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Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
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megadrone Offline
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Post: #41
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
(04-10-2017 09:42 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  
(04-10-2017 09:31 AM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  Power Conference designation should really just be reserved for Football. With FBS, it is tangible and established what a Power Conference is, and who the P5 are. The networks, TV deals and bowl agreements confirm that.

With basketball, it really doesn't matter. How many teams the American can get in is not affected by how many the B1G can get in. While the conference championship winners get into the NCAA Tournament via autobids, many at-large teams from the top 8 conferences will regularly get in. There are no set parameters on how many teams from the American could, conceivably, get in. It could be as low as one (unlikely) or as many as six/seven in a great year (also unlikely). I think the average, with the addition of Wichita State, will be around 4-5.

I generally concur. IMHO there are "high resource" basketball programs and then there are not. The high resource schools span most in the P5/P6 (but not all of them) and then about another 10-15 programs in other conferences (Gonzaga, New Mexico, BYU, UConn, Cincinnati, Wichita State, Memphis, Dayton, VCU and a few others).

Sadly, I think there are those in a position of power who like things the way there are. They want to ensure that the P5 schools get all the media revenue, all the tournament credits, all the exposure, etc. while schools in the other conferences wilt.

Yet the American is somewhat in "no-man's land". I don't think they will wither, but will constantly be questioning the value of the investment in football. The next contract will be telling. Keep in mind that the 3 Big East schools are finally facing a pay cut when the exit fees dwindle to 0, but the C-USA schools and Temple aren't, so their budgets are still based in expected growth.

For that reason I think the conference continues to stay in the nether world of not withering on the vine.
04-10-2017 11:05 AM
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Captain Bearcat Offline
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Post: #42
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
(04-10-2017 11:05 AM)megadrone Wrote:  
(04-10-2017 09:42 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  
(04-10-2017 09:31 AM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  Power Conference designation should really just be reserved for Football. With FBS, it is tangible and established what a Power Conference is, and who the P5 are. The networks, TV deals and bowl agreements confirm that.

With basketball, it really doesn't matter. How many teams the American can get in is not affected by how many the B1G can get in. While the conference championship winners get into the NCAA Tournament via autobids, many at-large teams from the top 8 conferences will regularly get in. There are no set parameters on how many teams from the American could, conceivably, get in. It could be as low as one (unlikely) or as many as six/seven in a great year (also unlikely). I think the average, with the addition of Wichita State, will be around 4-5.

I generally concur. IMHO there are "high resource" basketball programs and then there are not. The high resource schools span most in the P5/P6 (but not all of them) and then about another 10-15 programs in other conferences (Gonzaga, New Mexico, BYU, UConn, Cincinnati, Wichita State, Memphis, Dayton, VCU and a few others).

Sadly, I think there are those in a position of power who like things the way there are. They want to ensure that the P5 schools get all the media revenue, all the tournament credits, all the exposure, etc. while schools in the other conferences wilt.

Yet the American is somewhat in "no-man's land". I don't think they will wither, but will constantly be questioning the value of the investment in football. The next contract will be telling. Keep in mind that the 3 Big East schools are finally facing a pay cut when the exit fees dwindle to 0, but the C-USA schools and Temple aren't, so their budgets are still based in expected growth.

For that reason I think the conference continues to stay in the nether world of not withering on the vine.

The bolded part is key, especially for UConn and USF.

Cincinnati is in the odd position of having a newly renovated football stadium (online in 2016) and newly renovated basketball stadium (online in 2018) both reopen as the Big East money disappears (it's disappearing gradually because it's mostly in the form of NCAA tournament units, which expire 5 years after they're earned). Both renovations are mostly focused on increasing revenue through better luxury seating options and better concessionaire service.

