Most lower D1A football programs lose money hand over fist. It is extremely unlikely that UConn will ever come close to breaking even at football as an independent.
OT: Yahoo!: Sources: UConn move to the Big East inevitable
- Thread starter Dr. von Yinzer
- Start date
Most lower D1A football programs lose money hand over fist. It is extremely unlikely that UConn will ever come close to breaking even at football as an independent.
Rumor mill: AAC would like to add Army or BYU, if interested.
https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...y-byu-top-candidates-to-replace-uconn-in-aac/
https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...y-byu-top-candidates-to-replace-uconn-in-aac/
BYU has a decent set-up with ESPN when it comes to coverage of their games and bowl placement they're not joining a conference unless it's the Big 12.
Army voluntary left C-USA because they wanted to play the type of schedule they currently have, why would they want to turn around and join what's pretty much C-USA 2.0?
I think the American is going to stay at 11 teams. I cannot see Army or BYU joining that conference and I don’t really see anyone else who would bring any real value.
The only way that would work from a value standpoint is if they could somehow convince all of the best western non-Power Five teams to join them — BYU, Boise State, Colorado State, Nevada, etc. That might work. Otherwise, I just don’t see this happening.
The only way that would work from a value standpoint is if they could somehow convince all of the best western non-Power Five teams to join them — BYU, Boise State, Colorado State, Nevada, etc. That might work. Otherwise, I just don’t see this happening.
I am on record with saying it's going to be Boise State. That said, I also think the American should think outside the box and add 3 teams Army, Air Force, and Boise State. All 3 service academies + Boise State, UCF, Houston, etc. That's a good league
East
Temple
Cincinnati
East Carolina
UCF
USF
Tulane
Memphis
West
Army
Navy
Air Force
Boise State
Tulsa
Houston
SMU
That would be a good league. The problem is that the Mountain West lets Boise State keep a lot of its own money in addition to its league membership share. The AAC is not going to allow Boise to do that. That’s why I just don’t see it happening.
However, if they could work it out, I wouldn’t mind seeing something like this:
EAST
Army
Cincinnati
East Carolina
Memphis
Navy
Temple
UCF
USF
WEST
Air Force
Boise State
BYU
Colorado State
Houston
SMU
Tulane
Tulsa
That would legitimately be the number six conference — no questions asked. Honestly, that’s a power conference in my opinion.
However, if they could work it out, I wouldn’t mind seeing something like this:
EAST
Army
Cincinnati
East Carolina
Memphis
Navy
Temple
UCF
USF
WEST
Air Force
Boise State
BYU
Colorado State
Houston
SMU
Tulane
Tulsa
That would legitimately be the number six conference — no questions asked. Honestly, that’s a power conference in my opinion.
Possible teams for AAC to go to 12, and I think they do want to do that
I am not listing dreams, just realistic choices
1) UMass .... They have decent Bball and don't discount spite. Taking someone in UConns backyard would be a really spiteful play by the AAC
2) Buffalo .... At times the FB been good, a good media market, good regional fit.
3) GA State..... Media market, open recruiting into GA
4) Texas State ... Adding a 2nd Texas team wouldn't hurt, plus they could go west and bring Navy back east.
5) Appalachian State ... NC market, but west of most schools so not saturated, AND their FB Ateam has made noise in the past
3)
I am not listing dreams, just realistic choices
1) UMass .... They have decent Bball and don't discount spite. Taking someone in UConns backyard would be a really spiteful play by the AAC
2) Buffalo .... At times the FB been good, a good media market, good regional fit.
3) GA State..... Media market, open recruiting into GA
4) Texas State ... Adding a 2nd Texas team wouldn't hurt, plus they could go west and bring Navy back east.
5) Appalachian State ... NC market, but west of most schools so not saturated, AND their FB Ateam has made noise in the past
3)
You've got problems with geography and math, as Houston and SMU are already in the conference. Plus, those two schools would likely laugh whomever brought up Texas State out of the room.
BYU sees itself as a P5 and isn't going to join that league.
