American Athletic Conference

[BenWSU]

I got an email recently from the alumni association seeking input from Bardo about things I feel need to improve plus what the future should look like.

Maybe this is something alot of people should contact him about.

[SubGod22]

I really don't think us or CU get in unless they go to 16 and even then, it's no guarantee. The best case scenario would be for us to get in with this new BE or whatever, next would be to hope that they don't go past Ohio and we can get Butler and SLU I guess. That would take us to 12 and give us some strength with Butler and a solid program with SLU. If one or both get pulled into this new conference, then we don't have a lot of options. If they end up taking CU and not us, it sucks.

I could also see them stopping for now at 10 or 12 and maybe expand in a couple of years if the money is there. It'll be interesting to see what plays out.

[Shocks2005]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8742607/seven-catholic-schools-leaning-leaving-big-east-sources-say

It is happening. WSU is not going to be first in their minds for joining. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

But with that being said. I think we can calm down that if Creighton leaves, without us, the MVC is a sinking ship. It will be a sinking ship if MVC does not jump on grabbing some potential "good" replacements. There will be a few schools leftover that will not get invites to the new BE.

No matter what, if I was commish of MVC. I would be sweating bullets..

[Shocks2005]

Also, I think the possibility that any current members leave the MVC this year is a small number. It could however be a great opportunity to grab some regional players to spice up the MVC.

[SubGod22]

Also, I think the possibility that any current members leave the MVC this year is a small number. It could however be a great opportunity to grab some regional players to spice up the MVC.

Who? The sexiest names are only potentially available if Xavier and Dayton leave for the new conference and even then it wouldn't be a guarantee. Elgin isn't expanding without SLU and has pretty much said that repeatedly. And they're not even a great add. And I wonder what they could do with out Majerus anyway.

We would have to look much more in depth if we're talking about potential players outside of the A10, but then you need to do research into the Athletic Departments of Murray State, Belmont, Milwaukee, Wright State, XDSU and others of that variety. No blockbuster names but some that could potentially be players in the right situations.

[Shocks2005]

Who?

I agree, there aren't many "sexy" names, but there are some solid grabs that are better than the bottom of the league.

Murray State, Tulsa (Old Rival, with a new coach, doubt they will leave cause of football), Denver, SLU, a Texas school, VCU (a little far East). There are ones out there that could be decent pick-ups that most importantly gives the MVC depth and entry into bigger markets for TV/recruiting.

These are all thoughts the MVC should be considering, regardless of how crazy they might seem.

[Ta town]

If CU leaves I say hold at 9, replacing two games against CU with Milwaukee or anybody else will not do WSU any favors.

Heck you could probably get one of those CU games back a year by scheduling a series with them.

Here are my thoughts (worthless I know):

-BEast 7 raids the A-10 for only 3 teams to get to a nice 10 team league round robin travel. Lets say this happens and some combination leaves out either Dayton or St.louis. One of those scho ols going to be looking for a home. Unless the leftover A-10 still has enough pull to grab CU to backfill instead of the Valley picking leftover A-10.

-BEast 7 actually just merge into A-10 causing no effect on Valley. Unless at the point CU is brought into the A-10/BEast 7 fold as well.

-BEast 7 goes to 12 teams, adding 5 A-10 teams or possibly just 4 and CU.

My guess if any of this has an impact on the Valley it will be negative and it will be CU leaving.

[tw805]

We may not know what the answer is, but the answer sure as hell is not to sit around on your hands hoping the chips fall the right way. We don't know what they're doing behind the scenes, but it sure feels like we're in an unprotected position. The MVC without Creighton is an RPI train wreck.

[RomeoCrennel's Belly]

Creighton will leave for the new Big East and then SIU-Edwardsville will join the Valley....

[shox1989]

Maybe the Valley should look at greatly increasing the exit fee. I think now it is something like a paltry $50,000. Of Course the small fee probably reflects how little this conference is really worth.

[Cdizzle]

Maybe the Valley should look at greatly increasing the exit fee. I think now it is something like a paltry $50,000. Of Course the small fee probably reflects how little this conference is really worth.

Increase? I vote to open the gate. A couple of these programs need put out to pasture. Though that could get confusing. SWOMO could get caught in a temporal loop by trying to put the program out to pasture, but needing the program to already be in the pasture so they can sell it so they can afford the exit fee to put the program out to pasture.

[shox1989]

Increase? I vote to open the gate. A couple of these programs need put out to pasture. Though that could get confusing. SWOMO could get caught in a temporal loop by trying to put the program out to pasture, but needing the program to already be in the pasture so they can sell it so they can afford the exit fee to put the program out to pasture.

I would give Evansville a FREE PASS to leave. Shoot, I think the rest of the members should chip in $10,000 each and pay them to leave!

[SubGod22]

Like I've said somewhere, the best realistic (kind of) scenario is for the C7 to take Duquesne, Richmond and Xavier to get to 10. They get like minded schools and get a round robin without having to expand too far. Xavier is someone they'll definitely add. If they only go to 10, that would open up Dayton and Butler for the taking. However, I could see them going to 12 to get those two as well which only leaves SLU and forces us to add them (Elgin has a hard on for them) and someone else. I could see them passing on St. Joe's and George Washington because they already have those markets so if they went to 12 we're stuck with only SLU. If they went to 14, SLU may be off the board and then they look back east. I don't think CU is gone unless they want 16. The more I look at this, I don't see them taking any publics.

Our best hope is for them to stay at 10 or 12 and present us with the opportunity, maybe, of getting Butler.

[WstateU]

We are so screwed!

[Shocks2005]

SubGod is on the nail on this one. WSU and CU are on the bottoms of their list for new members. They are going after East Coast first, then if they feel like getting crazy going West. CU would be the last two in after 14, WSU would only be considered probably a replacement if one of the schools don't wish to join the new BE. Either way. I don't see any current members out, but a higher probability of some schools left in the cold looking for a new conference.

Sub, if the scenario plays out and SLU comes MVC, do we go after a Murray State or VCU to continue growth? Or just level off? Honestly, it could be a good opportunity to create a conference that will pad the 50-100 RPI teams..