Which of these schools have decent basketball arenas? I know UTSA does not. Are there any other candidates that have such a poor basketball arena that there automatically disqualified from consideration?
[/quote]

I don’t think we would say yes to an invite. But this is the Cajun Dome.

Cajun Dome

(10-05-2021 04:35 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 04:29 PM)ballantyneapp Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 11:38 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 10:04 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 08:24 PM)No Bull Wrote:  Which of these schools have decent basketball arenas? I know UTSA does not. Are there any other candidates that have such a poor basketball arena that there automatically disqualified from consideration?

These three have basketball arenas that I think would disqualify them: UTSA, FAU, FIU.

I'm not sure about arena, but App St has terrible basketball support and doesn't seem to care about basketball. They average 1,200/game in basketball. I feel like that is going to be hard to overcome in terms of how the AAC schools will perceive them in overall sports. The AAC cares about basketball, and I think they will strongly consider basketball success/support in their decision.

App has a very nice 8000 seat arena but there's a reason it's called the Holmes Convocation Center. I get why the football alumni fans don't come up the mount once a week for basketball in winter but you'd think they could get 2k or 3k students to show up. Apps had a few decent teams in the last few years too.

getting student attendance up has to be a priority for the AD. All of what you mention means our attendance is probably capped at 5k. The product getting better is going to help. As good and entertaining as sun belt football has been, the basketball product hasn't been there. We have UNC and DUke on the schedule this year, if we can help ruin one (dare I say, both?) of their coaching farewells, that will go a long way to getting some excitement on the mountain(which already started with the NCAA last year)

Predicting Hubert’s first season as his last?!?? I suppose if they lost to App St. it might be!

App St. could have a great home court advantage if the mountain folk supported the team like they do football.

Lol granted I don’t pay attention to cbb like I do cfb. Either way beating one of UNC or duke would do a lot.

(10-05-2021 04:53 PM)geauxcajuns Wrote:  Which of these schools have decent basketball arenas? I know UTSA does not. Are there any other candidates that have such a poor basketball arena that there automatically disqualified from consideration?

I don’t think we would say yes to an invite. But this is the Cajun Dome.

Cajun Dome
[/quote]

That’s a killer looking arena! Seriously.

(10-05-2021 06:10 PM)No Bull Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 04:53 PM)geauxcajuns Wrote:  Which of these schools have decent basketball arenas? I know UTSA does not. Are there any other candidates that have such a poor basketball arena that there automatically disqualified from consideration?

I don’t think we would say yes to an invite. But this is the Cajun Dome.

Cajun Dome

That’s a killer looking arena! Seriously.
[/quote]



I agree. I'm impressed. I had no idea. Very nice.

App State and Louisiana would be on my shortlist. I said this in another thread but UL has the facilities to play in the AAC. I came up with a few mock alignments with them:

UMass
Temple
East Carolina
South Florida
UAB
Memphis

Louisiana
Tulane
Rice
SMU
Tulsa
Navy (Wichita State)

I like this because you’re adding two state-named schools with nice basketball venues.

(10-04-2021 10:04 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 08:24 PM)No Bull Wrote:  Which of these schools have decent basketball arenas? I know UTSA does not. Are there any other candidates that have such a poor basketball arena that there automatically disqualified from consideration?

These three have basketball arenas that I think would disqualify them: UTSA, FAU, FIU.

I'm not sure about arena, but App St has terrible basketball support and doesn't seem to care about basketball. They average 1,200/game in basketball. I feel like that is going to be hard to overcome in terms of how the AAC schools will perceive them in overall sports. The AAC cares about basketball, and I think they will strongly consider basketball success/support in their decision.

Our attendance has been atrocious the past 10 years, but the program was set back 10 years when former AD Charlie Cobb was influenced by some big $ donors to hire Jason Capel. The guy had one year's experience as the third assistant under Buzz Peterson. The next 4 years we proceeded to go 53-70 and put on probation for poor APR performance. It was a huge fall considering we had been in the top 20 in the country previously. Capel was fired and Cobb brought in Jim Fox from Davidson to clean up the mess. Fox was almost doomed from the start. Working with reduced practice time, fewer scholarships and no chance of post season play - which was unattainable anyway. Fox brought in some really solid players but just couldn't get over the hump. He goes 56-89 and is let go. Dustin Kerns comes in and benefits from the players Fox left and in 3 years goes 53-42 and wins the '20 Sun Belt Tournament. Excitement in the program is back and I think there will be a big attendance upswing in following last year's success. App is first and foremost a football school and I don't ever see basketball getting that degree of support, but it can be much better. BTE The Holmes Center is a very nice arena.

https://appstatesports.com/facilities/ho...n-center/4

(10-05-2021 11:14 AM)8993 Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 11:38 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 10:04 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 08:24 PM)No Bull Wrote:  Which of these schools have decent basketball arenas? I know UTSA does not. Are there any other candidates that have such a poor basketball arena that there automatically disqualified from consideration?

