https://www.si.com/college/2021/10/12/co...t-football

Presidents are talking. Merge and realign geographically and add two members.

Se article for more

It won't happen. AAC commissioner still thinks his conference is desirable and will become a P6. I guess he didn't get the notice that a bunch of MWC schools rebuffed his conference invite proposal a few weeks ago.

https://theathletic.com/news/conference-...-interest/

Quote:An AAC league source said the conference has no interest in such a move, but C-USA is hoping simply to create more discussion among presidents. The source also indicated that AAC commissioner Mike Aresco is still focused on creating the top Group of 5 league and a push for Power 6 status.

(10-12-2021 07:27 PM)MPython Wrote:  https://www.si.com/college/2021/10/12/co...t-football
Presidents are talking. Merge and realign geographically and add two members.
Se article for more

The devil is in the details, not the headline. One league is doing the talking and the other isn't really responding in a major way, plus the only other conference being mentioned further down is the Sun Belt .... not the MAC. Very familiar with some administrative folks in both of those two leagues and only their peripheral thoughts include Buffalo and Toledo because of city and airport positives.

The AAC has gone down greatly in stature. Since it is a national and not a regional conference, reduced TV revenues and travel expenses do become a big factor if they want to expand. The Mountain West conference told them to go f*ck themselves. Their options are limited. We will see what happens. Its funny because in one sense, the MAC is in a better position then they are. A regional conference with cohesive members and rivalries, has reduced travel expenses and has the ability of allowing working class fans to attend road games. A national conference with the expected reduced TV deal of the AAC may not be an economic possibility.

I think the MAC needs to be proactive on this one and see about adding two members. CUSA sees the writing on the wall that a couple of their schools will be gone to the AAC to replace the 3 teams leaving.

(10-13-2021 01:25 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  I think the MAC needs to be proactive on this one and see about adding two members. CUSA sees the writing on the wall that a couple of their schools will be gone to the AAC to replace the 3 teams leaving.

Marshall, Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee are the only schools in C-USA who make any kind of regional sense for the MAC.

Marshall's may feel like "been there, done that" and that's if they aren't one of the teams swept up by the AAC.

So, I think our only legitimate options there are WKU and MTSU.

Also, the MAC isn't going to add 3 teams. It'll be 2 with the outside possibility being 4, but those four may come from FCS, which brings us back to the conversation we had a couple months ago where it made sense to add those two C-USA schools and then two of a collection of MVC schools like Illinois State, Northern Iowa, Indiana State, Missouri State, SIU, Youngstown State, Western Illinois, and probably not Valpo (and I just learned right now that Valpo changed their mascot to the Beacons this year...and I'm also aware Valpo's stadium is way too small for a move to FBS) or maybe North Dakota State.

(10-13-2021 06:46 PM)Big Red Wrote:  

(10-13-2021 01:25 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  I think the MAC needs to be proactive on this one and see about adding two members. CUSA sees the writing on the wall that a couple of their schools will be gone to the AAC to replace the 3 teams leaving.

Marshall, Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee are the only schools in C-USA who make any kind of regional sense for the MAC.

Marshall's may feel like "been there, done that" and that's if they aren't one of the teams swept up by the AAC.

So, I think our only legitimate options there are WKU and MTSU.

Also, the MAC isn't going to add 3 teams. It'll be 2 with the outside possibility being 4, but those four may come from FCS, which brings us back to the conversation we had a couple months ago where it made sense to add those two C-USA schools and then two of a collection of MVC schools like Illinois State, Northern Iowa, Indiana State, Missouri State, SIU, Youngstown State, Western Illinois, and probably not Valpo (and I just learned right now that Valpo changed their mascot to the Beacons this year...and I'm also aware Valpo's stadium is way too small for a move to FBS) or maybe North Dakota State.

No need to add FCS schools to the MAC but if we were gonna choose one none of those schools hold a candlestick to North Dakota State. If we have to expand then WKU and Marshall would be the best adds.

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/14...49665?s=20

Eww, none of those seem like appealing additions except for maybe UAB. AAC is gonna take a sizeable TV paycut and their footprint is still wide and vast with those six new additions.

(10-18-2021 06:27 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/14...49665?s=20

Eww, none of those seem like appealing additions except for maybe UAB. AAC is gonna take a sizeable TV paycut and their footprint is still wide and vast with those six new additions.

LOL. The AAC is trash now. Big trash. 16 14? (Apparently I can’t count). Wow, EPIC bad move.

