(04-08-2015 10:02 AM)Bull Wrote: What is more likely, a merger of the entire AAC-MWC, or selected Power Programs in the G5 forming a 'best of the rest' 6th conference? It seems generally pretty easy and straightforward to merge the conferences. Much political angst and potholes the other route...
I'd rather pull the top 6 MW programs and divide the AAC into East, Central, and West divisions. I wouldn't mind adding VCU and UMass or Richmond as Basketball onlys in the East, Wichita to the Central, and BYU Olympics to the West. I would add a 3 to 5 game scheduling agreement for football with BYU.
That would make the AAC the first nationwide collegiate athletic conference. It would create an AAC that carried inventory for virtually all the most recognizable G5 names. It would create a league that has a regional rooting interest for virtually any location in the US. Its champion would virtually have a hammer lock on the G5 access bowl slot, making the AAC a de facto contract bowl conference. With the significant additions of UNLV, SDSU, New Mexico, Wichita, VCU, BYU, and UMass (or Richmond)---the AAC would become one of the most powerful and dominant basketball leagues in the nation. Again---in basketball the AAC would offer a regional rooting interest for most any college basketball fan located anywhere in the US.
A national conference would be the perfect property for a national cable sports network. If you want to build a major niche for the AAC that will make it a valuable TV property and a significant presence in college athletics---this is the path. In fact, going nationwide is the only path still available for G5's to make themselves relevant.
I agree, a straight on merger with the MW would be easier. But it would also be less profitable. It would however accomplish the same goal of making the AAC a significant presence on the college athletics landscape---it would just dilute the financial gain of the move more than adding a 6-team division along with a few select basketball members. However, if that is the only way to make it happen, then I do it. But only after a 6-team MW division has proven unattainable.