https://theamerican.org/news/2021/10/21/...ities.aspx

https://riceowls.com/news/2021/10/21/gen...rence.aspx

Let’s hit the ground running!

Announce the stadium upgrades, investments, coaching changes….

In the wise words of Zombieland, it's time for Rice to nut up or shut up.

Email from JK:

Quote:Dear Rice Family,

I write this note with great enthusiasm to announce that we are joining the American Athletic Conference (AAC). While the exact timing of our entrance is still to be determined, we are thrilled for our new direction. We will be joined by Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, UAB and UTSA who will also be moving from Conference USA to compete with current members East Carolina, Memphis, Navy (football only), SMU, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, Wichita State (non-football), and USF in the newly expanded AAC. The move will reunite us with former longtime rivals such as SMU and Tulane as well as with former C-USA members East Carolina, Memphis and Tulsa.

Since I became your Director of Athletics in the fall of 2013, one of my main areas of focus has been to move our department forward in a way that would make us an attractive candidate when the next round of conference realignment began. Today’s invitation to join the AAC confirms our approach and aligns with our aspirations to offer an unparalleled experience for our student-athletes.

I want to recognize the significant commitment from our university administration to get us to this point. I’d also like to personally thank President Leebron and Board of Trustees Chair Rob Ladd `78 for their leadership during this latest round of conference realignment. They have been terrific partners, and our alignment moving forward is stronger than ever.

To all of you who have remained unwavering in your annual contributions and season ticket purchases… THANK YOU! We would not be here without you, and I find the most joy in knowing what today’s announcement means to you in particular. Enjoy today, but know that this is not the finish line, as we are going to need each of you now more than ever. To that end, I ask that you please consider increasing your support of the Owl Club Athletic Fund as we ramp up for the new era of Rice Athletics.

Although we are all overjoyed with today’s news and the prospects of competing in the AAC as early as the fall of 2023, we are not satisfied with merely joining a new conference. The time is now for every Rice Owl to invest in our department to ensure that our student-athletes and coaches are best positioned to compete for championships when we make our debut in our new conference. If you are not already doing so, I ask that you partner with us by joining the Owl Club, purchasing season tickets, and attending games.

I have enjoyed many great moments during my eight years here on South Main… and today will go down as one of the best!

Go Owls!

Interesting blurb from the AAC commissioner (emphasis mine):

Quote:We are adding excellent institutions that are established in major cities and have invested in competing at the highest level. We have enhanced geographical concentration which will especially help the conference's men's and women's basketball and Olympic sports teams.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/st...conference

CUSA's commissioner was the butt of jokes in trying to throw a wrench into movement and suggest a blow it up-go regional approach. But it's interesting that even the AAC commissioner indicated that concentrating their footprint a bit was beneficial. They can now split their conference into two divisions, but I don't see their footprint shrinking in total (UCF and UH swapped with FAU and Texas schools, and Cincy wasn't really an outlier given Temple).

Jon Rothstein seems to think it’s possible that Temple will leave the AAC for a better basketball alignment… Not sure that the A10 is a far better option given that I doubt the AAC would allow Temple to be football-only but time will tell.

(10-21-2021 09:42 AM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  Jon Rothstein seems to think it’s possible that Temple will leave the AAC for a better basketball alignment… Not sure that the A10 is a far better option given that I doubt the AAC would allow Temple to be football-only but time will tell.

I do think we're getting to a point where geographic consolidation will happen for the teams that aren't part of the real Big Boys club. It seems less than sustainable to ship players cross country for Olympic sports.

(10-21-2021 09:18 AM)elw4796 Wrote:  In the wise words of Zombieland, it's time for Rice to nut up or shut up.

A billion times THIS.

Now if the rumored numbers are to be believed, things should improve purely from the extra million or two in the athletic budget. But I really hope the university is planning on ponying up extra

Obviously, the AAC is a step above the C-USA. The question is will Rice (i.e., the administration) truly support college sports? Not to mention, will the majority of undergraduate students care? I will believe it when it happens...

The majority of undergrads won't care, initially, and I am not going to blame them. When we start regularly competing for conference 'ships in the major sports, then I'll turn start expecting attendance.

A more important question...Will Rice (i.e. the alumni and supporters) support the move by providing financial support and showing up for the games instead of complaining about lack of support?

Congrats on the move, really happy to see it.

Was just speaking with a fellow UH alum about how I hoped y'all got out of CUSA before it died on the vine.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Do the majority of the undergrads know where the football stadium is? Do the majority of undergrads know what a football stadium is?

I really think attendance will continue to depend on the quality of the product on the field.

(10-21-2021 10:43 AM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Do the majority of the undergrads know where the football stadium is? Do the majority of undergrads know what a football stadium is?

I really think attendance will continue to depend on the quality of the product on the field.

Most Rice students played sports in HS to some degree. If we win people will show up. If we play teams they care about people will show up even when we’re bad.

(10-21-2021 10:51 AM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 10:43 AM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Do the majority of the undergrads know where the football stadium is? Do the majority of undergrads know what a football stadium is?

I really think attendance will continue to depend on the quality of the product on the field.

Most Rice students played sports in HS to some degree. If we win people will show up. If we play teams they care about people will show up even when we’re bad.

As to your last sentence, it's still a lot of the same teams. We need to hope that teams like UTSA can sustain their success.

The sort is breaking news in the Houston Business Journal, with the following headline and sub-headline:

It’s official: Rice University moving to American Athletic Conference
The Roadrunners' days in Conference USA are now numbered as a result of realignment

To be fair:
- HBJ is part of a conglomerate of local business papers (including San Antonio) that often run the same article
- The article discusses UTSA almost as much as it does Rice

Even so, the juxtaposition of the headline and sub-headline is funny.

See https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news...rence.html

This move reunites us with the regional private schools that we have always wanted to play again, as well as two public schools (UTSA and North Texas) that could possibly grow and improve quickly. It's a good move. Louisiana Tech deserved to be invited, but maybe they get in if Memphis leaves.

I hope the students care a little more about seeing us play Tulane, SMU, and Tulsa. We need to get our act together and try to get into the B12 from here. No being complacent. We need to show that we belong. I hope the move helps with donations toward the renovation of the stadium.

(10-21-2021 11:45 AM)Ourland Wrote:  This move reunites us with the regional private schools that we have always wanted to play again, as well as two public schools (UTSA and North Texas) that could possibly grow and improve quickly. It's a good move. Louisiana Tech deserved to be invited, but maybe they get in if Memphis leaves.

I hope the students care a little more about seeing us play Tulane, SMU, and Tulsa. We need to get our act together and try to get into the B12 from here. No being complacent. We need to show that we belong. I hope the move helps with UNIVERSITY MONEY toward the renovation of the stadium.

FIFY

(10-21-2021 10:51 AM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 10:43 AM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Do the majority of the undergrads know where the football stadium is? Do the majority of undergrads know what a football stadium is?

I really think attendance will continue to depend on the quality of the product on the field.

Most Rice students played sports in HS to some degree. If we win people will show up. If we play teams they care about people will show up even when we’re bad.

Rice needs a competitive product. We don't need to be great, just consistent. We will now be playing big games against four more regional rivals (including Navy). We've got to be competing for a championship late in the season, so these games carry weight, and mean something to the casual fans and Rice community.

I'd rather see us put a team worth watching into the old stadium. Don't see many at-large fans saying, "Yeah, the team is really bad and boring to watch, but I'm here for the new urinals!"