. Expenditures cannot exceed the full cost of attendance---otherwise the "student athletes" become "employees". The P5 don't want "employees". Yes, the P5 will be able to offer more side benefits than the G5. So what? Our biggest selling point has always been playing time. We can still offer playing time and most of the major benefits you can get at the P5 schools. In the AAC we can also offer national exposure--a card we didn't have until this year.

So in other words, while the P5 already have big advantages over us, and this new regime will enhance those advantages even more, it doesn't enhance them as much as some around here think?

Forgive me if that doesn't make me feel much better.

(04-25-2014 08:20 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:42 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:17 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 07:53 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:50 PM)ECMAN79 Wrote:  simple breakdown from Stewart Mandel.......the AAC should be fine...

http://college-football.si.com/2014/04/2...ructuring/

To be clear, the five power conferences are NOT breaking away from the NCAA."

"Nor will these leagues be “playing by their own rules.” Anything the five power conferences agree to, the other 27 leagues will be free to adopt, too. (It’s not yet clear what the mechanism for that will be.)"

How do you figure? p5 schools will be able to outspend G5 schools into irrelevancy. The current system served as basic salary cap where competiton wasn't just based on who had the most money. With these money spending restrictions removed there is NO way G5 schools can keep up. I just don't see where those folks who think we will be fine think that we will be able to find the money to compete?

The sad part is that the P5 will be able to do this without thinking twice, much like us G5 schools don't think twice about how our spending impacts division I-AA schools...

Party is over, glass is broken, fat lady has sung, the sun won't come out tomorrow ...end of the world as we know it days are finally here.

^^^^
THIS.

Losers....

There is still a salary cap. Expenditures cannot exceed the full cost of attendance---otherwise the "student athletes" become "employees". The P5 don't want "employees". Yes, the P5 will be able to offer more side benefits than the G5. So what? Our biggest selling point has always been playing time. We can still offer playing time and most of the major benefits you can get at the P5 schools. In the AAC we can also offer national exposure--a card we didn't have until this year.

So in other words, while the P5 already have big advantages over us, and this new regime will enhance those advantages even more, it doesn't enhance them as much as some around here think?

Forgive me if that doesn't make me feel much better.

Wouldn't this allow the AAC or, if it's decided that schools can decide alone, some schools outside the P5 to create some distance between themselves and the rest of the schools who are either unwilling or unable to spend the money to keep up?

(04-25-2014 08:25 AM)Tigers2B1 Wrote:  

(04-25-2014 08:20 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:42 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:17 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 07:53 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  How do you figure? p5 schools will be able to outspend G5 schools into irrelevancy. The current system served as basic salary cap where competiton wasn't just based on who had the most money. With these money spending restrictions removed there is NO way G5 schools can keep up. I just don't see where those folks who think we will be fine think that we will be able to find the money to compete?

The sad part is that the P5 will be able to do this without thinking twice, much like us G5 schools don't think twice about how our spending impacts division I-AA schools...

Party is over, glass is broken, fat lady has sung, the sun won't come out tomorrow ...end of the world as we know it days are finally here.

^^^^
THIS.

Losers....

There is still a salary cap. Expenditures cannot exceed the full cost of attendance---otherwise the "student athletes" become "employees". The P5 don't want "employees". Yes, the P5 will be able to offer more side benefits than the G5. So what? Our biggest selling point has always been playing time. We can still offer playing time and most of the major benefits you can get at the P5 schools. In the AAC we can also offer national exposure--a card we didn't have until this year.

So in other words, while the P5 already have big advantages over us, and this new regime will enhance those advantages even more, it doesn't enhance them as much as some around here think?

Forgive me if that doesn't make me feel much better.

Wouldn't this allow the AAC or, if it's decided that schools can decide alone, some schools outside the P5 to create some distance between themselves and the rest of the schools who are either unwilling or unable to spend the money to keep up?

See, this is the issue:
It will create "distance" between those who CAN and those who simply CANNOT. The problem is where the AAC, and the member institutions thereof, fall in the divide.

The AAC, by the simple virtue and physics of the resources allotted to the conference through media deals, invariably falls on the CANNOT side of the divide. In other words, the "distance" we will be able to gain over other "G5" schools is nowhere near as great as the distance that will be created between the AAC and the P5. Which means that in terms of competition, facilities, players, etc... the AAC will be closer to the rest of the G5 than we can ever hope to be to the rest of the P5.

