The Future of the AAC
Here is the best move the AAC can make to strengthen its future now.
Get the Academies all in one division. Currently Air Force and Army offer the best returns from non-P5. Army is currently Independent so no conference issues there. Air Force is tougher with its membership in the MWC. Therefore we sould invite Army as football only and Air Force all sports.
Here are the arguments for each side in this deal.
The Academies get an extra out of conference game because the commander in chief trophy will exist in the conference. If they are aligned in the west with the private schools they will be under similar restrictions from academics and admittance requirememnts.
The conference, having the commander and chief trophy in the conference brings viewership and an automatic rivalry driven division (in particular if they are aligned with SMU, Tulsa, Houston, Memphis who have history with each other). While Army and Navy are in the east they bring national support/relevance and to a lesser degree Air Force as well. An entrance to the Denver/Colorado market.
Air Force, the pay out in the conference money and the television exposure would be better. The competitive side is a big step up from the mwc in olympic sports. Texas recruiting.
Army, a home for football, including bowl relationships, a bump in pay. Can keep olympic sports home in current conferences. Texas recruiting, championship game exposure, possible NY6 game.
So in football moving the acadamies to the west means no chance at commander and chief trophy rematches in the championship game. The teams should still have good away fans/crowds with their national support. Texas is full of patriotic football loving kids who play disciplined and often option oriented offenses for the academies to recruit. They are aligned with each other and two or three high academic standard private universities so competitivenss should be high.
Air Force, Army, Navy, Tulsa, SMU, Houston, Memphis
UConn, Temple, Cincinnati, ECU, USF, UCF, Tulane
To a lesser degree adding two strong olympic sports only schools in the geographical footprint of the current members could further add stability and value.
The schools who fit this mold are Wichita St, St. Louis, Dayton, VCU. Geographically speaking the two who make the most sense are Wichita (conmecting tulsa and air force) and VCU (southern but centerally located between several schools).
Air Force, Wichita St, Tulsa, SMU, Houston, Memphis, Tulane, Cincinnati, Temple, VCU, UConn, ECU, USF, UCF
This makes sense even if the Big XII expands, they wont be coming after Air Force. Army and Navy are too far east for the midwest dominated league. The Academies offer stability, but not so dominating as to exert too much influence (ala Texas). The basketball only schools do a similar function and bring quality programs should UConn try the nbe/independent route or the Big XII raid us. If nothing changes all the add ons bring value, admittedly to a lesser degree in the olympic only sports. The two olympic onlys won't ever be in a position to cause the tension experienced in the old big east. The conference is still east central dominated for time slots and geographically will tighten up a little.
(This post was last modified: 02-21-2017 03:37 PM by TU4ever.)
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