It sounds like it is on rocky ground from the AAC board.
Last time I talked to folks at the AAC office they were optimistic everything could get wrapped up by late October. Affiliate memberships are much, much more complicated than full-memberships, so there's just a gazillion paperwork things that need to be addressed.
Maybe it doesn't happen, maybe it does, but the timeline was known up front to AAC brass
(10-15-2023 10:39 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote: [ -> ]Last time I talked to folks at the AAC office they were optimistic everything could get wrapped up by late October. Affiliate memberships are much, much more complicated than full-memberships, so there's just a gazillion paperwork things that need to be addressed.
Maybe it doesn't happen, maybe it does, but the timeline was known up front to AAC brass
I'd be very curious to see what Army Brass are saying. The AAC has a clear interest in appearing to be the "hunter" instead of the "huntee" right now, so of course they'd say that everything was on course for Army to join. But, depending upon what happens with the 2Pac and the MWC, the AAC could be down some more schools in the very near future. I think that Army is waiting to see if that happens, or perhaps they're a bit more serious about joining but want to know the complete picture before making a final decision.
(10-15-2023 10:43 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote: [ -> ] (10-15-2023 10:39 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote: [ -> ]Last time I talked to folks at the AAC office they were optimistic everything could get wrapped up by late October. Affiliate memberships are much, much more complicated than full-memberships, so there's just a gazillion paperwork things that need to be addressed.
Maybe it doesn't happen, maybe it does, but the timeline was known up front to AAC brass
I'd be very curious to see what Army Brass are saying. The AAC has a clear interest in appearing to be the "hunter" instead of the "huntee" right now, so of course they'd say that everything was on course for Army to join. But, depending upon what happens with the 2Pac and the MWC, the AAC could be down some more schools in the very near future. I think that Army is waiting to see if that happens, or perhaps they're a bit more serious about joining but want to know the complete picture before making a final decision.
Also, Army has significant football schedules set well into the future. Figuring out how to buy out some opponents and/or move them to future schedules has to be playing into the delay as well.
I think that we haven't heard that this deal is off suggests that is likely happening, and there's just a bunch of boxes to be ticked before an announcement in terms of TV partners, negotiating excluding the Army-Navy game from the main conference TV agreement, and Army looking at how to restructure their schedules.
Could be a lot of hold ups for Army, Delaware and others because of waiting to see the outcome of PAC-2.
"We’ve had some talks with them (Army),” he (Aresco) said. “I don’t know what’s ultimately gonna happen. If we were to invite them, they would have to make some decisions. But it hasn’t reached that point yet. And I don’t know if it will.”
Aresco was cagey about who will replace SMU. He has received " a lot of calls" from schools wanting an invite.
“Football drives it,” Aresco said. “And football’s why certain schools can invest, certain schools can’t. The one thing in our conference is that you’ve gotta be able to invest to a certain level, because we really do wanna be right there with the (Power 5 conferences)."
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(10-16-2023 01:46 PM)Garden_KC Wrote: [ -> ]Could be a lot of hold ups for Army, Delaware and others because of waiting to see the outcome of PAC-2.
Sure, it
could be, but there is plenty of other reasons for Army & Delaware ... Army because unwinding it's schedule is a complex process, and Delaware because they won't want to spoil their basketball team's chances to go to the conference tournament before they have even started the season.
(10-16-2023 02:10 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote: [ -> ]"We’ve had some talks with them (Army),” he (Aresco) said. “I don’t know what’s ultimately gonna happen. If we were to invite them, they would have to make some decisions. But it hasn’t reached that point yet. And I don’t know if it will.”
Aresco was cagey about who will replace SMU. He has received " a lot of calls" from schools wanting an invite.
“Football drives it,” Aresco said. “And football’s why certain schools can invest, certain schools can’t. The one thing in our conference is that you’ve gotta be able to invest to a certain level, because we really do wanna be right there with the (Power 5 conferences)."
https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/sec...ike-aresco
That quote from Aresco about Army isn't IMO bathed in the can-do optimism that often characterizes his remarks. Is it possible that despite about 60 pages of posts spilled on this forum on the topic that Army might remain independent?
I hope so. We'll see.