There has been talk of being a "tweener" conference. Fine, I'll grant that the AAC might be a "tweener," but in terms of geography we will be nowhere near "the center" between the G5<--->P5. If the sports landscape were the landscape of North America, and the P5 conferences were on the East Coast and the G5 conferences were on the West Coast, the American would NOT be anywhere near the Mississippi River (as some have tried to paint the picture). AT BEST, the AAC is somewhere west of the Rocky Mountains. Is that "between"? Yeah. It's not as bad as being penned west of the Sierra Nevada mountains. But it's nowhere near the territory of the P5 either.

So OK, the distance between us and the other P5 conferences is good. But...

(04-25-2014 08:18 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:35 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:55 PM)3rdWardCoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:30 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:18 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  Uh, in terms of INCOME and RESOURCES, the American is far closer to the SBC, CUSA, MAC, and MW than to the ACC, Big XII, Big Ten, SEC, and Pac12.

And in going forward, the available resources will matter far more than "how many wins one conference has over another." The whole point of these autonomy talks is to allow schools of certain budget sizes to make rules without being encumbered by schools who cannot possibly keep up.

And when your income disparity is on the magnitude of a factor of 10... well... It's just a smaller...a far smaller...step between the SBC and AAC than from the American to the ACC.

Yes. ACC media dollars, about $20 million. AAC media dollars, about $2 million. Sun Belt media dollars, about $800k.

We are obviously FAR closer to the Sun Belt than the ACC on the money metrics that matter.

I don’t think anyone can argue that the AAC and MWC schools have more total income then the other G5 (AAC probably a little more). Not just the TV contract but donations, basketball creds, war chest, etc. Yes the P5 has way more but I think the post was pointing to the fact that UH for example might not be able to foot the bill for 10 family member’s trip to Houston but 3-4 is doable. We keep that advantage and we can begin to separate ourselves from the others as (we hope) the TV look in gets us more TV money.

I think the only issue is will the smaller G5 conferences vote to hold the AAC and MWC back if we want to do things to keep up with the P5.

The other conferences wont have any say over which P5 adopted autonomous rules the AAC decides to utilize. It will be the AAC's choice. The MW will enjoy the same freedom--as would every other D1 conference.

Not too sure about that. This statement seems to imply that the mechanism by which other conferences could adopt P5 changes hasn't been hammered out. Could be that any change could be adopted unilaterally by any other conference, or it could be that it would require the approval of the other minor conferences:

"The board also decided on Thursday that any rules adopted by the power five conferences would not require separate votes by the other 27 leagues. NCAA officials said they would seek more input from those conferences on how they would want to handle those decisions."

It wont require a vote of the 27 leagues. Our fate will not be tied to FCS or any non-football league. The decision left to be made is whether it will be a conference decision or an individual school decision. I suppose its possible it could be done by subdivision as well. What we know it WILL NOT be is a D1 wide decision.

(04-24-2014 10:27 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 10:02 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:42 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:17 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 07:53 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  How do you figure? p5 schools will be able to outspend G5 schools into irrelevancy. The current system served as basic salary cap where competiton wasn't just based on who had the most money. With these money spending restrictions removed there is NO way G5 schools can keep up. I just don't see where those folks who think we will be fine think that we will be able to find the money to compete?

The sad part is that the P5 will be able to do this without thinking twice, much like us G5 schools don't think twice about how our spending impacts division I-AA schools...

Party is over, glass is broken, fat lady has sung, the sun won't come out tomorrow ...end of the world as we know it days are finally here.

^^^^
THIS.

Losers....

There is still a salary cap. Expenditures cannot exceed the full cost of attendance---otherwise the "student athletes" become "employees". The P5 don't want "employees". Yes, the P5 will be able to offer more side benefits than the G5. So what? Our biggest selling point has always been playing time. We can still offer playing time and most of the major benefits you can get at the P5 schools. In the AAC we can also offer national exposure--a card we didn't have until this year.

One other thing that will change---while we can offer playing time AND benefits---FCS wont be able to afford the benefits other than playing time. We will be fine. FCS, on the other hand, will be worse off than its ever been.

Our schools can barely afford our current level of commitment. I think you are either being naive or are the wishful person in the world. A few years we all laughed at the possibility of the P5 autonomy. Now it's being talked about openly and matter of factually and will be in place by August. I hope you are right....but I don't see where the money is going to come to pay for all the extra benefits, stipends with no real chance to compete for any meaningful,post season prize.

