Most people said it was impossible for Liberty to move up as an independent .

Most people thought U Conn would never have their football as an independent even if they missed the Big East.

U Mass is one more that put basketball membership in A10 above conference membership for football.

BYU in reaction to Utah chose independence.

Four schools that chose independence in football for different reasons.
I have seen other schools mentioned but it seems like a long shot more will come.These moves seemed unlikely will there be more and who?

Youngstown St is my pick no inside information .
Tressel and Polini stadium upgrade going on nice support facilities.
They will never get an invite and are stuck at number eight in their state.
Playing in the Horizon league is perfect for them and allows football independence.

I think Montana's fans hold them back they sell out D2 buy games.
NDSU has the same thing at a lower level plus keep adding titles hard to give that up.

I'm not so sure a non-religious school will get the waiver to move up independently like Liberty did.

Jacksonville State, Lamar, and EKU would have already done it if possible.

(06-24-2019 06:32 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  I'm not so sure a non-religious school will get the waiver to move up independently like Liberty did.

Jacksonville State, Lamar, and EKU would have already done it if possible.

I think they could get a waiver but don't have the resources.

(06-24-2019 08:50 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 06:32 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  I'm not so sure a non-religious school will get the waiver to move up independently like Liberty did.

Jacksonville State, Lamar, and EKU would have already done it if possible.

I think they could get a waiver but don't have the resources.

I think this is the correct answer.

Jacksonville State, Lamar and EKU together probably couldn't afford to buy a home game for $1.3 million as Liberty did to go toward their schedule need.

Maybe Liberty can threaten to sue the AAC to get their way, like they did the NCAA

It's not out of the question that Navy might negotiate a withrawal from the AAC in exchange for waiver of exit fees and an agreement to schedule 4-6 OOC games per year. That would reduce AAC football membership to 10 members, which could increase the per team media payout.

(06-24-2019 12:08 PM)ken d Wrote:  It's not out of the question that Navy might negotiate a withrawal from the AAC in exchange for waiver of exit fees and an agreement to schedule 4-6 OOC games per year. That would reduce AAC football membership to 10 members, which could increase the per team media payout.

How would this affect the TV contract? Would ESPN re-negotiate? I’m not sure they would keep the same payout for 10 schools.

(06-24-2019 01:05 PM)PicksUp Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 12:08 PM)ken d Wrote:  It's not out of the question that Navy might negotiate a withrawal from the AAC in exchange for waiver of exit fees and an agreement to schedule 4-6 OOC games per year. That would reduce AAC football membership to 10 members, which could increase the per team media payout.

How would this affect the TV contract? Would ESPN re-negotiate? I’m not sure they would keep the same payout for 10 schools.

Probably renegotiate. But the result would likely be less total money but a better per school payout.

Liberty has almost unlimited money from online and pulpit. UConn is a State school spending huge amounts of tax payer money.

Apples and Oranges.

(06-24-2019 10:24 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 08:50 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 06:32 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  I'm not so sure a non-religious school will get the waiver to move up independently like Liberty did.

Jacksonville State, Lamar, and EKU would have already done it if possible.

I think they could get a waiver but don't have the resources.

I think this is the correct answer.

Jacksonville State, Lamar and EKU together probably couldn't afford to buy a home game for $1.3 million as Liberty did to go toward their schedule need.

Agreed.

Liberty has a net income (i.e., profit) of more than $200 million per year due to massive revenues from online courses. They have far more than enough money to ensure they will always have the number of FBS home games needed to comply with the rules. For that matter, they have more than enough money to fund anything they would want to do in FBS football.

except buy their way into a conference. CUSA and SBC told them to beat cheeks.

I've seen a handful of places on these boards people suggesting that Navy might go back to independence. Is the landscape that much different with UConn out that suddenly the AAC doesn't benefit Navy the way it did when they joined a few years ago? Or has Navy always been a reluctant member?

(06-24-2019 01:20 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  I've seen a handful of places on these boards people suggesting that Navy might go back to independence. Is the landscape that much different with UConn out that suddenly the AAC doesn't benefit Navy the way it did when they joined a few years ago? Or has Navy always been a reluctant member?

I think the landscape is different now.

In 2011 & 2012, the only independents were Notre Damy, BYU, Navy, and Army. NMSU and Idaho were indy for 2013 and it didn't go well for them. No one else was scheduled to join the indy ranks.

To make independence work, Navy needs October/November opponents. But Army-Navy was always in December, and it was uncertain if BYU would be able to make independence work. So in 2013 when Navy announced they were joining the AAC, there was 1 long-term indy opponent (Notre Dame) for October/November games for Navy.

In 2019, BYU & Liberty are committed to independence long-term. UMass & New Mexico State are making it work for now, and UConn might be joining the group. That makes independence a LOT more feasible for Navy.

(06-24-2019 10:24 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 08:50 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(06-24-2019 06:32 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  I'm not so sure a non-religious school will get the waiver to move up independently like Liberty did.

Jacksonville State, Lamar, and EKU would have already done it if possible.

I think they could get a waiver but don't have the resources.

I think this is the correct answer.

Jacksonville State, Lamar and EKU together probably couldn't afford to buy a home game for $1.3 million as Liberty did to go toward their schedule need.

I think your right but it does get cheaper the more independent schools there are. Proving you can schedule eight FBS games gets easier also.
My thinking is U Conn, U Mass, Liberty and NMSU would work with a new school to give themselves options. BYU and Army not as much but they would to a lesser extent.