(10-16-2023 02:10 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote: [ -> ]"We’ve had some talks with them (Army),” he (Aresco) said. “I don’t know what’s ultimately gonna happen. If we were to invite them, they would have to make some decisions. But it hasn’t reached that point yet. And I don’t know if it will.”
Aresco was cagey about who will replace SMU. He has received " a lot of calls" from schools wanting an invite.
“Football drives it,” Aresco said. “And football’s why certain schools can invest, certain schools can’t. The one thing in our conference is that you’ve gotta be able to invest to a certain level, because we really do wanna be right there with the (Power 5 conferences)."
https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/sec...ike-aresco
Nice share.
So which schools out there A) are interested in AAC membership and B) have a budget comparable to AAC schools?
(10-16-2023 02:49 PM)esayem Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2023 02:10 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote: [ -> ]"We’ve had some talks with them (Army),” he (Aresco) said. “I don’t know what’s ultimately gonna happen. If we were to invite them, they would have to make some decisions. But it hasn’t reached that point yet. And I don’t know if it will.”
Aresco was cagey about who will replace SMU. He has received " a lot of calls" from schools wanting an invite.
“Football drives it,” Aresco said. “And football’s why certain schools can invest, certain schools can’t. The one thing in our conference is that you’ve gotta be able to invest to a certain level, because we really do wanna be right there with the (Power 5 conferences)."
https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/sec...ike-aresco
Nice share.
So which schools out there A) are interested in AAC membership and B) have a budget comparable to AAC schools?
To start off---let me make clear---Army would be my primary focus if I were Aresco. Id wait as long as required---because it will take time for Army to clear enough games off their schedule to make joining the AAC feasible. That said---while I admit they have more unpleasant baggage that the presidents would find unappealing than most schools---Liberty may have the most upside of any athletic department in the AAC potential replacement pool.
(10-16-2023 03:25 PM)Attackcoog Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2023 02:49 PM)esayem Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2023 02:10 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote: [ -> ]"We’ve had some talks with them (Army),” he (Aresco) said. “I don’t know what’s ultimately gonna happen. If we were to invite them, they would have to make some decisions. But it hasn’t reached that point yet. And I don’t know if it will.”
Aresco was cagey about who will replace SMU. He has received " a lot of calls" from schools wanting an invite.
“Football drives it,” Aresco said. “And football’s why certain schools can invest, certain schools can’t. The one thing in our conference is that you’ve gotta be able to invest to a certain level, because we really do wanna be right there with the (Power 5 conferences)."
https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/sec...ike-aresco
Nice share.
So which schools out there A) are interested in AAC membership and B) have a budget comparable to AAC schools?
To start off---let me make clear---Army would be my primary focus if I were Aresco. Id wait as long as required---because it will take time for Army to clear enough games off their schedule to make joining the AAC feasible. That said---while I admit they have more unpleasant baggage that the presidents would find unappealing than most schools---Liberty may have the most upside of any athletic department in the AAC potential replacement pool.
Liberty is high on the list. Religious bigotry should not stand in the way if it makes sense otherwise.
Whatever the holdup is I’m still hoping Army and AAC get their marriage wrapped up soon.
(10-16-2023 01:46 PM)Garden_KC Wrote: [ -> ]Could be a lot of hold ups for Army, Delaware and others because of waiting to see the outcome of PAC-2.
Never say never, of course, but given certain realities (e.g., no media deal, a conference down to two members in small markets, and exit fees varying from anywhere from $10-34 million depending on timing), I don't see any option for the Pac-2 other than full merger with the MWC.
In any event, I don't see that impacting Delaware in the least. Neither the AAC nor the MWC traditionally has been a feeder for FCS schools looking to upgrade, and I don't see that changing now.
(10-16-2023 04:51 PM)tf8693 Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2023 01:46 PM)Garden_KC Wrote: [ -> ]Could be a lot of hold ups for Army, Delaware and others because of waiting to see the outcome of PAC-2.
Never say never, of course, but given certain realities (e.g., no media deal, a conference down to two members in small markets, and exit fees varying from anywhere from $10-34 million depending on timing), I don't see any option for the Pac-2 other than full merger with the MWC.
In any event, I don't see that impacting Delaware in the least. Neither the AAC nor the MWC traditionally has been a feeder for FCS schools looking to upgrade, and I don't see that changing now.
