(12-10-2015 11:44 AM)Attackcoog Wrote: If we want to elevate the conference, there is only one way---Build our fan bases so we have an average attendance approaching 40K a game. That creates a audience that simply becomes to large to ignore. Its too attractive to the networks and is large enough to support inclusion in major bowls.
The second thing we can do is upgrade the Miami Beach Bowl to a upper mid-tier bowl (similar to the Liberty, Gator, Texas, or Music City Bowl) with a solid opponent (a #3-5 selection from a P5---could be a rotating selection or part of a bowl pool). Having a guaranteed major bowl destination against a P5 power for the AAC champ will give the AAC championship race additional significance which will help to drive TV ratings.
The third thing we can do to improve our standing while we build our fan bases is to add members where it can help us. If we get the opportunity to add Air Force, BYU, or Army---we should. If we get the opportunity to add a swath of the better MW schools (say something more geographically viable like Air Force, Colorado St, New Mexico and SDSU)---we should definitely consider it. That said, we need to be careful who we add does not adversely affect our goal of approaching an average attendance of 40K. AF wouldn't hurt too bad, New Mexico can do 40Kish when they are good. Colorado St is a concern---but a new stadium might help turn that around.
An
affiliation with
BYU and Army would help the AAC with attendance, ratings, and the bowl lineup.
Attendance
Recent BYU road games at Houston, UConn, and UCF and Army games against UConn and Tulane illustrate the point:
- 2013
BYU @ Houston game
(33K) had about the same attendance as Houston v. Rice and
10-15K better attendance than Houston's 2013 home games against SMU, Cincinnati, Memphis, USF.
- 2014
BYU @ UConn game
(35K) had
8-12K better attendance than UConn's 2014 home games against Temple, UCF, Cincy, and SMU - and 5K better than Boise St. @ UConn.
- 2014
Army v. UConn in NYC (27K) was equal to Temple @ UConn and
better than Cincy and SMU at UConn.
- 2015
Army @ UConn (28K) was
better than UConn's home attendance versus Houston and ECU.
- 2014
BYU @ UCF game (41K) had
5-10K better attendance than UCF's 2014 home games against Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, and SMU...and about 5K better attendance than the UCF-USF in Tampa.
- 2015
Army @ Tulane (31K) had
5-10K better attendance than Tulane=s 2015 home games against Tulsa, UConn, Houston, UCF, and Duke.
And, FWIW, attendance at each of BYU's recent home games against UCF, Houston, and Cincinnati were
64K sell outs. ECU game was 60K and UConn game was 56K.
Ratings
Last year, the top TV ratings for non-P5 matchups included:
#1 Army-Navy (#1 almost every year)
#2 Boise St.-UConn
#3 Air Force-Army
#4 UConn-USF
#5 Fresno-Boise St.
#6 Fresno-Boise St. (MWC championship)
#7 BYU-UCF
#8 Houston-Cincinnati
#9 Utah St.-BYU
#10 UConn-BYU
#11 UCF-ECU
#12 Houston-BYU
#13 Fresno-New Mexico
#14 BYU-Boise St.
#15 UCF-Houston
This year, we are likely to see
Army-Navy at
#1 again. Also,
Cincinnati and UConn @ BYU were in the
top-5 of non-P5 broadcasts (These broadcasts are currently #1 and #3, but without Army-Navy game or ratings reported yet for Navy-Houston or AAC Championship).
#1 Army-Navy (likely)
#2 AAC Championship (likely)
#3 Houston-Navy (likely -on ABC)
#4 BYU-Cincinnati
#5 Cincinnati-Memphis
#6 BYU-UConn
#7Memphis-Tulsa
#8 Memphis-USF
#9 Temple-SMU
#10 NIU-BGSU (MAC Championship)
#11 BYU-Boise St.
#12 Boise St.-Air Force
#13 Toledo-NIU
#14 Memphis-Houston
#15 Temple-ECU
Bowl Lineup
To have BYU and Army available for bowl selection, AAC could improve its bowl lineup. I firmly believe the AAC/BYU/Army affiliation would land -
Armed Forces Bowl versus a
B1G/Big 12 opponent;
Las Vegas Bowl versus
PAC 12 opponent; and
Poinsettia Bowl versus MWC (or PAC 12 opponent). [Las Vegas Bowl loves BYU, but would need a solid conference option. Each of BYU, Army, and Navy have had or will have their own contracts directly with the Poinsettia Bowl. Armed Forces Bowl would love to have Navy, Army, and AAC West schools available].
I also think the AAC would have a shot at bumping its way into either the
Liberty or Texas bowl within the next 2-3 years.
While this absolutely benefits BYU and Army, it also
adds TWO or THREE bowls against
P5 opponents that can be touted as part of the AAC bowl lineup. It would likely be similar to the ND/ACC and PAC 12 bowl selection procedures, where a team can be selected for a bowl as long as their win-loss record is within one win of highest available team.
Here's what the AAC bowl lineup could look like with the BYU/Army affiliation:
Champion: NY6 (BYU/Army ineligible]
Tier 1
Liberty/Texas (v. SEC/B12)
Military (v. ACC)
Las Vegas (v. PAC 12)
Tier 2
Birmingham (v. SEC)
St. Petersburg (v. ACC/CUSA)
Armed Forces (v. B1G/B12)
Tier 3
Poinsettia (v. MWC)
Boca Raton (v. MAC)
Miami Beach (v. CUSA)
Cure (v. Sun Belt)