Our schools will either adapt or they get will passed up by CUSA schools. Every CUSA school is getting 1 million extra dollars from the CFP. Most schools have about 200 scholarship athletes in total. A 5K stipend for 200 athletes comes to 1 million. The insurance policies will be an expense as well as will a lifetime educational award. Perhaps out stipend will be lower. Perhaps the lifetime education will mean different things at different schools. Perhaps it might mean access to 150 free hours at the school in the AAC where the P5 schools its unlimited. The key is to be competitive.

We dont have to offer EXACTLY what the P5 offer. We just need to stay competitive and offer more than everyone other than the P5. The reality is that we can stay viable and it will be up to us and our resources how competitive we can be. It wont be up to 22 other conferences to decide how we will compete with the P5. We have more resources than the rest of the G5, so we should be fine if we manage what we have well.

"The key is to be competitive. "

It's going to be hard to be competitive.....on the field....when the P5 increases scholarships to 105 to 110 per school. Those additional 15 to 20 players every P5 school will be able to sign will come at the expense of AAC or MWC schools who used to be able to compete with the "big boys" b/c we did a better job scouting....but most importantly the "big schools" didn't have room to sign them all.

Currently there isn't much difference in the quality of play between most of the middle to lower P5 with most AAC, MWC schools b/c we are talking about mostly 2-3 star type of players where that 3-star designation is really meaningless. However, when the P5 takes ALL the 3 stars and borderline 2/3 star players...the play on the field is going to be drastically impacted. Suddenly a team like Florida will have room for a Florida kid like an O'Korn. When the play on the field deteriorates it will become increasingly harder for AAC schools to sell those expensive tickets with mandatory donations.

If you don't believe me, go back and watch a Division I-AA (FCS) game. There may be one or two players on the field that have BCS level type of potential....nevermind NFL level talent. That changes the value of the 'experience' and it will either drive away some fans or diminish the interest in spending big dollars in supporting your alma mater. Let's face it most of us on this board are diehards. We all likely have great seats at our respective schools for football and basketball. We do it b/c even though the odds are long we all think there is a chance to have a magical season if things go just right....see UCF. However, I sincerely doubt that most season ticket holders at our schools are going to continue supporting their schools at their current level if we are marginalized to FCS status and we notice a marked dropoff in the level of play on the field. Not trying to be all doomsday...and I still hold out hope that my school will get picked for one of the final seats in the P5 ship due to market size and potential.....but you would have to be extremely optimistic to not see the upcoming changes as anything but a huge death knell to all of athletic aspirations.

Hopefully we'll have some type of legal or political intervention b/c it's clear that our Presidents are powerless to stop the ongoing power grab.

(04-25-2014 11:46 AM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 10:27 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 10:02 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:42 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 08:17 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  ^^^^
THIS.

Losers....

There is still a salary cap. Expenditures cannot exceed the full cost of attendance---otherwise the "student athletes" become "employees". The P5 don't want "employees". Yes, the P5 will be able to offer more side benefits than the G5. So what? Our biggest selling point has always been playing time. We can still offer playing time and most of the major benefits you can get at the P5 schools. In the AAC we can also offer national exposure--a card we didn't have until this year.

One other thing that will change---while we can offer playing time AND benefits---FCS wont be able to afford the benefits other than playing time. We will be fine. FCS, on the other hand, will be worse off than its ever been.

Our schools can barely afford our current level of commitment. I think you are either being naive or are the wishful person in the world. A few years we all laughed at the possibility of the P5 autonomy. Now it's being talked about openly and matter of factually and will be in place by August. I hope you are right....but I don't see where the money is going to come to pay for all the extra benefits, stipends with no real chance to compete for any meaningful,post season prize.

Our schools will either adapt or they get will passed up by CUSA schools. Every CUSA school is getting 1 million extra dollars from the CFP. Most schools have about 200 scholarship athletes in total. A 5K stipend for 200 athletes comes to 1 million. The insurance policies will be an expense as well as will a lifetime educational award. Perhaps out stipend will be lower. Perhaps the lifetime education will mean different things at different schools. Perhaps it might mean access to 150 free hours at the school in the AAC where the P5 schools its unlimited. The key is to be competitive.

We dont have to offer EXACTLY what the P5 offer. We just need to stay competitive and offer more than everyone other than the P5. The reality is that we can stay viable and it will be up to us and our resources how competitive we can be. It wont be up to 22 other conferences to decide how we will compete with the P5. We have more resources than the rest of the G5, so we should be fine if we manage what we have well.