So for UC, the Big East money will be replaced by increased gameday revenue. The downside is that it took about $170 million in private contributions to do the renovations.
(This post was last modified: 04-10-2017 11:37 AM by Captain Bearcat.)
04-10-2017 11:34 AM
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JHS55 Offline
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Post: #43
Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
To me any FBS football team would be " a power" if their recruiting was consistently in the top 20 every year
Just look at Miami, they were a little private school with not much to show for a football team, then recruiting shot through the roof starting in the late 70s, and they were a power
Today there is no way for a non power 5 school to do what Miami did and play for a championship
Let's say ECU football took off with a top 3 recruiting class for the next 6 years and was AP #1 or 2 for 5 years, well now we have a committee to not vote them in because all the members are p5 people"how stacked in the p5 favor is that ?"
Do the traditional power schools deserve everything they have, yeah sure they do, but should they have the ability to lock out 60+ FBS football schools from rising to the top " he'll no" , but they sure do have the ability
Just saying...
04-10-2017 01:13 PM
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ken d Offline
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Post: #44
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
So what's up with all Memphis transfers? WSU scaring them off?
04-10-2017 06:10 PM
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ctx48c Offline
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Post: #45
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
(04-10-2017 06:10 PM)ken d Wrote:  So what's up with all Memphis transfers? WSU scaring them off?

Object #1 be rated better than BE in men'sbb
Answer #1 add Dayton and VCU go to 14 for bb

Object #2 get Army to join for football only

Object #3 get Air Force to join for Football only
04-10-2017 07:02 PM
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GoldenWarrior11 Online
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Post: #46
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
(04-10-2017 01:13 PM)JHS55 Wrote:  To me any FBS football team would be " a power" if their recruiting was consistently in the top 20 every year
Just look at Miami, they were a little private school with not much to show for a football team, then recruiting shot through the roof starting in the late 70s, and they were a power
Today there is no way for a non power 5 school to do what Miami did and play for a championship
Let's say ECU football took off with a top 3 recruiting class for the next 6 years and was AP #1 or 2 for 5 years, well now we have a committee to not vote them in because all the members are p5 people"how stacked in the p5 favor is that ?"
Do the traditional power schools deserve everything they have, yeah sure they do, but should they have the ability to lock out 60+ FBS football schools from rising to the top " he'll no" , but they sure do have the ability
Just saying...

P5 in the FBS has become a country club. Current members decide who they like and who gets a membership based on who they like and who they feel will fit in best. For schools like USF and UCF, which are relatively newer schools, have potential academically and athletically, it will always be a challenge to get the established and elite crowd of Florida, Florida State, and Miami to accept them as an equals. Same thing for ECU with North Carolina, Duke, NC State and Wake Forest.

No disrespect with this analogy, but the P5 is very much like Judge Smails in Caddyshack. He is an older elite member of the club, and doesn't want anyone in low social standing to join it. The AAC (and other members of the G5) are like Rodney Dangerfield, who represent the new money, an alternative fresh perspective, and just wants respect.

It may happen, or it may not, but the AAC/G5 just needs to get a team in the CFP, allowing them the opportunity to prove themselves of belonging with the P5 and the country. Houston almost did it last year. If they can get a team to run the tables and get to the playoff, it will prove that they can compete at the highest levels. While the deck is stacked against them, they do have the opportunity to do that. However, time is most certainly against them, as with each new TV deal, the G5 gets further and further away from the P5.
04-10-2017 07:36 PM
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DavidSt Online
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Post: #47
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
https://www.si.com/college-basketball/20...-expansion

Hmmm, sounds like the AAC might not be through with expansion.

Wichita State could be like UConn. when starting out their program playing in the FCS for a bit until they get a full invite for the football team.

Now, the question with the rumors of Dayton and VCU to the AAC? Both are powerful in basketball, but they have to do something more by Dayton to build their own FBS sie stadium, but their players are experience and could do better if they add scholarships for football so that the AAC could play them on a regular routine. VCU must look at buying the stadium from the city of Richmond and expand it to be FBS level. Then, add football, and start out in FCS until they get good, and join the AAC later down the road as part of a promise. Dayton does have good football teams for a non-scholarship, but adding scholarship, they could be as good as Youngstown State. When the next expansion comes down the road in the future, the AAC would have three schools in waiting for full invite, Wichita State, VCU and Dayton. Plus, they do have Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Mississippi, UTSA, La. Tech, UMass., Toledo, and Northern Illinois in the future to choose from. Sounds like he wants to be proactive to keep the AAC name strong for all sports.

Dayton is not a small private school. They have a large enrollment of kids.

