(04-06-2021 08:24 AM)SMUstang Wrote: If the AAC dropped one all sports member they would be left with 10 football teams and 11 basketball teams. That might be the way to go. But who would they drop?
OK, since you brought it up, let's say they do drop a school, say Southern Methodist (when you post such speculation always assume your own school). So for argument sake I'll use SMU as example.
What mechanism exists to drop SMU from the American? Is there an issue of not meeting the charter and byLaws of the conference to claim just cause? Is there an academic scandal of such great magnitude it brings disrespect to the conference? Has something dramatic changed since the school's admission to the American as a full equity partner?
Is there a financial benefit? Is ESPN saying 'drop SMU and we'll give every school more money'?
Is there a competitive advantage of having 10 Football and Basketball schools instead of 11? IS ESPN fine with losing 20 conference basketball games? (Note 11 basketball schools, 20 games means 110 games, 10 schools with 18 games means only 90, a reduction of 22% in inventory.) Does such a move improve the chances of more NCAA tournament bids or of getting into the NY6 access bowl game?
The answer to all the above is a definite NO. You can replace SMU with any school you want and it's still NO. No school in the American is shrinking their athletic budget, none is worse academically than when they joined, and further ESPN is happy with the larger inventory an 11th school provides, so there is no more money.
Frankly the logical move is to stand pat. If the right football only member comes along you take them. (They pitched this to Boise State, who after looking at their Olympic options came back and said, we'll join if you give us full membership, even though we'll have to travel more. The American said no.) But that right member isn't there or isn't interested, so nothing. Dropping a members like SMU (or any other) doesn't improve your situation.