bullet
Legend
Posts: 66,967
Joined: Apr 2012
Reputation: 3320
I Root For: Texas, UK, UGA
Location:
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-05-2020 10:21 PM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 10:15 PM)bullet Wrote: (07-05-2020 10:07 PM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 06:56 PM)BruceMcF Wrote: (07-05-2020 06:44 PM)quo vadis Wrote: They go from one extreme, out of the way location to the other. At least Providence was understandable, as it was a legacy inheritance. But Dallas? Good Lord.
What would make more sense for the conference? New Orleans? Memphis?
I would say Memphis, New Orleans, Cincy, and Washington DC all make more sense.
Only DC has good airline connections and there is no full AAC member near there. ECU and Temple are the closest. And only Temple is northeast of there, so Dallas is about as centrally located as DC. Cincinnati and Memphis have lost a lot of flights since the Delta-Northwest merger.
Atlanta and Charlotte might make some sense, but there is no AAC team there.
Dallas is IMO too far from the cultural and geographic center of the AAC. No, I didn't expect Tampa or Orlando to host, even though both make as much sense as Dallas does, meaning not much.
I suspect it was chosen because the AAC staff like it more than because it adds value to the members. Nobody wants to fly in to DFW unless they have to. Now, they have to.
Is there a cultural center?
Without calculating I would guess the geographic center would be somewhere between Birmingham and Hunstville, AL. Memphis is the only AAC city near there.
|
|
07-05-2020 10:36 PM |
|
esayem
Hark The Sound!
Posts: 16,804
Joined: Feb 2007
Reputation: 1274
I Root For: Olde Ironclad
Location: Tobacco Road
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
Add MTSU and claim Nashville. It’s damn near the same city these days.
|
|
07-05-2020 10:40 PM |
|
bill dazzle
Craft beer and urban living enthusiast
Posts: 10,761
Joined: Aug 2016
Reputation: 991
I Root For: Vandy/Memphis/DePaul/UNC
Location: Nashville
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-05-2020 10:40 PM)esayem Wrote: Add MTSU and claim Nashville. It’s damn near the same city these days.
On that theme, Rutherford County (home to MTSU and Murfreesboro) will soon have more residents than Hamilton County (Chattanooga). Both have about 340,000. However, downtown Chattanooga is like London or New York compared to downtown Murfreesboro.
Rutherford County is the poster child for suburban sprawl.
|
|
07-05-2020 11:29 PM |
|
BruceMcF
Hall of Famer
Posts: 13,263
Joined: Jan 2013
Reputation: 792
I Root For: Reds/Buckeyes/.
Location:
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-05-2020 10:36 PM)bullet Wrote: Is there a cultural center?
Without calculating I would guess the geographic center would be somewhere between Birmingham and Hunstville, AL. Memphis is the only AAC city near there.
Yeah, when I asked about New Orleans, I was more looking at the AAC as a ring. Adding a school to get a good place for a HQ would be almost as silly a move as adding Tulane, but at least even if the American is raided during the next Power Conference Realignment spasm or aftershocks, it could count on Tulane as still being there.
If Memphis had a main hub airport, it would be a big step up over the DFW area, but if ifs and buts were candies and nuts, we'd ALL have a Merry Christmas.
(This post was last modified: 07-05-2020 11:43 PM by BruceMcF.)
|
|
07-05-2020 11:39 PM |
|
IWokeUpLikeThis
Hall of Famer
Posts: 13,902
Joined: Jul 2014
Reputation: 1487
I Root For: NIU, Chicago St
Location:
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-05-2020 10:21 PM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 10:15 PM)bullet Wrote: (07-05-2020 10:07 PM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 06:56 PM)BruceMcF Wrote: (07-05-2020 06:44 PM)quo vadis Wrote: They go from one extreme, out of the way location to the other. At least Providence was understandable, as it was a legacy inheritance. But Dallas? Good Lord.
What would make more sense for the conference? New Orleans? Memphis?
I would say Memphis, New Orleans, Cincy, and Washington DC all make more sense.
Only DC has good airline connections and there is no full AAC member near there. ECU and Temple are the closest. And only Temple is northeast of there, so Dallas is about as centrally located as DC. Cincinnati and Memphis have lost a lot of flights since the Delta-Northwest merger.
