American Athletic Conference

[SHOCKvalue]

The "moving costs" are reported as approximately $750K to $2M. While that's a huge sum for most of us on a personal level, we pay our coach $3M per year (soon to be $3.5M), our athletic budget pushes $30M, and the P5 schools were are trying to compete against in MBB are two to four or five times that. I'm not sure why the $750K or $2M figure required to make this move is raising eyebrows.

We gotta eat like a big dog, if we want to be one ourselves. Consider it a nominal investment for a huge ROI payoff.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

The "moving costs" are reported as approximately $750K to $2M. While that's a huge sum for most of us on a personal level, we pay our coach $3M per year (soon to be $3.5M), our athletic budget pushes $30M, and the P5 schools were are trying to compete against in MBB are two to four or five times that. I'm not sure why the $750K or $2M figure required to make this move is raising eyebrows.

We gotta eat like a big dog, if we want to be one ourselves. Consider it a nominal investment for a huge ROI payoff.

Agreed.

It's like the family of 4 who has outgrown their 800 sq ft apartment and purchases a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home. They are established in their careers, can easily afford it, and the "whoa, massive dollars" is easily countered with "what other possible use of our dollars would net such a positive improvement on our quality of life?"

Easy call.

[AZ Shocker]

Still a lot less expensive than adding football.

[Dan]

The "moving costs" are reported as approximately $750K to $2M. While that's a huge sum for most of us on a personal level, we pay our coach $3M per year (soon to be $3.5M), our athletic budget pushes $30M, and the P5 schools were are trying to compete against in MBB are two to four or five times that. I'm not sure why the $750K or $2M figure required to make this move is raising eyebrows.

We gotta eat like a big dog, if we want to be one ourselves. Consider it a nominal investment for a huge ROI payoff.

It will be interesting to see who's whining when the price to renew season tickets comes out. Everybody will be chipping in on this one.

[Dice260]

It will be interesting to see who's whining when the price to renew season tickets comes out. Everybody will be chipping in on this one.

I agree, but I don't know that the whining will be as bad as if we were coming back to the Valley. I expected season ticket prices to go up as soon as they announced the move to the AAC. I also expected season ticket prices to go up anyway since we have a top 10 team coming back and demand is going to be through the roof (as usual). It will be interesting to see, but I truly believe it will be a great investment for WSU to be in the AAC.

[1972Shocker]

It is certainly not an insignificant amount of money even in a $25 million budget. But it is not a surprise. It is additional costs that were known and quantified in advance of making the decision to joine the AAC and obviously thought to be a worthwhile expenditure of funds going forward when weighed against the anticipated benefits. Wichita State hasn't tired to hide the fact that more $ would be needed from just about all constituencies.

Still as someone said this relativley a small amount compared to what bringing football back would have required. So if the kind of money we are talking about gives us indigestion then football is really a pipe dream at Wichita State. I think ADDB and Dr. Bardo were relieved they were able to get this done without having to deal the elephant in the room (football).

[pogo]

Improved conference, improved national exposure through that conference (and I know Dr Bardo was looking at this) should equate to a larger enrollment from the I35 corridor. If not this year then the next and following years.

[Stickboy46]

It will be interesting to see who's whining when the price to renew season tickets comes out. Everybody will be chipping in on this one.

I'm a low end donor due to MY budget, but I'm fully expecting an increase in price. The product I'm receiving is higher value. So a price increase is expected. I'll just adjust my budget elsewhere to make up for it. I think most fans will be inn agreement.

[shockmonster]

It will be interesting to see who's whining when the price to renew season tickets comes out. Everybody will be chipping in on this one.

Hopefully, even supporters who are not season ticket holders from Wichita, and other locations are willing to chip in. It's easy to accuse others of whining who are making a significant investment, and not invest yourself (you may or may not be this way) except to watch on the television, and maybe attend an occasional game when it's convenient.

[1972Shocker]

I noticed the Eagle article said ADDB was planning on "some attenance boosts in sports beyond basketball". Not sure that wil happen but I have always contended that supporting other sports at WSU is really supporting the basketball program. Every dollar that the other sports can generate is a $1 that the basketball program does not have to subsidize.

If you are going to kick in another $150 per year to Shocker athletics might as well get a couple of Volleyball, WBB or Softball season tickets in the bargain. Even if you don't use them much you can always give them away to friends, family and co-workers. A few years ago they ran a special on WBB season tickets. I bought 4 of them and donated them to Big Brothers- Big Sisters. Not a huge some of money ($120) but if every Shocker fan can just do a little extra it can go a long way. Of course, we still rely on the boys and girls with the deep pockets.

Go to stuff like the VB101 dinner and have a good time for $40 and maybe pick up an auction item or two.

Or just take in 1 VB match, 1 WBB game, 1 Softball game or DH, 1 Track Meet, 1 Baseball game every year and you chipped in an extra $40 bucks. You're biggest risk is you might actually find yourself entertained and get hooked. That happened to me with Shocker VB in 2003 (Sara Younes cast her spell on me).

[WstateU]

That happened to me with Shocker VB in 2003 (Sara Younes cast her spell on me).

Likewise... she was/is an amazing athlete.

[1972Shocker]

Likewise... she was/is an amazing athlete.

Just by happenstance my 1st Shocker VB match was in September 2003 when Sara set the single match record for services aces with 14 in a 4 set match (played to 30 points in those days) against San Diego State. My wife and I just kind of looked on in awe and decided maybe we should think about season tickets (which we have had ever since then). Just for comparison Emily Heibert lead the Shocks in service aces with 21 in 32 matches this past season.

[Mr. Obvious]

With new teams coming in and a new coach, baseball alone could float the move.

[JKLshocker]

I'm curious as to what all of you think about the possibility of the Big 12 loosing more schools in future realignment. I personally am a little worried that if, for example, six schools left the Big 12 that the remaining four would scoop up Houston, Memphis, Cincinnati, UCONN and the Florida schools to go back to 10. At that point the American could almost be Valley weak after adding football-minded schools to replace the six who left. I'm only asking because there has been a lot of talk on the AAC board about this recently. It would be nice to think that the American could add the four remaining Big 12 teams if six did leave, but that's not what happened when the old Big East fell apart. I just don't want our basketball to be hurt by football moves to the point where we are in another weak conference that doesn't merit our additional travel costs (whether they are significant or not). Even if only 2 or 4 Big 12 teams left, it's likely that the teams picked up to replace them would come from the American. I have found myself, for our sake of course, rooting for the Big 12 to somehow stabilize and retain all 10 of its current members without going to 12. Thoughts?

[wufan]

Hopefully, even supporters who are not season ticket holders from Wichita, and other locations are willing to chip in. It's easy to accuse others of whining who are making a significant investment, and not invest yourself (you may or may not be this way) except to watch on the television, and maybe attend an occasional game when it's convenient.

This is me...the one that goes to occasional games, but has 7 yellow t-shirts, 7 black ones and a slew of other jackets, pajamas, etc. I will not ***** about those that whine.