(06-12-2014 06:27 PM)BullsFanInTX Wrote: It's sad when actual winning on the field doesn't define power but the amount of dollars on some tv contract.
I would argue that winning is exactly what has defined the power conferences. There is a reason why the SEC is viewed by many as the toughest and most elite conference. They win. The programs that define the P5 - Texas, USC, Ohio St., Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, Michigan, Notre Dame, etc. have all won and won a lot throughout the history of college football. It's the top 20-25 universities that hold the real market power, and their conference mates benefit by their association.
So, if the American keeps winning in football and men's basketball, the fans and TV viewers, and consequently, the contracts and "power" label, will follow. This is why the American experiment is so intriguing. It has teams scattered across the country in prime markets. It might take 5+ year, but you continue to win, you're in.
If their is the success that leads to commanding more TV revenue and more attractive bowl affiliations, the American has the potential to rise. The hard part, IMO, will be for the American to retain any teams that have sustained success. If Central Florida or Cincinnati (for example) win consistently and hold up some New Year's Six bowl trophies, they will likely be gobbled up by the P5. That may be the silver bullet that keeps the American down.
(By the way, the only sports that matter on the graphic are football and men's basketball. Women's basketball and baseball are afterthoughts, and winning women's NCAA or college world series does little to move the needle that counts)