American Athletic Conference

[1979Shocker]

I researched the past AAC scheduling to see how it was determined, didn't find much direction, but in case anyone would like to know some of the info is below. I've put the important quotes above the articles. I'm still expecting division play so I doubt it would be exactly the same as it was with 11.

2014-2015 schedule:

"We are very pleased with the schedule format we have put together for the 2014-15 season," said AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco at The American's annual meetings. "We took into consideration rivalries, marquee match-ups and geographical and travel considerations. The move of our Championship to a Thursday-Sunday format offers our traveling fans more convenience while affording us significantly better coverage on ESPN platforms and a championship window that has historically produced better ratings."

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/052814aab.html

March 2015 article:

"The conference slate consists of 18 games. With AAC Men's Basketball membership at 11, the current set up is that a team plays 8 opponents twice, and two other teams just once. I do not believe there is currently any rhyme or reason to which two teams you only play once. Last year UConn's one-time opponents were Houston and UCF."

http://www.theuconnblog.com/2015/5/6/8271565/aac-basketball-scheduling-wildcard-hot-take-move-to-an-unbalanced

2016-2017 schedule (just for reference):

http://theamerican.org/news/2016/6/6/MBB_0606162637.aspx

Edit- I can't seem to get that one link to work.

All links are good now.

[Wichita Muskie]

OTOH if the AAC does doe a divisional setup for basketball I am not sure it follows that there is equivalence with the MAC and OVC other than all these leagues have 12 basketball teams and play a divisional setup.

No major conference has divisions. The A-10, C-USA and the SEC all used to have divisions and went away from it (years ago), and it's not an accident, either. Don't expect the AAC to split into divisions.

[im4wsu]

Divisions make little sense in basketball because you have no regular-season champion, per se, and there is no need for a playoff to determine a champion because you have the tournament that determines the auto-entry into the NCAA tournament.

[1972Shocker]

No major conference has divisions. The A-10, C-USA and the SEC all used to have divisions and went away from it (years ago), and it's not an accident, either. Don't expect the AAC to split into divisions.

My only expectation is that the AAC will do what they think is in their own best interest. If that means divisions then we will have divisions. If it means somehting else will have that. Not sure it will have much to do with what other conferences feel is best for them although they might decide to model after other conferences. Doesn't much matter really, If they don't like whatever they start with they can change it.

All the conferences mentioned so far are 14-team conferences. Whether or not having 12-teams that are very spread geographically vs the 14 teams conferences like the Big 10, SEC, A-10 and C-USA is hard to say. The two conferences mentioned that do have a divisional setup are the MAC and OVC which are 12-team conferences although to my knowledge not as spread out as the AAC.

I think we would like to think that travel costs and travel time or not an issue but I think they are on the list somewhere.

Like most things in sports this will probably be dictated by the desires of their TV and media partners. If those guys want UConn vs WSU twice a year in the regular season I would expect that to happen. This seems to me to be the most likely reason for not using divisions. Keeping the greatest flexibility to be able to perhaps manage TV ratings. No doubt that is a very good reason.

[Shock Top]

Makes me optimistic we'll see UCONN, Cinci, Temple, SMU, Houston, Memphis, and Tulsa twice a year (more often than not) and the lesser opponents (unless they step up like UCF tried this season) only once a year.

[robertfoshizzle]

Most AAC fans want scheduling that focuses on creating the best match-ups. Whether that involves using previous years' RPI, conference standings, etc...

[shock]

Get sanding, CKA maintenance staff!!

[WSUwatcher]

So, pardon my ignorance, but with a 12-team conference, would we still have a double round-robin? Or would it be abbreviated to keep the same number of conference games?

It isn't a double round robin even now, Hockey -- last season with 11 teams they only played 18 games, not 20. And they certainly wouldn't expand beyond that to accommodate a new team. To me, east-west divisions with a home and home inside the division and one game a year with each of the others, alternating home vs. away from one season to the next, makes the most sense -- but that's only 16 league games.

So if they decide to stick with 18, which seems more plausible because it requires less scheduling dislocation, then they just have to figure out how to pick which seven teams you play home and home and which four you play once a year (again, presumably alternating home vs. away from one year to the next).

Meanwhile, Phi -- no need to panic about the turnover at Connecticut and Memphis. Neither one is going to turn into Drake any time soon, even if they may have a bit of recovering to do. They're big-name programs with plenty of resources, and they'll figure it out sooner rather than later.

[wusphlash]

We could be starting a movement.

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/aac-presidents-to-vote-this-week-on-adding-wichita-state-could-begin-play-in-fall/

[Heinro]

We could be starting a movement.

http://www.cbssports.com/college-bas...-play-in-fall/

Gonzaga wishing they were in a better conference now too? I'm stoked about being in the AAC, but if the Big East ever decided to go to 16, maybe Creighton could really push to get us there. St. Mary's, Gonzaga, Dayton, VCU, WSU and St. Louis. Pretty much a dream.

[Wurdaddy]

Can you give a day to set our countdown!?! Some time this week they will vote.

http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2017/04/05/report-aac-set-to-vote-on-wichita-state-inclusion-this-week/

[shockerfan]

Can you give a day to set our countdown!?! Some time this week they will vote.

http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.c...ion-this-week/

They are voting Friday

[Dave Stalwart]

Gonzaga wishing they were in a better conference now too? I'm stoked about being in the AAC, but if the Big East ever decided to go to 16, maybe Creighton could really push to get us there. St. Mary's, Gonzaga, Dayton, VCU, WSU and St. Louis. Pretty much a dream.

I would love to see Gonzaga get into a better conference, but they are just so far away from anyone. They would need to somehow get better teams into the WCC, I think. I mean, it would be great if they could play in the Big East, but it just seems silly geographically.

Again, I'd love to see a big realignment of the smaller conferences. I'd like to see the MVC figure out how to poach the Summit and Horizon, which if done well, could create some separation and put the A10, MWC, MVC and WCC at the top of the mid major conferences.

The WCC brought in BYU last year, and that made a huge difference. There's more where that came from. WCC can go try to grab up New Mexico State, Grand Canyon (out of the WAC) and maybe even Denver (out of the Summit).

[Stickboy46]

"Done Deal"
Mark Adams

https://twitter.com/EnthusiAdams/status/849767777204412417

[kellykemnitz]

"Wichita St. will be a tremendous addition to @American_Conf IMO. Gregg Marshall's program will benefit from a much improved TV pkg."

https://twitter.com/TimBrando/status/849694769106309122

"Absolutely. They are waking up the echoes of the Gene Stephenson program I followed while calling the CWS' in the 80's and 90's. Tradition!"

https://twitter.com/TimBrando/status/849697361962180609