Boise State only gets about $3 million per year from the Mountain West (including their separate deal with ESPN). The new American deal is about $8 million and probably more if Boise is added. Now, this will be the last year for that MWC deal so I'd expect them to get a bump but it wont be AAC-type money.
I don't see any MAC school leaving for the AAC. Their TV deal is as good or better. The MWC schools have some unique issues with weather and travel so one of them dodging east sounds nice but I can't name one school that makes the AAC TV deal better. Really the same problem the Big12 is facing at the moment with adding value. The Southern Conference is a bit more of a basketball conference but I don't know who is bringing more TV's since their footprint overlays the SEC & ACC. So that leaves Conference USA. I mean, why would you take anyone that's left there. Independents? Army allegedly gets NYC's market share but you'll have to prove to me that it means anything. UMass? Maybe but why?
The AAC has a bigger problem than finding a replacement. If UConn can jump ship (market in the 30's), why wouldn't anyone else? Everyone likes to ignore Temple but they have the biggest media market that's not already in the P5. Next comes Houston. They're not fooling around down there and they look like they're trying to make themselves attractive to a P5 (yeah, Rice is there too but it's Rice). USF and UCF have top twenty markets (although the Big 12 would likely be their only landing spot).
So if there might be a massive shift in CFB with the Big 12 GOR deal that's coming up, why would you mess around moving to a conference that could be the primary target?
The AAC has a bigger problem than finding a replacement. If UConn can jump ship (market in the 30's), why wouldn't anyone else? Everyone likes to ignore Temple but they have the biggest media market that's not already in the P5. Next comes Houston. They're not fooling around down there and they look like they're trying to make themselves attractive to a P5 (yeah, Rice is there too but it's Rice). USF and UCF have top twenty markets (although the Big 12 would likely be their only landing spot).
So if there might be a massive shift in CFB with the Big 12 GOR deal that's coming up, why would you mess around moving to a conference that could be the primary target?
It's being reported that the AAC will remain at 11 schools for the time being.
https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...ll-go-forward-with-11-football-teams-instead/
https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...ll-go-forward-with-11-football-teams-instead/
So ESPN threatened to renegotiate the TV deal? I can't find the article but Yahoo! reported yesterday that there is a clause that would allow it.
I like GA State as a great replacement for UCONN in the AAC East Division.
They check all the boxes.
New ballpark, large enrollment, fertile recruiting area, media market, etc.
They would be the perfect fit for this conference.
They check all the boxes.
New ballpark, large enrollment, fertile recruiting area, media market, etc.
They would be the perfect fit for this conference.
Army would have beaten the crap out of Pitt last year and most teams not in the top 15. Hell they took Oklahoma into overtime and only lost by a TD 28-21 which was the least amount of points Oklahoma scored all year.
Plus they have their own TV deal with CBS sports and now that they are not the same team under Monken as they were under Berry/Ross/Brock/Ellerson, the next go round they may be able to parlay that to even more money. Plus the Army/Navy game is a huge money maker.
Army is in no hurry of joining a league, they learned their lesson from CUSA as Navy is learning right now in the AAC.
I hear this always thrown out there. Does it matter how big your media market is if no one in that market cares about you? Georgia owns that state and trailing far behind is GA Tech, then a bunch of other SEC schools and Clemson. After all that you have GA State and GA Southern etc.
I think the answer is, it depends. What was Rutgers and Maryland worth to the B1G for their markets? Apparently plenty. What is GaState's presence worth in Atlanta/Georgia? Probably not much.
I think it matters for the large metro Atlanta schools like GA St and GT. This is live programming that can be sold to stations in metro ATL.
UGA owns the state by far, however I do believe there would be viewers in Metro ATL for GT and GA ST.
Some ppl would make the same argument with PSU and Pitt. PSU owns the state by far, but there are still Pitt viewers in Pittsburgh with an interest for Pitt games.
GT I agree, they are very similar to Pitt. GA St no, that would be like Duquesne getting on TV. If I knew a player on the team personally, I would watch. Other than that the other options (tv watching or activities) would be so limited that is really the only choice. And I am saying that as some one who watch a few games of theirs a year during the week right before bed since they are a local school with many local players. It is not bad football at all, but I'm watching LSU vs Kentucky live before I am watching Duquesne. I feel that is the view of most people in Georgia feels about GA State. Now Duquesne vs a P5 team, ok I will pick that due to the local factor over a random better game. But that is an exception not a rule.
