(09-25-2019 10:16 AM)mtmedlin Wrote:  

(09-25-2019 05:48 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  

(09-24-2019 11:03 PM)jedclampett Wrote:  "This (BYU & Boise joining AAC) is never gonna happen. This ended when we looked east to replace acc defectors causing Boise and SDSU to bail. The only realistic chance for a power conference is a new best of the rest being formed."

"Never" is a long time.

They will join if ESPN turns the AAC into the next Power conference, in which case, the annual payment should gradually rise to over $20 million per school.

ESPN execs have probably been on the phone with Aresco and the top candidates for an expanded AAC nearly every week since the UConn announcement. The wheels are turning. There is simply too much money at stake for this to not be so.

ESPN was the catalyst to help move the Boise at Houston game in 2021 to 2025 so that Boise could play at UCF in 2021 instead.

ESPN wants to see UCF/Boise St games...as this could be BIG!

Thats an interesting line of thinking but Boise State signed a deal to play USF first... I think it has alot more to do with the fact that Boise St recruits florida hard.

this is why they signed 6 games with Floirda schools... FSU was first, USF was second and now UCF.

Jealous, right.

The combination of political power that could come from adding Air Force and Army is impressive, but . . .

it is nothing compared to the MILITARY POWER!

Bombs Away on our way to the POWER 6!

(09-24-2019 11:13 AM)Square Knight Wrote:  

Great for UCF scheduling.

(09-24-2019 01:40 PM)YNot Wrote:  

(09-24-2019 01:26 PM)Coogever Wrote:  

(09-24-2019 12:34 PM)YNot Wrote:  

(09-24-2019 11:32 AM)KnightNasty Wrote:  

(09-24-2019 11:23 AM)YNot Wrote:  Yay!

We will now have Houston and UCF in 2023 and UCF and ECU in 2024. I'd like to see BYU to add a couple more series with AAC teams. I'd love to re-up with Cincinnati and see SMU and Temple on the schedule.

Personally, I'd love a series with Memphis, but I don't know that we see it any time soon. We've got to get a little more time to pass from the Miami Beach Brawl.

You could just... ya know... join our conference? lol

Many of you know that I am a proponent of BYU to the AAC, if the expansion also includes Boise State and one or two other western teams, like San Diego State and Air Force.

But, it's not going to happen before the 2025 season - too many games to buyout or reschedule.

This is never gonna happen. This ended when we looked east to replace acc defectors causing Boise and SDSU to bail. The only realistic chance for a power conference is a new best of the rest being formed.

A new best of the rest conference is not realistic. The AAC just signed a $1 billion contract and holds a ton of value just in NCAA credits. With the AAC shedding the anchor-weight of UConn, it can now serve as the structure from which a true power conference could form.

First, to have all three military academies would bring real political power and a prestige bump. There is a lot of college football history among the military academies. And, remember, the Big Ten and ACC consider Army as a P5-equivalent for OOC scheduling.

Then, include BYU, Boise State, and Gonzaga, the western schools that hold real value, as evidence by where ESPN puts its coverage and money. Round it out with San Diego State to give the conference a footprint in the huge state of California.

That expanded AAC conference would have a $1 billion-plus contract, include the non-P5 schools with the biggest AD budgets, hold coverage coast-to-coast, an have real political strength. At that point, you can really turn the corner on the push for the Power 6.

This conference should not add beyond 14, if somehow it manages to get both Army and Air Farce that would 99% done... Can add a football only of DDSU or BYU with 3 Olympic Sports additions VCU/+/+ or get both Army and Air Farce with 2 Olympic Sports additions VCU/+ and 1 Full member (Anyone) from current footprint.

Doing this will probably keep everyone happy and limit future defections to form another conference... Don't believe "P5" will make changes in membership anytime in the forcible future.

(09-24-2019 02:26 PM)ArmoredUpKnight Wrote:  Terrible.

The Autonomous 5 are drawing a line in the sand and we are only helping them. The only way the Non-A5 to the Playoff conversation even starts is if we beat some A5 teams. If the top Non-A5 teams only schedule each other, we aren't pushing for playoff inclusion. If anything we help create the divide and cause for separation between A5 and Non-A5.

We aren't even talking about Playoff inclusion these days. It's all about NY6 bowl and which Non-A5 league will be the tallest midget.

The A5 have blackballed UCF and we are forced to either schedule 2-for-1s with A5 teams or schedule Non-A5 for home-and-home.

So now UCF is scheduling to be the tallest midget against Boise State and BYU. Instead of pushing the Non-A5 to the CFP narrative.

They gave us a NY6 bowl and we are happy not completing for the playoff.