These three have basketball arenas that I think would disqualify them: UTSA, FAU, FIU.

I'm not sure about arena, but App St has terrible basketball support and doesn't seem to care about basketball. They average 1,200/game in basketball. I feel like that is going to be hard to overcome in terms of how the AAC schools will perceive them in overall sports. The AAC cares about basketball, and I think they will strongly consider basketball success/support in their decision.

App has a very nice 8000 seat arena but there's a reason it's called the Holmes Convocation Center. I get why the football alumni fans don't come up the mount once a week for basketball in winter but you'd think they could get 2k or 3k students to show up. Apps had a few decent teams in the last few years too.

Having said that, fan support has been picking up with our recent NCAA berth and general success under Kerns. That's not saying it is where it needs to be or should be, but saying we have 'terrible' fan support is a bit of an exaggeration, in my opinion.

How is it an exaggeration? 1,200/game in D1 basketball is absolutely terrible. There's honestly no other way to describe it imo. It's not like 1,200 was some sort of outlier. That's actually more than you have averaged in other years. This means you have multiple games with less than 1,000 fans. That's crazy, especially considering your football support. Do all those fans only cheer for App football and then cheer for Duke/UNC basketball?

(10-05-2021 06:57 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 10:04 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 08:24 PM)No Bull Wrote:  Which of these schools have decent basketball arenas? I know UTSA does not. Are there any other candidates that have such a poor basketball arena that there automatically disqualified from consideration?

These three have basketball arenas that I think would disqualify them: UTSA, FAU, FIU.

I'm not sure about arena, but App St has terrible basketball support and doesn't seem to care about basketball. They average 1,200/game in basketball. I feel like that is going to be hard to overcome in terms of how the AAC schools will perceive them in overall sports. The AAC cares about basketball, and I think they will strongly consider basketball success/support in their decision.

Our attendance has been atrocious the past 10 years, but the program was set back 10 years when former AD Charlie Cobb was influenced by some big $ donors to hire Jason Capel. The guy had one year's experience as the third assistant under Buzz Peterson. The next 4 years we proceeded to go 53-70 and put on probation for poor APR performance. It was a huge fall considering we had been in the top 20 in the country previously. Capel was fired and Cobb brought in Jim Fox from Davidson to clean up the mess. Fox was almost doomed from the start. Working with reduced practice time, fewer scholarships and no chance of post season play - which was unattainable anyway. Fox brought in some really solid players but just couldn't get over the hump. He goes 56-89 and is let go. Dustin Kerns comes in and benefits from the players Fox left and in 3 years goes 53-42 and wins the '20 Sun Belt Tournament. Excitement in the program is back and I think there will be a big attendance upswing in following last year's success. App is first and foremost a football school and I don't ever see basketball getting that degree of support, but it can be much better. BTE The Holmes Center is a very nice arena.

https://appstatesports.com/facilities/ho...n-center/4

It looks nice. Reminds me of the UCF arena. I really like Boone and App State. It is a beautiful place. I laughed when someone referred to you guys as Mountain folk. I remember back in the day Don Shula and a bunch of rich people lived close to Boone. Private airport for rich folk. The only people who talk down about App State have never been there or to Boone.

(10-05-2021 06:38 PM)esayem Wrote:  App State and Louisiana would be on my shortlist. I said this in another thread but UL has the facilities to play in the AAC. I came up with a few mock alignments with them:

UMass
Temple
East Carolina
South Florida
UAB
Memphis

Louisiana
Tulane
Rice
SMU
Tulsa
Navy (Wichita State)

I like this because you’re adding two state-named schools with nice basketball venues.

I agree about App and Louisiana.

(10-05-2021 07:51 PM)No Bull Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 06:57 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 10:04 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 08:24 PM)No Bull Wrote:  Which of these schools have decent basketball arenas? I know UTSA does not. Are there any other candidates that have such a poor basketball arena that there automatically disqualified from consideration?