So, in the end, AAC expansion ideas are not dead. You still have schools not in the AAC and MWC wants to be in both conferences. For both conference, they should keep all options open, and pull a trigger right away if you think any school could help you bring in more money.
04-10-2017 07:48 PM
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RutgersGuy Offline
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Post: #48
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
No, because there has to be consistent achievement on the court. Once they get that consistency of being a top conference they will become a power basketball conference.
04-10-2017 08:57 PM
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BearcatJerry Offline
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Post: #49
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
(04-10-2017 08:57 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  No, because there has to be consistent achievement on the court. Once they get that consistency of being a top conference they will become a power basketball conference.

"Power" has nothing to do with "on the court" or "on the field" performance.

It has EVERYTHING to do with money, resources, and power. The AAC could win the CFP and we all know exactly what would happen:
Either,
A) That school would get poached off by one of the "Power" conferences... or (more likely)
B) The Coach and staff would be poached off by a "Power" conference school that can afford to throw 10X the salary and resources at the coach and the school's team would be relegated to the dusts from whence they came...Oh, and the win would be nullified by saying "Well, if they played in a real conference week-in-and-week-out, they never would have been in a position to play in the CFP in the first place."

Ditto, FWIW, with the NCAA tournament.

People talk about loving the "Cinderella Story," but let's be honest...who was the last "Cinderella" to win the NCAA Tournament? It was Valvano's NC State team. Yeah, there's a "Cinderella" program for you. In fact, the Mountain West was a multiple and successful "BCS Buster" conference...did that land them in the "Power" world? (Nope.) The Old Big East had multiple NCAA's and BCS Bowl wins... Did that land them in "Power" territory? (Nope.) The AAC has a NCAA Men's National Championship, and multiple NCAA Women's National Championships... Did that get them into "Power" or "Major" consideration? HELLS NO.

There are the "haves" and there are the "have nots." The AAC keeps adding "have nots" and thinking that they magically become "Haves." Ain't gonna happen. Ain't gonna happen today, ain't gonna happen tomorrow, ain't gonna happen next year.
04-10-2017 10:41 PM
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RutgersGuy Offline
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Post: #50
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
(04-10-2017 10:41 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  
(04-10-2017 08:57 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  No, because there has to be consistent achievement on the court. Once they get that consistency of being a top conference they will become a power basketball conference.

"Power" has nothing to do with "on the court" or "on the field" performance.

It has EVERYTHING to do with money, resources, and power. The AAC could win the CFP and we all know exactly what would happen:
Either,
A) That school would get poached off by one of the "Power" conferences... or (more likely)
B) The Coach and staff would be poached off by a "Power" conference school that can afford to throw 10X the salary and resources at the coach and the school's team would be relegated to the dusts from whence they came...Oh, and the win would be nullified by saying "Well, if they played in a real conference week-in-and-week-out, they never would have been in a position to play in the CFP in the first place."

Ditto, FWIW, with the NCAA tournament.

People talk about loving the "Cinderella Story," but let's be honest...who was the last "Cinderella" to win the NCAA Tournament? It was Valvano's NC State team. Yeah, there's a "Cinderella" program for you. In fact, the Mountain West was a multiple and successful "BCS Buster" conference...did that land them in the "Power" world? (Nope.) The Old Big East had multiple NCAA's and BCS Bowl wins... Did that land them in "Power" territory? (Nope.) The AAC has a NCAA Men's National Championship, and multiple NCAA Women's National Championships... Did that get them into "Power" or "Major" consideration? HELLS NO.

There are the "haves" and there are the "have nots." The AAC keeps adding "have nots" and thinking that they magically become "Haves." Ain't gonna happen. Ain't gonna happen today, ain't gonna happen tomorrow, ain't gonna happen next year.

The Big East still is a power conference. 16 of the 20 teams who ever played in the Big East are in power conferences. Heck even a team who joined the Big East but never played a second in the league got bumped up.
04-10-2017 10:49 PM
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B easy Offline
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Post: #51
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
More opinion pieces over the last few days:

Wichita State joining the AAC a realignment move that-for once-makes total sense

Here was a spread-out conference built from the fallout of a shifting league and a basketball powerhouse from a Kansas town that had outgrown its world joining forces and building their respective resumes. The Shockers are perennial national contenders. The AAC markets itself as having the strength to make a “Power Six” in college sports. On Friday, both those arguments got stronger.