Atlanta and Charlotte might make some sense, but there is no AAC team there.
Dallas is IMO too far from the cultural and geographic center of the AAC. No, I didn't expect Tampa or Orlando to host, even though both make as much sense as Dallas does, meaning not much.
I suspect it was chosen because the AAC staff like it more than because it adds value to the members. Nobody wants to fly in to DFW unless they have to. Now, they have to.
Many people want to fly to DFW. It’s the #5 DMA.
|
|
07-05-2020 11:46 PM |
|
UTEPDallas
Heisman
Posts: 6,025
Joined: Oct 2004
Reputation: 339
I Root For: UTEP/Penn State
Location: Dallas, TX
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
This is not about where the geographic center of the AAC is. It’s about long term. You don’t move your headquarters based in one school or two. Cincinnati and Temple might not even be in the AAC in five or ten years. It’s about where you can get a better cost of living, tax incentives, easy access to a major airport hub, networking connections, etc. Dallas checks all those boxes. It’s an area that’s fast growing and it’s attracting companies from all over the nation.
We had the same arguments on the C-USA board 15 years ago when the headquarters were moved from Chicago to Dallas. Some people thought Memphis was a better choice because it was at the geographic center of the conference. Some thought New Orleans was a good choice as well. What conference are Memphis and Tulane in?
|
|
07-05-2020 11:54 PM |
|
gulfcoastgal
All American
Posts: 4,299
Joined: Feb 2007
Reputation: 400
I Root For: Memphis Tigers
Location:
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-05-2020 11:54 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote: This is not about where the geographic center of the AAC is. It’s about long term. You don’t move your headquarters based in one school or two. Cincinnati and Temple might not even be in the AAC in five or ten years. It’s about where you can get a better cost of living, tax incentives, easy access to a major airport hub, networking connections, etc. Dallas checks all those boxes. It’s an area that’s fast growing and it’s attracting companies from all over the nation.
We had the same arguments on the C-USA board 15 years ago when the headquarters were moved from Chicago to Dallas. Some people thought Memphis was a better choice because it was at the geographic center of the conference. Some thought New Orleans was a good choice as well. What conference are Memphis and Tulane in?
I remember that. Gee, I’m old and been hanging around here way too long.
|
|
07-06-2020 01:21 AM |
|
quo vadis
Legend
Posts: 50,235
Joined: Aug 2008
Reputation: 2445
I Root For: USF/Georgetown
Location: New Orleans
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-05-2020 10:36 PM)bullet Wrote: (07-05-2020 10:21 PM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 10:15 PM)bullet Wrote: (07-05-2020 10:07 PM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 06:56 PM)BruceMcF Wrote: What would make more sense for the conference? New Orleans? Memphis?
I would say Memphis, New Orleans, Cincy, and Washington DC all make more sense.
Only DC has good airline connections and there is no full AAC member near there. ECU and Temple are the closest. And only Temple is northeast of there, so Dallas is about as centrally located as DC. Cincinnati and Memphis have lost a lot of flights since the Delta-Northwest merger.
Atlanta and Charlotte might make some sense, but there is no AAC team there.
Dallas is IMO too far from the cultural and geographic center of the AAC. No, I didn't expect Tampa or Orlando to host, even though both make as much sense as Dallas does, meaning not much.
I suspect it was chosen because the AAC staff like it more than because it adds value to the members. Nobody wants to fly in to DFW unless they have to. Now, they have to.
Is there a cultural center?
Without calculating I would guess the geographic center would be somewhere between Birmingham and Hunstville, AL. Memphis is the only AAC city near there.
Good point, the AAC does not have a cultural center, or really a culture per se. Someone described us as "the best football schools not in the P5 and east of the Continental Divide", or something like that and it fits.
I just get the idea that the AAC staff is more excited about Dallas - major metro area, lots to do, etc. - than any of the schools outside of the far west ones are. If it was my choice, I'd have put it in Memphis, Cincy, New Orleans, DC, or Charlotte before Dallas.
