American Athletic Conference

[jdshock]

By the way, and in case anyone was wondering, Houston is about 600 miles from ICT. Tulane is further.

But SMU (roughly 400 miles), Tulsa (about 160) and Memphis are probably at least as close as most of the Valley schools, so we would be a decent fit for that division geographically.

Remembering from my old Santa Fe railroad days, Newton is 639 miles from the terminal of that used-to-be railroad (Chicago). So we're already traveling roughly 600 miles to play LOLoyola once a year.

Travel costs really only become prohibitive for us if you include non-basketball athletics. Our basketball team is already flying everywhere that isn't Springfield or Tulsa, if I remember correctly. Sure, you use more fuel flying to Connecticut than you do to Des Moines, but the extra NCAA money we'd expect to bring in would mean we're going to be much, much better off even if we had to fly to the coast every weekend.

Edit: over on one of the other boards that was linked, they seem to think basketball only might mean all olympic sports.

[Dan]

I'd be at the UH, SMU and Tulane games very year. That would be sweet.

[shocks02]

Travel costs really only become prohibitive for us if you include non-basketball athletics. Our basketball team is already flying everywhere that isn't Springfield or Tulsa, if I remember correctly. Sure, you use more fuel flying to Connecticut than you do to Des Moines, but the extra NCAA money we'd expect to bring in would mean we're going to be much, much better off even if we had to fly to the coast every weekend.

Edit: over on one of the other boards that was linked, they seem to think basketball only might mean all olympic sports.

You could more than makeup the additional traveling costs with extra ticket revenue and SASO donations. Shoot, you could even start playing 1-2 conference games at the downtown arena. Don't get me started....

[wu_shizzle]

Lot of support from AAC member school fans:

http://csnbbs.com/thread-802480.html

Another one, which I haven't read:

http://csnbbs.com/thread-802005.html

If fan boards have any say, this is a marriage made in heaven.

[MoValley John]

Travel costs really only become prohibitive for us if you include non-basketball athletics. Our basketball team is already flying everywhere that isn't Springfield or Tulsa, if I remember correctly. Sure, you use more fuel flying to Connecticut than you do to Des Moines, but the extra NCAA money we'd expect to bring in would mean we're going to be much, much better off even if we had to fly to the coast every weekend.

Unlike the Valley, I believe the AAC gets paid for their basketball content. Therefore, you bump your NCAA distribution AND get paid for tv games. On the other hand, the AAC would likely charge Wichita State to join.

On an aside, if this rumor is true, does having Wichita State in play cause other leagues to reconsider? Maybe the MWC decides to knock on the door? Bidding war?

[wu_shizzle]

While I would be excited to see MBB in the AAC, this would to wonders for our other sports.

Especially Baseball and Softball.

[BOBB]

Even though Hartford is the St. Louis of New England, can I just say how much I would love to go somewhere other than St. Louis for our championship. Many of the potential host cities are significantly more intriguing. Oh, and imagine not having to win it or damn near run the table in conference to go dancing. Be still my heart.

[SHOCKvalue]

Unlike the Valley, I believe the AAC gets paid for their basketball content. Therefore, you bump your NCAA distribution AND get paid for tv games. On the other hand, the AAC would likely charge Wichita State to join.

On an aside, if this rumor is true, does having Wichita State in play cause other leagues to reconsider? Maybe the MWC decides to knock on the door? Bidding war?

Well, I'm not the AD or anything, but I'd have to assume the AAC has been target #1 for the WSU brass, since this all started, so a "bidding war" would probably not be a thing.

[shocks02]

Hello Mr. AAC Commissioner, this is Charles Koch....

[ShockerPrez]

Hello Mr. AAC Commissioner, this is Charles Koch....

I read on one of the boards that Koch is a sponsor for SMU, so, perhaps this thinking has some truth...

[Dave Stalwart]

Don't do this to me. This could kill me. An actual report that we are tossed around favorably in AAC league meetings...

Add us basketball only for now and in a few more years we will hold up our end of the deal and bring football. JUST DO IT. NIKE

[Dave Stalwart]

I am in legitimate mental pain and angst now. We've got a university president posting pictures of helmets and band uniforms and a few months later we've got the AAC talking about us as a basketball only. It is cruel and unusual punishment if none of this comes about.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

At least a few of Cincy, Temple, UConn, Memphis, SMU, Houston, and Tulsa coming to Koch every year? Yes Please!!!!!

[ShockBand]

For WBB, baseball, softball, and volleyball, from looking at that map, it looks like you could still bus to all the schools that would be the "Western" division, presuming they divided that way. My guess is it would be like the Big 12 used to do - unbalanced schedule with more games in your own division. So I'm guessing WBB and volleyball would go home and home in a western division and single game only with the other, and baseball/softball probably play everyone in your own division every year and half of the other division every year.

[ShockBand]

Oh, I hope this is real.

Don't tease me, bro!