American Athletic Conference

[ShockerFever]

I don't want to start another thread about this, so I'm going to post this here.

The MWC probably doesn't consider us an option. We are considerably below Gonzaga and BYU for them, and they don't even have any incentive for them to add us. They'd all see a drop in pay unless we make it far into the tournament (Sweet 16 at least) almost every year. Even adding Hawaii for all sports would be a better option. This seems like an unlikely solution. 10% chance.

The A-10 probably doesn't want us. If the Big East raids them, it will be for teams near us. Best case scenario is that the Big East takes Butler, Xavier, and VCU, which give the A-10 some incentive to add us, but it is unlikely. 9% chance.

We may see a fit with the Big East, but we are basically off the radar. If they want someone that isn't a Catholic school, they'll take Butler. If they want a public school, they'll get VCU. If they want a more western team, they get Creighton. Still a chance if they expand to 14-16 teams in the future, but unlikely. 1% chance.

Simply put, we don't have a lot of options. Our most likely bet is that we will end up in a crappy conference. We just need to make the best out of a bad situation, and hope that we will be good enough to continually win in whatever crappy conference we get into, until we have won enough to be considered a candidate for an upgrade. Right now, I'd say that we have an 80% chance of either staying in the MVC or going to a similar conference (equivalent to maybe the Horizon league of today.

With Sexton in charge, you're probably right.

[SubGod22]

IF the MWC wants to add a school to offset Hawaii, we'd have a chance. BYU isn't joining them and I don't see Gonzaga leaving the WCC unless it's a major pay upgrade. The MWC should get a better TV deal next time they're up for negotiations which I believe is still a few years away. At that point, we could be in play. They'd want to add someone that would bring basketball value to the conference and I don't see a lot of other options. They could take a chance on Arlington because of the market, but outside of that, there's really nothing out there for them.

[ShockerFever]

Sub, I don't get your infatuation with UTA. Yeah, I know they're investing in football, but that's still an investment. There aren't really any results yet. And they certainly haven't proven crap on the basketball floor. They have no fanbase, no tradition, no nothing. The only thing they have going for them is that they're in DFW and have a big enrollment (not surprising for a Texas public school). A lot of schools fit into that mold. It doesn't mean they're worthy of say a MWC ticket.

[CBB_Fan]

Talking to MWC fans, the teams that they would want are generally chosen from:

BYU
SDSU/BSU from BE
Fresno
UTEP
Houston
SMU
Gonzaga (non-football)
Hawaii (all sports)
Tulsa
UTSA
NMSU
or
Merge with Big East football

The MWC is a football conference. They make their money from football. They don't care about having an equal number of teams in the other sports, and frankly we are very low on their list of "wants" because we aren't a football school. That alone makes us practically invisible to them. I found nothing from their fans that suggest they view us as a candidate to the MWC to get to an even number of basketball teams.

[WuDrWu]

Yeah, because fan message board wish lists are the first place I look for good solid information on conference expansion.

Rest assured, those that matter are on it a little more closely than MWC fans, MVC fans, or you.

[SubGod22]

Sub, I don't get your infatuation with UTA. Yeah, I know they're investing in football, but that's still an investment. There aren't really any results yet. And they certainly haven't proven crap on the basketball floor. They have no fanbase, no tradition, no nothing. The only thing they have going for them is that they're in DFW and have a big enrollment (not surprising for a Texas public school). A lot of schools fit into that mold. It doesn't mean they're worthy of say a MWC ticket.

Hence it would be a stretch for them to take them over us. Just proving my point that there aren't a lot of options for the MWC if they're trying to fill the Hawaii spot. Arlington gets them into a nice Texas market, but they haven't shown sustained success on the court yet although they've been improving.

[BOBB]

Yeah, because fan message board wish lists are the first place I look for good solid information on conference expansion.

Rest assured, those that matter are on it a little more closely than MWC fans, MVC fans, or you.

+1

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

With BYU in the WCC now, Gonzaga doesn't have as much incentive to move to the MWC, but I bet they'd consider it. But check out the MWC as it stands now for 2013, if you split it geographically into east and west:


West
Fresno St.
Nevada
UNLV
San Jose St.
UT St.

East
Air Force
CO State
New Mexico
Wyoming

Nine basketball programs, and if split E/W, it looks like there's a spot open in the east. Add two teams to the west and three teams to the east, and our travel burden wouldn't be much greater than it is now. I bet NMSU is begging to get out of the WAC, and Tulsa brings a good football program that just won the CUSA.

[SubGod22]

Talking to MWC fans, the teams that they would want are generally chosen from:

BYU Not gonna happen
SDSU/BSU from BE Could happen, but that wouldn't impact filling the Hawaii void
Fresno ??? They're already in the conference
UTEP A possibility, but we'll see
Houston Not gonna happen.
SMU Not gonna happen and wouldn't be worth it to them anyway
Gonzaga (non-football) I don't see them leaving the WCC for the MWC
Hawaii (all sports) Sincerely doubt it.
Tulsa I've heard they've already turned that down. Have heard in the past they aren't interested in going West again.
UTSA I've seen that mentioned online a lot, would they be interested in going West? It still doesn't cover the Hawaii void we were discussing.
NMSU Not going to happen. New Mexico doesn't want them, and they'd have no chance at UTEP if NMSU got in. Hawaii void still isn't answered
or
Merge with Big East football This is as likely as the CUSA/MWC merger dicussed last year. And we were discussed as potential basketball only adds to the MWC during that by online fans.

The MWC is a football conference. They make their money from football. They don't care about having an equal number of teams in the other sports, and frankly we are very low on their list of "wants" because we aren't a football school. That alone makes us practically invisible to them. I found nothing from their fans that suggest they view us as a candidate to the MWC to get to an even number of basketball teams.

My thoughts.

[CBB_Fan]

Yeah, because fan message board wish lists are the first place I look for good solid information on conference expansion.

Rest assured, those that matter are on it a little more closely than MWC fans, MVC fans, or you.

I'm 100% certain the people that matter are on it very closely. The point is that if we are in discussions, we probably are low enough to escape casual notice. I haven't seen anything conclusive that hints of us to the MWC.

On Fresno State: Forgot they were joining in the 2012-2013 season. So they were put on because of earlier information regarding Fresno State to the MWC.

[SB Shock]

I'm 100% certain the people that matter are on it very closely.

There are not many things 100% certain except death and your taxes are gong up.

[Ricardo del Rio]

My gong is up?

[Ricardo del Rio]

I hope I am not the only person, whose head is spinning, due to all of the variables and possibilities.

I hope I am not the only person, who has not read every post. (Did I commit a double negative?)

I hope there are others, who will wait until the dust settles and then read about the final outcome.

If not, then just call me dunderhead.

[rrshock]

I hope I am not the only person, whose head is spinning, due to all of the variables and possibilities.

I hope I am not the only person, who has not read every post. (Did I commit a double negative?)

I hope there are others, who will wait until the dust settles and then read about the final outcome.

If not, then just call me dunderhead.

I think many are concerned because this one can finally effect WSU in either a good or bad way. But the final outcome is what is important. Im sure you will go back later and laugh at predictions. I know I will.

[rrshock]

Yeah, because fan message board wish lists are the first place I look for good solid information on conference expansion.

Rest assured, those that matter are on it a little more closely than MWC fans, MVC fans, or you.

And I know that you have a better chance of knowing what is happening than the rest of us. And I trust you will drop hints as to what is gping on when the time comes and it is appropriate. Right Doc?