Same way that the Mointain West got close years ago. Have 2-4 teams consistently make the playoffs and finish in the top ten. Create great late season match ups that's fans will watch and fill stadiums for. Get a big tv deal and keep great coaches in the conference. It won't be easy

As the inimitable Al Davis once said, "Just Win Baby!"

(10-19-2016 09:36 PM)msm96wolf Wrote:  In reality nothing can be done until the CFP 12 year contract completes. P5 will not agree to giving up an at-large bid for the AAC in the current contract.

The other problem, unless there is other bidders for the contract, ESPN has no incentive to substantially increase the TV contract. I doubt Fox, CBS or ABC/ESPN would get into a bidding war since they are not hurting for games. NBC would need to want to have a compliment to ND football. Many thought the ACC Network would limit the games for ESPN. Actually, the Raycom and Regional sports will be moving to the ACC Network. So ESPN's will not be losing content with the ACC. Again, I think NBC should make a play for the AAC.

That is why I think ESPN really wanted to get the Top AAC schools, BYU and Boise State into the Big 12. Neuter the AAC down enough so the next tv contract would be worth less money. ESPN needed a way to cut overhead money reasons which by doing this? They would have saved money. When they heard that the Big 12 won't take schools like BYU and Boise State? They panicked and was against it.

(10-19-2016 03:19 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  Nothing.
Look at the makeup of the power conferences. They are mostly made up of flagship and land-grant colleges. The AAC is mostly private and colleges that are 3rd to 6th in the pecking order of there respective state.

The MW is in a better position to become a power conference before the AAC.

That's true.

The Mountain West has more 1/2 schools in their state like New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado state, Boise, and Hawaii. Air Force is a national brand somewhat. The area is prime for population growth as well. It could take 20 years but they are starting from a closer position, the biggest need is for someone besides Boise to consistently emerge.

If they could lure BYU or some Big 12 leftovers then that would be a coup

DO:
1. Keep winning. Dominate other G5 leagues, and win as many P5 games as you can.
2. Secure the Access Bowl annually. If it rotates through MAC / MWC / AAC, you're just one of the G5s.
3. Win at the turnstiles! Average the highest attendance of the G5s, and try to be top 65.
4. Continue to play high-profile games on TV, even if they are away games. Get exposure!
5. Win your bowl games, especially against other G5 conferences
6. Always be competitive when playing against a P5 team - earn their respect!

DON'Ts:
DON'T get caught up in worrying whether you're getting the respect you think you deserve.
DON'T avoid playing the big boys altogether just because they won't come to your stadium.
DON'T use your schedule as an excuse for low attendance.
DON'T lose bowl games to other G5 conferences.
DON'T sign a long-term TV contract that's unfavorable.

2 cents.

Personally, I think the AAC is strongly positioned to be a consistent top of the pack, G5 conference. But I doubt they will ever be included in the P5 fraternity. Reason: money.

If, as heard, that the rumors are true that ESPN and FOX objected strongly to adding two teams to the Big 12, which would have cost the networks about $50 million, combined, how receptive do you think they would be to adding even a conservative $20 million per team, for a total of $240 million, annually? It would become a questions of whether the networks see that they can make a profit on that expenditure. I don't know if there are $240 million in advertising dollars out there for the AAC, but at least, at present, the powers that be say: nope.

Look, I don't think it's fair that, conservatively 4 teams out of the AAC could, and probably should be members of the big boy club, but I can also count 2-3 from the MWC, and 2-3 other schools from the other 3 conferences (yeah, I think there's a pecking order. I'll admit it). But with the money in play, it ain't going to be a fair fight.

(10-19-2016 10:43 PM)Gamecock Wrote:  Same way that the Mountain West got close years ago. Have 2-4 teams consistently make the playoffs and finish in the top ten. Create great late season match ups that's fans will watch and fill stadiums for. Get a big tv deal and keep great coaches in the conference. It won't be easy

Yeah, that was a ticket for those INDIVIDUAL schools to move up, but not the conference. Every conference just has too much dead weight, imo, to be pulled up by the fortunes of the top tier, who find a way to consistently win.

Perhaps Aresco can work with the P5 and have some more AAC teams "designated" as P5. With Navy, Cincinnati and UConn being P5ino they have lined themselves up for good opportunity games. Might not bring immediate money but may help justify the Power Conference argument.

(10-20-2016 07:10 AM)Dasville Wrote:  Perhaps Aresco can work with the P5 and have some more AAC teams "designated" as P5. With Navy, Cincinnati and UConn being P5ino they have lined themselves up for good opportunity games. Might not bring immediate money but may help justify the Power Conference argument.

The designated P5 term what a crock of bull. Were did it come from? I only know of one P5 conference that uses that term. They use that term because they think it make there conference look better because there cellar dweller teams want a larger base of teams to be able to play and be compliant with a voodoo conference scheduling rule that was only put in place to make the P5 conference look better.

(10-20-2016 07:10 AM)Dasville Wrote:  Perhaps Aresco can work with the P5 and have some more AAC teams "designated" as P5. With Navy, Cincinnati and UConn being P5ino they have lined themselves up for good opportunity games. Might not bring immediate money but may help justify the Power Conference argument.

Those teams are P5 for scheduling purposes only with a few P5 conf and not P5.

