This idea was pursued by the old Big East once but as football only basis due to interference by the Catholic 7 but I think it has serious merits and they should do it on a full member basis.

Add BYU, AFA, Boise, and SDSU.

For football those 4 join Tulsa, SMU, Houston, and Navy to form AAC West.

For men's basketball do a pod system where you play everyone twice and your pod mates twice for 18 games.

Other sports could be split East/West with little cross division play.

This group would have a stranglehold on the NY6 bid, effectively becoming a P6 in all but name.

I also think the west coast inventory could raise the tv value of AAC to the 8 million/school range.

Thoughts?

(04-29-2018 05:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  This idea was pursued by the old Big East once but as football only basis due to interference by the Catholic 7 but I think it has serious merits and they should do it on a full member basis.

Add BYU, AFA, Boise, and SDSU.

For football those 4 join Tulsa, SMU, Houston, and Navy to form AAC West.

For men's basketball do a pod system where you play everyone twice and your pod mates twice for 18 games.

Other sports could be split East/West with little cross division play.

This group would have a stranglehold on the NY6 bid, effectively becoming a P6 in all but name.

I also think the west coast inventory could raise the tv value of AAC to the 8 million/school range.

Thoughts?

They definitely won’t have a stranglehold considering Toledo was in the running this past season and NIU made the Orange Bowl a few years back. Oh, and watch out for Kiffin and Lil’ Charlie Weis.

If there were merit to a cross country conference it would have happened when the AAC was formed, but it didn’t, and now it’s more unlikely than ever.

(04-29-2018 01:45 PM)McKinney Wrote:  

(04-29-2018 01:27 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  My intention isn't to derail a good thread here but the topic of the value of the next AAC tv contract has been mentioned as either a compelling reason for UConn to stay/leave.

Would the addition of 4 western schools (BYU, AFA, Boise, SDSU) dramatically improve the tv value of this conference?

They already tried the western expansion. TCU, Boise, SDSU all agreed to join the Big East and it didn't work out for whatever reason. What would be the difference now?

BYU isn't moving anywhere unless it's the Big-XII or Pac-12. Boise, AFA, and SDSU all have a good thing going in the MWC and arguably the same could be said about them as it is about BYU.

Just remember a School leaving the MWC to play AAC football is also leaving the MWC to play WAC Basketball.

That would be like asking Houston to join the MWC and put it's Basketball in the Southland.

(04-29-2018 05:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  This idea was pursued by the old Big East once but as football only basis due to interference by the Catholic 7 but I think it has serious merits and they should do it on a full member basis.

Add BYU, AFA, Boise, and SDSU.

For football those 4 join Tulsa, SMU, Houston, and Navy to form AAC West.

For men's basketball do a pod system where you play everyone twice and your pod mates twice for 18 games.

Other sports could be split East/West with little cross division play.

This group would have a stranglehold on the NY6 bid, effectively becoming a P6 in all but name.

I also think the west coast inventory could raise the tv value of AAC to the 8 million/school range.

Thoughts?

For the sake of argument, let's say that the current AAC would get a new contract at $5 million each, which is in the current range of estimates. To raise that to $8 million, the networks would have to calculate that the four new members add $17 million in value EACH.

If instead, you assume the current contract would be for $6 million each instead of $5 million, that drops the burden on the four new members to $14 million each. That's still a big stretch.

Add to that the stated wishes of AFA to continue its close association to the other front range schools in the MWC, and it's likely they wouldn't go along. If the new 16 member league were to go to a nine game schedule, Navy likely would drop out as well.

I suspect that Houston, SMU and Tulsa wouldn't be all that interested in playing more games largely in the west instead of in the east, and I think it would be a tough sell. And, while this new league might get an access bowl with some regularity (they already believe they would be front runners most years anyway), dividing the small increase in CFP money 16 ways instead of 12 would negate most of that benefit. The same goes for the NCAAT.

I believe the western schools you named aspire more to future PAC membership rather than just moving from one G5 conference to another.

