AAC Expansion mentioned by Mike Kennedy on the pregame yesterday

[Shox The Revenant]

I heard that BYU is a tough add because they do not play any sports on Sunday, which makes scheduling very difficult for all sports.

[rrshock]

Even with Boise being where they are, those 3 would be a positive add to the conference. I sure know I'd be upset seeing Gonzaga and BYU coming into Wichita every year.

[Shockm]

BYU football is independent I believe. So adding Gonz, BYU and BSU would only add 1 football.

BYU wouldn't be added if it didn't include football.

Being an independent in football isn't easy if you aren't Notre Dame. They left the MWC because they hoped they could be Notre Dame, after Utah left the MWC for the PAC 12 leaving them in a spot. They are most likely realizing now that they aren't like a Notre Dame and are looking for a good landing spot for their football team. American conference football is a step up from the MWC for sure with Boise and BYU, may be more of a viable football conference. BYU is finding it difficult to be an Independent. They moved to the WCC (the only good basketball teams are Gonzaga and St. Mary's) because they wanted a place for their other sports and the WCC doesn't play football. The Mountain West is also not considered a good football league so Boise State and BYU would be looking for a place for their football teams.

https://mwwire.com/2018/01/28/betray...st-conference/

If this happened there would be 14 basketball playing schools and 13 football playing schools (including Navy). The only reason they would have East/West divisions would be to limit trave from the East coast schools to West coast schools. This could be worked out but it would take some thinking.

[pinstripers]

Yeah, divisions might work. Otherwise, I don't think it matters how much money is involved if you are talking to the coach and the players.

[WstateU]

Not sure this rumor has any legs...

[Napoleon Dynamite]

Not sure this rumor has any legs...

I think maybe Mike may have been smoking something.

[vbird53]

BYU wouldn't be added if it didn't include football.

Being an independent in football isn't easy if you aren't Notre Dame. They left the MWC because they hoped they could be Notre Dame, after Utah left the MWC for the PAC 12 leaving them in a spot. They are most likely realizing now that they aren't like a Notre Dame and are looking for a good landing spot for their football team. American conference football is a step up from the MWC for sure with Boise and BYU, may be more of a viable football conference. BYU is finding it difficult to be an Independent. They moved to the WCC (the only good basketball teams are Gonzaga and St. Mary's) because they wanted a place for their other sports and the WCC doesn't play football. The Mountain West is also not considered a good football league so Boise State and BYU would be looking for a place for their football teams.

https://mwwire.com/2018/01/28/betray...st-conference/

If this happened there would be 14 basketball playing schools and 13 football playing schools (including Navy). The only reason they would have East/West divisions would be to limit trave from the East coast schools to West coast schools. This could be worked out but it would take some thinking.

At that point, having 14 schools, you might want to add two more, forcing additional national exposure especially in football. Then, create two distinct divisions for basketball and Olympic sports to reduce travel.

Being independent for football is getting difficult even for Notre Dame. Our Irish Catholic family has been fans forever... yes, there aren't any issues putting the schedule together, but that's mostly thanks to the ACC partnership and the long-time rivalries. But, they finished with 10 wins this year, and ended up in the Camping World Bowl facing #6 Big 12 Iowa State. They don't have any bowl affiliations if they miss the playoff. That team should have earned either the Orange Bowl or Cotton Bowl, and would have if in a conference.

As for the outcome for the Shockers, I think further expansion of the AAC is in our best interest, as long as an improved TV/media contract comes with it to help defray the travel costs. Can you imagine all the travel these students are now involved with? At some point, you do have to wonder about the missed class time and some of the stresses involved. Keep some perspective that these kids are not pros!

[Stickboy46]

Boise State just filed a lawsuit vs the MWC ... this might move quicker than expected.

[Kel Varnsen]

I, for one, just don't see how Boise coming to the American benefits the American. Seems like it would be more appealing for them than us. I guess the same was probably said about us when we entered the league.

To me, a great candidate would need to have the following:

- Be within the current geographic footprint of the American
- Be located in an MSA as big or bigger than Wichita
- If not within current geographic footprint, be added in tandem with a travel partner

I also don't foresee the American adding a new member that does not have football.

[Cdizzle]

I also don't foresee the American adding a new member that does not have football.

Why not? The American is replacing a member that does not have football.

[Shock Top]

If this would be the death of the MWC, does the AAC dare go down the old BE route and expand nationwide?

Add to from the old MWC to get up to 14-16 teams: BYU, BSU, SDSU, UNLV, UNM

--------

Have two divisions to ease travel and for a conference championship football game.

West: SDSU, BYU, BSU, UNM, UNLV, UH, SMU, Tulsa,

East: Cinci, UCF, USF, Temple, UCF, Tulane, Memphis, Navy/WSU

-----

Ambitious and unrealistic? Probably. Would be an interesting experiment though.

[Shockm]

I, for one, just don't see how Boise coming to the American benefits the American. Seems like it would be more appealing for them than us. I guess the same was probably said about us when we entered the league.

To me, a great candidate would need to have the following:

- Be within the current geographic footprint of the American
- Be located in an MSA as big or bigger than Wichita
- If not within current geographic footprint, be added in tandem with a travel partner

I also don't foresee the American adding a new member that does not have football.

Just for a beginning reason, didn’t Wichita State pay $1Million to join the conference?

As for the American adding a school like Gonzaga, if they are going west, they need more than just BYU and Boise State. However in a renegotiated television contract that doesn’t include UCONN, BYU adds money and nation wide viewers, Boise adds Idaho viewers, and Gonzaga has a very large Eastern Washington viewership. I’m not sure how serious the negotiations have been but each of these schools while not without warts (we have warts too without football) add western television viewers and value. The only other western school with value may be San Diego State.

Again, the biggest reason this rumor may have legs is that I’d think the conference may be renegotiating the television contract because of the loss of UCONN.

[ABC]

One note of caution. There has never been a successful 16-team conference. The WAC tried it for 2,3 years before the big boys in the conference (BYU, New Mexico, Utah) broke off to form the Mountain West. Currently the Big 10 has 15 members . . .

[Maizerunner08]

As much as I like Gonzaga, I don’t see the incentive for them to move. Same with BYU. We thought our travel was bad, imagine having to travel at a minimum halfway across the country for every road game.

[Maizerunner08]

One note of caution. There has never been a successful 16-team conference. The WAC tried it for 2,3 years before the big boys in the conference (BYU, New Mexico, Utah) broke off to form the Mountain West. Currently the Big 10 has 15 members . . .

16 is just too big. Especially if the conference footprint is so sprawled.