These three have basketball arenas that I think would disqualify them: UTSA, FAU, FIU.

I'm not sure about arena, but App St has terrible basketball support and doesn't seem to care about basketball. They average 1,200/game in basketball. I feel like that is going to be hard to overcome in terms of how the AAC schools will perceive them in overall sports. The AAC cares about basketball, and I think they will strongly consider basketball success/support in their decision.

Our attendance has been atrocious the past 10 years, but the program was set back 10 years when former AD Charlie Cobb was influenced by some big $ donors to hire Jason Capel. The guy had one year's experience as the third assistant under Buzz Peterson. The next 4 years we proceeded to go 53-70 and put on probation for poor APR performance. It was a huge fall considering we had been in the top 20 in the country previously. Capel was fired and Cobb brought in Jim Fox from Davidson to clean up the mess. Fox was almost doomed from the start. Working with reduced practice time, fewer scholarships and no chance of post season play - which was unattainable anyway. Fox brought in some really solid players but just couldn't get over the hump. He goes 56-89 and is let go. Dustin Kerns comes in and benefits from the players Fox left and in 3 years goes 53-42 and wins the '20 Sun Belt Tournament. Excitement in the program is back and I think there will be a big attendance upswing in following last year's success. App is first and foremost a football school and I don't ever see basketball getting that degree of support, but it can be much better. BTE The Holmes Center is a very nice arena.

https://appstatesports.com/facilities/ho...n-center/4

It looks nice. Reminds me of the UCF arena. I really like Boone and App State. It is a beautiful place. I laughed when someone referred to you guys as Mountain folk. I remember back in the day Don Shula and a bunch of rich people lived close to Boone. Private airport for rich folk. The only people who talk down about App State have never been there or to Boone.

Them hills are full of rich people from out of state. Those aren’t the people that fill the stands in Boone.

(10-05-2021 08:27 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 07:51 PM)No Bull Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 06:57 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 10:04 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 08:24 PM)No Bull Wrote:  Which of these schools have decent basketball arenas? I know UTSA does not. Are there any other candidates that have such a poor basketball arena that there automatically disqualified from consideration?

These three have basketball arenas that I think would disqualify them: UTSA, FAU, FIU.

I'm not sure about arena, but App St has terrible basketball support and doesn't seem to care about basketball. They average 1,200/game in basketball. I feel like that is going to be hard to overcome in terms of how the AAC schools will perceive them in overall sports. The AAC cares about basketball, and I think they will strongly consider basketball success/support in their decision.

Our attendance has been atrocious the past 10 years, but the program was set back 10 years when former AD Charlie Cobb was influenced by some big $ donors to hire Jason Capel. The guy had one year's experience as the third assistant under Buzz Peterson. The next 4 years we proceeded to go 53-70 and put on probation for poor APR performance. It was a huge fall considering we had been in the top 20 in the country previously. Capel was fired and Cobb brought in Jim Fox from Davidson to clean up the mess. Fox was almost doomed from the start. Working with reduced practice time, fewer scholarships and no chance of post season play - which was unattainable anyway. Fox brought in some really solid players but just couldn't get over the hump. He goes 56-89 and is let go. Dustin Kerns comes in and benefits from the players Fox left and in 3 years goes 53-42 and wins the '20 Sun Belt Tournament. Excitement in the program is back and I think there will be a big attendance upswing in following last year's success. App is first and foremost a football school and I don't ever see basketball getting that degree of support, but it can be much better. BTE The Holmes Center is a very nice arena.

https://appstatesports.com/facilities/ho...n-center/4

It looks nice. Reminds me of the UCF arena. I really like Boone and App State. It is a beautiful place. I laughed when someone referred to you guys as Mountain folk. I remember back in the day Don Shula and a bunch of rich people lived close to Boone. Private airport for rich folk. The only people who talk down about App State have never been there or to Boone.

Them hills are full of rich people from out of state. Those aren’t the people that fill the stands in Boone.

Indeed not. Although I've attended a tailgate party or two in Hound Ears and Blowing Rock CC then we all loaded up to go to the games. Some of those Floridians have become nice benefactors. I'd actually like to see more of an outreach to our seasonal guests.

Plenty of App fans have second homes in surrounding area.