(04-29-2018 06:41 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Just remember a School leaving the MWC to play AAC football is also leaving the MWC to play WAC Basketball.

That would be like asking Houston to join the MWC and put it's Basketball in the Southland.

Did you miss the FULL MEMBER part?

(04-29-2018 06:50 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(04-29-2018 05:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  This idea was pursued by the old Big East once but as football only basis due to interference by the Catholic 7 but I think it has serious merits and they should do it on a full member basis.

Add BYU, AFA, Boise, and SDSU.

For football those 4 join Tulsa, SMU, Houston, and Navy to form AAC West.

For men's basketball do a pod system where you play everyone twice and your pod mates twice for 18 games.

Other sports could be split East/West with little cross division play.

This group would have a stranglehold on the NY6 bid, effectively becoming a P6 in all but name.

I also think the west coast inventory could raise the tv value of AAC to the 8 million/school range.

Thoughts?

For the sake of argument, let's say that the current AAC would get a new contract at $5 million each, which is in the current range of estimates. To raise that to $8 million, the networks would have to calculate that the four new members add $17 million in value EACH.

If instead, you assume the current contract would be for $6 million each instead of $5 million, that drops the burden on the four new members to $14 million each. That's still a big stretch.

Add to that the stated wishes of AFA to continue its close association to the other front range schools in the MWC, and it's likely they wouldn't go along. If the new 16 member league were to go to a nine game schedule, Navy likely would drop out as well.

I suspect that Houston, SMU and Tulsa wouldn't be all that interested in playing more games largely in the west instead of in the east, and I think it would be a tough sell. And, while this new league might get an access bowl with some regularity (they already believe they would be front runners most years anyway), dividing the small increase in CFP money 16 ways instead of 12 would negate most of that benefit. The same goes for the NCAAT.

I believe the western schools you named aspire more to future PAC membership rather than just moving from one G5 conference to another.

Is Air Force interested in Power Five membership?

(04-29-2018 07:03 PM)McKinney Wrote:  

(04-29-2018 06:50 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(04-29-2018 05:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  This idea was pursued by the old Big East once but as football only basis due to interference by the Catholic 7 but I think it has serious merits and they should do it on a full member basis.

Add BYU, AFA, Boise, and SDSU.

For football those 4 join Tulsa, SMU, Houston, and Navy to form AAC West.

For men's basketball do a pod system where you play everyone twice and your pod mates twice for 18 games.

Other sports could be split East/West with little cross division play.

This group would have a stranglehold on the NY6 bid, effectively becoming a P6 in all but name.

I also think the west coast inventory could raise the tv value of AAC to the 8 million/school range.

Thoughts?

For the sake of argument, let's say that the current AAC would get a new contract at $5 million each, which is in the current range of estimates. To raise that to $8 million, the networks would have to calculate that the four new members add $17 million in value EACH.

If instead, you assume the current contract would be for $6 million each instead of $5 million, that drops the burden on the four new members to $14 million each. That's still a big stretch.

Add to that the stated wishes of AFA to continue its close association to the other front range schools in the MWC, and it's likely they wouldn't go along. If the new 16 member league were to go to a nine game schedule, Navy likely would drop out as well.

I suspect that Houston, SMU and Tulsa wouldn't be all that interested in playing more games largely in the west instead of in the east, and I think it would be a tough sell. And, while this new league might get an access bowl with some regularity (they already believe they would be front runners most years anyway), dividing the small increase in CFP money 16 ways instead of 12 would negate most of that benefit. The same goes for the NCAAT.

I believe the western schools you named aspire more to future PAC membership rather than just moving from one G5 conference to another.

Is Air Force interested in Power Five membership?

The answer was given before your question.

(04-29-2018 07:08 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  The answer was given before your question.

(04-29-2018 05:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  This idea was pursued by the old Big East once but as football only basis due to interference by the Catholic 7 but I think it has serious merits and they should do it on a full member basis.

Add BYU, AFA, Boise, and SDSU.

For football those 4 join Tulsa, SMU, Houston, and Navy to form AAC West.