In football, the AAC has consistently established itself as the primary threat to the Power 5 hierarchy....Adding Wichita State certainly raises the AAC’s basketball profile, and it should give the Huskies second thoughts before they consider their own conference switch.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/wichita-sta...22654.html

Wichita State Joins the AAC, But Is That Really a Big Deal?

http://www.houstonpress.com/news/wichita...an-9342721

The American Athletic Conference sees itself as one of the major power conferences of college sports. It’s not, of course. There are only five power conferences. But a conference has to dream. And dreaming of being a power conference is not a bad thing. Especially for the American, which is the one best positioned to make the jump to power status.

Wichita State is wise to join the American Athletic Conference

https://www.fanragsports.com/cbb/wichita...onference/

Is it a power conference? We can argue the semantics, but probably not. But it isn’t a true mid-major, either.

Wichita State could make the AAC a power six conference

http://www.newsrecord.org/sports/opinion...5569b.html

Wichita State addition moves AAC closer to Power 6

https://www.si.com/college-basketball/20...-expansion
04-11-2017 06:28 PM
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panite Offline
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Post: #52
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
No not even in BB. The AAC is not making Powerhouse P5 money and it is not putting 5 or 6 teams in the NCAA Tournament year after year. The AAC is not even making the same money as the NBE or matching their numbers in the NCAA Tournament let alone matching a P5 Powerhouse Conference like the ACC for money and Tournament bids. 04-cheers 07-coffee3
04-12-2017 12:12 AM
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Tigersmoke3 Offline
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Post: #53
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
(04-09-2017 12:56 PM)ken d Wrote:  I think we all need to remind ourselves that P5, P6, "power conference", mid-major, etc. are all purely artificial labels - media shorthand. And by media I am including "amateur" media as well as professional - all of us who inhabit internet message boards and talk forums.

As such, nobody has the power to elevate or demote a conference to such a status. There are two distinctions that do matter, however. One is autonomy status - power granted to five conferences who have separated themselves based on resources, and which the NCAA can't afford to lose. They are the geese laying the golden eggs.

The second is AQ, or automatic qualifier, status which guarantees those five conferences access to the high dollar, high prestige bowl games dubbed the NY6. When all is said and done, it is those bowls which grant that status, not the NCAA and not the media. And those "grants" are the free market at work.

The perception of power in basketball is similar. Conferences don't get multiple tournament bids because they are considered power conferences. Just the opposite.
They are considered by the media to be power conferences because they consistently get multiple bids. Similarly, conferences don't get paid more by the media because someone dubbed them "power worthy". They get paid more because the market says their content is more valuable to the advertisers and consumers who pay the bills.

So what should we be calling the P5/6? A name they used to refer to themselves says it as eloquently and accurately as any I've heard. They are the "high resources group". And by that measure, I'm not sure that the Big East even qualifies. As far as I know, they have no special voting status within the NCAA. They don't have "autonomy", however that term is defined. Like the AAC, their current perceived market value as measured by the size of their media contracts was based on a prospective, rather than retrospective estimate of how strong they are likely to be on the court. Like the AAC, time will sort that out when those contracts are renewed.

At the end of the day, the networks will decide who is most valuable to them, and not to anyone else. The rest is just talk.
Great post and well thought out. You simple cuts through the cluttered chatter and hit the nail on the head 04-cheers04-cheers
04-12-2017 02:50 AM
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BruceMcF Offline
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Post: #54
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
(04-09-2017 12:56 PM)ken d Wrote:  ... The perception of power in basketball is similar. Conferences don't get multiple tournament bids because they are considered power conferences. Just the opposite.

They are considered by the media to be power conferences because they consistently get multiple bids. Similarly, conferences don't get paid more by the media because someone dubbed them "power worthy". They get paid more because the market says their content is more valuable to the advertisers and consumers who pay the bills.

So what should we be calling the P5/6? A name they used to refer to themselves says it as eloquently and accurately as any I've heard. They are the "high resources group". And by that measure, I'm not sure that the Big East even qualifies. As far as I know, they have no special voting status within the NCAA. They don't have "autonomy", however that term is defined. Like the AAC, their current perceived market value as measured by the size of their media contracts was based on a prospective, rather than retrospective estimate of how strong they are likely to be on the court. ...

Note that the Big East's current perceived market value is not measured only by their current contract ... it's also measured the the other metric for basketball status already mentioned, their number of bids .. an average of 60% of their conference per season over the past three years.