(This post was last modified: 07-06-2020 09:10 AM by quo vadis.)
|
|
07-06-2020 09:08 AM |
|
quo vadis
Legend
Posts: 50,235
Joined: Aug 2008
Reputation: 2445
I Root For: USF/Georgetown
Location: New Orleans
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-05-2020 11:54 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote: This is not about where the geographic center of the AAC is. It’s about long term. You don’t move your headquarters based in one school or two. Cincinnati and Temple might not even be in the AAC in five or ten years. It’s about where you can get a better cost of living, tax incentives, easy access to a major airport hub, networking connections, etc. Dallas checks all those boxes. It’s an area that’s fast growing and it’s attracting companies from all over the nation.
We had the same arguments on the C-USA board 15 years ago when the headquarters were moved from Chicago to Dallas. Some people thought Memphis was a better choice because it was at the geographic center of the conference. Some thought New Orleans was a good choice as well. What conference are Memphis and Tulane in?
If it's about long term, how has being in Dallas helped C-USA? How would you assess the strength of the conference now compared to 15 years ago?
The factors you mention seem to be of more benefit to conference staff bureaucracy than to membership.
|
|
07-06-2020 09:18 AM |
|
westwolf
Special Teams
Posts: 825
Joined: Apr 2010
Reputation: 8
I Root For: CFB
Location:
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-05-2020 04:49 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote: I'm surprised this hasn't been shared yet, but it's official: The American Athletic Conference is now headquartered in Texas, no longer in Providence.
http://theamerican.org/news/2020/6/29/ge...texas.aspx
No more lobsters at the summer conferences?
|
|
07-06-2020 10:01 AM |
|
BruceMcF
Hall of Famer
Posts: 13,263
Joined: Jan 2013
Reputation: 792
I Root For: Reds/Buckeyes/.
Location:
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-05-2020 11:54 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote: This is not about where the geographic center of the AAC is. It’s about long term. You don’t move your headquarters based in one school or two. Cincinnati and Temple might not even be in the AAC in five or ten years. It’s about where you can get a better cost of living, tax incentives, easy access to a major airport hub, networking connections, etc. Dallas checks all those boxes. It’s an area that’s fast growing and it’s attracting companies from all over the nation.
We had the same arguments on the C-USA board 15 years ago when the headquarters were moved from Chicago to Dallas. Some people thought Memphis was a better choice because it was at the geographic center of the conference. Some thought New Orleans was a good choice as well. What conference are Memphis and Tulane in?
Memphis would still be roughly halfway CUSA East and CUSA West, with New Orleans as a more easterly location in CUSA West and Nashville as a more westerly location in CUSA East.
As far as what conference Tulane is in, it's not like CUSA lost both of their Louisiana schools, even if the one they kept is more upstream.
But the day to day reality is that the schools don't "stay" at the conference HQ, and outside the NEC Corridor where they might take a train, for the rest of the country they generally have people fly in and fly out. That gives LA, DFW, Atlanta, Chicago, DC, New York an inside track.
(This post was last modified: 07-06-2020 11:01 AM by BruceMcF.)
|
|
07-06-2020 10:54 AM |
|
TripleA
Legend
Posts: 58,654
Joined: Jun 2008
Reputation: 3185
I Root For: Memphis Tigers
Location: The woods of Bammer
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-05-2020 10:36 PM)bullet Wrote: (07-05-2020 10:21 PM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 10:15 PM)bullet Wrote: (07-05-2020 10:07 PM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 06:56 PM)BruceMcF Wrote: What would make more sense for the conference? New Orleans? Memphis?
I would say Memphis, New Orleans, Cincy, and Washington DC all make more sense.
Only DC has good airline connections and there is no full AAC member near there. ECU and Temple are the closest. And only Temple is northeast of there, so Dallas is about as centrally located as DC. Cincinnati and Memphis have lost a lot of flights since the Delta-Northwest merger.
Atlanta and Charlotte might make some sense, but there is no AAC team there.
Dallas is IMO too far from the cultural and geographic center of the AAC. No, I didn't expect Tampa or Orlando to host, even though both make as much sense as Dallas does, meaning not much.
I suspect it was chosen because the AAC staff like it more than because it adds value to the members. Nobody wants to fly in to DFW unless they have to. Now, they have to.
Is there a cultural center?
Without calculating I would guess the geographic center would be somewhere between Birmingham and Hunstville, AL. Memphis is the only AAC city near there.