It’s a terrible place though, stay away, definitely don’t plan on retiring there…

(10-05-2021 06:38 PM)esayem Wrote:  App State and Louisiana would be on my shortlist. I said this in another thread but UL has the facilities to play in the AAC. I came up with a few mock alignments with them:

UMass
Temple
East Carolina
South Florida
UAB
Memphis

Louisiana
Tulane
Rice
SMU
Tulsa
Navy (Wichita State)

I like this because you’re adding two state-named schools with nice basketball venues.

Still don't get the Rice appeal. I get that Presidents make the final decision, and that academics certainly mater. That said, when the SEC brought the Texas and Oklahoma proposal to the presidents for approval, was there a brief coup where all the presidents tore up the proposal and demanded that Northwestern be invited?

(10-05-2021 06:57 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 10:04 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  

(10-04-2021 08:24 PM)No Bull Wrote:  Which of these schools have decent basketball arenas? I know UTSA does not. Are there any other candidates that have such a poor basketball arena that there automatically disqualified from consideration?

These three have basketball arenas that I think would disqualify them: UTSA, FAU, FIU.

I'm not sure about arena, but App St has terrible basketball support and doesn't seem to care about basketball. They average 1,200/game in basketball. I feel like that is going to be hard to overcome in terms of how the AAC schools will perceive them in overall sports. The AAC cares about basketball, and I think they will strongly consider basketball success/support in their decision.

Our attendance has been atrocious the past 10 years, but the program was set back 10 years when former AD Charlie Cobb was influenced by some big $ donors to hire Jason Capel. The guy had one year's experience as the third assistant under Buzz Peterson. The next 4 years we proceeded to go 53-70 and put on probation for poor APR performance. It was a huge fall considering we had been in the top 20 in the country previously. Capel was fired and Cobb brought in Jim Fox from Davidson to clean up the mess. Fox was almost doomed from the start. Working with reduced practice time, fewer scholarships and no chance of post season play - which was unattainable anyway. Fox brought in some really solid players but just couldn't get over the hump. He goes 56-89 and is let go. Dustin Kerns comes in and benefits from the players Fox left and in 3 years goes 53-42 and wins the '20 Sun Belt Tournament. Excitement in the program is back and I think there will be a big attendance upswing in following last year's success. App is first and foremost a football school and I don't ever see basketball getting that degree of support, but it can be much better. BTE The Holmes Center is a very nice arena.

https://appstatesports.com/facilities/ho...n-center/4

That is one of the best facades for a basketball arena I've ever seen.

(10-05-2021 09:59 PM)CoastalJuan Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 06:38 PM)esayem Wrote:  App State and Louisiana would be on my shortlist. I said this in another thread but UL has the facilities to play in the AAC. I came up with a few mock alignments with them:

UMass
Temple
East Carolina
South Florida
UAB
Memphis

Louisiana
Tulane
Rice
SMU
Tulsa
Navy (Wichita State)

I like this because you’re adding two state-named schools with nice basketball venues.

Still don't get the Rice appeal. I get that Presidents make the final decision, and that academics certainly mater. That said, when the SEC brought the Texas and Oklahoma proposal to the presidents for approval, was there a brief coup where all the presidents tore up the proposal and demanded that Northwestern be invited?

I’m banking that Rice is making commitments to be competitive at the AAC level. This has to be their last shot to join a league with SMU (trophy game), Tulsa (trophy game), and Tulane (long-standing series). Plus, the Navy game has a lot of appeal as well.

Hey, they get a week off and play UTSA in the Expansion Candidate Bowl!

(10-06-2021 08:39 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 09:59 PM)CoastalJuan Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 06:38 PM)esayem Wrote:  App State and Louisiana would be on my shortlist. I said this in another thread but UL has the facilities to play in the AAC. I came up with a few mock alignments with them:

UMass
Temple
East Carolina
South Florida
UAB
Memphis

Louisiana
Tulane
Rice
SMU
Tulsa
Navy (Wichita State)

I like this because you’re adding two state-named schools with nice basketball venues.

Still don't get the Rice appeal. I get that Presidents make the final decision, and that academics certainly mater. That said, when the SEC brought the Texas and Oklahoma proposal to the presidents for approval, was there a brief coup where all the presidents tore up the proposal and demanded that Northwestern be invited?

I’m banking that Rice is making commitments to be competitive at the AAC level. This has to be their last shot to join a league with SMU (trophy game), Tulsa (trophy game), and Tulane (long-standing series). Plus, the Navy game has a lot of appeal as well.

Hey, they get a week off and play UTSA in the Expansion Candidate Bowl!

