American Athletic Conference

[1972Shocker]

AAC or bust.

I'm not interested in any "or bust" scenarios.

[1972Shocker]

I honestly believe the MVC could be a perennial three bid league. I don't even think it would be that difficult. It would just take strong leadership and establishing a vision at the commissioner position.

I don't necessarily disagree with you but IMHO it will take a lot more than a strong Valley commissioner although that is part of the puzzle. Not much a commissioner can do if the President's, AD's and fan bases of the member institutions aren't wholeheartedly committed to athletic excellence as well. Yes it's possible but not easy by any means.

A new Commissioner would have to willing to step on some toes as well because no doubt the will be certain institutions not willing and/or able to buy in. That will requires some reorganization of member institutions.

[MadDog]

I think I said this a couple of years ago, and I believe it more than ever after this years tournament... there's going to be a "cut line" for conferences. The big boys are going to squeeze the little guys out of the tournament and there will be a separate little guys tournament. We absolutely have to be on the big guys side of the cut line. I thought I heard were were the only "mid-major" that received an at-large bid? MVC is going to be a little guys league.

[shocker3]

I think I said this a couple of years ago, and I believe it more than ever after this years tournament... there's going to be a "cut line" for conferences. The big boys are going to squeeze the little guys out of the tournament and there will be a separate little guys tournament. We absolutely have to be on the big guys side of the cut line. I thought I heard were were the only "mid-major" that received an at-large bid? MVC is going to be a little guys league.

It would be very easy to do. All they need to do is remove the auto bids. Once that happens, nearly all of the 68 ncaa tourney bids will go to the elite conferences. The NIT would then effectively become the championship for the so-called "mid-majors".

[Ta town]

Start a new league consisting of 8 non-football schools only:
-8 schools only ensures quality
-8 schools only cuts back on the travel cost for league play
-Find the right 8 schools out there and no worry about the league not having an auto bid to start
-Basketball must be the absolute focus of these schools

WSU
VCU
Dayton
Saint Louis
Saint Joe's
Davidson
Belmont (I fear they could be like an Evansville if not careful but as of now, solid basketball, right in the middle of the league geography wise)
UTA (Wanted 1 more public, wanted someone close to Wichita, They have been an 100-150 RPI-ish team for a few years, new arena, and someone has to take last.)

OR go West:

WSU
Gonzaga
BYU
Saint Mary's
LBSU (not great basketball but very NITish for quite awhile now)
Grand Caynon (this school is going to be very good, already is, great arena, fan base, and for all the haters I believe they are going to non profit)
New Mexico St (if they drop football, use Denver instead if they don't)
UTA (for reasons explained in the east list)

[Kung Wu]

I don't necessarily disagree with you but IMHO it will take a lot more than a strong Valley commissioner although that is part of the puzzle. Not much a commissioner can do if the President's, AD's and fan bases of the member institutions aren't wholeheartedly committed to athletic excellence as well. Yes it's possible but not easy by any means.

A new Commissioner would have to willing to step on some toes as well because no doubt the will be certain institutions not willing and/or able to buy in. That will requires some reorganization of member institutions.

Yes. It all starts with the Comish though. He has to have a seriously top flight vision and then put the energy forward to sell it to the Presidents. We need a Comish with big balls and Bardoesque vision.

[Jhook89]

Though the Big East would be great for the WSU program, I just don't see it happening. Besides for the quality of our basketball program and a few other factors there isn't much else about WSU that fits with the Big East currently. I feel the AAC or A-10 makes more sense currently.

Unfortunately, our TV market and academic standings will make us less than desirable. If WSU is able to upgrade conferences I feel it will be the result of bigger conferences (Big12/Big East) expanding and raiding smaller conferences (A-10/MWC/AAC), then those smaller conferences filling the vacant spots with teams of WSU's elk. I feel the linchpin here could be the Big 12 deciding to expand to actually having 12 teams.

[ArtVandalay]

Ten teams is perfect for basketball, as it allows for double round robin league play. If the Big 12 adds two teams, it would have to be football driven to increase TV revenue. Similar reason why I don't see Big East expanding. Coaches love ten teams, don't see WSU, VCU or others mentioned as teams with market size that would increase revenue enough to make Big East decide to expand.

[Kel Varnsen]

Unfortunately, our TV market and academic standings will make us less than desirable.

I think a lot of people fail to see this. We would likely be the smallest media market in nearly any conference we go to. Would football help with that? A little. But we would still have a long way to go to build some national branding.

Conferences make money for their members, and unfortunately, we may not fit in well with that objective, especially as TV revenue is a main driver in this day and age.

[ShockerFever]

I think a lot of people fail to see this. We would likely be the smallest media market in nearly any conference we go to. Would football help with that? A little. But we would still have a long way to go to build some national branding.

Conferences make money for their members, and unfortunately, we may not fit in well with that objective, especially as TV revenue is a main driver in this day and age.

Like Omaha, freaking Nebraska is pulling up the big media market scores.

Give me a break.

[Steeleshocker]

I think a lot of people fail to see this. We would likely be the smallest media market in nearly any conference we go to. Would football help with that? A little. But we would still have a long way to go to build some national branding.

Conferences make money for their members, and unfortunately, we may not fit in well with that objective, especially as TV revenue is a main driver in this day and age.

Media market only matters so much as it gets eyeballs on TV screens to watch advertising. WSU has done quite well in this regard.

[SHOCKvalue]

I think a lot of people fail to see this. We would likely be the smallest media market in nearly any conference we go to. Would football help with that? A little. But we would still have a long way to go to build some national branding.

Conferences make money for their members, and unfortunately, we may not fit in well with that objective, especially as TV revenue is a main driver in this day and age.

I did spreadsheet about a year ago looking at various comparative metrics in the AAC, along with how WSU might fit in. At that time, the Wichita media market was ranked 65th under the context of Nielsen "TV Homes". If WSU were added to the AAC, then fully one third of the conference would occupy slots between 50th and 65th, under the same criteria. So yes, Wichita and WSU would be bringing up the rear in this regard, but not by some astonishing margin.

[SHOCKvalue]

Like Omaha, freaking Nebraska is pulling up the big media market scores.

Give me a break.

Funny story: Omaha is a smaller media market than Wichita, by like 10 slots in Nielsen. Wichita is 65th, followed by Honolulu at 66th; Omaha is 75th, followed by Springfield, MO in 76th.

[choida]

Private schools play by different rules

[pie n eye]

I think a lot of people fail to see this. We would likely be the smallest media market in nearly any conference we go to. Would football help with that? A little. But we would still have a long way to go to build some national branding.

Conferences make money for their members, and unfortunately, we may not fit in well with that objective, especially as TV revenue is a main driver in this day and age.

How is the size of media market working out for Loyola?