You're exactly right. I did the calculation a few weeks ago. Makes Memphis the logical choice for the AAC HQ, but I understand why they chose Dallas.
|
|
07-06-2020 11:17 AM |
|
UTEPDallas
Heisman
Posts: 6,025
Joined: Oct 2004
Reputation: 339
I Root For: UTEP/Penn State
Location: Dallas, TX
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-06-2020 09:18 AM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 11:54 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote: This is not about where the geographic center of the AAC is. It’s about long term. You don’t move your headquarters based in one school or two. Cincinnati and Temple might not even be in the AAC in five or ten years. It’s about where you can get a better cost of living, tax incentives, easy access to a major airport hub, networking connections, etc. Dallas checks all those boxes. It’s an area that’s fast growing and it’s attracting companies from all over the nation.
We had the same arguments on the C-USA board 15 years ago when the headquarters were moved from Chicago to Dallas. Some people thought Memphis was a better choice because it was at the geographic center of the conference. Some thought New Orleans was a good choice as well. What conference are Memphis and Tulane in?
If it's about long term, how has being in Dallas helped C-USA? How would you assess the strength of the conference now compared to 15 years ago?
The factors you mention seem to be of more benefit to conference staff bureaucracy than to membership.
C-USA issues and struggles have nothing to do with being based in Dallas. It’s inept leadership that is being enabled by school presidents.
It helps being in the middle of the country where you can fly to either coast in 3 hours. It’s where decisions that impact college football are made (CFP committee). It doesn’t hurt a P5 and a G5 conference have its headquarters nearby. It’s all about networking.
Dallas blows Providence out of the water in every category.
This is not the Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC and even the Big XII where Chicago, L.A., Atlanta and Dallas are the cultural center of the conference. It’s a G5 conference where most of its members are waiting for a better conference. Having their headquarters in Dallas is more of a business decision rather than a historical or sentimental feeling about the identity of the conference.
|
|
07-06-2020 11:32 AM |
|
UTEPDallas
Heisman
Posts: 6,025
Joined: Oct 2004
Reputation: 339
I Root For: UTEP/Penn State
Location: Dallas, TX
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-06-2020 01:21 AM)gulfcoastgal Wrote: (07-05-2020 11:54 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote: This is not about where the geographic center of the AAC is. It’s about long term. You don’t move your headquarters based in one school or two. Cincinnati and Temple might not even be in the AAC in five or ten years. It’s about where you can get a better cost of living, tax incentives, easy access to a major airport hub, networking connections, etc. Dallas checks all those boxes. It’s an area that’s fast growing and it’s attracting companies from all over the nation.
We had the same arguments on the C-USA board 15 years ago when the headquarters were moved from Chicago to Dallas. Some people thought Memphis was a better choice because it was at the geographic center of the conference. Some thought New Orleans was a good choice as well. What conference are Memphis and Tulane in?
I remember that. Gee, I’m old and been hanging around here way too long.
I’ve been around these boards for 17 years. 16 years as a registered member and 1 year as a lurker. It all started in 2003 when the ACC decided they wanted Miami.
I was in my early 20’s back then. To be that young again.....
|
|
07-06-2020 11:37 AM |
|
Attackcoog
Moderator
Posts: 44,892
Joined: Oct 2011
Reputation: 2886
I Root For: Houston
Location:
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-06-2020 11:32 AM)UTEPDallas Wrote: (07-06-2020 09:18 AM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 11:54 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote: This is not about where the geographic center of the AAC is. It’s about long term. You don’t move your headquarters based in one school or two. Cincinnati and Temple might not even be in the AAC in five or ten years. It’s about where you can get a better cost of living, tax incentives, easy access to a major airport hub, networking connections, etc. Dallas checks all those boxes. It’s an area that’s fast growing and it’s attracting companies from all over the nation.
We had the same arguments on the C-USA board 15 years ago when the headquarters were moved from Chicago to Dallas. Some people thought Memphis was a better choice because it was at the geographic center of the conference. Some thought New Orleans was a good choice as well. What conference are Memphis and Tulane in?
If it's about long term, how has being in Dallas helped C-USA? How would you assess the strength of the conference now compared to 15 years ago?
The factors you mention seem to be of more benefit to conference staff bureaucracy than to membership.
C-USA issues and struggles have nothing to do with being based in Dallas. It’s inept leadership that is being enabled by school presidents.
