(02-27-2017 11:29 PM)p23570 Wrote:  Although only 8 million $ separated by Houston is in a completely different situation than UMass. Houston has much more to gain in the p-5 and they are a school who being good at football could influence more applicants and more attendance and more donations.

62 Houston AAC $44,815,210 $45,437,942 $25,994,014 58.00
71 Massachusetts A-10 $36,512,437 $36,897,375 $28,681,769 78.55

Wait. ONLY 8 million? That's pretty much the exact incremental amount that it's cost UMASS to go from FBS to FCS that you said was too much of a burden. And when Panama said it was only a small fraction of their budget you tried to run him down.

I agree that if Houston makes it to the Big 12 then all their infrastructure spending will have paid off. Even without a move up in conference status they've leveraged their success into more donor contributions. UMASS hasn't been as successful yet but I'd argue that if the are able to get an invite to the AAC then all their investments would have been worthwhile. If not, well it's only costing the school an additional 8 million a year and it's hard to deny that their profile hasn't already been raised somewhat from the move. I doubt we'd be talking about UMASS if they were still playing FB in the CAA. We're not talking about Maine or New Hampshire.