I think it might be more of a "if the AAC loses a couple more do they then feel like they need to look at a UMass and/or Buffalo" to see whether MAC would even be on the table to UDel.
(10-16-2023 02:10 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote: [ -> ]"We’ve had some talks with them (Army),” he (Aresco) said. “I don’t know what’s ultimately gonna happen. If we were to invite them, they would have to make some decisions. But it hasn’t reached that point yet. And I don’t know if it will.”
Aresco was cagey about who will replace SMU. He has received " a lot of calls" from schools wanting an invite.
“Football drives it,” Aresco said. “And football’s why certain schools can invest, certain schools can’t. The one thing in our conference is that you’ve gotta be able to invest to a certain level, because we really do wanna be right there with the (Power 5 conferences)."
https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/sec...ike-aresco
Putting more money in doesn't always mean better results. How is "investing more" working out for South Florida, ECU, and Temple right now?
Why should a school like Appalachian State have to add $10M+ of expenses every year if we can beat those schools with our current budget? Where does that $10M+ actually go?
Part of me believes it isn't that some schools "can't" invest. They can, but they don't see value in investing at that level when the payoff is just being in another G5 conference.
(10-16-2023 03:54 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2023 03:25 PM)Attackcoog Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2023 02:49 PM)esayem Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2023 02:10 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote: [ -> ]"We’ve had some talks with them (Army),” he (Aresco) said. “I don’t know what’s ultimately gonna happen. If we were to invite them, they would have to make some decisions. But it hasn’t reached that point yet. And I don’t know if it will.”
Aresco was cagey about who will replace SMU. He has received " a lot of calls" from schools wanting an invite.
“Football drives it,” Aresco said. “And football’s why certain schools can invest, certain schools can’t. The one thing in our conference is that you’ve gotta be able to invest to a certain level, because we really do wanna be right there with the (Power 5 conferences)."
https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/sec...ike-aresco
Nice share.
So which schools out there A) are interested in AAC membership and B) have a budget comparable to AAC schools?
To start off---let me make clear---Army would be my primary focus if I were Aresco. Id wait as long as required---because it will take time for Army to clear enough games off their schedule to make joining the AAC feasible. That said---while I admit they have more unpleasant baggage that the presidents would find unappealing than most schools---Liberty may have the most upside of any athletic department in the AAC potential replacement pool.
Liberty is high on the list. Religious bigotry should not stand in the way if it makes sense otherwise.
Liberty will be passed over due to relgious bigotry. The only reason the C-USA invited them to join is because they were on the verge of collapse.
(10-16-2023 06:46 PM)andybible1995 Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2023 03:54 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2023 03:25 PM)Attackcoog Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2023 02:49 PM)esayem Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2023 02:10 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote: [ -> ]"We’ve had some talks with them (Army),” he (Aresco) said. “I don’t know what’s ultimately gonna happen. If we were to invite them, they would have to make some decisions. But it hasn’t reached that point yet. And I don’t know if it will.”
Aresco was cagey about who will replace SMU. He has received " a lot of calls" from schools wanting an invite.
“Football drives it,” Aresco said. “And football’s why certain schools can invest, certain schools can’t. The one thing in our conference is that you’ve gotta be able to invest to a certain level, because we really do wanna be right there with the (Power 5 conferences)."
https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/sec...ike-aresco
Nice share.
So which schools out there A) are interested in AAC membership and B) have a budget comparable to AAC schools?
To start off---let me make clear---Army would be my primary focus if I were Aresco. Id wait as long as required---because it will take time for Army to clear enough games off their schedule to make joining the AAC feasible. That said---while I admit they have more unpleasant baggage that the presidents would find unappealing than most schools---Liberty may have the most upside of any athletic department in the AAC potential replacement pool.
Liberty is high on the list. Religious bigotry should not stand in the way if it makes sense otherwise.
Liberty will be passed over due to relgious bigotry. The only reason the C-USA invited them to join is because they were on the verge of collapse.
Liberty isn’t even the best candidate in Virginia, JMU is. Irrespective of any politics. Plus, if the AAC can’t get Army, they can just stick at 13 and play an 8 game, 4-4/4 divisionless football schedule, leaving room for G5 OOC games and buy games against the bigger leagues.