For men's basketball do a pod system where you play everyone twice and your pod mates twice for 18 games.

Other sports could be split East/West with little cross division play.

This group would have a stranglehold on the NY6 bid, effectively becoming a P6 in all but name.

I also think the west coast inventory could raise the tv value of AAC to the 8 million/school range.

Thoughts?

I understand the desire for AFA as it would give two service academies to the AAC. However, I honestly feel that CSU would be a better choice. They've recently invested heavily in a their football facilities ~$250M+, they have really good academics and they're competitive in Olympic sports as well.

That said, I don't think the AAC will revisit the Coast to Coast idea unless there was tangible proof that the payday was substantially improved. As a Boise State fan, I would be very interested in that kind of invite by the AAC (provided it was for all sports), mainly because I live in the DFW area and that arrangement would mean I had a legit shot to see the Broncos in person 2-3 times a year.

(04-29-2018 08:33 PM)MAD MACGYVER Wrote:  

(04-29-2018 05:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  This idea was pursued by the old Big East once but as football only basis due to interference by the Catholic 7 but I think it has serious merits and they should do it on a full member basis.

Add BYU, AFA, Boise, and SDSU.

For football those 4 join Tulsa, SMU, Houston, and Navy to form AAC West.

For men's basketball do a pod system where you play everyone twice and your pod mates twice for 18 games.

Other sports could be split East/West with little cross division play.

This group would have a stranglehold on the NY6 bid, effectively becoming a P6 in all but name.

I also think the west coast inventory could raise the tv value of AAC to the 8 million/school range.

Thoughts?

I understand the desire for AFA as it would give two service academies to the AAC. However, I honestly feel that CSU would be a better choice. They've recently invested heavily in a their football facilities ~$250M+, they have really good academics and they're competitive in Olympic sports as well.

That said, I don't think the AAC will revisit the Coast to Coast idea unless, especially for all sport unless there was tangible proof that the payday was substantially improved. As a Boise State fan, I would be very interested in that kind of invite by the AAC (provided it was for all sports), mainly because I live in the DFW area and that arrangement would mean I had a legit shot to see the Broncos in person 2-3 times a year.

The AAC need to get rid of the dead weight in their conference. Tulane and Tulsa are dead weights that really do not have fan support. UConn. have become a dead weight as well. Football do not draw, and their men's basketball sucks lately. Get rid of those three dead weights and add stronger schools from the C-USA, MWC, MAC, SBC and top FCS schools, and maybe get a pretty serious league of strong football and basketball teams. You could grab Gonzaga in the mix as well.

West Coast:
BYU
Boise State
Gonzaga
Nevada
San Diego State
Fresno State

Central:
Houston
SMU
New Mexico
Colorado State
Air Force
Wichita State

Midwest:
Memphis
Toledo
Northern Illinois
Arkansas State
Missouri State
Cincinnati

East Coast:
UCF
USF
East Carolina
Temple
Navy
VCU

4 Pods of 6 would make it interesting.

(04-29-2018 05:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  This idea was pursued by the old Big East once but as football only basis due to interference by the Catholic 7 but I think it has serious merits and they should do it on a full member basis.

While I doubt the C7 would have been excited to add Boise State and San Diego State as basketball members, the reason they were invited as football-only members was because of the travel costs for Olympic sports. That would have been a nightmare.

IMO, if there was value in a coast-to-coast conference - that was truly a power six conference - then it would have happened already. There wasn't value in a national conference years ago, and I don't think there is anything that has changed that perception on behalf of the networks since.

Air Force wouldn't move without Colorado State. BYU isn't joining regardless. Boise State would only consider a move if it gets a sweet financial deal. San Diego State and Colorado State wouldn't consider a move unless there was a group going with them. The status quo appears to want to remain the same.

David, we are adding Arkansas Tech and I heard that will get us $54,000,000/team

Logistically and financially it won't happen.

Unless joining the AAC somehow improves their chances of a NY6 game, I'm not sure why they would leave the MWC.

