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https://www.si.com/college/2023/05/15/co...onferences

Article says the next domino could come in the next 30-60 days as the Pac 12 attempts to finalize their TV deal. SDSU to the Pac 12 seems like a done deal with SMU as the 2nd choice. However, if their TV deal isn't good the Big 12 could make a play for the Arizona schools, Colorado, and Utah which would likely set off much bigger dominos.

If the Pac 12 stays together, it seems like the Big 12 still wants to expand further with Memphis being mentioned as an option.

Could be a pretty active summer of realignment again. I hope we're prepared and not just satisfied with the AAC (that could look different in 2024).

All heck could break loose or we could get …. Nothing.

The bigger issue is that neither the Big Ten or Big 12 want to fire the first kill shot at the Pac-12 but in a lot of ways it already occurred (USC and UCLA).

Things are really heating up in ACC land. I don’t know if FSU and Clemson can force this issue but they are for sure going to try. It isn’t sustainable for them to be tens of millions behind schools like Maryland and Rutgers.

...My take is the AAC and MWC will merge at some point, probbaly sooner than later - to be the top 'mid-tier' or whatever, will need safety in numbers...

(05-15-2023 03:39 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  https://www.si.com/college/2023/05/15/co...onferences

Article says the next domino could come in the next 30-60 days as the Pac 12 attempts to finalize their TV deal. SDSU to the Pac 12 seems like a done deal with SMU as the 2nd choice. However, if their TV deal isn't good the Big 12 could make a play for the Arizona schools, Colorado, and Utah which would likely set off much bigger dominos.

If the Pac 12 stays together, it seems like the Big 12 still wants to expand further with Memphis being mentioned as an option.

Could be a pretty active summer of realignment again. I hope we're prepared and not just satisfied with the AAC (that could look different in 2024).

...now the fact that the current MWC buyout for SDSU is $17 mill, but TRIPLES on 07/01/23, will be of interest... the way the PAC has been kicking the can down the road on their new media deal the last 6-9 months, the BigXII might be the better 'immediate' landing spot for SDSU, even at a 'partial share'...

If the PAC 12 gets gutted, I am thinking that what ever is left takes in a good part of the MWC to keep it west coast oriented and attempt to keep the power conference designation.

My biggest fear is that the end result is some sort of P4 that breaks away to its own tier. I hope that’s not the case but the FBS is getting too big

(05-16-2023 07:34 AM)Golden-Ticket Wrote:  My biggest fear is that the end result is some sort of P4 that breaks away to its own tier. I hope that’s not the case but the FBS is getting too big

That PLUS some of the AAC teams move up and we are left in AAC 3.0 or basically CUSA+.
I just don't want to be left behind again. I'm excited to be playing Memphis, Tulane, , SMU, and ECU again as well as the other AAC teams that we have history with. But if Memphis and other teams leave us again then I will be super disappointed.
I wish we would have moved to AAC back in 2014 but we weren't the same UAB then as we are now. Still think they should have added just us when UCONN left though (before the big realignment wars).

Best case scenario for us is if the teams all shift, the G5 needs to just make a super conference and position themselves as a power conference. Or the sunbelt and AAC join together and get a G5 SEC essentially

(05-16-2023 07:34 AM)Golden-Ticket Wrote:  My biggest fear is that the end result is some sort of P4 that breaks away to its own tier. I hope that’s not the case but the FBS is getting too big

I believe that an P4 breakaway is inevitable.

(05-15-2023 05:22 PM)GreenFreakUAB Wrote:  ...My take is the AAC and MWC will merge at some point, probbaly sooner than later - to be the top 'mid-tier' or whatever, will need safety in numbers...

This is my personal hope long-term. MWC adds the P12 leftovers (probably Wazzou & Oregon State), and then merge with the AAC somehow. Even if it's just effectively an alliance that forms a superconference for football & basketball, that would be huge.

The holdup on a MWC/AAC collab is the same holdup from a decade ago — schools will be holding out to try to get a lifeline into whatever is left of the Pac or ACC.

Basically we're at the same point were the SBC tried to merge with CUSA and a lot of CUSA folks (Blazers included) scoffed at it.

But then CUSA turned around and tried to merge with the AAC and the AAC scoffed at it.

Now the AAC is on track to get scoffed at.

Where does it end?!?! Preferably with UAB in a profitable situation.

(05-16-2023 10:52 AM)DuelingDragon Wrote:  The holdup on a MWC/AAC collab is the same holdup from a decade ago — schools will be holding out to try to get a lifeline into whatever is left of the Pac or ACC.

...who was the prophet on here that predicted UAB to the ACC? It's really not that far-flung of an idea at this point, IF the ACC even survives... the Semi-holes and company appear to be looking to blow the whole she-bang up... lawyer UP, indeed...

...with that, if the ACC is 'gutted', then maybe the AAC and ACC would merge (folks always get the acronums confused, anyway... )

(05-16-2023 12:31 PM)GreenFreakUAB Wrote:  ...with that, if the ACC is 'gutted', then maybe the AAC and ACC would merge (folks always get the acronums confused, anyway... )

I mean the AAC and the ACC are full of former Big East schools. So it wouldn't be that farfetched.

The pressure is on the Pac to get this deal done in the next six weeks or so if they want San Diego State. Their current exit fee to leave their conference is $17m. If they give notice to withdraw after July 1st, it's $45m.

It is possible, I would actually say probable, that SDSU will announce their intention to withdraw whether they have a new home yet or not. It isn’t like the MWC wouldn’t take them back if the pac 12 or Big 12 don’t pan out.

(05-16-2023 12:47 PM)blazerblazer Wrote:  

(05-16-2023 12:31 PM)GreenFreakUAB Wrote:  ...with that, if the ACC is 'gutted', then maybe the AAC and ACC would merge (folks always get the acronums confused, anyway... )

I mean the AAC and the ACC are full of former Big East schools. So it wouldn't be that farfetched.

This is who it seems like might get left at the altar from the ACC: Boston College, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Wake Forest. Do you just add them for the sake of adding them?

I'm probably stupid here but I'm more intrigued about the idea of the MWC merger.

A merger would be great but the PAC right now could take whoever they wanted from the MW not the other way around. So the PAC will just reload and the ACC the same.

I think the time has probably passed for the AAC-MWC merger. The schools with the most value (SDSU, SMU, Memphis, maybe Boise State and even Tulane, UNLV and Fresno) probably will either have better options or hold out for them. If a few of those end up in the Pac or Big 12) the coast to coast league isn’t going to make financial sense at all.