It helps being in the middle of the country where you can fly to either coast in 3 hours. It’s where decisions that impact college football are made (CFP committee). It doesn’t hurt a P5 and a G5 conference have its headquarters nearby. It’s all about networking.
Dallas blows Providence out of the water in every category.
This is not the Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC and even the Big XII where Chicago, L.A., Atlanta and Dallas are the cultural center of the conference. It’s a G5 conference where most of its members are waiting for a better conference. Having their headquarters in Dallas is more of a business decision rather than a historical or sentimental feeling about the identity of the conference.
I had read a while back where Judy MacLeod was saying that the corporate sponsorship opportunities in Dallas were so numerous that last years CUSA basketball tournament was profitable before a single ticket was sold. My guess is those kinds of sponsorship opportunities probably had a hand in the AAC HQ location decision as well. I think they also have high hopes for the AAC Mens Basketball Tournament in the new Dickies Arena. I suspect the AAC would love for it to be embraced and supported somewhere to such a degree that it could become a permanent home for the tournament---kinda like MSG did for the BIg East. That Dallas/Ft Worth arena location is drivable for a number of fan bases---and there are 6 million people there---some of which are likely college basketball fans---there is certainly a reasonable chance to have solid attendance. Add in the kind of corporate sponsorship opportunities that CUSA discussed---and I can see where the potential is there for the event to be successful enough to become an annual Dallas event.
(This post was last modified: 07-06-2020 12:01 PM by Attackcoog.)
|
|
07-06-2020 11:45 AM |
|
UTEPDallas
Heisman
Posts: 6,025
Joined: Oct 2004
Reputation: 339
I Root For: UTEP/Penn State
Location: Dallas, TX
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-06-2020 11:45 AM)Attackcoog Wrote: (07-06-2020 11:32 AM)UTEPDallas Wrote: (07-06-2020 09:18 AM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 11:54 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote: This is not about where the geographic center of the AAC is. It’s about long term. You don’t move your headquarters based in one school or two. Cincinnati and Temple might not even be in the AAC in five or ten years. It’s about where you can get a better cost of living, tax incentives, easy access to a major airport hub, networking connections, etc. Dallas checks all those boxes. It’s an area that’s fast growing and it’s attracting companies from all over the nation.
We had the same arguments on the C-USA board 15 years ago when the headquarters were moved from Chicago to Dallas. Some people thought Memphis was a better choice because it was at the geographic center of the conference. Some thought New Orleans was a good choice as well. What conference are Memphis and Tulane in?
If it's about long term, how has being in Dallas helped C-USA? How would you assess the strength of the conference now compared to 15 years ago?
The factors you mention seem to be of more benefit to conference staff bureaucracy than to membership.
C-USA issues and struggles have nothing to do with being based in Dallas. It’s inept leadership that is being enabled by school presidents.
It helps being in the middle of the country where you can fly to either coast in 3 hours. It’s where decisions that impact college football are made (CFP committee). It doesn’t hurt a P5 and a G5 conference have its headquarters nearby. It’s all about networking.
Dallas blows Providence out of the water in every category.
This is not the Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC and even the Big XII where Chicago, L.A., Atlanta and Dallas are the cultural center of the conference. It’s a G5 conference where most of its members are waiting for a better conference. Having their headquarters in Dallas is more of a business decision rather than a historical or sentimental feeling about the identity of the conference.
I had read a while back where Judy MacLeod was saying that the corporate sponsorship opportunities in Dallas were so numerous that last years CUSA basketball tournament was profitable before a single ticket was sold. My guess is those kinds of sponsorship opportunities probably had a hand in the AAC HQ location decision as well.
Exactly. Where would you get better sponsor opportunities? In Dallas or Providence?