In the MWC they have strong intra-conference rivalries, good facilities, strong competition in football and basketball, cheaper travel expenses than a coast-to-coast conference (both in the financial sense as well as physical strain), strong regional exposure, and currently comparable TV money.

What's in it for them?

Let's think about it from the Boise State perspective.

They didn't get Gonzaga to join and upgrade the basketball profile. I think if they had then there would be no reason to consider the coast 2 coast because arguably the MWC would be equivalent in basketball.

They have a special TV situation with ESPN which they earned for saving the MWC during the last realignment. That leverage won't be there in future years.

Given all of this, it might make some real sense to consider the AAC if this time around it will be a 6+ million dollar TV deal for real. If the package also includes BYU and AFA too it will be more appealing. They can place Olympic sports in the WAC safely without having to subsidize travel like they had to do with the Big West deal.

I can see Boise going for it and putting sports in the WAC.

I can see BYU considering it to make a legit run at the P6.

I think it gets harder for SDSU or AFA to find a suitable arrangement. Nobody wants AFA basketball. SDSU wouldn't leave Fresno/SJSU behind to join the WAC and the Big West is full.

(04-29-2018 10:53 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Let's think about it from the Boise State perspective.

They didn't get Gonzaga to join and upgrade the basketball profile. I think if they had then there would be no reason to consider the coast 2 coast because arguably the MWC would be equivalent in basketball.

They have a special TV situation with ESPN which they earned for saving the MWC during the last realignment. That leverage won't be there in future years.

Given all of this, it might make some real sense to consider the AAC if this time around it will be a 6+ million dollar TV deal for real. If the package also includes BYU and AFA too it will be more appealing. They can place Olympic sports in the WAC safely without having to subsidize travel like they had to do with the Big West deal.

I can see Boise going for it and putting sports in the WAC.

I can see BYU considering it to make a legit run at the P6.

I think it gets harder for SDSU or AFA to find a suitable arrangement. Nobody wants AFA basketball. SDSU wouldn't leave Fresno/SJSU behind to join the WAC and the Big West is full.

I believe that this scenario is Boise and BYU joining in all sports. So there'd be no need for WAC.

It'd be too bad that Boise would be leaving a tight knit group for the mishmash tribe, but I couldn't blame them for chasing the money.

The way it is proposed here won’t work or happen.

The only way would be to form a new conference, thus able to clear out dead weight. Limit it to 12 so money is worthwhile.

West
Boise
BYU
CSU
SDSU
UH
SMU.

East - you hardcore east fans know it better than I, but think Marshall, So Miss and Troy might be considered in addition to the best AAC schools. My best guess for East:

UCF
USF
SO Miss
Memphis
Cincy
UConn

This is for all sports, thus the inclusion of UConn.




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(04-29-2018 11:09 PM)Jjoey52 Wrote:  The way it is proposed here won’t work or happen.

The only way would be to form a new conference, thus able to clear out dead weight. Limit it to 12 so money is worthwhile.

West
Boise
BYU
CSU
SDSU
UH
SMU.

East - you hardcore east fans know it better than I, but think Marshall, So Miss and Troy might be considered in addition to the best AAC schools. My best guess for East:

UCF
USF
SO Miss
Memphis
Cincy
UConn

This is for all sports, thus the inclusion of UConn.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

You know... forming a "new" conference every 5 years probably isn't the best long term strategy.

I can’t see any of this happening.

This is just the latest of the dozens of best-of-the-rest conference threads that have been posted here over the past few years. They usually begin with the premise that if the cream of the MWC came over to the AAC, the defectors would earn a much bigger TV paycheck than if they stayed put. Yet there is no objective evidence that any TV network is prepared to pay the AAC a meaningful per-school premium for adding MWC schools, and in the absence of such a premium no MWC member is going to make a move that radically increases its travel costs and takes its student athletes out of class for lengthier periods.

Until there’s a factual basis for assuming someone is willing to bankroll a coast-to-coast AAC, there’s nothing to see here.