American Athletic Conference

[pogo]

I believe the remaining members need to express what the MVC should look like. I mean what is the model here? Does it match up to what the members want it to be? If not are they going to settle for less or are they willing to make the financial commitment to make it a better conference? We know some of the schools are strapped for cash but they really need to make a commitment or maybe its time they need to find somewhere else to play.

[DoubleJayAlum]

Personally, I find it all hard to believe and it probably the wish list of some of the academia at those colleges. I don't know who the guys where that were doing the talking. But for those running things - it is more about power and money is my guess - not some grand ideal.

This is not some altruistic venture; of course its about money. It is also about long term security though.

Don't over think it. Like I said above, the two reasons that public schools aren't being considered are: (a) a desire to have the same academic standards across all members (i.e., whether it is legitimate or not, there is some concern that a public school with less rigid admission standards could have an advantage in recruiting); and (b) they don't want to share financial data with outsiders and don't want to have to answer to state boards of regents and/or state governments. It isn't rocket science and it isn't a holier than thou thing, no pun intended. Hell, what organization wouldn't want to avoid dealing with state governmental agencies if they didn't have to? In some ways, I suspect the rationale is somewhat comparable to the Koch brothers lack of desire to take their company public -avoid as much governmental interference as you possibly can.

I found this article, which may of interest, because it talks about additional realignment and specifically mentions WSU (sorry if already posted): http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/20...e-realignment/

[rrshock]

I like the conference idea in the article tjat dja posted.

[SubGod22]

I like the conference idea in the article tjat dja posted.

If the BE looks into nonfootball members it'd be worth exploring. But you also have to realize that it's very possible that both Cincinatti and UConn could be gone in the not too distant future. Memphis hasn't been the same since Cal left. Not that they're horrible, but they're not the same.

[rrshock]

If the BE looks into nonfootball members it'd be worth exploring. But you also have to realize that it's very possible that both Cincinatti and UConn could be gone in the not too distant future. Memphis hasn't been the same since Cal left. Not that they're horrible, but they're not the same.

Memphis is still better than all but maybe 2 other programs that will be left in the MVC if CU leaves.

[SubGod22]

Memphis is still better than all but maybe 2 other programs that will be left in the MVC if CU leaves.

Yes. But you have to look at the others that are left in that conference as well. SMU? ECU? Houston? UCF? USF? I'll give you Temple. I'm just saying I wouldn't call it a no-brainer without looking into what else is there. And their current/new TV deal isn't great for full members. What would it be for nonfootball members? Enough to balance out the travel costs for nonrevenue sports?

[rrshock]

Yes. But you have to look at the others that are left in that conference as well. SMU? ECU? Houston? UCF? USF? I'll give you Temple. I'm just saying I wouldn't call it a no-brainer without looking into what else is there. And their current/new TV deal isn't great for full members. What would it be for nonfootball members? Enough to balance out the travel costs for nonrevenue sports?

The other sports that travel to the other league members are WBB, VB, SB and baseball. That league would benefit our baseball team. WBB can start flying. VB will have to also. The golf, track, XC and tennis teams would only play those other schools at the league tourney/meet. With the amount of money that WSU would get extra, you could justify the travel. I don't believe the MVC money even compares to the money that other conference gets.

[sdshox]

From the Omaha Paper today; not sure what I think of this comment:

"Your basketball team is your biggest marketing brochure. Do you want to put your biggest marketing brochure in New York, Chicago, Milwaukee and Cincinnati, or do you want to put it in Wichita?"

http://www.omaha.com/article/20130305/BLUEJAYS/703049851/1685#what-would-move-to-new-league-mean-for-creighton

[SubGod22]

The other sports that travel to the other league members are WBB, VB, SB and baseball. That league would benefit our baseball team. WBB can start flying. VB will have to also. The golf, track, XC and tennis teams would only play those other schools at the league tourney/meet. With the amount of money that WSU would get extra, you could justify the travel. I don't believe the MVC money even compares to the money that other conference gets.

Depends on how much. The word is that the BE will be getting less for all sports status than the C7 for basketball. So when you break that down to how much a nonfootball member would get, you'd have to calculate the costs and what we'd get. And you'd have to be absolutely confident that it would be better in the long run for basketball. We currently get 400k. How much more would we need to cover the costs of increased travel for non-men's basketball programs.

[MoValley John]

From the Omaha Paper today; not sure what I think of this comment:

"Your basketball team is your biggest marketing brochure. Do you want to put your biggest marketing brochure in New York, Chicago, Milwaukee and Cincinnati, or do you want to put it in Wichita?"

http://www.omaha.com/article/2013030...-for-creighton

The comment was made by a consultant from Kansas City and is not a dig at Wichita. He could have inserted any Midwest city. In fact, if roles were reversed and Wichita State was rumored to possibly be leaving for the C-7, inserting Omaha in the quote would be equally appropriate.

[1972Shocker]

The bottom line is Creighton would be crazy not accept an invite to the join the C-7+ and I am quite confident they will accept if invited. Not sure what the chances of the being invited at this point are but my guess the probabilities are pretty high.

Hopefully, Elgin and staff are hard at work coming up with some good options to replace Creighton and to strengthen the Valley and hopefully ADES and staff are turning over every rock they can thing of finding out what may or may not be avialable for WSU. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear either are swimming in an over-abundance of high-quality options.

[giskard]

From the Omaha Paper today; not sure what I think of this comment:

"Your basketball team is your biggest marketing brochure. Do you want to put your biggest marketing brochure in New York, Chicago, Milwaukee and Cincinnati, or do you want to put it in Wichita?"

http://www.omaha.com/article/2013030...-for-creighton

I agree with Mo Valley John. The person compared some of the markets they would be playing in as a part of the Big East to the largest remaining market in the MVC if they leave, which is us. If it is a dig at anyone, it is the other schools in the Valley that none of the rest of them even merit being mentioned.

[Kung Wu]

Butler?

Amazing, huh? Maybe they are ready to come back home?

[rrshock]

Amazing, huh? Maybe they are ready to come back home?

Not with the deal they are going to get from the C-7 league. Never in a million years.

[Kung Wu]

I hear what you're saying and I agree that the MVC can still survive, but do we want to be apart of what will be left. I mean I'm not trying to say it's all for loss in the MVC I still think there are some good basketball being played, but it has been a slow steady decline and it appears that the top 8 or 9 conferences are beginning to distance themselves from the rest of the field greatly.

The MVC is at two disadvantages, football isn't good and location of most schools are in small markets. I don't see any "quality" replacements for CU, there are some decent replacements that could help establish a bigger market like Denver or Detroit that are in small conferences, but I don't think they are CU level or will be.

There isn't much for us to do, a jump to the MWC is a stretch, and most conferences around us aren't better than what we will have left. MVC must get something together. What that is I don't know, maybe a Super conference with Sun Belt, Southland, or OVC. Regardless, most scenarios don't end up favorable for most in our conference.

Well I guess the only thing I might disagree is that there are quality pickups out there, but it's going to take some spry action to pull it off, and I just don't know if the MVC's status quo administration has it in 'em.