DFW is home to ExxonMobil, AT&T, American, Southwest, Toyota North America, Dr Pepper, JCPenney, McKesson, Comerica, Kimberly-Clark, Texas Instruments, Charles Schwab, 7-Eleven, Cinemark, FedEx Office, Frito-Lay, Mary Kay, Michael’s, Neiman Marcus, Nokia North America, Pizza Hut, Rolex and countless more.
|
|
07-06-2020 11:54 AM |
|
IWokeUpLikeThis
Hall of Famer
Posts: 13,902
Joined: Jul 2014
Reputation: 1487
I Root For: NIU, Chicago St
Location:
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-06-2020 11:45 AM)Attackcoog Wrote: (07-06-2020 11:32 AM)UTEPDallas Wrote: (07-06-2020 09:18 AM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 11:54 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote: This is not about where the geographic center of the AAC is. It’s about long term. You don’t move your headquarters based in one school or two. Cincinnati and Temple might not even be in the AAC in five or ten years. It’s about where you can get a better cost of living, tax incentives, easy access to a major airport hub, networking connections, etc. Dallas checks all those boxes. It’s an area that’s fast growing and it’s attracting companies from all over the nation.
We had the same arguments on the C-USA board 15 years ago when the headquarters were moved from Chicago to Dallas. Some people thought Memphis was a better choice because it was at the geographic center of the conference. Some thought New Orleans was a good choice as well. What conference are Memphis and Tulane in?
If it's about long term, how has being in Dallas helped C-USA? How would you assess the strength of the conference now compared to 15 years ago?
The factors you mention seem to be of more benefit to conference staff bureaucracy than to membership.
C-USA issues and struggles have nothing to do with being based in Dallas. It’s inept leadership that is being enabled by school presidents.
It helps being in the middle of the country where you can fly to either coast in 3 hours. It’s where decisions that impact college football are made (CFP committee). It doesn’t hurt a P5 and a G5 conference have its headquarters nearby. It’s all about networking.
Dallas blows Providence out of the water in every category.
This is not the Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC and even the Big XII where Chicago, L.A., Atlanta and Dallas are the cultural center of the conference. It’s a G5 conference where most of its members are waiting for a better conference. Having their headquarters in Dallas is more of a business decision rather than a historical or sentimental feeling about the identity of the conference.
I had read a while back where Judy MacLeod was saying that the corporate sponsorship opportunities in Dallas were so numerous that last years CUSA basketball tournament was profitable before a single ticket was sold. My guess is those kinds of sponsorship opportunities probably had a hand in the AAC HQ location decision as well. I think they also have high hopes for the AAC Mens Basketball Tournament in the new Dickies Arena. I suspect the AAC would love for it to be embraced and supported somewhere to such a degree that it could become a permanent home for the tournament---kinda like MSG did for the BIg East.
And that's what makes her one of the best commissioners in college sports. What other mid-major commish can make a conference tournament profitable before a ticket is sold?
|
|
07-06-2020 11:55 AM |
|
Michael in Raleigh
All American
Posts: 3,676
Joined: Jul 2014
Reputation: 334
I Root For: App State
Location:
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-06-2020 11:55 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote: (07-06-2020 11:45 AM)Attackcoog Wrote: (07-06-2020 11:32 AM)UTEPDallas Wrote: (07-06-2020 09:18 AM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 11:54 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote: This is not about where the geographic center of the AAC is. It’s about long term. You don’t move your headquarters based in one school or two. Cincinnati and Temple might not even be in the AAC in five or ten years. It’s about where you can get a better cost of living, tax incentives, easy access to a major airport hub, networking connections, etc. Dallas checks all those boxes. It’s an area that’s fast growing and it’s attracting companies from all over the nation.
We had the same arguments on the C-USA board 15 years ago when the headquarters were moved from Chicago to Dallas. Some people thought Memphis was a better choice because it was at the geographic center of the conference. Some thought New Orleans was a good choice as well. What conference are Memphis and Tulane in?
If it's about long term, how has being in Dallas helped C-USA? How would you assess the strength of the conference now compared to 15 years ago?
The factors you mention seem to be of more benefit to conference staff bureaucracy than to membership.
C-USA issues and struggles have nothing to do with being based in Dallas. It’s inept leadership that is being enabled by school presidents.
It helps being in the middle of the country where you can fly to either coast in 3 hours. It’s where decisions that impact college football are made (CFP committee). It doesn’t hurt a P5 and a G5 conference have its headquarters nearby. It’s all about networking.
Dallas blows Providence out of the water in every category.
This is not the Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC and even the Big XII where Chicago, L.A., Atlanta and Dallas are the cultural center of the conference. It’s a G5 conference where most of its members are waiting for a better conference. Having their headquarters in Dallas is more of a business decision rather than a historical or sentimental feeling about the identity of the conference.