"The key is to be competitive. "

It's going to be hard to be competitive.....on the field....when the P5 increases scholarships to 105 to 110 per school. Those additional 15 to 20 players every P5 school will be able to sign will come at the expense of AAC or MWC schools who used to be able to compete with the "big boys" b/c we did a better job scouting....but most importantly the "big schools" didn't have room to sign them all.

Currently there isn't much difference in the quality of play between most of the middle to lower P5 with most AAC, MWC schools b/c we are talking about mostly 2-3 star type of players where that 3-star designation is really meaningless. However, when the P5 takes ALL the 3 stars and borderline 2/3 star players...the play on the field is going to be drastically impacted. Suddenly a team like Florida will have room for a Florida kid like an O'Korn. When the play on the field deteriorates it will become increasingly harder for AAC schools to sell those expensive tickets with mandatory donations.

If you don't believe me, go back and watch a Division I-AA (FCS) game. There may be one or two players on the field that have BCS level type of potential....nevermind NFL level talent. That changes the value of the 'experience' and it will either drive away some fans or diminish the interest in spending big dollars in supporting your alma mater. Let's face it most of us on this board are diehards. We all likely have great seats at our respective schools for football and basketball. We do it b/c even though the odds are long we all think there is a chance to have a magical season if things go just right....see UCF. However, I sincerely doubt that most season ticket holders at our schools are going to continue supporting their schools at their current level if we are marginalized to FCS status and we notice a marked dropoff in the level of play on the field. Not trying to be all doomsday...and I still hold out hope that my school will get picked for one of the final seats in the P5 ship due to market size and potential.....but you would have to be extremely optimistic to not see the upcoming changes as anything but a huge death knell to all of athletic aspirations.

Hopefully we'll have some type of legal or political intervention b/c it's clear that our Presidents are powerless to stop the ongoing power grab.

If that happens we will be out of the game---but you are worrying about nothing. That's not going to happen. Its more likely that the scholarship limit shrinks than it would get bigger.

If the scholarship limit increased from 85-110, guess where Alabama is going to get those other 25 players from. The wont get them from S Miss or Houston. They will get them from Texas Tech, Indiana, and Georgia Tech. The top 10-20 schools in FBS would be all for expanding the scholarship limits. The other 45 P5 schools would see their talent level FALL under such a scenario as they lost their 500 best athletes to the top 20 super powers in the P5. The scholarship limits is what allows Texas Tech and Indiana to have a chance in the power leagues against schools like Texas and Alabama. Thus, it wont happen---as the majority of the P5 doesn't want scholarship expansion to occur. The last thing the lower 2/3rds of the P5 want is to have to play Texas and Alabama using a bunch of athletes that used to be playing G5 football.

Why would anyone want to be a 3rd string player at a P5 powerhouse? Why not go for real starting time at Cincinnati or Purdue?

Starting time really does matter to a lot of recruits.

(04-25-2014 12:36 PM)oliveandblue Wrote:  Why would anyone want to be a 3rd string player at a P5 powerhouse? Why not go for real starting time at Cincinnati or Purdue?

Starting time really does matter to a lot of recruits.

Most of them don't think they will be a 3rd stringer. May of these kids are coming from situations where they are one of the best athletes ever to come out of their high school. They have complete confidence in their abilities to start.

Some of the others who do recognize they won't ever start still want to go along for that magical ride at playing at Big State U. in front of 100K people every Saturday. They will wear the bage of honor for the rest of their life that they played for Big State U.

AAC needs to decide that we will allow our institutions to decide for themselves individually. There is no reason to put limits on the schools in our conference with the most resources simply because all of us aren't at the same revenue level. UConn should be allowed to do everything it can afford to do to keep up with the P5, regardless of what other AAC members decide for themselves.

Do you really think the P5 could even agree among themselves to raise scholarship limits to 100 or 115 or whatever number some of you are throwing out? Of course the Alabama's, Florida's, Texas's of the world would be all for it, but do you believe the middle to lower tier of those conferences really want the top to be able to essentially hoard players from them? Of course they wouldn't. Yes the top 15-20 schools are miles ahead of this league financially and would love to price everyone out of competing, but the problem for them is the P5 is also filled with schools that can't afford to spend like drunken sailors and wouldn't want to or support some of the stuff that seems to be scaring people. As long as the AAC will not be prohibited by the rules from matching anything the P5 can agree to adopt then we'll be ok for at least the short term. In the long term the TV revenue and revenue each of us self generates will have to rise greatly, but I suspect both will do that.