Our only hope is the Colley Matrix and more programs claiming National Titles after their NY6 bowl win.

If UCF pairs BS-u or BYU with 3 A5 and goes defeated they should be in the Final4.

(09-26-2019 05:26 AM)jedclampett Wrote:  The combination of political power that could come from adding Air Force and Army is impressive, but . . .

it is nothing compared to the MILITARY POWER!

Bombs Away on our way to the POWER 6!

The political clout of service Academy football is over-rated, at least when it is posed as "No way the next big restructure would leave behind the service Academies!"
If just being star-spangled studs were enough to guarantee being on the right side of the next big restructure, we might not even be in this conference.

Also, there is risk of political backlash from BOTH sides of the aisle if we create a perception of the Academies being football factories. There are politically induced ceilings on Academy football.

I gotta agree with the pundits. Great for their G5 Access bid. Awful for their CFP hopes and dreams.

(09-24-2019 02:26 PM)ArmoredUpKnight Wrote:  Terrible.

The Autonomous 5 are drawing a line in the sand and we are only helping them. The only way the Non-A5 to the Playoff conversation even starts is if we beat some A5 teams. If the top Non-A5 teams only schedule each other, we aren't pushing for playoff inclusion. If anything we help create the divide and cause for separation between A5 and Non-A5.

We aren't even talking about Playoff inclusion these days. It's all about NY6 bowl and which Non-A5 league will be the tallest midget.

The A5 have blackballed UCF and we are forced to either schedule 2-for-1s with A5 teams or schedule Non-A5 for home-and-home.

So now UCF is scheduling to be the tallest midget against Boise State and BYU. Instead of pushing the Non-A5 to the CFP narrative.

They gave us a NY6 bowl and we are happy not completing for the playoff.

Our only hope is the Colley Matrix and more programs claiming National Titles after their NY6 bowl win.

You've made a strong case.

However, there is another way to interpret the situation.

By scheduling numerous games against AAC opponents, BYU and BSU are opening the door wide open with the AAC, much the same way that some AAC schools (e.g., Temple) have done in scheduling numerous games against ACC opponents. Temple has been sending the signal to the ACC: "we are interested developing rivalries in the ACC," and BYU and BSU are sending the same signal to the AAC.

It's possible that they are rivals, if the AAC/ESPN only wants to add 1 FB program. But, while there has been no indication of expanding to 14 AAC members, it may be in ESPN's best interests to do so, and both BYU and BSU are fully mindful of this possibility. They've got their foot in the door now, making it abundantly clear that want to be involved in the current and future discussions on this general topic.

(09-26-2019 04:37 PM)slhNavy91 Wrote:  

(09-26-2019 05:26 AM)jedclampett Wrote:  The combination of political power that could come from adding Air Force and Army is impressive, but . . .

it is nothing compared to the MILITARY POWER!

Bombs Away on our way to the POWER 6!

The political clout of service Academy football is over-rated, at least when it is posed as "No way the next big restructure would leave behind the service Academies!"
If just being star-spangled studs were enough to guarantee being on the right side of the next big restructure, we might not even be in this conference.
Also, there is risk of political backlash from BOTH sides of the aisle if we create a perception of the Academies being football factories. There are politically induced ceilings on Academy football.

All humor aside, it's not the direct influence of political power that would be operative. The only influence would be contextual.

In other words, there wouldn't and couldn't be any attempt to use any kind of influence, direct or indirect, to try to achieve any ends vis a vis the P5 or NCAA. It wouldn't be permitted or even considered for an instant.

However, if Air Force and Army were to join the AAC, and if the AAC eventually becomes a "de facto" "Power" conference (indexed by # of teams in the top 10, top 25, media audience share, etc. compared to P5 conferences), it would no doubt be helpful from the AAC's standpoint to have the three service academies as AAC member institutions.

Most probably, if the AAC does achieve any kind of consensual recognition as a true "Power" conference, the status will be granted, and ESPN will duly increase their media package to no lower than what the least-well-compensated P5 conferences would be receiving at that time. This would probably take place, because the available data would allow the AAC to bring a legal case against ESPN to increase its payments so that they establish parity with the Big-12, ACC, etc.

If it should become a legal matter - - and considering that ESPN is only going to be paying $7 million per year to AAC institutions, while paying over $20 million to the various P5 institutions, it wiil probably become a legal matter in future - - the mere fact that 3 of the AAC institutions are our nation's military academies would no doubt have some impact on any court that would be considering such a matter.

Indeed, if ESPN tries to avoid paying the AAC an amount appropriate given what will probably be a P5 sized audience after the current 12 year deal expires, the fact that one of the service academies is already a member of the AAC may itself be helpful from a legal standpoint.