(10-19-2016 12:08 PM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  A lot of talk about Aresco shooting to make AAC a power conference.

But, what realistically can he do? Let me hear your thoughts on what he legitimately can do. No AAC bashing, just thoughts about what he can do, and what you would do if you were AAC commish.

Some ideas:

1. Change media perception over time by constantly beating the AAC power drum

2. Get significantly more money in media rights deals, including new social media outlets and online streaming.

3. Get a better bowl for AAC champ by pooling money and buying a better opponent. Or, approach bowls like the Liberty about hosting AAC champ.

4. Long term...get some type of quasi guarantee to a CFP anchor bowl. May have to think outside the box on this one, not sure how he could do this.

IMO, none of these save #1 is "realistic", in the sense that it can possibly happen. If the AAC were to send teams to the Final 4 in basketball and make and win NY6 Bowl games, then the media might start to talk about the AAC as an on-field peer of the P5. We saw a bit of that in 2014, the year UConn won the hoops national title and UCF won the Fiesta Bowl. But unfortunately, that won't make the AAC a Power where it counts, in the pocketbook.

#2 - #4 are just non-starters. Would the Liberty Bowl ever break with the Big 12 or SEC to host an AAC team? Unrealistic, so doing so with a NY6 bowl is beyond the pale. Ditto for P5 media money.

As someone else said, Power conferences are defined by Power programs, and that doesn't mean winning on the field. Notre Dame hasn't won a national title in almost 30 years nor a BCS/NY6 level bowl game in almost a quarter-century, but they are still the biggest brand in college football.

Power = brand, and the AAC has no brands.

(10-19-2016 10:43 PM)Gamecock Wrote:  Same way that the Mointain West got close years ago. Have 2-4 teams consistently make the playoffs and finish in the top ten. Create great late season match ups that's fans will watch and fill stadiums for. Get a big tv deal and keep great coaches in the conference. It won't be easy

This is the winner here. IF you develop programs that are always in the top 25 and at least every two years are in the discussion for the playoffs. However it cannot be the same team that is in the playoffs. And the bottom of the conference cannot be really bad.

(10-20-2016 07:09 AM)Cnelson203 Wrote:  

(10-19-2016 10:43 PM)Gamecock Wrote:  Same way that the Mountain West got close years ago. Have 2-4 teams consistently make the playoffs and finish in the top ten. Create great late season match ups that's fans will watch and fill stadiums for. Get a big tv deal and keep great coaches in the conference. It won't be easy

Yeah, that was a ticket for those INDIVIDUAL schools to move up, but not the conference. Every conference just has too much dead weight, imo, to be pulled up by the fortunes of the top tier, who find a way to consistently win.

The Mountain West got close when they had Utah, TCU, and BYU. Boise and Hawaii were on the way. If they could have kept that group for another 5 years they would have had a good chance.

(10-19-2016 03:14 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  I don't agree that nothing can be done. It certainly won't be easy and it won't happen overnight, but history has shown that you can absolutely change your status.

Example? I can't think of any, not at the conference level.

Thinking of the "power" conferences that existed 40 years ago, they are the exact same conferences as now. In fact, there are even fewer, as 40 years ago there was the Big 8 and the SWC, while today those are merged into the Big 12.

Within any realistic memory, the power conferences are what they always have been.

(10-19-2016 10:13 PM)goodknightfl Wrote:  I see now way for him to do it. He can however, get us a decent raise, which further separates us from other G conf.

That's all he can do - get us a "decent raise", maybe to the $5m per school per year level. Clearly better than other G5, but light-years from Power level.

(10-20-2016 08:31 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-19-2016 10:13 PM)goodknightfl Wrote:  I see now way for him to do it. He can however, get us a decent raise, which further separates us from other G conf.

That's all he can do - get us a "decent raise", maybe to the $5m per school per year level. Clearly better than other G5, but light-years from Power level.

I believe through political pressure, the AAC can at least insure it gets paid for its ratings. It is an objective measurement where currently there is significant bias imposed.

(10-19-2016 03:19 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  The MW is in a better position to become a power conference before the AAC.

Plus, the networks don't want to pay P level money to another conf. Simple as that. Five is plenty.

[/quote]
I believe through political pressure, the AAC can at least insure it gets paid for its ratings. It is an objective measurement where currently there is significant bias imposed.
[/quote]

Huh? What are you talking about?

To be a true "power conference" there's probably nothing that can be done. The B12 did give the AAC an opportunity though. The AAC is likely going to be stable till the B12 GOR expires. That gives the AAC a chance. Aresco has to secure a TV deal next time that is truly in the in between range of the P5 deals and the other G5 deals. He also has to find a way to get a bowl lineup in the similar in between range. The AAC teams also have to keep pulling their weight. Those are big challenges, but if they happen the AAC might be in position when the B12 falls apart to actually pick up the scraps instead of being raided by the leftovers. We'll find out if that's even possible when the next TV deal is signed. If it's an insignificant raise, like to 2.5 to 3 million a year per team then it's not happening the leftovers will raid the AAC at will. If he can actually figure out a way to get a truly "tweener" deal then it gets interesting. Aresco and the AAC finally caught a break with realignment, now it's time to see what they do with it.