This can’t be right.

https://twitter.com/ESPN_BillC/status/14...59681?s=20

Quote:Current average SP+ rating for the AAC: +0.1

Avg. rating without Cincy/UCF/Houston: -3.5

Avg. rating adding UAB/UTSA/Rice/FAU/Charlotte/UNT: -5.0

I don't get not adding Marshall and App St. over Rice, Charlotte, North Texas, FIU, and UTSA. Were they not interested? CUSA should officially just die and leftovers can join SBC or go back to FCS where most of them came from.

AAC football is just CUSA (circa 2005-2012) again.

They get Rice and UAB back. And basically swapped South Florida for Central Florida, Charlotte for Marshall, San Antonio for El Paso, North Texas for Houston, Florida Atlantic for Southern Miss, plus added Temple and Navy.

"Trash" is too strong a word, IMO. But I'm sure the insult was well-intended (well-deserved?).

The AAC P6 campaign and bid to "go national" took giant hits. (Losing UH, UC and UCF; turned down by SDSU, CSU, Boise and Air Force). No near-equals left to replace the three they're losing, and the best-of-the-rest told them to take a long walk off a short dock into deep water.

Again IMO, their best strategy (discussed on several boards and by their commish, Aresco) is to grab the OK-with-big-potentials like UAB, UTSA, Georgia State, FAU and (longshot) Buffalo. Maybe Rice. Schools like Marshall, App State, Southern Miss are already known quantities ... they were not good enough BEFORE the AAC Golden Trio started packing. Now smells too much like desperation.

I agree with those who say the MAC should not go the football-only route. Six MAC schools already have 20 future games scheduled with UMass (6/20 are Buffalo), so no need there. Four futures with UConn (2 each Buffalo, Ball State) show low interest there. And remember, if Buffalo leaves ... .

FCS's NDSU, Missouri State are too far out of footprint, and Illinois State would have to increase stadium size a few thousand PLUS give up the MVC/MVFC.

So ... best to sit back, enjoy the AAC ego-bruising, watch them and CUSA & SUN Belt duke it out and see what's left. Then also see what ESPN will do. Pro-active not a good idea right now, IMO.

But fun to discuss.

I don't see how that conference could be any more interesting than the MAC for NIU fans. Memphis, Temple, and Wichita State probably want to bolt now. None of those additions help them in basketball or football. I assume Temple can't be happy they aren't trying to add any east coast schools closer to them like Buffalo or Marshall.

Yuck, glad we aren't in that conference.

Anyone see this? Our budget is on par with premier FCS teams. I'm hoping the additions of Burno, Hammock's continued success and the Men's Soccer team's success can really get us out of this pit. We are way behind Illinois State for crying out loud. Unless this changes, we should be thankful to even be an FBS school in the MAC.

https://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/finances

Marshall and WKU cmon over.

(10-18-2021 10:49 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  Anyone see this? Our budget is on par with premier FCS teams. I'm hoping the additions of Burno, Hammock's continued success and the Men's Soccer team's success can really get us out of this pit. We are way behind Illinois State for crying out loud. Unless this changes, we should be thankful to even be an FBS school in the MAC.

https://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/finances

Then again, we aren't too far off from Louisiana Tech... THERE'S HOPE

CUSA Soccer is 6 schools plus 3 affiliates and WVU being a scheduled 4th affiliate. Three of the schools leaving sponsor soccer, leaving CUSA with 3 plus 3 affiliates.

Wonder if these changes effect WVU’s scheduled move.

I’d like to keep WVU.

(10-18-2021 10:49 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  Anyone see this? Our budget is on par with premier FCS teams. I'm hoping the additions of Burno, Hammock's continued success and the Men's Soccer team's success can really get us out of this pit. We are way behind Illinois State for crying out loud. Unless this changes, we should be thankful to even be an FBS school in the MAC.

https://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/finances

Maine, who just received a payday from us, made 300k more in revenue.

I think the lost sales from running out of hot dogs at sporting events is one of the main reasons for the revenue shortfall.

(10-18-2021 10:49 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  Anyone see this? Our budget is on par with premier FCS teams. I'm hoping the additions of Burno, Hammock's continued success and the Men's Soccer team's success can really get us out of this pit. We are way behind Illinois State for crying out loud. Unless this changes, we should be thankful to even be an FBS school in the MAC.

https://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/finances

Looks like Illinois St. is being heavily subsidized (74.17%) by the school and they still suck in football and play FCS.

NIU is the least subsidized school in the MAC, explains why our budget is lower. Looks like our athletic department has been relying less and less on the school for its budget.

Buffalo is the most subsidized school in the MAC at 81.06%.