GA State Football is only 9yrs old, 6 as FBS.
Duquesne is not a similar example to GA state. They're not a FBS school and GA State enrollment is 5x more than Duq; 25K compared to just 5K.
GA State is similar to UCF and USF. Those two schools are in the same state as FSU, UFL, and Miami.
I just see enormous potential for GA state; just my opinion.
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True, everyone remaining in the AAC with the possible exception of Navy would jump ship, but only for a "P5" invite.
Army lost to Duke. They were beating Liberty by 10 points at the end of the third quarter at home. They beat Hawaii by 7 at home. They beat Miami, the one in Ohio, not the one in Florida, by 1 point in double overtime at home. They were beating Eastern Michigan by 2 late in the 3rd quarter. They beat Air Force at home by 3. Two of their other wins were relatively close games against Lafayette and Colgate.
One close loss against one good team does not make you a good team. The fact is that they weren't actually any better than us. Had we played their schedule we could have had a really good record too. Most teams in the top 15 would have beaten Army pretty handily. As would have most teams in the top 30.
I don't think Navy is all that pleased with the arrangement, to be honest.
I don't know this for certain but it doesn't seem like anyone in the AAC is happy being in the AAC. For one reason or another.
James Madison would like to take UConn's place in the AAC.
https://www.inforum.com/sports/foot...ing-up-Dukes-might-hope-so-but-its-a-longshot
https://www.inforum.com/sports/foot...ing-up-Dukes-might-hope-so-but-its-a-longshot
Don't see it happening. Admitting JMU would further cement the nationwide perception of the AAC as minor league.
Heck, Robert Morris better jump on that train before all of the seats are full.
No way though they could end up in the MAC, CUSA, Sun Belt, or some football-only league with UConn, UMass, Liberty, and NM State
To each their own, but if i was a JMU fan I would not want to jump up. I would rather be competing for a National Title every year in FCS than going 10-2 in the AAC playing in a bowl game that gets no more publicity than the FCS National Championship game.
I'm dancing a little jig on UCunt's football grave just like Randy Edsall did that one time he got lucky against us. Nothing better than the karma of watching that little twat Edsall go down the toilet with his team. Karma is a bitch, Randy!
Couldn't agree more. U Conn I would argue contributed to Harris "departure" in 2004. If Pitt beats UConn- the fanbase and administration is likely not as pissed when Walt's agent ran his mouth. If the team is 9-2 going into contract talks- it possibly is a different outcome.
As for Wanny- if his 2006 team holds on to a comfortable lead at UCONN - they go to a bowl. The perception of him in the fans early on is more positive- perhaps he doesn't get so desperate taking in 'talented but troubled recruits' who end up hurting him down the road in the Sports Illustrated article.
Lastly, if Pitt beats UConn in 2010- Wanny likely returns as they would have won the league.
I never were angrier after the U Conn losses. There is no way our program should have lost to them 4 times in 7 years. I know Western PA is not the same population as it was in the past but come on Connecticut.... There is virtually no consistent legit players from that area. The fact that they were competing with us was a sign the program was not going well.
The American is closer to ACC level than MAC level. They consistently beat ACC teams.
Someone should have mentioned that when the AAC settled for a TV deal that was slightly worse than the MAC's.
yes, nice summary. 2006 was the "golden" year of the Big East. So I wasn't super upset by losses to WVU, Louisville & Rutgers. All three had their best teams probably in their history that year. But we should have been #4 in the conference and in a bowl. The collapse at UCONN (and also USF) were terrible. They made DJ Hernandez (aarons brother) look like a Heisman QB for UCONN; he was so good of a QB that they switched him to WR the next season
2010 was the nail in the coffin, Edsall doing his happy dance was him dancing on Wanny's grave. And I forgot about the 2004 fiasco as well. Could have made for a nice 9 win season instead of a goofy 4 way co-champs of the Big East and getting a BCS game by default.
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