I had read a while back where Judy MacLeod was saying that the corporate sponsorship opportunities in Dallas were so numerous that last years CUSA basketball tournament was profitable before a single ticket was sold. My guess is those kinds of sponsorship opportunities probably had a hand in the AAC HQ location decision as well. I think they also have high hopes for the AAC Mens Basketball Tournament in the new Dickies Arena. I suspect the AAC would love for it to be embraced and supported somewhere to such a degree that it could become a permanent home for the tournament---kinda like MSG did for the BIg East.
And that's what makes her one of the best commissioners in college sports. What other mid-major commish can make a conference tournament profitable before a ticket is sold?
Wow, that's the complete opposite description of everything else I've ever heard about her.
|
|
07-06-2020 11:57 AM |
|
quo vadis
Legend
Posts: 50,235
Joined: Aug 2008
Reputation: 2445
I Root For: USF/Georgetown
Location: New Orleans
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-06-2020 11:32 AM)UTEPDallas Wrote: (07-06-2020 09:18 AM)quo vadis Wrote: (07-05-2020 11:54 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote: This is not about where the geographic center of the AAC is. It’s about long term. You don’t move your headquarters based in one school or two. Cincinnati and Temple might not even be in the AAC in five or ten years. It’s about where you can get a better cost of living, tax incentives, easy access to a major airport hub, networking connections, etc. Dallas checks all those boxes. It’s an area that’s fast growing and it’s attracting companies from all over the nation.
We had the same arguments on the C-USA board 15 years ago when the headquarters were moved from Chicago to Dallas. Some people thought Memphis was a better choice because it was at the geographic center of the conference. Some thought New Orleans was a good choice as well. What conference are Memphis and Tulane in?
If it's about long term, how has being in Dallas helped C-USA? How would you assess the strength of the conference now compared to 15 years ago?
The factors you mention seem to be of more benefit to conference staff bureaucracy than to membership.
C-USA issues and struggles have nothing to do with being based in Dallas. It’s inept leadership that is being enabled by school presidents.
It helps being in the middle of the country where you can fly to either coast in 3 hours. It’s where decisions that impact college football are made (CFP committee). It doesn’t hurt a P5 and a G5 conference have its headquarters nearby. It’s all about networking.
Dallas blows Providence out of the water in every category.
This is not the Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC and even the Big XII where Chicago, L.A., Atlanta and Dallas are the cultural center of the conference. It’s a G5 conference where most of its members are waiting for a better conference. Having their headquarters in Dallas is more of a business decision rather than a historical or sentimental feeling about the identity of the conference.
FWIW, I haven't defended Providence at all. Made no sense for the AAC to be HQd in Providence, so a move is a good idea. I just don't know why the AAC chose Dallas, in the far west of the conference.
As for C-USA, you didn't move from Providence to Dallas, you moved from Chicago to Dallas. Chicago is a bit of a different story than Providence, and I don't see how C-USA has benefited from any "networking" or closeness to the CFP in Dallas the past 15 years.
Don't get me wrong - for CUSA Dallas actually isn't a bad choice, given four Texas schools and LA-Tech not far. But Dallas is NOT a bad choice for you and yet there are zero apparent benefits to being there. For the AAC, Dallas is much farther afield.
Again, staff bureaucracy preference is the only thing i can see driving this for the AAC.
(This post was last modified: 07-06-2020 12:20 PM by quo vadis.)
|
|
07-06-2020 12:16 PM |
|
Michael in Raleigh
All American
Posts: 3,676
Joined: Jul 2014
Reputation: 334
I Root For: App State
Location:
|
RE: AAC Headquarters Now in Irving, Texas
(07-06-2020 10:01 AM)westwolf Wrote: (07-05-2020 04:49 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote: I'm surprised this hasn't been shared yet, but it's official: The American Athletic Conference is now headquartered in Texas, no longer in Providence.
http://theamerican.org/news/2020/6/29/ge...texas.aspx
No more lobsters at the summer conferences?
I don't know whether it will continue or not.
The AAC has switched to virtual media days for this year, but the original schedule was to be in Newport, RI again, even with this years HQ move to Texas.
https://247sports.com/Article/college-fo...144514991/
|
|
07-06-2020 12:30 PM |
|