Regarding "high resource", the Big East is high resource relative to their needs ... as the costs of FBS football massively outweigh the costs of any other NCAA sport. They get no special voting rights on decisions on FBS football ... but that is just another way of saying they are the only Basketball Major that is not an FBS football conference.
(This post was last modified: 04-12-2017 07:18 AM by BruceMcF.)
04-12-2017 07:12 AM
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B easy Offline
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Post: #55
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
New Article from Kansas City Star:

Dozen works for American Athletic Conference’s money math

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/college...83949.html

The American Athletic Conference exists because of instability in college athletics and, more than any other conference, its future will be shaped by financial forces that alter how schools associate with each other.

Wichita State accepted an invitation to join the AAC on Friday and becomes a member July 1. That addition gives the AAC 12 basketball schools and keeps it at 12 for football.

Perhaps, there’s some stability in the future for the four-year-old American.

“We’re done for now,” AAC commissioner Mike Aresco said on Friday in a conference call with reporters. “We’re very happy where we are at 12 and 12.”

A dozen schools feels right for Aresco, who batted aside speculation and media suggestions that his conference consider other non-football additions such as Dayton or VCU. For Wichita State, the opportunity to upgrade from the Missouri Valley Conference, its home since 1945, makes any future risks of defection worthwhile.

The American’s TV deals end in 2020, which means negotiations could begin soon. Contracts for some power-five conferences begin expiring in 2022, which could set off more changes.

The strength of the American is that members such as Connecticut, Houston and Cincinnati consider themselves worthy of a higher-profile conference. That motivates schools to spend money on facilities and budgets. It also makes those schools, and others, likely targets should expansion crest again.

Until that day, Aresco and American schools are focused on pushing the idea of the “power six.” Wichita State, its streak of six NCAA Tournament appearances and its 10-6 NCAA record in that time, helps make that case.

“We didn’t want to simply be a power-six conference in football and lag behind in any way in basketball,” Aresco said. “Wichita will give us a tremendous boost. If it has a beneficial effect on our next TV negotiation, that’s wonderful and I hope it does. In the end, we took them in because we think they’re the right fit for our conference. You have to have quality product and I believe we’ve strengthened ourself in a key area.”

Wichita State is expected to serve as a men’s basketball rain-maker, a geographic fit with the western part of the conference and a solid addition in its other sports.

“We’re ready for it,” WSU men’s basketball coach Gregg Marshall said.

Its potential to earn NCAA Tournament units — valued at around $1.6 million a game — is critical to the conference. WSU may also prove helpful for TV negotiations, although football rules the checkbook in that area, and in attendance at the conference basketball tournament, especially if Tulsa’s BOK Center is considered as a future site.

“They bring a tremendous basketball pedigree,” Aresco said. “They put a lot of resources into basketball. This is a long-term build that they’ve had.”

The American came into existence in 2013 after the ACC raided the Big East and the Big East’s seven private schools decided to go their own way. The football schools formed the American and kept NCAA money earned by former Big East schools such as Syracuse, West Virginia and Louisville.

In 2015, according to the Providence Journal, the American took in $29.3 million, the largest share in the nation, from those NCAA credits. That money, distributed over six seasons, sustains the American and is fueled by UConn’s titles in 2011 and 2014 and former AAC member Louisville’s in 2013.

In 2017, for example, the American earned three NCAA credits with Cincinnati (1-1) and SMU (0-1). In 2014, it earned 12 with UConn, Cincinnati, Memphis and Louisville going 9-3.

Wichita State is counted on to keep that revenue flowing in future seasons.

Aresco said the conference doesn’t want to revisit the issues that broke up the Big East. The interests of the basketball schools, all private, conflicted with the football schools, largely state-supported, and caused the rift. Aresco sees one basketball school as a fit.

“You never close the door on strengthening the conference,” he said. “If we saw a way to continue to strengthen the conference down the road, you never rule out expansion. But there’s absolutely nothing in the works now.”

Few more:

Wichita State addition moves SMU, AAC closer to “Power 6” status

http://www.smudailycampus.com/sports/wic...r-6-status

Wichita State helps the AAC

http://www.dailyhelmsman.com/online_feat...e94e0.html

Wichita State’s move to the AAC is a win-win for both sides

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/earl...bcec78bdbc
(This post was last modified: 04-12-2017 10:43 AM by B easy.)
04-12-2017 10:43 AM
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Eldonabe Offline
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Post: #56
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
Part of the equation is the desire of the current members to stay current members. There are a couple outliers to that measure over the last few years (Maryland comes to mind), but the bottom line is that any team in the AAC would absolutely jump at the invite from any of the current P5.