If Rice made a commitment to match even the top remaining AAC budgets (Houston/UCF/Cindy high 60's, ECU/Memphis high 50's), then they'd be a shoe-in. They just haven't done it to this point.

Now that they have been shunned by the four western schools they had targeted, I continue to read about all of these various new alignments and potential additions to the AAC and frankly, none of them really move the needle at all. That is why I’m trying to figure out why the AAC would expand beyond the bare minimum for the time being?

There continue to be rumblings coming from inside the Big 12 that they are not yet finished adding members and that they are likely to expand further in another year or two. On a very obvious level, that is not good news for the AAC as at least one of those teams is likely to come from that league. On another level, however, that could be great news because it could give them some real clarity on the long range outlook for that league.

From where I sit, the B12’s continued instability really neutralizes the American on a lot of levels. Until the Big 12 completes its expansion process, it doesn’t make any sense for the AAC to settle for the likes of Rice, Old Dominion, Charlotte, etc., when if they just wait another two or three years, they could end up with much more attractive candidates.

If there are any slam dunk, no-brainer choices out there, then by all means take them now. Maybe UAB is one such program? However, if I were Aresco, I think I would hold off on adding more than one or two schools — at least for the time being.

The longer this goes, the less likely anything major is going to happen. However, I think it might be starting to make sense, depending on the future losses incurred by each conference to the Big 12, for the AAC and the MWC to begin discussing a partnership or a merger of some sort. That would basically consolidate the number six spot and I think there’s going to be a tremendous value in that – even after they re-constitute the playoff.

(10-06-2021 10:21 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  I continue to read about all of these various alignments and to the AAC is going to take now that they’ve been shunned by the four western schools. However, I’m trying to figure out why the AAC would expand beyond the bare minimum for the time being?

There continue to be rumblings coming from inside the Big 12 that they are not yet finished adding members and that they are likely to expand further in another year or two. On a very obvious level, that is not good news for the AAC as at least one of those teams is likely to come from that league. On another level, however, that could be great news because it could give them some real clarity on the long range outlook for that league.

From where I sit, the B12’s continued instability really neutralizes the American on a lot of levels. Until the Big 12 completes its expansion process, it doesn’t make any sense for the AAC to settle for the likes of Rice, Old Dominion, Charlotte, etc., when if they just wait another two or three years, they could end up with much more attractive candidates.

If there are any slam dunk, no-brainer choices out there, then by all means take them now. Maybe UAB is one such program? However, if I were Aresco, I think I would hold off on adding more than one or two schools — at least for the time being.

The longer this goes, the less likely anything major is going to happen. However, I think it might be start to make sense, depending on the future losses incurred by each conference to the Big 12, for the AAC and the MWC to begin discussing a partnership or a merger of some sort. That would basically consolidate the number six spot and I think there’s going to be a tremendous value in that – even after they re-constitute the playoff.

I agree. The only reason to go for more is it its required as a compromise to get enough support for anyone---or if more than 2 schools are required in order to rebuild a viable league for several key olympic sports the league sponsors.

(10-06-2021 08:39 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 09:59 PM)CoastalJuan Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 06:38 PM)esayem Wrote:  App State and Louisiana would be on my shortlist. I said this in another thread but UL has the facilities to play in the AAC. I came up with a few mock alignments with them:

UMass
Temple
East Carolina
South Florida
UAB
Memphis

Louisiana
Tulane
Rice
SMU
Tulsa
Navy (Wichita State)

I like this because you’re adding two state-named schools with nice basketball venues.

Still don't get the Rice appeal. I get that Presidents make the final decision, and that academics certainly mater. That said, when the SEC brought the Texas and Oklahoma proposal to the presidents for approval, was there a brief coup where all the presidents tore up the proposal and demanded that Northwestern be invited?

I’m banking that Rice is making commitments to be competitive at the AAC level. This has to be their last shot to join a league with SMU (trophy game), Tulsa (trophy game), and Tulane (long-standing series). Plus, the Navy game has a lot of appeal as well.

Hey, they get a week off and play UTSA in the Expansion Candidate Bowl!

I'm banking on them being willing to make the financial commitments but not the admissions commitments that would be require to actually be competitive at the AAC level. The presidents of Tulane/Tulsa/and especially SMU will probably be able to fairly judge that though as they know the admissions standards they have to have to be competitive and if Rice is serious enough about having standards for athletes that are in line with the reality of being last choice on the list of smarty pants top 25 USNWR schools.