That to me says AAC is not. You can't pick and choose sport by sport - it is all or nothing.

That said, there are definitely more "classes" in basketball then in football (Mid-Major, High Mid-Major etc...) - but that is only because so many teams make the tournament. Until the football playoff system allows all of the FBS conferences a seat at the table it will only and always be P5 and everyone else.
04-12-2017 12:29 PM
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Post: #57
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
Being a major (power is for football) conference is more than being a collection of mostly power ranked programs. You need at least one storied elite status program in there. A Kansas, Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, Arizona, UCLA, Indiana, Georgetown. They don;t have to be on their game at the moment, but storied.

You also need that first tier TV contract, for premier games, be it CBS or Fox, or ESPN.

You need rivalries with deep meaning and tradition.

And you need to be constantly in the running for those elite top 25 players coming out of high school.

The American lacks the above. They have everything else. They have the collection of consistent power schools. But they are all that second and third level of power schools. I'm not even going to worry about the four programs below the power level here - they are a drag, and maybe cost the league one at large annually - as power teams not performing do the same (P12 suffered from that last year, G'town, Oklahoma and Texas have been really weak, etc), it's part of the game. But it does thin the AAC a bit.

I think the AAC is in position to become a Major conference in Basketball. But it needs one of it's programs to rise to compete with the top 10 programs for elite NBA prospects, at least on an Indiana or UCLA level. They also need to focus on building rivalries, and on improving the bottom teams. Connecticut and Memphis returning to form would go a long way toward that. Finally they need a media contract to highlight that on CBS, FOX, or ESPN, where they are on par with the other majors. One that allows them to have a SEC-AAC challenge for example; where the concept isn't laughed off.

Right now the American is a collection of schools, many in the Major category for Basketball resources. But it has not become a brand that people see as Major, or that commands the attention of Major conference. I am very skeptical this will happen, because the American is also made up of a collection of schools that want to be Power Football schools. So the focus will not be there on Basketball to get into the Major category.

As a result I see the American being the one consistent 'tweener in Basketball. Solidly ahead of the MWC, WCC, and A10, but short of the M6. They will be a consistent 3 bid conference ... effectively a 1/2 Major.
04-12-2017 01:15 PM
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JHS55 Offline
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Post: #58
Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
The AACs new TV contract is in 2020, so that's when we will all know what's going to happen, in the mean time the AAC teams will play for a few years in a wait and see kind of lame duck state
2020, will the AAC teams stay together with enough money ???
Or leave for greener pastures
I hope AAC gets more money and really becomes a great conference and gets top recruits
Just my opinion...
04-12-2017 01:50 PM
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YNot Offline
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Post: #59
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
(04-12-2017 01:50 PM)JHS55 Wrote:  The AACs new TV contract is in 2020, so that's when we will all know what's going to happen, in the mean time the AAC teams will play for a few years in a wait and see kind of lame duck state
2020, will the AAC teams stay together with enough money ???
Or leave for greener pastures
I hope AAC gets more money and really becomes a great conference and gets top recruits
Just my opinion...

As the AAC renews or replaces its media deal, it should consider to sign a short-term GOR (4-5 years?) that coincides with the end of the Big 12's. The Big 12 isn't likely to expand until then and the AAC GOR would help net better value from the next media contract.
04-12-2017 02:05 PM
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GoldenWarrior11 Online
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Post: #60
RE: Is the AAC a 'Power Conference' at least in basketball now w/t addition of WSU?
It's interesting to draw parallels between the AAC of today and Conference USA of the early 2000's. Conference USA, from 2000-2005, averaged around 5 bids per year - hitting a peak of 6 in 2004 (UC, DePaul, Louisville, UAB, Charlotte and Memphis). I think that 4-6 would be a strong estimate to project what the AAC would be looking at on a yearly basis moving forward. However, looking at their seedings, only Cincinnati, Louisville and Marquette were able to get top-5 seeds within that group. I think the advantage that the American currently has, which C-USA didn't, is having UConn (a national blue blood) assisting in elevating its status.
04-12-2017 02:05 PM
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